KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sixteen Gulf South student-athletes were named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Division II Academic All-District® Volleyball Team. 

In total four member institutions were represented. The award recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Nominees must have achieved sophomore standing or higher, be a starter or key reserve participating in at least 50 percent of their team’s contest, and have a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA.

In a change to the program for 2022-23, all nominees who met the selection criteria and were nominated by their institution were named to the Academic All-District Teams. Institutions could nominate a maximum of six players for each program.

Collectively, West Florida had a conference-best four Academic All-District® selections, followed by Alabama Huntsville and West Georgia who had three honorees apiece.

The list of honorees included four players who received First Team All-GSC accolades, headlined by West Florida’s Taylor Vaneekeren, who was also named GSC Setter and Player of the Year. She was joined by teammate Jenna Zydlo, Montevallo's Allie Dishman, Mississippi College’s Lexie Laurendine. In total nine All-GSC honorees were recognized. 

Academic All-District® honorees are now eligible for the CSC Academic All-America® ballot, which will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 21.

Nominated by members of College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), the Academic All-America has honored more than 38,000 deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions since its inception in 1952

COLLEGE SPORTS COMMUNICATORS 2022 ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL HONOREES
Alabama Huntsville: Hailey Holshouser, Ally Kennis, Paris Morris
Mississippi College: Lexie Laurendine, Kendall Platt
Montevallo: Allie Dishman, Macy Martin, Jillian Morgan, Sav Roys, 
West Florida: Kierra Potts, Avery Rodgers, Taylor Vaneekeren, Jenna Zydlo
West Georgia: Sydney Blackmon, Caitlin Frazee, Emilee Harris