Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Senior setter Kendyl Kirkwood earned a prestigious place on the RMAC All-Academic First Team, highlighting nine total Eagle volleyball players to earn academic honors from the conference office Tuesday.
In addition to Kendyl Kirkwood’s first-team selection, eight CSC players were named to the league’s All-Academic Honor Roll – Bella Adams, Paige Boitz, Bo French, Kally Kirkwood, Avery Lacy, Josie Loosvelt, Rylee Ward and Maddison Wright.
Kendyl Kirkwood earns the first All-Academic honors of her career with her selection to the 14-player All-Academic First Team. The senior from Fleming, Colorado has a perfect 4.00 GPA through 106 completed credit hours between two seasons at Otero Junior College and two seasons at Chadron State.
On the court, Kirkwood was also CSC’s leading setter, playing in all 26 matches while starting 20. Kirkwood recorded 508 total assists for an average of 5.58 assists per set and racked up 193 digs, good for third on the team. Kirkwood achieved 10 “double-doubles,” matches with over 10 digs and over 10 assists, over the course of the 2024 season.
Kendyl Kirkwood’s selection to the first team makes it two years in a row that Chadron State volleyball has had an All-Academic First Team selection after alum Mayson Fago was picked last season. Only seven of the RMAC’s 15 volleyball schools put a player on the first team.
Among the honor roll selections, Paige Boitz and Maddison Wright received RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll status for the third time in their careers, doing so previously in 2022 and 2023. Bella Adams was named to the Honor Roll for the second straight year.
Bo French, Kally Kirkwood, Avery Lacy, Josie Loosvelt and Rylee Ward have all earned the first All-Academic distinctions of their careers with selection to this year’s Honor Roll.
To qualify for the All-Academic First Team, a player must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average, have completed at least two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters at their current active member institution and used a season of eligibility. The RMAC’s sports information directors vote on eligible nominees to select a 14-person first team based on a combination of on-court and academic achievement.
To qualify for the All-Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a 3.30 cumulative GPA or better and meet the other requirements.
Colorado Mesa’s Sabrina VanDeList was named as the conference’s Academic Player of the Year. Colorado Mesa led the way with four selections to the first team, followed by Regis with three, MSU Denver and South Dakota Mines with two and Adams State, CSU Pueblo and the Eagles all with one.