NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State volleyball juniors Sarah Kushner and Kaity Weimerskirch were named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® Women's Volleyball Team for the first time in their careers, as announced by the organization on Thursday. The honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.
Kushner, a member of the 2020-21 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention team, is tied for a conference leading 18 double-doubles this season, including 11 during league play. The Naperville, Illinois native, has notched double-digit kills in 21 matches this season, including a 10-game streak with double figures from Sept. 18 through Oct. 18. She has also had at least 10 digs on 19 different occasions during the 2021 season. With one match remaining in the regular season, Kushner is averaging 2.96 kills and 2.81 digs per set.
In addition to being selected to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention Team earlier this year, Kushner also earned the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award last year and has been named to both the MVC and AFNI Honor Rolls multiple times in her career. Kushner was selected to the 2019 MVC Championship All-Tournament Team and the 2020-21 All-MVC Second Team.
Weimerskirch leads the Valley and ranks 14th in the NCAA with 536 total digs this season, averaging 4.79 digs/set which is tied for the best average in the league. She is the only MVC player with over 500 digs during the 2021 campaign.
During conference matches, Weimerskirch averages a league-leading 4.91 digs per set. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota native's 319 digs are the most in MVC play with the next closest athlete almost 50 digs behind Weimerskirch.
Weimerskirch became only the 16th Redbird in school history to reach 1,000 career digs earlier this year after combining for 51 in ISU's two home matches against Loyola-Chicago and Valparaiso which was the exact number needed to reach the 1,000-dig mark after entering the weekend with 949 digs. ISU's junior captain was named the MVC Defensive Player of the Week for her impressive performance against the Ramblers and Beacons.
Academically, Weimerskirch earned the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award last year and is multi-time member of both the MVC and AFNI Honor Rolls.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.0, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his institution and be nominated by his sports information director.
Both Kushner and Weimerskirch will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot with First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees announced in mid-December.
UP NEXT
Kushner, Weimerskirch and the rest of the Redbird volleyball team are back in action tomorrow, November 19 at 6 p.m. when they host I-74 rival Bradley inside Redbird Arena. Following tomorrow's final regular season match, Illinois State will honor its three seniors.
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