DENVER – Three WAC volleyball players – Erin Birmingham of New Mexico State, Kanani Danielson of Hawai'i and Shantell Durrant of Utah State – have earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). All three were named to the second team in their respective districts.
Birmingham, a senior middle hitter from Riverside, Mo., has a cumulative 3.88 grade-point average in exercise science. In her second year at NM State after transferring from Georgia Tech, she currently ranks second on her team and eighth in the WAC in blocking (1.13).
Danielson, a sophomore outside hitter from ‘Ewa Beach, O‘ahu, has a cumulative GPA of 3.51. She was the selected by the coaches as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year and is a four-time WAC Player of the Week this season. Danielson currently leads the WAC in kills (4.03) and points (4.55) and ranks third in hitting percentage (.322).
Durrant, a junior middle blocker from American Fork, Utah, has a cumulative 3.83 GPA in psychology. She currently leads the team with 102 total blocks and ranks seventh in the WAC in hitting (.276) and ninth in blocking (1.13).
In order to be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) at her current institution and have reached sophomore athletic eligibility.