The Lone Star Conference recognized 14 student-athletes for their academic achievements Wednesday evening when league officials announced the volleyball academic awards at the LSC Championship banquet.

   Abilene Christian led the selections to the All-Academic team, placing four on the 14-player squad, followed by West Texas A&M and Texas Woman’s, who had two honorees each. The All-Academic team commemorates both academic and athletic achievement.           

• Watch video from the championship banquet

   The Lady Buffs' Lauren Thedford was selected as LSC Academic Player of the Year for the second consecutive year with a perfect 4.0 grade point average as a political science major. She is a three-time LSC all-Academic Team honoree as well as a two-time all-LSC Honorable Mention selection. Thedford leads the Lady Buffs in kills (330, 2.82/set) and points (386, 3.30) and currently ranks sixth all-time in school history with 1,648 career digs.

   The All-Academic team is chosen by the league’s sports information directors, who select players on the basis of both athletic and academic achievement. To be eligible for LSC academic honors, student-athletes must have played in at least 50 percent of team’s contests, reached sophomore athletic and academic standing (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen are not eligible), completed at least one full academic year at the nominating institution, and have a minimum 3.30 cumulative grade point average based on the 4.0 system for his/her entire collegiate career.

   Joining Thedford on the All-Academic team was fellow teammate Erika Dupree, TWU's Kendra Coulson and Sydney Veitenheimer, ACU's Shawna Hines, Kalynne Allen, Jennie Hutt and Ijeoma Moronu, Southwestern Oklahoma’s Emily Walter, Tarleton State's Shea McBrearty, Texas A&M-Kingsville's Amanda Waclawczyk, Midwestern State's Hillary White, Southeastern Oklahoma's Raelynn Beaty and East Central’s Rachel Watson.

 

Lauren Thedford, OH          West Texas A&M                 Jr.         Political Science       Carrollton, Texas

Kendra Coulson, L                Texas Woman's                    Sr.         Legal Studies             Abilene, Texas

Shawna Hines, MB                 Abilene Christian                 Sr.         Business Mgmt.         Aurora, Colo.

Amanda Waclawczyk, MB Texas A&M-Kingsville      Jr.         Biology                       Poth, Texas

Jennie Hutt, OH                      Abilene Christian                 Jr.         Interdisc. Studies      Papillion, Neb.

Kalynne Allen, MB                Abilene Christian                 So.        History                        New Braunfels, Texas

Hillary White, OH                 Midwestern State                  Jr.         English                        N. Richland Hills, Texas

Rachel Watson, MB               East Central                          So.        Biology                       Edmond, Oklahoma

Raelynn Beaty, L                   Southeastern Oklahoma     Sr.         Psychology                Wimberly, Texas

Emily Walter, MB                 Southwestern Oklahoma    Jr.         Pre-Pharmacy          Azle, Texas

Erika Dupree, S                      West Texas A&M                 Jr.         English Education   Mesquite, Texas

Shea McBrearty, L                Tarleton State                       Sr.         Public Relations       Dripping Springs

Ijeoma Moronu, S                  Abilene Christian                 Sr.         Exercise Science       Fort Worth, Texas

Sydney Veitenheimer, S        Texas Woman's                    Sr.         Marketing                  Windthorst, Texas