Wayne State University Athletics

Volleyball 2/23/2022 8:31:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

12 Volleyball Student-Athletes Earn Academic All-GLIAC Recognition

2021 squad ties program record with 10 All-Academic Excellence recipients.

DETROIT -- Twelve (12) members of the 2021 Wayne State University volleyball team were recognized with GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) All-Academic accolades, which was tied for the most in the conference (with Ferris State and Lake Superior). The 12 recipients is tied-for-third most in program history (15 in 2016), but the 10 selections to the All-Academic Excellence squad equals the most ever (set during the 2020-21 academic year). Over the last 11 years, 111 Warrior volleyball student-athletes have earned GLIAC All-Academic honors.

Criteria states the student-athlete must be an active member on the roster at the end of the season, and not a freshman or a first-year transfer student.

The school record-tying 10 student-athletes receiving All-Academic Excellence Team honors for maintaining a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 were redshirt seniors Julia Malewicz (Macomb, Mich. / Utica Academy / Henry Ford II), Lauren VanderWal (Caledonia, Mich.) and Taylor Wagner (St. Joseph, Mich. / Lakeshore), senior Kamryn Duffield (Romeo, Mich.), redshirt junior Halle Shell (Port Huron, Mich. / Northern), juniors Maddy Benoit (Farmington, Mich. / Mercy), Maddie Douglas (Brownstown, Mich. / Trenton) and Maddie Morrison (Flushing, Mich.), redshirt sophomore Chloe Clark (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson), and sophomore Jenna Kray (Westerville, Ohio / Worthington Christian).

Malewicz (Public Health Honors), VanderWal (Public Health) and Wagner (Nursing) each collected their fourth GLIAC academic accolade, while Duffield (Public Relations) and Shell (Marketing) garnerrf their third consecutive All-Academic Excellence award. Clark (Public Health), Douglas (Exercise and Sport Science) and Morrison (Biochem & Chemical Biology) notched their second consecutive honor, while Benoit (Management) advanced to the Excellence Team after earning All-Academic honors a season ago. Kray (Management) is a recipient in her first season eligible.

Both of WSU's representatives on the All-Academic Team for having a cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 3.49 are Public Health majors. They are junior Sam Palazzolo (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) and redshirt sophomore Nicole Golder (New Baltimore, Mich. / Anchor Bay). This is the second consecutive year both Palazzolo and Golder have been recognized with All-Academic honors.

In addition to the academic prowess of the 2021 Wayne State volleyball team, the squad also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. In the recently concluded fall semester, 18 of the 19 members of the volleyball program earned All-Academic recognition for having a term GPA of at least 3.0, with 13 of the student-athletes receiving Warrior Elite status for garnering at least a 3.50 term GPA. The volleyball program posted a 3.616 term GPA for Fall 2021.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Maddy Benoit: DS/L; 5' 9"; Junior; 2

#3 Chloe Clark: MB/OP; 5' 8"; Redshirt Sophomore; 1

#8 Maddie Douglas: DS/L; 5' 8"; Junior; 2

#7 Kamryn Duffield: S; 5' 9"; Senior; 3

#12 Nicole Golder: OH; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore; 1

#10 Jenna Kray: MB; 6' 1"; Sophomore; 1

#6 Julia Malewicz: OH; 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior; 4

#19 Maddie Morrison: OH; 6' 2"; Junior; 2

#2 Sam Palazzolo: DS/L; 5' 10"; Junior; 2

#9 Halle Shell: MB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; 2

Players Mentioned

#5 Maddy Benoit
: 5' 9"; Junior; 2
: DS/L

#3 Chloe Clark
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Sophomore; 1
: MB/OP

#8 Maddie Douglas
: 5' 8"; Junior; 2
: DS/L

#7 Kamryn Duffield
: 5' 9"; Senior; 3
: S

#12 Nicole Golder
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore; 1
: OH

#10 Jenna Kray
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; 1
: MB

#6 Julia Malewicz
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior; 4
: OH

#19 Maddie Morrison
: 6' 2"; Junior; 2
: OH

#2 Sam Palazzolo
: 5' 10"; Junior; 2
: DS/L

#9 Halle Shell
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; 2
: MB