SAN MATEO, Calif. — In a season unlike any other, a majority of Gaels Volleyball players had to double-dip and play both indoor and beach volleyball at the same time. Through it all, the Gaels were able to find success on the courts and in the classroom, to the tune of three players scoring WCC All-Academic honors in both indoor and beach, while one beach-only player was also honored by the conference on Tuesday.
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Jennifer "Boo" Laird was the star for Saint Mary's as she was a focal point on both the hardwood courts and the beach courts. She was eighth in the conference in blocks with 58 total, and had one stretch of averaging 4.5 blocks per match over a nine-match stretch. In addition to her success indoors, she won more matches this year than any other SMC beach player, racking up 14 wins with her partner
Morgan Kendrick. While playing both sports in a jam-packed semester, she still managed to carry a 3.67 GPA as a Psychology and Business Administration major. Laird was named First Team in beach and Honorable Mention for indoor.
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The rest of the Gaels honored by the conference scored Honorable Mention honors, led by
Chandler Cowell and
Selbie Christensen, who snagged recognition in both indoor and beach. Cowell holds a 3.66 GPA as a Communication major while Christensen is studying Economics and sports a 3.83 GPA. Both were vital to the Gaels success this year, with Cowell and Christensen each scoring 11 beach wins this year. That total helped Cowell each All-WCC Second Team honors for beach volleyball for the first time in her career.
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The final Gael recognized by the conference is
Sienna Young, who used up her final year of beach eligibility and helped lead one of the top pairs for the Gaels. She won 11 matches this year, like Cowell and Christensen, and spent time as part of the Gaels top pair early in the season. It book-ends her career on the beach nicely, as she was also an All-Academic honoree in 2018 as a sophomore, the first year she was eligible. Young graduates with a 3.80 GPA as a Business Administration major.
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2020-21 WCC VOLLEYBALL ALL-ACADEMIC FIRST TEAM
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| Name |
School |
Class |
GPA |
Major |
|
| Rose Booth |
LMU |
So. |
3.82 |
Accounting |
|
| Kennedy Eschenberg** |
BYU |
Sr. |
3.87 |
Elementary Education |
| Thana Fayad |
San Diego |
Gr. |
3.71 |
Leadership Studies |
| Grace Frohling |
San Diego |
So. |
3.56 |
Undeclared |
|
| Chapin Gray* |
Gonzaga |
Sr. |
3.84 |
Political Science; Psychology |
| Kate Grimmer |
BYU |
So. |
3.49 |
Pre-Business |
| Gabby Leo* |
Pacific |
Jr. |
3.85 |
Education-Teaching |
| Laura Madill* |
San Diego |
Jr. |
3.86 |
Industrial & Systems Engineering |
| Gretchen Rudel |
Gonzaga |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Electrical Engineering |
| Julia Sangiacomo |
Santa Clara |
So. |
3.97 |
Biology |
|
| Shannon Scully |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
3.39 |
Communication Studies |
| Madison Shields* |
Pepperdine |
Jr. |
3.98 |
Biology |
|
| Mary Shroll |
LMU |
So. |
3.82 |
Accounting |
|
| Julia Talarico* |
Gonzaga |
Sr. |
3.83 |
Biochemistry |
| Roxie Wiblin |
San Diego |
Sr. |
3.45 |
Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Isabel Zelaya |
Pepperdine |
So. |
3.81 |
Pre-Business Administration |
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| HONORABLE MENTION |
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| BYU |
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| Whitney Bower |
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| Tayler Hifo |
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| Gonzaga |
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| Tia Andaya |
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| Kennedy Croft |
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| Alyssa Hughes |
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| Katelyn Oppio |
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| Sarah Penner |
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| Zoe Thiros |
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| LMU |
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| Sierra Bartley |
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| Emme Walters |
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| Pacific |
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| Jadyn Tubbs |
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| Pepperdine |
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| Rachel Ahrens |
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| Kayleigh Hames |
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| Alli O'Harra |
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| Portland |
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| Claire Forrest |
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| Kellie Hughes |
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| Liz Reich |
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| Grace Zilbert |
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| Saint Mary's |
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| Selbie Christensen |
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| Chandler Cowell |
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| Jennifer "Boo" Laird |
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| San Diego |
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| Annie Benbow |
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| Lauren Turner |
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| San Francisco |
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| Valeria Alegrias Cambindo |
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| Anna Dalla Vecchia |
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| McKenna Marshall |
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| Orsula Staka |
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| Santa Clara |
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| Alex Anthony |
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| Liliana Light |
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| Gretchen Reinert |
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| Michelle Shaffer |
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2021 WCC BEACH VOLLEYBALL ALL-ACADEMIC FIRST TEAM
| Name |
School |
Year |
GPA |
Major |
| Brook Bauer |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
3.42 |
Business Administration |
| Sydnie Herrmann |
LMU |
|
3.64 |
Psychology |
| Jennifer "Boo "Laird |
Saint Mary's |
Sr. |
3.67 |
Psychology/Business Administration |
| Gabby Leo |
Pacific |
Jr. |
3.85 |
Education - Teaching |
| Selina Marolf |
LMU |
Sr. |
3.83 |
Management |
| Jessie Prichard** |
LMU |
Sr. |
3.95 |
Educational Studies |
| Simone Priebe* |
Pepperdine |
Jr. |
3.95 |
Ecnomics |
| Megan Rice* |
LMU |
Sr. |
3.88 |
Business Analytics |
| Julia Sangiacomo |
Santa Clara |
So. |
3.97 |
Biology |
| Carly Skjodt |
Pepperdine |
Gr. |
3.67 |
MS in Global Studies |
| *Previous first team selections |
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| Honorable Mention |
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| Loyola Marymount |
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| Emma Doud |
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| Pacific |
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| Lucy Carpenter |
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| Claire Danna |
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| Jenny Todd |
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| Jadyn Tubbs |
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| Pepperdine |
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| Alexis Filippone |
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| Katie Gavin |
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| Sutton Mactavish |
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| Melanie Paul |
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| Mary Sinclair |
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| Portland |
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| Shayla Hoeft |
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| Kellie Hughes |
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| Alycia Wodke |
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| Saint Mary's |
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| Selbie Christensen |
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| Chandler Cowell |
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| Sienna Young |
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| San Francisco |
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| Anna Dalla Vecchia |
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| Tanner Pemberton |
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| Santa Clara |
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| Alex Anthony |
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| Kathryn Decker |
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| Claire Doud |
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| Gretchen Reinert |
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| Michelle Shaffer |
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