BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Colgate junior outside hitter Abby Shadwick earned the 2023 Patriot League Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year when it was announced by the League office on Thursday.
Shadwick is also one of 10 members of the Academic All-Patriot League volleyball team. Seven of the nine Patriot League programs are represented on the academic all-League squad, with Bucknell, Colgate and Loyola Maryland leading the way with two student-athletes each on the team.
American graduate student middle blocker Carlie Fiske (justice law & criminology, 3.29 GPA) and Navy senior middle blocker Anna Klemeyer (computer science, 3.93 GPA) joined Shadwick as two-time Academic All-League selections.
Bucknell junior libero Jordan Hardy (finance, 3.49 GPA), the Patriot League Libero of the Year, was joined on the academic squad by fellow All-Patriot League First Team selections, Bucknell senior outside hitter Catherine Jamison (English/creative writing, 3.83 GPA) and Shadwick. Fiske highlighted four second-team selections to earn academic honors, including Colgate fifth-year middle blocker Sophie Thompson (international relations & geography, 3.56 GPA), Loyola Maryland senior outside hitter Lauren Link (marketing & psychology, 3.515 GPA) and Klemeyer.
Holy Cross sophomore outside hitter Rachel Johnson (neuroscience, 4.00 GPA), Lehigh sophomore middle blocker Madison McCartney (behavioral neuroscience, 3.94 GPA) and Loyola Maryland junior setter Kacy Sekunda (speech, language & hearing science, 3.967 GPA) all collected academic honors for the first time.
To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key player within his/her sport. Freshmen or student-athletes in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
These honors recognize student-athletes who excel in their sport and the classroom. The awards are voted on by Patriot League volleyball sports information directors, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
2023 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Abby Shadwick, Colgate, Jr., OH, Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay
* Shadwick owns a 3.75 cumulative GPA while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in art and art history.
* Shadwick is a two-time Academic All-Patriot League Team honoree (’22, ’23) and a two-time All-Patriot League First Team member (’22, ’23).
* The junior started in 23 matches this season to help guide the Raiders to their third-straight Patriot League regular season title.
* Shadwick enters the postseason averaging 2.36 kills and 2.31 digs per set, to go with 13 service aces.
* She is the first Colgate student-athlete to be named volleyball scholar-athlete of the year since 1999 when Judy Culhane earned the award.
Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year
The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, given out over the summer. One male and one female are selected for this honor. American volleyball alumna Karla Kucerkova was named Patriot League Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2003 and 2004.
2023 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Abby Shadwick, Colgate, Jr., OH
2023 Volleyball Academic All-League Team
Carlie Fikse, American, Gr., MB
Jordan Hardy, Bucknell, Jr., L
Catherine Jamison, Bucknell, Sr., OH
Abby Shadwick, Colgate, Jr., OH
Sophie Thompson, Colgate, 5th, MB
Rachel Johnson, Holy Cross, So., OH
Madison McCartney, Lehigh, So., MB
Lauren Link, Loyola Maryland, Sr., OH
Kacy Sekunda, Loyola Maryland, Jr., S/OPP
Anna Klemeyer, Navy, Sr., MB
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.