COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Sophomore outside hitter
Mataya Ward earned another honor with a First Team All-Academic selection while eight of her teammates joined her on the honor roll as the RMAC announced its Academic All-RMAC honorees on Wednesday.
Chadron State's eight honor roll selections were
Bella Adams,
Alejandra Briseno,
Cydnie Eskew,
Bo French,
Kally Kirkwood,
Avery Lacy,
Josie Loosvelt and
Rylee Ward. It is the third career honor roll selection for Adams, the second for French, Kirkwood, Lacy, Loosvelt and
Rylee Ward, and the first for both Briseno and Eskew.
Including
Mataya Ward, Chadron State volleyball's nine student-athletes on the All-Academic Honor Roll is the fourth-highest total among the league's 15 teams, trailing only Colorado Christian (11), South Dakota Mines (10) and MSU Denver (10).
Mataya Ward, who has a perfect 4.00 GPA as a business administration major, earns the first-team selection in her first year of eligibility, as student-athletes must be in their second year at their institution to be recognized.
The Belle Fourche, South Dakota native's selection makes it three years in a row that Chadron State volleyball has had a first team All-Academic player after alumni
Kendyl Kirkwood made it in 2024 and Mayson Fago appeared on the team in 2023.
On the court, Ward was CSC's premier attacking option, landing an honorable mention All-RMAC selection on November 20. Ward led the Eagles and ranked seventh in the RMAC with 3.15 kills per set, racking up 233 total kills across 24 matches for the Eagles. Ward also ranked 10
th in the RMAC with 3.49 points per set.
To qualify for the All-Academic First Team, a player must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average, have completed at least two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters at their current active member institution and used a season of eligibility. The RMAC's sports information directors vote on eligible nominees to select a 14-person first team based on a combination of on-court and academic achievement.
To qualify for the All-Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a 3.30 cumulative GPA or better and meet the other requirements.
