Dec. 13, 2017
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — For the 17th time in program history, a member of the Notre Dame volleyball team has been named an AVCA All-America selection, as junior libero Ryann DeJarld earned honorable mention status.
DeJarld becomes the 12th Notre Dame volleyball student-athlete to achieve the honor and the first libero in program history to garner such recognition. The Chicago native is the first Irish volleyball player to become an AVCA All-American since Jeni Houser earned honorable mention recognition following the 2013 season.
DeJarld cemented her status as one of the top liberos in the country this season, shattering the program record for digs in a season with 747, which ranks fourth in the nation. The junior finished the 2017 season averaging an astounding 6.12 digs per set. DeJarld has also excelled in the service game, hammering out 41 aces, the second most on the team this season.
The libero also set the all-time Notre Dame program record for career digs this season, accumulating 1,808 digs in just three seasons of play. DeJarld ranks fifth for all active players in Division I in career digs per set with a mark of 5.06.
The Irish earned their first NCAA Championships berth since the 2012 season this year and finished with a record of 22-10. Notre Dame has now recorded back-to-back 20-plus win seasons for the first time since 2004 and 2005.
Each of the three AVCA All-America Teams is comprised of 14 athletes. The Division I TeamSnap/AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced on Dec. 15 at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet.
— ND —
Robby Hamman joined Fighting Irish Media as athletics communications assistant director in September 2016, coordinating efforts for the volleyball and men’s lacrosse program. Hamman is a 2010 graduate of Bethel College, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sport management and business administration, and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Defiance College in 2013.