Jan. 31, 2018
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — A program-record five University of Notre Dame volleyball student-athletes were selected to the 2017 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Volleyball Team on Wednesday, Jan. 31. Junior Ryann DeJarld, senior Sam Fry and sophomore Jemma Yeadon earned the honor for the second time in their careers. Senior Natalie Johnson and junior Rebecca Nunge also earned the recognition.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.
Fry, a management consulting major in the Mendoza College of Business, saved her best season of her career for last, posting personal bests in blocks (163), blocks per set (1.34) and hitting percentage (.329). The senior finished second in the ACC and ranks 10th in blocks for the season with 163.
Fry ended her career with 498 career blocks, setting the program record for career blocks. The record dates back to 2008 when the NCAA changed the scoring to 25-point sets. Fry also became the 22nd player in program history to reach the 1,000-kill milestone this year.
Johnson, an information technology management major in the Mendoza College of Business, has been a mainstay in the Irish rotation over her four-year career. The senior played in all 122 sets for Notre Dame this season and finished with a career-high 309 digs. Johnson made a big impact from the service line, dishing out 50 aces to lead the ACC and rank fifth in program history for most in a single season.
The libero/defensive specialist finished her career as a three-time team captain. Johnson totaled 1,166 career digs and is one of just 16 players to have reached the 1,000-dig mark for a career in program history. Johnson also totaled 118 career aces to rank sixth in the Notre Dame record books.
DeJarld, a management consulting major in the Mendoza College of Business, 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.
DeJarld also set the all-time Notre Dame program record for career digs this season, accumulating 1,808 digs in just three seasons of play. The Chicago native ranks fifth among active players in Division I in career digs per set with a mark of 5.06.
Nunge, a pre-professionalmajor and peace studiesminor in the College of Science, excelled in multiple facets of the game for the Irish during her thirdseason. The junior recorded a career-best mark for kills with 276 and also posted 105 blocks and 62 digs.
Nunge has accrued 346 sets over her first three seasons with the Irish. The outside hitter has 692 kills, 202 digs and 285 blocks in her career. Nunge was has also earned a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll in each of her first two seasons at Notre Dame.
Yeadon, a neuroscience & behavior major in the College of Science, averaged a team-high 3.91 kills per set to total 453 on the season, which rank sixth in program history for kills in a single season. Yeadon also added 315 digs, 70 blocks and 29 aces.
Yeadon was one of Notre Dame’s most consitent hitters all season, posting double-digit kills in 26-of-30 matches she played in during the year. The Mercer Island, Washington, native recently posted a career-high 27 kills against Syracuse (11/22), the most any Notre Dame student-athlete has logged in a match since the 2012 season.
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.
The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 for the current academic year, will be released in July.
2017 All-ACC Volleyball Academic Team
Cadie Bates, Duke, Sr.; Psychology
Nicole Elattrache, Duke, Sr.; Visual Media Studies
Anna Kropf**, Duke, Sr.; Economics
Taryn Knuth, Florida State, Fr.; Sport Management
Milica Kubura****, Florida State, Sr.; Actuarial Science
Cori Clifton, Georgia Tech, Fr.; Biochemistry
Gabriela Stavnetchei, Georgia Tech, Sr.; Economics & International Affairs
Jasmine Bennett, Louisville, Jr.; Sport Administration
Tess Clark***, Louisville, Sr.; Marketing
Maggie DeJong**, Louisville, Sr.; Exercise Science
Melanie McHenry, Louisville, So.; Education
Wilma Rivera, Louisville, Jr.; Human Resources
Molly Sauer**, Louisville, So.; Exercise Science
Haley Templeton**, Miami, R-Jr.; Economics/Finance/Management
Olga Strantzali***, Miami, Sr.; Public Relations
Hannah Sorensen**, Miami, So.; Creative Advertising
Katharine Esterley, North Carolina, So.; Undecided
Taylor Leath**, North Carolina, Sr.; Political Science
Beth Nordhorn, North Carolina, Sr.; Exercise and Sport Science
Bree Bailey, NC State, Gr.; Youth, Family and Community Sciences
Kaitlyn Kearney****, NC State, Sr.; Business Administration
Ryann DeJarld**, Notre Dame, Jr.; Management Consulting
Samantha Fry**, Notre Dame, Sr.; Management Consulting
Natalie Johnson, Notre Dame, Sr.; Information Technology Management
Rebecca Nunge, Notre Dame, Jr.; PreProfessional
Jemma Yeadon**, Notre Dame, So.; Neuroscience & Behavior
Kamalani Akeo**, Pitt, Jr.; Human Resources Management
Chinaza Ndee, Pitt, Fr.; Undecided
Stephanie Williams**, Pitt, R-So.; Exercise Science
Belle Sand, Syracuse**, Sr.; Economics
Santita Ebangwese***, Syracuse, Jr.; Bioengineering
Ella Saada, Syracuse, Fr.; Undeclared
Sarah Billiard, Virginia, Fr.; Undeclared
Ester Talamazzi, Virginia Tech, Fr.; Business
Jaila Tolbert, Virginia Tech, Jr.; Business
Kylie Long**, Wake Forest, Sr.; Communication
Caroline Wolf**, Wake Forest, Sr.; Business
* – Number of All-ACC Academic honors
— 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.