University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI volleyball: Four earn CSC Academic All-District nods
12/12/2023 12:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- Four members of the UNI volleyball team have been named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District First Team, as announced by CSC on Tuesday.
Tayler Alden and Kira Fallert both earn the honor for a second consecutive year, while Emily Holterhaus and Erin Powers pick up CSC recognition for the first time in their careers. As first team all-district honorees, all four student-athletes are eligible to be elected Academic All-Americans. The CSC Academic All-America Team will be announced in January.
College Sports Communicators (formerly known as CoSIDA), is a membership association for strategic, creative and digital professionals working in intercollegiate athletics across all levels for colleges, universities and conferences across the United States and Canada. CSC provides year-round leadership, community, professional development, recognition and advocacy for its more than 4,100 members.
Nominated student-athletes must be at least a sophomore of academic and athletic standing, must be enrolled in their respective institution for at least one full academic year, maintain at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average and compete in at least 90% or start in 66% of their team's contests.
With a 4.00 grade point average majoring in kinesiology and sport performance, Holterhaus, a four-time MVC Scholar-Athlete Team selection, became UNI's first-ever Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Scholar-Athlete of the Year winner. Holterhaus, who led the Panthers with 400 kills, also earned First Team All-MVC honors this season.
Alden, a junior with a 3.79 GPA majoring in accounting was named the MVC Setter of the Year for a second straight season, becoming the first player in conference history to win the award multiple times and in consecutive years. The 2023 MVC Tournament MVP, AVCA All-Region selection and MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team, Alden notched 1,157 total kills this season, and surpassed both the 3,000 and 4,000 career assists marks during the year.
Fallert, a junior studying communications disorders with a 4.00 GPA, earned Second Team All-MVC recognition after another solid season with 382 kills and 307 digs. The Maplewood, Minnesota native and MVC All-Tournament team selection also earned the MVC Elite 17 Award for a second consecutive year, given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing in the MVC Tournament's championship round. She also earned a spot on the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team in 2023.
Powers, a junior transfer from UAB majoring in psychology with a 3.89 GPA, led the Panthers defensively with 542 total digs this season. She was also named Second Team All-MVC, a member of the MVC All-Tournament Team and an MVC Scholar-Athlete Second Team honoree.
