LEXINGTON, Ky. - For the fifth-straight year, the Alaska Nanooks volleyball program was named a USMC/AVCA Academic Award Team recipient.

"We are very proud of our athletes and the focus they continue to make on academics." Said head coach of the volleyball program, Brian Scott, "For several years now, we have shown that our program is not only focused on success on the court. We want athletes that put time and energy into their studies and are preparing themselves for a life after athletics. Each of these women will go on to be very successful in a wide range of career in part because of the hard work and discipline they gained as student-athletes." 

The Nanooks volleyball team was one of four Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams to earn the honor and one of the 1,332 intercollegiate and interscholastic volleyball teams. From the GNAC, Alaska joined Central Washington University, Seattle Pacific University and Northwest Nazarene. The award, initiated in the 1992-93 year, honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long GPA of 3.3+ on a 4.00 scale or a 4.1 on a 5.00 scale. This past season, the Nanooks posted their second-consecutive, and third ever season with 18 wins, going 18-12, 8-10 GNAC. They started the year with a bang, winning the Denali State Bank Ice Block Classic before finishing the season with a .600 winning percentage, the sixth-best winning percentage in program history. 

This season, the Nanooks had one member named to the GNAC All-Conference Team as Jessa Long took home First Team honors alongside the Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. She later earned AVCA West Region Honorable Mention honors before being named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. She broke the single-season digs record with 543, shattering the old record of 506, and posted three 30+ dig performances and nine 20+ games. Offensively, the Nanooks were led by Karli Nielson and Rilee White. Nielson cracked the 300 kill mark in 2022, finishing with 306 while White followed closely behind with 282. Freshman Ella Bines joined as the only other 'Nook with over 200 kills, posting 221. Ainsley Smith and Taylor Overn shared the distribution as Smith posted 629 assists and Overn posted 496.

Defensively, Elizabeth Jackson and Kristina Head were pivotal at the net as Jackson posted 126 blocks and Head tagged along with 114. No other Nanook had more than 70 blocks on the season.

Five Nanooks were named to the GNAC All-Academic Volleyball Team in 2022 as Marine Angely, Kinley Erickson, Karli Nielson, Taylor Overn and Rilee White represented Fairbanks. 

About the United States Marine Corps
Our long-standing partner, the United States Marine Corps, extends its support to AVCA's administrators and coaches. Just as you make every effort to help your student-athletes succeed, the Marine Corps strives to help every Marine reach their potential. Whether engaging local Marines to work with your athletes or recognizing and referring high-achieving students, your support as an influencer ensures the success of our youth and the future of our nation. For more information about the Marine Influencer Program please visit us at connect.marines.com.

About the AVCA
The AVCA, an educationally based nonprofit headquartered in Lexington, KY, is the largest and most diverse volleyball coaches' association in the world. With a broad mandate to develop the sport, the AVCA provides leadership, recognition, advocacy, and professional development opportunities to over 8,200 volleyball coaches. Members include college, high school, club, and youth coaches, and well as a wide variety of product and service providers. Further information is available at avca.org.