Four Tiger Women's Volleyball Players Earn Academic All-District

| 2024 CSC Academic All-District Women's Volleyball Team |

SPRINGFIELD, OH — Four Wittenberg student-athletes, Alana Bartulovic (Cleveland, OH/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin), Kendall Black (Defiance, OH/Defiance), Piper Ricketts (Morrow, OH/Little Miami), and Ally White (Harrison, OH/Harrison), were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Academic All-District Team for the 2024 season, the organization announced on Tuesday.

The CSC Academic All-District Team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. To earn CSC Academic All-District distinction, student-athletes must be a sophomore or above in class standing with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 while meeting athletic participation requirements.

In volleyball, student-athletes must compete in 90 percent of the institution's matches played or must start in at least 66 percent of the institution's matches. Liberos, although not counted in stats as a starter, may be counted as such for nominating purposes. Selected Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot (noted by asterisk on release from CSC). First-, Second-, and Third-Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced later in December.

White, a junior libero and defensive specialist, is a marketing and communication double major with a 3.89 grade point average (GPA). Also an Academic All-District honoree a year ago, a student in the Honors Program, and a member of the Tau Pi Phi Honor Society, White is involved in the Business and Economic Leaders (BELS) program, and she has served as chief marketing officer for Wittenberg Tiger Ventures and a social media intern for Athletics Communications. In 2024, White appeared in all 27 matches and and all 104 sets for the Tigers, contributing 36 service aces, 65 assists, and a team-leading 507 digs. Her dig total and average digs per set both led the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), and she finished tied for ninth in the NCAC in service aces. White earned first-team All-NCAC honors following the season.

A junior outside hitter and defensive specialist, Ricketts is a sport management major with a 3.50 GPA. Also an Academic All-District selection last year, Ricketts appeared in all 27 matches and all 104 sets in 2024. She tallied 190 kills, 26 service aces, 195 digs, and 12 total blocks, and she compiled 222.5 points (good for 19th in the NCAC).

A junior outside hitter, Bartulovic is a sport management major with a 3.63 GPA. She appeared in 26 matches and 92 sets during the 2024 season, landing 242 kills (8th in the NCAC) for an average of 2.63 kills per set (5th in the NCAC). On 728 total attacks, Bartulovic finished with an attack percentage of .198 (19th in the NCAC) and 259.5 points (second on the team and 12th in the NCAC), and 30 total blocks. She was named NCAC Athlete of the Week on Nov. 12, and she also set a Wittenberg record for kills in a three-set match (21) against Hiram.

Black, a senior middle blocker, is a biology major sporting a 4.0 GPA. An Academic All-District selection a year ago, Black was named a Presidential Scholar, serves as a Biology Senior Fellow, and is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. In addition, she is a Tiger Team Leader and a Biology Lab Peer Mentor. In 2024, Black appeared in 26 matches and 98 sets, compiling 144 kills on 407 total attacks for a hitting percentage of .263 to place her in a tie for seventh in the NCAC. She finished with 54 total blocks (10th in the NCAC) for .55 blocks per set (12th in NCAC) and a total of 181.5 points.

The Tiger women's volleyball team finished in a three-way tie for second place in the NCAC regular season standings with a 5-2 record before bowing out of the NCAC Tournament in the semifinals with a 3-1 loss to regular season champion Denison. The Tigers posted an overall record of 17-10.

Wittenberg women's volleyball has had five individuals earn a total of seven Academic All-America awards: Dawn Reinhardt (third-team, 1998), Emily Bell (second-team, 2007), Kimmie Dyer (third-team, 2011), Kara Seidenstricker (third-team, 2013; first-team, 2014; first-team, 2015), and Karen Wildemann (first-team, 2018). Click here for complete list