GREENSBORO, N.C. – Virginia Tech's Marisa Cerchio, Carol Raffety, Kaity Smith and Jaila Tolbert have been named to the All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.
With four Hokies making the prestigious group, it marks the first time since 2014 that Tech has boasted four players on the team. That group was made up of Megan Beckwith ('15), Kathryn Caine ('15), Jordan Fish ('16) and Lindsey Owens ('17).
Cerchio, who was 2017-18 ACC Academic Honor Roll, started in all of Tech's 30 matches last fall, collecting two double-doubles and leading the team in blocks with 117 while majoring in marketing management. The Ohio native notched her name in the record book twice after this season, tallying a career-high 11 blocks versus Clemson on Nov. 21 to tie the seventh-most ever in a match in school history and hit a career-best .831 with 13 kills on 16 swings against William & Mary on Aug. 31, the third-highest hitting percentage in program history.
Raffety became the 18th player in school history to rack up more than 1,000 digs, accomplishing the feat against IUPUI on Sept. 7. She would go on to pass 12 Hokies and move up to No. 6 all-time in school history with 1,342 career digs. The libero is majoring in criminology and was 2017-18 Academic Honor Roll.
Smith posted her best season yet in Blacksburg, recording nine double-doubles and eight matches of 15-plus kills. The Kentucky native improved her hitting percentage, kills per set and digs per set in 2018 and is majoring in criminology. Smith led the team in kills (376) and points (415) in 2018.
Tolbert wraps up her career as one of the more storied careers in Tech volleyball history. A international relations major, with a minor in Chinese, Tolbert made second-team All-ACC for the second straight season, becoming only the third player in school history to make consecutive ACC all-conference teams. The right-side hitter also was named to the All-ACC Academic Team last year, marking the first player since Owens to do so.
Louisville led the way with the most players selected in the conference with six, while the Hokies were tied with Notre Dame and Pitt with the second-most (4).
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 team.
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.
All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team
Brooke Bailey, Clemson, JR, Psychology
Leah Meyer, Duke, JR, Evolutionary Anthropology
Andie Shelton, Duke, GR, Master of Liberal Studies
Taryn Knuth**, Florida State, SO, Sports Management
Kelsey Wicinski, Florida State, SR, Social Science
Mariana Brambilla, Georgia Tech, FR, Biology
Mikaila Dowd, Georgia Tech, FR, Biomedical Engineering
Jasmine Bennett**, Louisville, SR, Sport Administration
Melanie McHenry**, Louisville, JR, Elem. Education
Wilmarie Rivera**, Louisville, SR, Organization Leadership & Learning
Molly Sauer***, Louisville, SR, Exercise Science
Emily Scott, Louisville, FR, Undecided
Megan Sloan, Louisville, JR, Communication
Elizaveta Lukianova, Miami, SO, Marketing/Management
Haley Templeton***, Miami, SR, Master of International Business Studies
Jade Parchment, NC State, FR, Management
Teni Sopitan, NC State, SR, Nutrition Science
Sydney Bent, Notre Dame, FR, Aerospace Engineering
Ryann DeJarld***, Notre Dame, SR, Management Consulting
Zoe Nunez, Notre Dame, FR, Undecided
Jemma Yeadon***, Notre Dame, JR, Neuroscience & Behavior
Kayla Lund, Pitt, SO, Undeclared
Nika Markovic, Pitt, JR, Communication: Rhet & Comm
Layne Van Buskirk, Pitt, JR, Communication: Rhet & Comm
Stephanie Williams**, Pitt, JR, Health & Physical Activity
Santita Ebangwese****, Syracuse, SR, Bioengineering
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse, FR, Communication & Rhetorical Studies
Jalissa Trotter, Syracuse, SR, Health & Exercise Science
Sarah Billiard**, Virginia, SO, Undeclared
Milla Ciprian, Virginia, FR, Undeclared
Marisa Cerchio, Virginia Tech, SO, Marketing
Carol Raffety, Virginia Tech, JR, Criminology
Kaity Smith, Virginia Tech, SO, Criminology
Jaila Tolbert**, Virginia Tech, SR, International Studies
* - Number of All-ACC Academic honors
