ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Announced by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association on Thursday, seven Griffon Volleyball student-athletes earned MIAA Academic Award winners for the 2023 season.

Missouri Western State improved its number of Scholar Athletes with one this season. As for their Academic Excellence winners, the Griffons doubled their total from 2022, with two student-athletes earning 4.0 GPAs in 2023. 

HONOR ROLL - 3.0+ GPA
Hailey Crane - Business Accounting | 3.76 GPA
Shelby Dannegger - Business Finance | 3.43 GPA
Lia Graham - Convergent Journalism & Public Relations | 3.51 GPA
Jessica Hendrix - Psychology & Social Work | 3.75 GPA
Lily Kurz - Social Work | 4.0 GPA
Nessa Johnson - Business Marketing | 3.54 GPA
Emma Salker - Chemistry | 4.0 GPA

SCHOLAR ATHLETES - 3.5+ GPA
Nessa Johnson - Business Marketing | 3.54 GPA

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE - 4.0 GPA
Lily Kurz - Social Work | 4.0 GPA
Emma Salker - Chemistry | 4.0 GPA

All 11 volleyball-playing institutions were represented for the student-athletes' hard work in the classroom.

The prestigious MIAA Academic Excellence Award was achieved by just 17 volleyball student-athletes. An MIAA Academic Excellence Award recipient must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of at least 4.00 at the certifying member institution. The honoree also must have at least two terms of grades reported at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. The list of the 17 Academic Excellence members in the sport of volleyball is available here. 

The Scholar-Athlete distinction went to 20 volleyball student-athletes. A Scholar-Athlete is an individual who has a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.50 or better at the certifying member institution. They must have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. The student-athlete must have also earned All-MIAA honors in the 2023 season. To see the complete list of this season's volleyball Scholar-Athletes, click here.

Ninety-nine volleyball student-athletes were named to the MIAA's Academic Honor Roll. To be recognized on the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.00 or above at the certifying member institution. The individual must also have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. The complete list of all 99 Academic Honor Roll recipients for volleyball is available here.

Two MIAA volleyball players earned all three academic honors in the 2023 season: Central Missouri's Grace Southern was an All-MIAA Honorable Mention middle blocker who owns a 4.00 GPA as a psychology major. Washburn's Corinna McMullen was named an All-MIAA Second Team Setter who boosts a 4.00 GPA as an elementary education major.