North Park senior outside hitter Shelby Switzer added another piece of history to her illustrious four-year career as a Viking Tuesday.
Switzer, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Capital One Academic All-America team for the 2013-14 school year, becoming only the second player in the last two years at North Park to earn the honor. She is the first volleyball player in the history of the program to receive the recognition.
As a four-time College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin All-Conference selection, the first player in the NPU program to do so, Switzer joins an elite group of only 18 volleyball student-athletes NCAA Division III-wide to earn the recognition of CoSIDA Academic All-America. She is also one of two from the CCIW to receive the selection.
"This epitomizes the career Shelby has completed as a student-athlete for our program," North Park head coach Tim Walenga said. "I couldn't be more proud of Shelby. She truly exemplifies what it means to be a student-athlete. For her to receive this recognition is awesome and the sky's the limit for what she can attain in life."
In order to qualify for CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America, each student-athlete must carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher and must be a starter or key reserve who has reached sophomore academic standing in the volleyball program. Switzer sports a 3.93 GPA and is a Biology major.
"Not only is Shelby an exceptional representative for the volleyball program, but she's an extraordinary representative for the North Park athletic department as well," Walenga said. "She couldn't be more deserving of this recognition and this award."
Switzer's numbers both in the classroom and on the court speak for themselves. As a student-athlete, Switzer became the all-time leader in career kills as she amassed 1,736 over her four years. She also became only the second player in the history of the program to amass over 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career (1,327 digs), and she finished the 2013 season ranked among the nation's elite in NCAA Division III in both kills per set (4.42) and points per set (4.97). To top it off, Switzer was also amongst the top-five in the CCIW in total kills (572, 2nd) and service aces (49).
As a three-time selection of the CCIW Academic Jack Swartz award, the only three-time recipient of the most prestigious academic award in the conference, Switzer is also a member of the Tri-Beta Biology Honors Club at North Park and is actively involved in the Student Athlete Advisory Council. She serves as a liaison to the campus pastor and is a member of the chapel planning team. She spearheaded a mission trip to Thailand as a sophomore as part of the Thailand Global Partnership team as well.
North Park finished the 2013 season tied for sixth in the CCIW, the best finish for a Vikings squad since the 2000 season.
