FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball placed three on the College Sports Communicator’s Academic All-District volleyball teams, it was announced Tuesday.
Earning the honor for the Lions are libero Paola Fragalle, middle blocker Angelina Hardison and defensive specialist Lauren Weber.
The 2023 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
To be eligible for selection under the new criteria for 2023-24, student-athletes must have a 3.50 or higher GPA and have either played in 90 percent of the team’s sets or start at-least two thirds of the team’s matches.
Fragalle anchored one of the top defenses in the LSC, averaging a team-high 5.06 digs per set, which ranked 30th nationally and fourth in the LSC. UAFS ranked fifth in the nation and led the LSC with 18.92 digs per set this season. Additionally, UAFS was fourth in the league in opponent hitting percentage at .161. Fragalle set a career-high with 29 digs at UT Tyler and had 14 matches with 20 or more digs. She had double-digit digs in all but two matches.
Fragalle was also named Second Team All-LSC and to the LSC All-Academic Team as she sports a 4.0 GPA while majoring in Business Administration. She becomes just the second Lion to be named to the LSC All-Academic Team.
Hardison was second on the Lions with a .306 attack percentage this season while totaling 188 kills. She tallied a career-high 16 kills on a .517 attack percentage in a win over Newberry. For the season, she had five matches with 10 or more kills. Defensively, Hardison averaged 0.64 blocks per set for a total of 69 blocks. She had a season-high eight blocks against Texas A&M International.
Weber appeared in 102 sets, collecting 126 digs and was third on the team with 24 aces. She had six matches with double-digit digs, including a season-high 17 win a win at UT Permian Basin. She recorded four aces in a win over Midwestern State.
For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
