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Hand and Kucerkova Named to Academic All-America Volleyball Team
American earns two of six selections to the District 2 squad

November 15, 2001

Sophomore Karla Kucerkova is a Business Administration/Finance major with a 3.96 G.P.A.

WASHINGTON -- Sophomores Natalie Hand (Keizer, Ore.) and Karla Kucerkova (Olomovc, Czech Republic) were named to the Verizon Academic All-American District 2 volleyball team as American University earned two of six selections to the academic squad. The Eagles are preparing to host the Patriot League Tournament this weekend, Nov. 17-18, as the No. 1 seed with a perfect 14-0 league record (24-2 overall).

Joining Hand and Kucerkova on the District 2 team are junior Karl Belin (Hagerstown, Md.) of Seton Hall, senior Andrea LaBlanc (Brookfield, Wis.) of Towson, senior Krista Smith (Bay City, Mich.) of West Virginia and senior Shannon Walker (Fairfield, Conn.) of Bucknell. All six student-athletes are now candidates for the Verizon Academic All-American volleyball team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of American (CoSIDA). That team will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 13.

A Middle Eastern Affairs/International Politics and Political Science double major, Hand is a member of American University’s honors program and has a 4.0 G.P.A.. She is a defensive specialist who has started all 26 matches in 2001. A team co-captain as a sophomore, she is third on the team with 1.86 digs per game. She also is averaging 0.38 service aces per game and has had 11 or more digs in seven matches this year.

Sophomore Natalie Hand is a Middle Eastern/International Politics and Political Science double major with a perfect 4.00 G.P.A.

The Patriot League leader with 4.60 kills per game, Kucerkova is a Business Administration/Finance major with a 3.96 G.P.A. A three-time Patriot League Player of the Week selection, she has a team-high .350 hitting percentage. Also a co-captain, Kucerkova is the team leader with 2.54 digs per game and also averages 0.53 blocks and 0.37 service aces per game.

This year marks the 50th year of the Academic All-America program, as the inaugural team was announced on Dec. 6, 1952. Since that time, more than 12,000 students have been named Academic All-American team members at colleges and universities at all levels for every recognized NCAA sport. The program’s popularity resulted in a significant expansion for the current academic year, as 816 student-athletes -- a 19 % increase over the previous highest number -- will be selected to 12 different Academic All-American teams during the 2001-02 academic season.

American University became a full member of the Patriot League on July 1 after competing in the Colonial Athletic Association since the 1985-86 academic year. The University, founded in 1893, fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program, featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men.