CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson volleyball landed four Tigers on the 2021 All-ACC Academic Teams, the conference office announced on Tuesday. Clemson’s four selections mark the most in program history since the award began in 2005 and was led by junior setter Mckenna Slavik earning the honor for the second time in her career as Ani Clark, Kaylee Martin and Ava Pritchard each made their All-ACC Academic Team debuts.
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.
Slavik (Saint Charles, Ill.) is majoring in Sport Communications and was a 2021 team captain. The junior led the Tigers with 911 assists (9.49 per set) while tallying five double-doubles. She registered a career-high 52 assists against Wake Forest and North Carolina in 2021 while also recording a season-high 17 digs against Santa Clara. Slavik ended her junior campaign with 205 digs, 108 points, 69 kills, 39 blocks and 18 aces. She also moved into seventh in Clemson history with 2,761 career assists. Slavik becomes the ninth player in program history to garner All-ACC Academic Team honors two or more times.
Clark, a native from Wheaton, Ill., appeared in all 30 matches during the 2021 season and registered at least one block in 27 of those matches. The accounting major finished second on the team in blocks (75) and in aces (24). Her season was highlighted by recording a season-high 14 kills off 24 attacks and tallied 17 points at Miami. The junior also posted a team-best 10 blocks (two solo, eight assisted) vs. North Carolina. Clark finished the season with 266.5 points, 38 digs and a .317 hitting percentage.
Martin, an Athletic Leadership graduate transfer, spent once season with the Tigers and appeared in all 30 matches. The Sterling, Ill., native led the team in kills (336), attacks (826) and points (359) and finished with double-digit kills in 20 matches. Her last year of eligibility was highlighted by reaching the 2,000-career points mark after a 17-point performance against Southern Miss. Martin ended her career being ranked 10thin the NCAA among active players with 1,872 kills and eighth in total attacks with 5,031.
Pritchard, a native of Austin, Texas, saw time in 26 matches and was named a 2021 team captain. While studying Athletic Leadership, Pritchard led the Tigers with 83 blocks and 0.95 blocks per set last fall. She recorded five or more kills in 15 matches during the year, including having eight blocks against Santa Clara and Southern Miss. Offensively, Pritchard registered nine kills against NC A&T and Southern Miss in route to finishing the year with 130 kills and 180 points. During her four years with the Tigers, Pritchard led the program in both block assists and blocks per set each season.
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.
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