ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Four members of the Winthrop University volleyball team were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team on Tuesday afternoon, the CSC office announced.
Avery Jolley, Rachel McCollum, Paige Bennett, and Laila Glover were all garnered with the All-District honors.
Jolley and McCollum both earned their second honors of their career, after being named to the All-District team last year.
Jolley delivered a historic 2025 season, tying the program record with 30 kills in the regular-season finale and surpassing 1,000 career kills while climbing into the top 10 of multiple Winthrop career categories. She totaled 380 kills (3.76/set) and led the Big South with 4.26 points per set. Jolley swept preseason honors, earned All-Tournament recognition three times, collected four Big South Player of the Week awards, and became the first Eagle since 2019 to be named Big South Player of the Year.
McCollum finished the season with 785 assists across 97 sets, ranking third in the Big South at 8.12 assists per set while guiding the Winthrop offense throughout the year. Earned Big South Setter of the Week honors four times (Sept. 15, Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 17) and was named Big South All-Conference First Team. Recorded the program's first triple-double since 2012 with 16 kills, 23 assists and 10 digs against Alabama State, then added a second-career triple-double with a career- and conference-high 56 assists against USC Upstate. Posted multiple high-volume outings, including an 85-assist weekend highlighted by a 48-assist match against High Point, and earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Furman Invitational.
Bennett played in 70 sets over 17 matches, totaling 208 kills on a .205 hitting percentage while emerging as one of Winthrop's primary offensive options. Earned Big South Player of the Week honors on Oct. 27 and was named to the Big South All-Conference Second Team, along with All-Tournament recognition at the Winthrop Invitational. Posted a career-high 21 kills on .528 hitting against Charlotte on Aug. 30, then followed with a dominant week that included 31 kills and a 3.88 kills-per-set average to rank second in the Big South. Turned in a 17-kill, .452 performance in a win before adding 14 more the following day, while also contributing defensively with 23 digs over the weekend.
Glover appeared in 25 matches and 87 sets, totaling 161 kills on a .277 hitting percentage with 176.5 points. Added 33 digs and 29 total blocks (2 solo, 27 assists) while providing consistent production at the net. Reached the 500 career-kill milestone against Gardner-Webb with a nine-kill performance.
In order to qualify for CSC Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 GPA and have had to participate in 90 percent of the team's contests or start 66 percent of the games.
The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Men's and Women's Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.
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