Ball State University Athletics
Anders Nelson Earns Academic All-District 5 First Team Honors
May 20, 2010 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State men's volleyball junior middle attacker Anders Nelson (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls H.S.) has been named to the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 Men's At-Large First Team as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Nelson's name will now be placed on the national ballot for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Men's At-Large Team, which will be announced June 8.
"Anders is a great role model for our team," said Ball State head coach Joel Walton. "He works hard on the court and in the classroom. He exemplifies the term student-athlete."
A junior finance and accounting double major with a 3.93 grade-point average, Nelson was mainstay in the Ball State starting lineup this season, finishing the year ranked 17th in the nation in blocking average (1.26) and 22nd in hitting percentage (.365). His averages were seventh and eighth among Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association players, respectively.
A Second Team All-MIVA selection this season, Nelson started all 29 matches he played in for the Cardinals, racking up 236 kills for a 2.21 kills-per-game average. His 135 total blocks were the 11th-best total in the nation. He posted double-figure kills in 10 matches, including a career-high 18 at Lewis (April 6). He added a career-high 11 total blocks versus George Mason (Jan. 29), while serving up a career-best four aces at Grand Canyon (March 9). Nelson also earned Academic All-MIVA honors this season.
Nelson is the third BSU men's volleyball player in the last five seasons to earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 Men's At-Large First Team honors, joining Nick Meyer (2006) and Justin Orr (2008). Orr was the last BSU player to earn Academic All-America accolades, being named to the second team in 2008.
The 2009-10 men's at-large team was voted on by members of CoSIDA from District 5, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. To qualify for Academic All-District, student-athletes must hold at least sophomore status at their university, own a minimum grade-point average of 3.3 and be either a starter or key reserve for their team. Sports represented on the men's at-large ballot include; fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 Men's At-Large First Team
|
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
|
Kyle Hardwick |
BEMIDJI STATE |
Sr. |
Warroad, Minn. |
3.93 |
Business Administration/Political Science |
|
Kris Berzins |
LOYOLA-CHICAGO |
Sr. |
Brinklow, Md. |
3.82 |
Accounting/Economics |
|
Zach Wanken |
BRADLEY |
Sr. |
Galesburg, Ill. |
3.95 |
Chemistry |
|
Coby Thompson |
BRADLEY |
Jr. |
East Galesburg, IL |
4.00 |
Chemistry |
|
Jeremy Waldhart |
WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE |
Sr. |
West Bend, Wis. |
3.91 |
Biology |
|
Lachlan Ferguson |
INDIANA |
Sr. |
Adelaide, Australia |
3.86 |
Fitness Specialist |
|
BALL STATE |
Jr. |
St. Croix Falls, Wis |
3.93 |
Finance |
|
|
David Colturi |
PURDUE |
Jr. |
Sylvania, Ohio |
3.78 |
General Health Sciences |
|
Jeff Rutherford |
EASTERN ILLINOIS |
Sr. |
Richmond, Ky. (Model Lab) |
3.97 |
Business Management |
|
Colin Gray |
EVANSVILLE |
So. |
Carmel, Ind. |
4.0 |
Mathematics |
