AUSTIN, Texas -- Becoming just the second student-athlete in Christopher Newport Athletics history to garner first team Academic All-American honors, sophomore middle blocker Alyssa Dozier made history on Tuesday afternoon as she was selected by the College Sports Communicators following a standout season for the CNU women's volleyball team.

Dozier joins only three-time Academic All-America selection Carson Pokorny from the Christopher Newport women's soccer team as student-athletes to earn a first team plaque from the organization. She is the first CNU volleyball player to earn the esteemed selection and joins an exclusive group of just 15 CNU student-athletes to have been selected as Academic All-Americans by the College Sports Communicators, formerly College Sports Information Directors (CoSIDA). 

The award is regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in collegiate sports as the Academic All-America program was founded in 1952 and recognizes the peak student-athletes from all sports across all divisions of the NCAA. In order to eligible for the award, student-athletes must carry at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA while serving as a starter or key reserve on their team. 

In addition to becoming the first in program history, Dozier was the lone sophomore among the nine first team Academic All-Americans for NCAA Division III. In total, 24 different student-athletes from around the country were honored on Tuesday with just four sophomores earning the nod. In CNU lore, only Dozier, Pokorny and Dylan Rice (Men's Lacrosse) have been selected in their first year of eligibility. 

This season, Dozier was named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2023 after a dominant performance in her second year. She was a second team AVCA All-American after piling up 345 kills and 118 total blocks this season while hitting at a team-high .345 clip. She has already checked into the program's top-ten all-time with a .284 hitting percentage through just two seasons and sits just outside the top 20 in career blocks. 

In the classroom, Dozier was equally as impressive, putting together a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point average after her first two semesters as a member of the CNU student body. Dozier is majoring in History and intends to become a teacher in the future. 

Dozier helped lead the Captains to an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship and captured a postseason win for the 13th time in program history. The Captains have advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 12 of the last 14 postseason appearances. This season, CNU was 22-13 overall, including the 600th career win for head coach Lindsay Birch. 

2023 Academic All-America ® 
Volleyball Team
NCAA Division III
 
FIRST TEAM
Name                                           School                                                             Yr.         GPA            Major
Simrin Carlsen                           Johns Hopkins University                             Jr.          3.65            Environmental Science & Public Health
Mackenzie Coley (2)                 Juniata College                                              Jr.          3.52            Marketing
Alyssa Dozier                             Christopher Newport University                  So.        4.00            History
Ella Gamble                                Gallaudet University                                      Jr.          4.00            Physical Education & Recreation
Haley Holz (2)                             NYU                                                                  Sr.         3.70            Film & Television
Georgia McGovern                    Claremont-Mudd-Scripps                             Sr.         3.90            Literature
Taylor McInerney                       Lebanon Valley College                               Sr.         4.00            Early Childhood Education
Jennifer Ngo                               Case Western Reserve University              Sr.         3.69            Economics
Addie VanderWeide                  Hope College                                                 Jr.          3.67            Business
 
SECOND TEAM
Name                                           School                                                             Yr.         GPA            Major
Emily Cheng                               MIT                                                                   Sr.         3.92            Mathematics & Artificial Intelligence & Decision Making
Lindsey Hirano                           NYU                                                                  Jr.          3.55            Computer Science & Mathematics
Riley Kindt                                   UW-Oshkosh                                                  Sr.         3.88            Nursing
Graycee Mosley                         East Texas Baptist University                      So.        4.00            Biochemistry
Kasie Tweet                                Gustavus Adolphus College                        Sr.         3.94            Nursing
 
THIRD TEAM
Name                                           School                                                             Yr.         GPA            Major
Bella Boston                               Berry College                                                 Jr.          3.78            Creative Technologies & Computer Science
Alana Dawson                            Emory University                                           Jr.          4.00            Quantitative Sciences
Jacy Diaz                                    Allegheny College                                         So.        3.80            Biology
Olivia Fiebing                             Hope College                                                 Sr.         3.98            Political Science
Halle Hetzler                               Pacific Lutheran University                          Sr.         3.63            Studio Arts
Ashley Kopp                               UW-Stevens Point                                         Jr.          3.65            Health Promotion & Wellness
Mikenzie Martens                      SUNY Cortland                                              Jr.          4.00            Physical Education
Cassidy Perry                             Gallaudet University                                      Sr.         3.97            Sociology
Helena Swaak                            Johns Hopkins University                             So.        4.00            Public Health Studies & Psychology
Jenna Weinfurt                           University of Wisconsin-Whitewater           Sr.         3.88            Digital Marketing
 
CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Taylor McInerney, Lebanon Valley College
 
(2)– 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022