Feb. 9, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
Wake Forest freshman Kelsey Jones and fourth-year junior Natalie Mullikin were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Volleyball team, as announced by the league office on Friday.
Mullikin, a health and exercise science major, is a three-time All-ACC Academic honoree after earning the award in 2005 and 2006. She is one of seven players on the 32-person squad to also be named All-ACC this season. Mullikin is one of 17 repeat selections on the All-Academic team.
The middle blocker from Lebanon, Ind., is a two-time All-ACC award winner. She was named first team All-ACC in 2007 and was a second team honoree in 2006.
Mullikin had a record-breaking season for the Demon Deacons in 2007. Finishing with 35 block solos on the year, she broke the Wake Forest career record--a mark that had stood for 21 years.
Mullikin finished in the top five on Wake Forest's single-season lists for block assists (t-2nd), block solos (t-2nd), total blocks (3rd), blocks per game (3rd) and kills per game (5th).
Mullikin started every match and played in every game for the Deacs last season. She finished the year as Wake Forest's leader in kills, blocks, points and hitting percentage. Mullikin also ranked in the top 10 of the ACC in blocks (5th), kills (6th), points (6th) and hitting percentage (7th).
Mullikin was named Preseason All-ACC in voting by the coaches prior to the season.
Jones, who is undecided on a major as a first-year student, is one of just four freshmen on the 32-person squad. Jones and Boston College's Aubrey Eichler are the only two student-athletes on the squad to also be named to the ACC All-Freshman Team this year.
The setter from Ada, Mich., stepped in to lead the Wake Forest offense as a freshman. Jones was the starting setter in 26 matches for the Deacons. She dished out an average of 10.80 assists per game, which ranked her eighth in the ACC. Jones also ranked second on the team in digs per game and hitting percentage.
Jones led Wake Forest with 14 double-doubles on the year. She came within three blocks and four kills of a quadruple-double on Nov. 14 against North Carolina.
To be eligible for All-ACC Academic consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.
