Spietz Headlines Trio of All-Academic Selections
2/27/2015 1:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SAN FRANCISCO – Showing consistency and strength in the classroom across the league, senior Paige Spietz is one of five women making a repeat appearance on the West Coast Conference All-Academic squad, announced by the conference offices.
Spietz, a native of Brimfield, Ill., will earn her degree in environmental science from the University of San Francisco. She maintains a 3.41 grade-point average in her work on the classroom, coupled with impressive stats on the court.
She is posting averages of 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks a night for the Dons. Her free throw percentage of .850 is fifth in the WCC and 36th in the NCAA. Starting in 25 of USF's 28 games on the year, Spietz has owned the tip from the center circle 88 percent of the time (22-of-25). This is her second appearance on the All-Acadmic squad after transferring to USF from Missouri in 2012.
Two Dons made the honorable mention list, Alicia Scafidi and Rachel Howard. Scafidi, a redshirt junior from Gresham, Ore., successfully completed her undergraduate degree in the fall, where she received a bachelor's of arts in exercise sports science with a gpa of 3.45. Currently pursuing her master's in sport management, she has played in 23 games for the Dons, averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds a night, playing a vital role for the team off the bench. This is her second all-acadmic mention after landing on the first team in 2012-13 before redshirting a year ago.
Howard, a sophomore from Berkeley, Calif., also earned honorable mention status. She played in the first 15 games of the year, starting in 13 contests before surrendering the remainder of the season to injury. She averaged 9.3 points per game on .407 shooting, to go along with 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists a night.
"In the words of Charles Kettering, 'High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation'," noted director of academic support, Fred Benjamin. "We are so proud of what these outstanding women have been able to accomplish in the classroom.
"Here at USF our goal is the acquisition of self-efficacy, the ability to organize and execute strategies that help acquire specific goals. These women understand that studying and educational endeavors are not about approval. It is an investment in oneself, galvanized by socially responsible involvement. Perseverance, determination, achievement and success best represent who they are and what they do every day to aim higher."
At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must be a sophomore in athletic standing and maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA, while also being a significant contributor to her team.
2014-15 WCC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
2014-15 WCC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC HONORABLE MENTION
Amanda Arter, Saint Mary's; Marie Bertholdt, Santa Clara; Erin Butler, Pacific; Shelby Cheslek, Gonzaga; Kristine Fuller, BYU; Brooke Galloway, Santa Clara; Katherine Hamilton, San Diego; Rachel Howard, San Francisco; Brooke Jelniker, San Diego; Alyson Lock, Loyola Marymount; Olivia Lucero, Loyola Marymount; Katelyn McDaniel, San Diego; Kylie Maeda, BYU; Hannah Mattson, Portland; Makenzie Morrison, BYU; Shaniqua Nilles, Gonzaga; Krista Pettepier, Pepperdine; Alicia Scafidi, San Francisco; Lindsay Sherbert, Gonzaga; Kaylie Van Loo, Portland
Spietz, a native of Brimfield, Ill., will earn her degree in environmental science from the University of San Francisco. She maintains a 3.41 grade-point average in her work on the classroom, coupled with impressive stats on the court.
She is posting averages of 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks a night for the Dons. Her free throw percentage of .850 is fifth in the WCC and 36th in the NCAA. Starting in 25 of USF's 28 games on the year, Spietz has owned the tip from the center circle 88 percent of the time (22-of-25). This is her second appearance on the All-Acadmic squad after transferring to USF from Missouri in 2012.
Two Dons made the honorable mention list, Alicia Scafidi and Rachel Howard. Scafidi, a redshirt junior from Gresham, Ore., successfully completed her undergraduate degree in the fall, where she received a bachelor's of arts in exercise sports science with a gpa of 3.45. Currently pursuing her master's in sport management, she has played in 23 games for the Dons, averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds a night, playing a vital role for the team off the bench. This is her second all-acadmic mention after landing on the first team in 2012-13 before redshirting a year ago.
Howard, a sophomore from Berkeley, Calif., also earned honorable mention status. She played in the first 15 games of the year, starting in 13 contests before surrendering the remainder of the season to injury. She averaged 9.3 points per game on .407 shooting, to go along with 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists a night.
"In the words of Charles Kettering, 'High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation'," noted director of academic support, Fred Benjamin. "We are so proud of what these outstanding women have been able to accomplish in the classroom.
"Here at USF our goal is the acquisition of self-efficacy, the ability to organize and execute strategies that help acquire specific goals. These women understand that studying and educational endeavors are not about approval. It is an investment in oneself, galvanized by socially responsible involvement. Perseverance, determination, achievement and success best represent who they are and what they do every day to aim higher."
At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must be a sophomore in athletic standing and maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA, while also being a significant contributor to her team.
2014-15 WCC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Name | School | Class | GPA | Major |
| Emily Ben-Jumbo | Loyola Marymount | Sr. | 3.33 | Communications |
| Lexi Eaton | BYU | Jr. | 3.32 | Psychology |
| Sophia Ederaine | San Diego | Sr. | 3.69 | Psychology |
| Ashley Garfield | BYU | Sr. | 3.98 | School Health Ed. |
| Sunny Greinacher | Gonzaga | Sr. | 3.52 | Master's Education, Counseling |
| Hayley Hendricksen | Saint Mary's | Sr. | 3.58 | Biopsychology |
| Kari Luttinen | Portland | Sr. | 3.39 | Finance |
| Bria Richardson | Pepperdine | Sr. | 3.31 | Liberal Arts |
| Paige Spietz | San Francisco | Sr. | 3.41 | Environmental Science |
| Elle Tinkle | Gonzaga | Jr. | 3.44 | Nursing |
2014-15 WCC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC HONORABLE MENTION
Amanda Arter, Saint Mary's; Marie Bertholdt, Santa Clara; Erin Butler, Pacific; Shelby Cheslek, Gonzaga; Kristine Fuller, BYU; Brooke Galloway, Santa Clara; Katherine Hamilton, San Diego; Rachel Howard, San Francisco; Brooke Jelniker, San Diego; Alyson Lock, Loyola Marymount; Olivia Lucero, Loyola Marymount; Katelyn McDaniel, San Diego; Kylie Maeda, BYU; Hannah Mattson, Portland; Makenzie Morrison, BYU; Shaniqua Nilles, Gonzaga; Krista Pettepier, Pepperdine; Alicia Scafidi, San Francisco; Lindsay Sherbert, Gonzaga; Kaylie Van Loo, Portland
Players Mentioned
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