Fresno State Athletics
Agraz Makes Program History with Honor
11/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 4, 2010
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State sophomore Cecilia Agraz earned national recognition with her selection as a second-team ESPN Academic All-District VIII honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday morning.
This is the first Academic All-District honor in the 40-year history of the Fresno State volleyball program.
"Cecilia has been a student-athlete that has demonstrated accountability, tremendous work ethic, and passion for greatness in every aspect of her life - especially as a Bulldog," head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell noted of the honor that recognizes both academic and athletic achievements. "We value her so much as she's a wonderful role model for anyone who joins our program. I'm pleased that she is being recognized."
Agraz (Hanford, Calif.) has been named to the university's President List in both of first two semesters at Fresno State and sports a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average. She received Academic All-WAC honors as a freshman. Agraz, a communication major, is also a member of the prestigious Smittcamp Family Honors College.
On the season, Agraz has played in 79 sets and launched 74 kills (0.94 kps) on a .149 hitting percentage. She has dug 57 attacks (0.72 dps), blocked 41 shots (0.52 bps) and tossed up nine assists.
Agraz is one of three Western Athletic Conference volleyball student-athletes who received second-team ESPN Academic All-District VIII honors and one of six WAC volleyball student-athletes voted to one of the annual academic teams.
Under Netherby-Sewell, Fresno State continues to excel on the court and in the classroom. The American Volleyball Coaches Association recognized the Bulldog volleyball program as the only WAC team to earn its academic honor for the 2009-10 academic year and averaged higher than a 3.30 grade point average.
This comes a week after Fresno State's more recent Graduation Rates and Graduation Success Rates (GSR) score reported more good news.
As a department, the Fresno State graduation rate is up 8% (42 to 50%) over the last six years (2002-03 report). The graduation rate for Bulldog student-athlete continues to exceed the graduation rate of the Fresno State campus (50-48%).
Five Bulldog teams (Women's Basketball, Soccer, Women's Tennis, Volleyball and Equestrian) all surpassed department goals of 80 percent for the 4-year GSR cohort and four (Women's Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball and Equestrian) have met the department goal and national average of 63.5 percent for the 4-year Graduation Rate. Fresno State saw 70 student-athletes graduate last year.
* - The GSR measures graduation rates at Division I institutions and includes students transferring into the institutions. The GSR also allows institutions to subtract student-athletes who leave their institutions prior to graduation as long as they would have been academically eligible to compete had they remained.
The Dogs are currently in Las Cruces, N.M. and will battle the New Mexico State tonight at 6 p.m. Pacific on KAIL and www.espn3.com.
District 8 Winners (University Division)
FIRST TEAM
Stephanie Browne, Stanford
Lauren Campbell, Northern Arizona
Katherine Fischer, Oregon
Alix Klineman, Stanford
Cassidy Lichtman, Stanford
Jill Sawatzky, Oregon State
SECOND TEAM
Cecilia Agraz, Fresno State
Katie Astle, Utah State
Kanani Danielson, Hawai'i
Kayli Doxey, Utah Valley University
Caitlin Jensen, Southern Utah
Jamie Mellies, Seattle University
Paige Weber, Arizona
THIRD TEAM
Gabi Ailes, Stanford
Elizabeth Harden, Boise State
Cat Highmark, Arizona State
Kellie Kawasaki, Oregon
Carli Lloyd, California
Liz McArthur, Utah State
Tanya Schmidt, Santa Clara
Nicole Warner, Brigham Young University
"We Are Your Team!" --- After a road swing at New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech, Fresno State will face No. 5 Hawai'i in a Veterans' Day battle on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Save Mart Center. The Nov. 4 contest at NMSU will be shown live on KAIL in Fresno at 6 p.m.
