Ferris State's Danielle Dowd Earns Academic All-America Honors For Second-Straight Year

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Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University volleyball senior libero Danielle Dowd (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) recently was named to the 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America squad for the second consecutive year based on her performance both on the floor and in the classroom this campaign.

The 2015 Capital One Academic All-America Teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), where released to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.

Dowd was one of eight student-athletes to receive third-team academic all-america recognition for the 2015 season. Overall, a total of only 20 individuals were recognized from across the country with six on each of the first two Academic All-America teams along with eight on the third.

Dowd was one of only two players on any of the three teams to be honored for the second-straight year after she earned second-team laurels as a junior in 2014. Previously, Dowd advanced to the national ballot by being chosen to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV First Team for the second time this season.

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

The CoSIDA Division II an III Academic All-America program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2015-16 DII and DIII Academic All-America teams program.

Earlier this season, Dowd claimed All-GLIAC recognition for the Bulldogs. This year, Dowd led the Bulldogs in her second season as the squad's libero with 577 digs on the year. She tallied 10 digs or more in 33 of FSU's 36 outings, including a personal career-high 35 digs earlier this year at rival Grand Valley State (Nov. 3). Overall, she averaged a squad-best 4.62 digs per set and added 64 assists and 23 service aces in 125 total sets.

The Bulldogs, who made the school's fifth-straight and 20th overall NCAA Tournament appearance, finished the 2015 campaign with a 33-3 overall record. FSU won its second-straight GLIAC Regular-Season Championship and claimed the school's second consecutive GLIAC Tournament title while earning the right to host the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament where FSU finished as the regional runner-up.

This year marked the 14th time in 20 seasons under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm in which FSU has claimed at least 20 victories in a campaign. The Bulldogs also made their 18th consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance while achieving a number one national ranking for the first time during the 2015 campaign.