Springfield, Ohio – Wittenberg University volleyball standout Jessica Batanian (Sylvania, Ohio/Notre Dame) has been recognized for the combination of her athletic and academic accomplishments with second-team Capital One Academic All-America College Division All-District 7 honors.
The honor is the first for Batanian in her collegiate career. She was selected as a result of online voting conducted recently by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Batanian, a senior outside hitter, enjoyed a breakout 2012 season. A first-team All-NCAC and honorable mention All-Great Lakes Region selection, Batanian ranked second on the Tigers in the regular season with 275 kills and tied for second with 314 digs. She added 26 blocks while making just 16 reception errors in 427 attempts.
Off the court, Batanian served an internship through Wittenberg's Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement in 2012, and she is planning to participate in a service trip to the impoverished African kingdom of Lesotho in December 2012. She is a member of the Communication Leaders program and the Chi Alpha Sigma honorary, and she has been a writer for student newspaper, The Torch.
The Tigers, who captured the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championship, finished the 2012 regular season with records of 25-4 overall and a perfect 8-0 in the conference after winning their 18th NCAC regular season and tournament championships. Wittenberg, ranked second in the nation, earned its 17th straight NCAA Division III Tournament bid (18th overall), which started yesterday with a first-round victory over Ohio Northern.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
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