MERCED, Calif. – Three University of California, Merced women's volleyball players were selected to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, as announced by the organization this week.
Haley Branley and Semiramis Tanasescu earned the honor for the second straight season, while Kyra Miller takes home the accolade for the first time.
Branley, a psychology major with a 3.86 GPA, tallied a career-high 148 digs her senior season and added 34 assists and a service ace. Branley was also a key passer for the Bobcats with 416 receptions. The libero had a season-high 13 digs in a Senior Night sweep over Providence Christian College. She finishes her career ranked ninth in program history with 335 sets played. Branley, the SAAC President, is also a 3X Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Chancellor's List member and a 2X Cal Pac All-Academic Team selection and Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar.
Tanasescu has maintained a 3.83 GPA as a biological sciences major and just put together the best season of her career as a junior. The middle blocker finished with 150 kills and ranked second on the Bobcats with a .273 hitting percentage, 65 total blocks, 13 solo blocks, and 0.66 blocks per set. She became just the fifth player in program history with at least 150 kills and 60 blocks in a season. Twice this season she had nine+ kills without an error. Defensively, the Irvine, Calif., native registered at least three blocks in ten matches. She set a 2024 team-high with eight blocks in a sweep over CalTech on September 21. She was named Cal Pac Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts. Tanasescu will head into her senior year ranked third in program history with 186 career blocks and fourth with a .255 hitting percentage.
Miller, undeclared, earns this honor in her first eligible year and is one of just two underclassman in program history to garner the distinction. She adds the award to her trophy case that also includes AVCA Southwest All-Region and Cal Pac Setter of the Year. The sophomore setter ended the year as one of just two players in the NAIA with at least 700 assists and 85 kills hitting .318 or better (Lydia Harper/Aquinas). She finished with 704 assists (7.26 A/S), 154 digs, 85 kills, 45 blocks, and 35 service aces overall. Her assists led the team, while her 45 blocks led all UC Merced non middle-blockers. Miller's 704 total assists marked the most by any Bobcat since 2019 and her .318 hitting percentage is the third highest all-time. UC Merced hit .212 as a team with Miller quarterbacking the offense which is the fourth best success rate on the West Coast.
The 2024 Academic All-District® Women's Volleyball Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To be considered for the honor, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher while playing in at least 90% of the matches or starting 66% of the matches.
