NEWARK, Del. - - The College Sports Communicators announced its 2023 Academic All-District Volleyball Team, and four Wilmington University student-athletes were recognized as some of the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Representing the Wildcats on the CSC Academic All-District Team are Katie Bushong, Elly Collins, Brice Hansen, and Shannen Litten. The Wildcats are four of the 19 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference representatives, the most in the conference.

To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District nomination, the student-athlete must excel in both the field of play and the classroom. Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, AND compete in 90 percent of the institution's games or start in at least 66 percent of the games, along with several other criteria.

Katie Bushong (Lancaster, Pa.) will be graduating from Wilmington University with a degree in biology while carrying a 3.96 cumulative grade point average. She was recently named the CACC Top XVII Award winner for academic excellence at the CACC Tournament banquet. She quarterbacked the offense to hitting .155 as a team this year, dishing out 7.92 assists per set this season. She also collected 2.67 digs per set and 0.37 aces per set while playing in all 117 sets this season.

Elly Collins (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) has been as good in the classroom as she has been on the court this year, graduating with an accounting and finance degree while currently working towards a master's in accounting with a 3.93 combined GPA. She was named the CACC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Region performer, scooping up a CACC best 5.50 digs per set this season.

Brice Hansen (Lyman, Wyo.) is a six-rotation player who played in all 31 matches with 106 sets played. She finished second on the team with 257 kills on the year, putting down 2.42 kills per set. She also aided the defense in adding 2.87 digs per set, finishing third on the team in collecting 295.5 points on the year. She carries a 3.97 cumulative grade point average while studying environmental science in her sophomore season.

Shannen Litten (Leonardtown, Md.) is another All-CACC and All-Region performer for the Wildcats, all while getting it done in the classroom as well. In her sophomore season, she is carrying a 3.72 cumulative grade point average while studying communications. She also finished the season by leading the CACC in averaging 1.07 blocks per set and third on the team with 224 kills (1.93 per set). She only committed 72 errors on the season, hitting .261 as a middle hitter on the year.

These four Wildcats helped lead the Wildcats to a 17-14 overall record, going 10-6 in CACC play and advancing to the CACC Tournament Semifinal.