Nov. 25, 2008
Center Valley, Pa.—Following stellar seasons on the volleyball court and in the classroom, Army seniors Briana Stremick and Rachael Breinling joined the nation’s elite with CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors, as announced by College Sports Information Directors of America Monday afternoon. Stremick was named the first team, while Breinling made the third team.
In order to be eligible for Academic All-America status, a player must have made their respective All-District First Team, carry at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average and have at least sophomore status. Stremick and Breinling led a group of four Army volleyball players to gain all-district status earlier this month, as fellow seniors Jamie Clark and Elizabeth Lazzari both made the second team. Also named All-District from the Patriot League was Bucknell senior Shannon Pitsch.
Boasting the top grade-point average on the team, Stremick has carried an impressive 3.94 GPA throughout her West Point career. The Langdon, N.D., native is a Mechanical Engineering major and was a candidate for a Rhodes Scholarship. The 2008 Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year has experienced similar success on the volleyball court. A second team All-Patriot League selection in 2008, Stremick moved positions this season to the right side and the result was a team-leading 3.03 kills-per-set average. She hit for a .281 percentage this season and ranked second on the team with 72 total blocks and 30 service aces.
Stremick’s 1,039 career kills rank eighth all-time at the Academy and she is a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll pick. Her 3.94 GPA tied for the second-best number among the six players to garner Academic All-America status.
Breinling was a first team Academic All-District I pick for the second year in a row in 2008. She has maintained a 3.52 GPA majoring in Geography. The Fremont, Mich., native spent the spring semester abroad and away from volleyball, studying in Zaragoza, Spain. Breinling showed little signs of rust this fall. She ranked third in the Patriot League with a .355 hitting percentage, while averaging 2.75 kills per set and adding 56 total blocks.
Breinling, a three-year starter and 2008 All-Patriot League second team pick, has totaled 907 career kills to land 12th on Army’s all-time list. Her 249 career blocks ties her for fifth in Army history.
