FULL COLLEGE SPORTS COMMUNICATORS RELEASE
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Four UNC Asheville volleyball student-athletes have earned Academic All-District® honors from College Sports Communicators, the group introduced Tuesday (Dec. 16).
Payton Rolfsen, Michelle Thao, Baylor Herlehy, and Albertine van der Goot represented UNC Asheville on this yr’s All-District listing. To qualify for Academic All-District honors, student-athletes have to be at the least a sophomore academically and athletically, keep a minimal cumulative GPA of three.5, and seem in at the least 90 p.c of their workforce’s competitions or begin in at the least 66 p.c.
Thao earned her second consecutive Academic All-District honor after being named to final yr’s listing. She was additionally named Big South Co-Libero of the Year, marking the primary Libero of the Year honor in program historical past and the primary on-the-court Big South main award for this system since 2000, when Kelly Budnik earned Freshman of the Year honors. UNC Asheville beforehand had Scholar Athlete of the Year recipients in 2023 (Ona Elkins) and 2021 (Grace Volk).
During the 2025 season, Thao performed in all 30 matches and 110 units, recording 523 digs (4.75 per set), 26 service aces, and a powerful .954 reception share throughout 585 receptions. She reached the 1,000-career-dig milestone on Oct. 17 and earned Big South Libero of the Week honors thrice. Thao was additionally named to the Big South All-Tournament Team after serving to lead the Bulldogs to their first Big South Conference Championship look since 2006.
Rolfsen led Asheville’s offense with 565 assists, averaging 5.28 per set. She completed second on the workforce with 27 service aces and totaled 18 blocks on the season. Her efficiency within the Big South Conference Tournament earned her All-Tournament Team honors.
In 22 matches, Herlehy recorded 137 kills and led the Bulldogs with 92 whole blocks.
Van der Goot was named to the Big South All-Academic Team and earned Big South Honorable Mention recognition. She completed the season second on the workforce with 231 kills (2.12 per set) and ranked second in whole blocks with 87.
About Women’s Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with whole belongings of roughly $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered neighborhood financial institution, First Bank operates 113 financial institution branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailor-made strategy to banking, combining best-in-class monetary options, useful native experience, and expertise to handle a house or enterprise. First Bancorp’s frequent inventory is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market underneath the image “FBNC.” Visit our web site at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.