WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Three members of the Salem volleyball team received academic accolades on Tuesday, September 13th.

The trio of Anna Rymer, Ashlyn Wood and Valeria Rosa Lopez were named to the 2023 Academic All-District Volleyball Team, selected by College Sports Communicators. All three Salem players were selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced Jan. 9, 2024.

The 2023 Academic All-District Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Salem volleyball was one of five programs to represent the USA South Conference on the list. The others included Brevard (three), Methodist (four), N.C. Wesleyan (one) and William Peace (three).

Rymer earned her spot on the unit by maintaining a 4.0 GPA as an English/Communications major. On the court, she finished the season by ranking in the Top-5 in attack percentage (.306-1st), service aces (52-1st), service aces/set (0.44-1st), total blocks (74-1st), kills (310-2nd), kills/set (2.63), assists (223-3rd), digs (152-5th), digs/set (1.27-5th).

Along the way, Rymer had 17 double-digit kill outings on the season and two double-double performances. It marks the third accolade of the 2023 campaign for Rymer, who was named USA South Player of the Week (Sept. 25) and USA South Second Team All-Conference.

Wood, who also possessed a 4.0 GPA at Salem, is a psychology/health sciences major. In 2023, Wood had the sixth-most assists (676) in program history at a clip of 5.73 assists/set after competing in 118 sets. She dished out at least 25 assists in nine matches on the season, including a match on September 8th against Randolph, where she established her single-match season-high in assists (36).

Wood also came through with eight double-double outings (assists/digs) and notched multiple service aces in nine matches. One of her most memorable service aces of the season came as the match-winning point of a five-set clash with USA South Conference rival Southern Virginia on November 1st.

Lopez is a business administration major with minors in both studio art and entrepreneurship at Salem, posting a 3.75 GPA along the way. The award caps off a record-breaking season for the Lopez, who finished with the most single-season kills (362) in program history at a clip of 3.07 kills/set. She also led the way in total digs (379) by averaging 3.21 digs/set, while recording the third-most service aces (35) on the season.

Along the way, Lopez became the third player in program history to amass 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, finishing with 1,023 kills and 1,362 digs, in program history. That allowed her to join Taylor Moulton and Kylie Taffer as the only players in program history with that distinction. Her season included 21 double-digit kill outings and 17 double-double performances.