ST. PAUL – After wrapping up an exceptional four-year playing career at Northwestern, volleyball senior Krista Stoltz (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America® First Team for her sport on Tuesday. Claiming the school's first Capital One Academic All-America® award since 2005 and the second accolade of its kind for the Eagles volleyball program, Stoltz was one of just six players nationwide in the NCAA Division III to be a first team selection.

Read the official Cosida/Capital One Academic All-America® release here.

An elementary education major who will graduate in May 2014, Stoltz currently boasts a 3.95 cumulative grade point average (GPA). Stoltz was voted the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Player of the Year in addition to being a first team All-UMAC pick in early November. Stoltz's resume on the court included leading her team to four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and to go with three American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) postseason awards (including an All-America second team pick in 2012). The senior, who has earned UMAC Academic All-Conference accolades in each of the three years she was eligible, finished as the Division III's leader in career assists per set (10.94). Stoltz was a Capital One Academic All-District nominee in both 2012 and 2013.

To qualify for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

Previous CoSIDA Academic All-America Award winners from Northwestern include football alumnus Jon Pederson (first team, 2002), basketball's Jeff Ver Steeg (first team, 2005) and former volleyball player Emily (Buchner) Sheplee (second team, 2001). Stoltz is the Eagles' first CoSIDA Academic All-American since UNW transitioned to membership in the NCAA Division III in 2007 after being a longtime NAIA member.