Four Francis Marion University volleyball players – senior setter
Kaylee Gillespie, junior outside hitter
Kara Walker, sophomore middle blocker
Caroline Lucas, and sophomore libero
Katie Floyd – have been named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for the Southeast Region of NCAA Division II.
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions: NCAA Division I, II, and III and NAIA. Academic All-District® honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early January.
Gillespie, who hails from Pickens, S.C., earns this award for the second year in a row. She has a 3.984 cumulative grade point average with a double major in psychology and human resource management, and is part of the University's Honors Program.
She started all 32 matches and played in every set this season; averaged 10.23 assists, 3.46 digs, and 0.34 blocks per set; and served a team-high 37 aces.
She is a three-time All-Conference performer and a two Academic All-Conference selection. A four-year starter, she ended her career third on the school's career assists list (3,578) and is only the second Patriot to amass 3,000 assists, 1,000 digs, and 130 service aces. She was named the conference Specialist of the Week 10 times in her career and recorded 55 career double-doubles. A three-time team MVP selection, she is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society and Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society. She served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for three years and earned a Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award for 2022 and 2023. She was named to the Conference Presidential Honor Roll and the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll on every possible occasion.
Walker, a native of Fayetteville, N.C., possesses a 3.61 GPA as a sports management major.
She led FMU with 332 kills this past season and averaged 2.81 kills and 2.64 digs per set. She posted a .162 hitting percentage and served 36 aces.
Walker garnered All-Conference Team recognition in her first year as a Patriot, was named the conference Player of the Week once, and was selected to the All-Tournament Team at the 2023 Lion's Den Invitational.
Lucas, who hails from Easley, S.C., is a biology major and has a 3.609 GPA.
She started every match in 2023 and played in every set while leading the Patriots with a .376 hitting percentage and with 386 points. She averaged 2.81 kills and 0.60 blocks per set.
Lucas was also an All-Conference selection in 2023. She was named to both the Conference Presidential Honor Roll and the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll each of her first two semesters.
Floyd, a native of Campbellsville, Ky., owns a 3.827 GPA as a marketing major.
She played in all but one set during the 2023 campaign and paced the Patriots with 3.74 digs per set. She also recorded a .934 reception perception and served 17 aces.
Like Lucas, Floyd was placed on the Conference Presidential Honor Roll and the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll each of her first two semesters.
These four players help Francis Marion to a 16-16 record this past season, a second-place finish in the East Division of Conference Carolinas, and a quarterfinal appearance in the conference tournament.
Gillespie and Lucas both graduated from Pickens High School, while Walker is a product of Terry Sanford High School and Floyd is a graduate of Taylor County High School.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2023-24 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.
