For the second time in her career, Jacqueline Smith, a senior outside hitter for Northern Michigan University's volleyball team, has been recognized as an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention All-American. The announcement was made by the AVCA on Wednesday.
Smith previously received this honor following her redshirt sophomore year in 2022. This season, she contributed to the Wildcats' 20-9 record and earned All-GLIAC First Team honors for the fifth consecutive year. Smith ended her college career with 1,927 kills, setting a new program record on October 5 against Lake Superior State by surpassing Andrea Gommans' previous mark of 1,664 set in 1993. The athlete from Saint Germain, Wisconsin led all GLIAC players with 416 kills during the regular season and ranked among the top 20 nationally. She recorded over 20 kills in eight matches and reached double figures in kills in 26 out of 28 matches, achieving a personal best of 28 kills against Michigan Tech on October 30.
In addition to her offensive skills, Smith demonstrated versatility on the court by recording a career-high of 19 digs against Michigan Tech on October 30 and exceeding a total of 1,000 digs in her career. She became the eighteenth player in NMU history to reach this milestone. For the season, Smith achieved a .249 attack percentage with totals including 456 kills, 310 digs, 34 service aces, and contributed to blocking efforts with a total of 38 blocks.
Coach Mike Lozier expressed his admiration for Smith's achievements: "Once again, Jacqui proves why she is one of the best to have worn a Wildcat jersey. Her career is littered with accolades, both team and individual. Her legacy was solidified long before being named a two-time AVCA All-American, but I am so proud of what she accomplished in her last season. She chose to come back for one more opportunity and she made the most of it. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to coach both her and all the seniors that are moving on."
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