Courtesy of North Carolina Central Athletic Communications
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central senior outside hitter Arlanda Faulkner has been named to the 2021 Academic All-District® Volleyball Team, selected by CoSIDA, which recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Faulkner is one of 10 NCAA Division I honorees for District 3 that were selected out of a large group of 45 nominees from all DI programs within the states of North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. She was the only honoree from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in any of the league's geographic regions.
Faulkner boasts a 3.60 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) as a public health education major at NCCU. She has been on the Dean's List every semester and is a member of SAAC, SADD, SOPHE and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Faulkner plans to use her degree to make a difference in low socioeconomic communities, and pursue a Master of Arts in ministry.
The product of Goldsboro, N.C., is in her fourth season with the Eagles. Faulkner finished the regular season leading the maroon and gray with 3.07 kills per set. It is the second straight season she has led NCCU's attack.
Faulkner has reached the 10-plus kill total in 10 of 14 league tilts. She has four double-doubles and is averaging 1.67 digs per set.
In her career, Faulkner has accumulated 757 kills heading into her final postseason for a four-year average of 2.55 kills per set. She also has career totals of 459 digs, 108.5 blocks, 56 aces and 37 assists.
The league honored Faulkner as an All-MEAC Second Team selection earlier in the week after earning two MEAC Player of the Week awards during the regular season. She obtained MEAC All-Rookie Team recognition at the end of the 2018 season.
To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games and they are not eligible until they have completed one full calendar year at their current institution and has reached at least sophomore athletic eligibility.
Faulkner and other First-Team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the Academic All-America® ballot and the honorees will be announced on Dec. 15.
NCCU CoSIDA Academic All-District® Volleyball Honorees
Arlanda Faulkner (2021)
Jessica Pilivi (2019)
Erika Ianovale (2018)
Kelsey Murphy (2016)