Puschak Named to the 2010 Philadelphia Area All-Academic Team

Philadelphia, Pa. (1/18/11) – University of the Sciences senior middle blocker Christine Puschak was amongst the six female athletes named to the 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Women's Volleyball Team as announced today.

The Philadelphia Area All-Academic Teams are voted on by the members of the Philadelphia Area Sports Information Directors Association (Philly-SIDA). To be eligible for selection, a student-athlete must be a sophomore academically and athletically, attend one of the 28 Philadelphia area colleges and universities and have a minimum grade point average of 3.20.

In earning area All-Academic honors for the third consecutive year Puschak (Conestoga Valley High School/Leola, Pa.) produced a 3.921 grade point average through her first seven semesters at USP. Christine is one of two repeat selections on the team and the only NCAA Division II player to be honored. 

The fourth year pharmacy major earned Dean's List honors in each of her first seven semesters.

This past summer, Puschak was again named a recipient of the Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award, given by the D-II ADA to student athletes who have completed at least four semesters and have a grade point average of 3.5 or better. She is also a two-time CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District Team honoree and was named three times to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Fall Academic Team (2008-2010).

As a middle blocker, Puschak started and played in all 23 matches for the Devils, leading the team in hitting% (.253) and service aces(37). She ranks second on the team in kills (184) kills/set (2.33), total blocks (50) and blocks/set (0.63). Her .253 attack% ranks her fourth amongst Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) volleyball players. Christine was named to the conference honor roll twice this season.  Career-wise Puschak finished her career ranked fourth on USciences' all-time list with 1,010 kills, third all-time in aces with 184 and seventh in total blocks with 165.

Joining Puschak on the 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Volleyball team is  two-time Area Performer of the Year Maria Horning of Eastern University along with Allison Coleman (Swarthmore), Kate Comey (Haverford), Maggie Mergen (Villanova), and Courtney Reinhold (Eastern).  Puschak and Horning were the only repeat selections on this year's team.

Christine also becomes just the third Philadelphia area women's volleyball player to be named to the Area All-Academic Team three times during the award's six year history (2005-2010), joining Widener University's Rachel Chizmadia (2005-07) and Cabrini College standout Lizzie Williams (2007-09). A total of 30 different student-athletes have been named to the Area All-Academic Volleyball team since 2005.

The former Conestoga Valley High School athlete has completed her fourth and final season of play for the Devils. Puschak is majoring in pharmacy while pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is on track to graduate from the University of the Sciences in 2013.

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