@ACMVolley Lands Record Six Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League All-Academic Honorees

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa--Led by three-year honorees Michael Burkhardt (Whitehall, Pa.) and Avery Johnson (Bolingbook, Ill.), Adrian College had a men's volleyball program-record six Academic All-Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League student-athletes during the 2018 season. The MCVL announced that 71 student-athletes were honored for the award this spring.

Kyle Bell (Lake Orion, Mich.) joined fellow seniors Javes Escalera (Manson, Wash.) and Johnson, sophomore Kevin Curley (Zion, Ill./Zion-Benton Township High School) and freshman Kolby Miller (Hudson, Ohio) on the conference's all-academic squad. Adrian registered four honorees in each of the past two seasons for the previous school benchmark.

To be eligible for MCVL All-Academic selection, student-athletes must be lettermen who carry a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3 for the academic year.

In his debut season at defensive specialist and libero, Bell had a memorable lone season for the Bulldogs by leading the team and ranking fourth in the MCVL with 2.61 digs per set. His 209 total digs also established a school record. Bell compiled a 3.62 GPA in secondary education with a concentration in history and English.

Johnson, a middle blocker, had 84 kills and 60 total blocks to pace the Bulldogs (11th in the MCVL) in that department. His 49 block assists among 60 cumulative are both AC single-season records. The political science major maintains a 3.67 GPA.

Burkhardt notched a career-high 146 kills and set a school record with a .315 hitting percentage for a No. 8 MCVL ranking from his middle blocker spot. He also recorded 58 total blocks for another personal best. He majors in athletic training and holds a 3.50 GPA.

Business marketing graduate Escalera (3.51) was a four-year setter for the Bulldogs, including as a member of the original NCAA squad during the 2016 season.

An outside hitter, Curley posted another solid campaign for the Bulldogs offensively with 175 kills and 560 attack attempts--both second on the team. Defensively, he contributed 162 digs and career-best 30 total blocks. He majors in criminal justice (3.62).

Miller, a sport management major (3.56), made five appearances and had two kills and two blocks at opposite.

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