CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - The honors keep pouring in for American University volleyball, and particularly for junior setter Olivia Wassner, who has now been named the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Joining Wassner on the PL All-Academic Team is junior outside hitter Helena Elbaek, who earns that honor for a second year in a row.

Wassner, a neuroscience major, has a 3.97 GPA and was named the 2019 Patriot League Setter of the Year along with being named to the 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. She's been the floor general for the Eagles this season as they've gone 22-7 overall and 15-1 in the Patriot League with a 15-match win streak. 

Thanks largely to Wassner, AU ranks third in NCAA Division I in service aces per game. She has 59 aces so far, with her 0.62 aces per set ranking third in the nation individually. Her 9.85 assists per set lead the team and rank second in the Patriot League. Wassner has eight double-doubles and came one kill away from a triple-double when she knocked down a career-high nine kills in a 3-2 win over Loyola Maryland on Oct. 22.

Elbaek, who was named to the All-Patriot League First Team for a second year in a row after also earning All-Patriot League Second Team honors as a freshman, has a 3.82 GPA and is a biology major. Her 3.29 kills per set lead the team and rank seventh in the league. She needs just 108 more kills to become the 14th Eagle with 1,000 in her career. So far this season, Elbaek has led or tied for the team lead in kills a team-high 10 times, with five double-doubles.

2019 Patriot League Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Olivia Wassner, American

Patriot League Volleyball All-Academic Team
Olivia Wassner, American, Jr. S
Helena Elbaek, American, Jr., OH
Alli Lowe, Colgate, Jr., OH
Julia Howard, Lafayette, Sr., S
Lauren Bright, Lehigh, Sr., MB
Ann Ernst, Loyola Maryland, Sr., OH
Paige Miles, Navy, Sr., S