In the culmination of a stellar career at Valpo, both on the court and in the classroom, fifth-year libero Rylee Cookerly (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) was one of just 10 Division I players selected Wednesday to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team.

On the court, Cookerly finished her career with 3,175 career digs, second-most in NCAA Division I history. A three-time All-MVC honoree and two-time MVC Libero of the Year, Cookerly averaged 4.89 digs/set this season, good for 32^nd nationally in the category. Earlier this season, Cookerly etched her name atop the career digs chart in Valpo history and in Missouri Valley Conference history, and she also holds Valpo’s single-match digs record.

The numbers across the board are staggering for Cookerly. She appeared in 159 career matches in the Valpo uniform, most in program history. Cookerly reached double figures in digs in 155 of those 159 matches. She led Valpo in digs 134 times, recorded 20 or more digs on 73 occasions and tallied at least 30 digs 13 times. Cookerly ranked among the top-50 in the nation in digs/set in each of her five seasons, including three years within the top-20 and two within the top-10.

But as impressive as her work on the court was, her work in the classroom as a complete student-athlete has been perhaps even more impressive. Cookerly graduated from Valpo with a bachelor’s degree in nursing this past May, posting a 3.96 undergraduate GPA. She is currently enrolled in the DNP program in Valpo’s College of Nursing & Health Professions.

Cookerly was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team this past spring, making her a two-time Academic All-America recipient. A four-time Academic All-District honoree, Cookerly also was a four-time member of the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team and was the conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the spring season.

The Valpo volleyball program has now had four Academic All-America honorees in program history, but Cookerly becomes the first volleyball student-athlete to earn First Team accolades. She also is one of just six student-athletes in Valpo Athletics history to be a multiple-time Academic All-America honoree.

Cookerly’s selection gives Valpo Athletics 37 Academic All-America award winners all-time. 25 of those honorees have come in the last 18 years, as Valpo has boasted at least one Academic All-America honoree in 16 of the last 18 seasons.