Falcon volleyball player Melissa Tvrdik (Sr., Farwell, Minn.) has been named to the 2003 Academic All-America College Division volleyball third team.

Earlier this year the Falcon middle hitter was named to the first Academic All-Midwest Region team. All first team players from the eight region teams are eligible for the All-American team. The Academic All-America Teams program honors male and female student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America; a 2,000-member organization consisted of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Division I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.

Earlier this year Tvrdik was named to the AVCA first All-America team, to the AVCA All-Midwest region team, to the first All-WIAC unit, she was named the WIAC's Player of the Year and named the WIAC volleyball Scholar-Athlete.

Tvrdik is one of UW-RF's top career players. She is fifth in career kills (1,209), seventh in career kill attempts (2,709), second in career kill percentage (.321) and second in career block assists (337). UWRF is 112-41 during her four-year career. UWRF has won two WIAC titles (2002, 2003) and competed in the NCAA Div. III tournament in 2000 and 2003. She has had double digits in kills in 68 of 111 career matches played. She had double digit kills and double digit digs in seven career matches.

This season she was the UWRF Player of the Week four times and was the WIAC Player of the Week once. She led team in kill percentage (.347), solo blocks (19), block assists (120) and total blocks (139). She had a career high 14 digs against Nebraska-Wesleyan (Oct. 10) and Whitewater (Sept. 20). Tvrdik had double digit kills in 30 of 39 matches and had double digit kills and digs in six matches.

In 2002, she was named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player and was named to the All-WIAC first team. She was named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region team and then was named to the AVCA second All-American team. She was named the UW-RF Player of the Week four times. Tvrdik led team in kill percentage (.345), solo blocks (17), block assists (116), and total blocks (133). She had her career high kill match (21) vs. Trinity on Oct. 26, 2002 and had double digit kills in 24 of 39 matches. She had double digit kills and digs once.

In 2001, she was named the team's Most Valuable Player and was given honorable mention to the All-WIAC squad. She was named the UWRF Player of the Week three times. She led the Falcons in kill percentage (.261), solo blocks (14), block assists (97) and total blocks (111). She had double digit kills in 14 of 33 matches.

In 2000 Tvrdik was named the team's Most Improved Player.

Tvrdik's accomplishments in the classroom have been just as impressive. She is majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology and maintains a 3.795 grade point average. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been named to UW-RF Dean’s List every semester she has been enrolled at the University. Tvrdik has also earned an academic scholarship from the school’s psychology department. Tvrdik is a member of Psi Chi National Honor Society and is currently serving as vice president. She has also worked with autistic children.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete award is presented to the most outstanding senior from each conference sport during the year who exhibits the greatest combination of performance and achievements in academics, athletics and leadership.

Tvrdik becomes the second women’s volleyball student-athlete in school history to receive the WIAC’s top scholastic honor, joining Melissa Mattson who won the award in 2000. Mattson also was named the league's Most Valuable Player that same season.

UW-RF finished the 2003 season with a 35-6 overall record. The Falcons tied for first in the WIAC regular season standings with a 7-1 record. It was the second year in a row that the Falcons have tied for the No. 1 spot in the WIAC. The Falcons advanced to the NCAA Div. III Tournament and won one match before being eliminated.

Go to the 2003 Falcon statistics.

Tvrdik's Season, Career Statistics