Former Jim Thorpe standouts Leila Hurley and Olivia Smelas were recently among four Kutztown University girls basketball players named to the 2023-24 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, an award that recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performance on the court and in the classroom.

To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50, and compete in 90% of the institution’s games or must start in at least 66% of contests.

Hurley, Shannon Remolde and Zara Zerman are multi-year members, while this is the first honor for Smelas.

Hurley, a sophomore elementary education major, holds a 3.82 grade point average. The guard played in all 30 games and averaged 7.3 points per game, shooting 36.7% from long distance.

Smelas, a sophomore business administration (accounting) major, boasts a 3.65 GPA. She appeared in all 30 games this season and started in 23 of them. Smelas averaged 8.4 ppg, a team-best 7.2 rebounds per game and led KU with 49 steals. She also was second with 26 blocks and 53 assists.

Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early April.