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Ava Ryncarz All-American 2026 D3hoops.com
Cory Lizalde

Ava Ryncarz Enthroned as a D3hoops.com All-American

| By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

Ryncarz becomes just the fifth Blue Streak in program history to make the D3hoops.com All-America Team

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – John Carroll Women's Basketball can now trot out a starting five of All-Americans. 

Following in the footsteps of legends Lee Jennings, Missy Spahar, Nicole Heffington, and Olivia Nagy is a fifth and newest legend of the program.

Ava Ryncarz is JCU's fifth D3hoops.com All-American in program history. Ryncarz made the Fourth Team.

Becoming an All-American is especially difficult in basketball, with so few players getting the nod as compared to the number of participating players and judgement up to coaches and media members. Just 25 student-athletes earn D3hoops.com All-American honors out of the approximately 6,700 Division III women's basketball players.

Over the course of a historic season, Ryncarz cemented her John Carroll legacy. The Aurora native guided the Blue Streaks to win after win, all the way to a program record 26 victories. The senior guided JCU Women's Basketball to the program's first-ever Round of 16 appearance.

Ryncarz set a bevy of records along the way. The veteran reset the JCU records for 3-pointers in a game (10), 3-pointers in a season (97), and 3-pointers in a career (256). 

Over her four years, Ryncarz gradually improved her game. As a first year, she began by winning 2022-23 Honorable Mention All-OAC, then notched Second Team All-OAC honors in 2023-24. As a junior, Ryncarz secured 2024-25 First Team All-OAC status, and concluded her career with, 2025-26 First Team All-NCAC and 2025-26 First Team D3hoops.com All-Region accolades. 

Looking at her stats as a senior, Ryncarz topped the team with 14.8 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game while starting all 31 games. The playmaker also contributed 48 assists and 32 steals. She also finished a very impressive 42-of-47 from the free-throw line. 

In terms of career stats, Ryncarz finishes first in defensive rebounds (672), sixth in rebounds (784), eighth in program history in points (1526), third in games played (109), and second in games started (107).

Historically speaking, this is the 29th D3hoops.com All-America team. 

D3hoops.com All-Americans for JCU Women's Basketball:

2026 - Ava Ryncarz (4th Team)
2022 - Olivia Nagy (3rd Team)
2021 - Nicole Heffington (1st Team)
2014 - Missy Spahar (2nd Team)
2011 - Lee Jennings (1st Team)
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