Volleyball Recaps 2016 Season at End-of-Year Celebration
6/22/2017 4:12:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Kent State volleyball program gathered at the M.A.C. Center following the conclusion of spring competition (April 29) to celebrate its 2016 season.
Head coach Don Gromala provided a recap of the season, beginning with the start of camp in August, and recognized Golden Flashes who received awards during the season. Junior Kelsey Bittinger and Challen Geraghty were named All-MAC First Team for the second straight year to become the only student-athletes in program history to earn first team honors more than once. Kent State collected a total of seven MAC Player of the Week honors, which tied for second most in the conference. Geraghty was named Defensive Player of Week four times, while Bittinger received Offensive Player of the Week twice and senior Drew Norberg received it once.
The Golden Flashes continued to thrive in the classroom and had several student-athletes recognized for their academic successes. Bittinger was voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Third Team and was twice named MAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week. Geraghty, sophomore Lexi Mantas and Bittinger were named MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, and the trio was joined by Norberg, juniors Amber Gerdeman and Brittney Jakscht, sophomore Sam Jones and redshirt freshman Darby Connors on the Academic All-MAC Team.
The underclassmen took turns speaking about the impact seniors Katarina Kojic, Maddie Moxley and Drew Norberg made to the program over the past four years. As a class, their 64 wins are tied for third in program history and their 35 MAC wins are tied for fourth all-time. Kojic finished her career fourth in assists per set (9.73) and sixth in assists (2,151) and Norberg ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.270).
Individual awards were also presented members of the team.
Most Outstanding Player: Kelsey Bittinger
Most Offensive Player: Kelsey Bittinger and Heather Younkin
Most Defensive Player: Challen Geraghty
Most Improved Award: Myla King
Annie (Zakelj) Muller Golden Heart Award: Claire Tulisiak
Carrie Patterson Golden Brain: Kelsey Bittinger
