Wake Forest Volleyball Hands Out 2008-09 Team Awards
4/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
April 20, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest volleyball team held its annual season-ending banquet on Sunday April 12 and handed out several team awards.
Head coach Heather Kahl Holmes presented awards for Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Best Offensive Player, Best Defensive Player and the Deacon and Unsung Hero Awards.
Graduate student Natalie Mullikin was named the team's Most Valuable Player. Mullikin had a record-breaking season in 2008. She not only finished the season with a team-leading 395 kills (3.41 per set), but also finished her career as the best blocker in school history.
The Lebanon, Ind., native finished as the school's career-leader in block solos, block assists, total blocks and blocks per set.
Mullikin was named AVCA Honorable Mention All-America, becoming just the third Demon Deacon to earn All-America honors. She was also named first team All-ACC for the second-straight season and in addition to earning Academic All-ACC honors, she was named the ACC Volleyball Scholar Athlete of the Year.
She finished the year as Wake Forest's leader in kills, blocks and hitting percentage. She also ranked in the top 10 of the ACC in kills per set (5th) and hitting percentage (8th).
Mullikin also won the Best Offensive Player Award. She led the team in kills per set with 3.41 and in hitting percentage at .316. She had double digit kill totals in all but six matches this season including 15+ kills on eight occasions. She finished her career third all-time at Wake Forest with 1,423 kills.
Sophomore defensive specialist Abby Miller had a tremendous season in the back row and earned the team's Best Defensive Player Award.
Miller was one of just three players to start and play in all 117 sets this season. She was second on the squad with 367 digs and 3.14 digs per set while topping the team with a .973 reception percentage. She only had one reception error in 178 chances over the last 15 matches of the season.
Miller recorded double-digit digs in 17 matches, including a career-high 25 in a four-set win at Appalachian State. She also finished with 12 service aces and a strong .958 serving percentage.
It wasn't just her play on the court that made Miller special, she also made an impact off the court as well, earning her the Deacon Award. The Deacon Award is given to a person who never gives up and shows that determination in all aspects of their lives. When given a challenge or difficult situation whether in volleyball or in their life, this person shows courage and resolve.
Freshman outside hitter Kadija Fornah received the team's Rookie of the Year Award. She made an impact right out of the gate and finished the season second on the team in both kills (264) and points per set (2.54). She was also third on the squad in kills per set (2.34).
Fornah notched double-digit kills in a total of 12 matches in 2008 and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Black & Gold Challenge after posting 38 kills in the three matches.
Fornah was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2008, marking the second-straight season a Demon Deacon has been named to the All-Freshman Team, joining Kelsey Jones, who earned the distinction in 2007.
The Dedication Award, which is chosen by strength and conditioning coach Todd Hedrick for the athlete who shows the most discipline and hard work in the areas of strength and conditioning and shows a positive attitude and focus while in the weight room and their improvement is a reflection of their determination. This year, the award went to sophomore Kristen White.
Freshman Maggie Hoey took home the Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the student-athlete who has made significant contributions to the team through her achievements as a student and as an athlete. This person symbolizes a standard of excellence in and out of the gym, always seeking to bring out the best in her teammates, and unselfishly devotes herself to reaching team goals and continues to inspire them.
