PULLMAN, Wash. -- The Washington State volleyball program held its team banquet April 2, at the Gray W Legends lounge in the Cougar Football Complex. Head Coach Jen Greeny, assistant coaches Burdette Greeny and Shannon Hunt, and operations coordinator Katie Hinrichs, gathered with the team and their family members to celebrate the accomplishments of the season and honor graduating senior Kate Sommer.
Sommer, a four-year starter at libero from Pacific Palisades, Calif., set the WSU career record with 1,954 digs. Her 4.20 digs per set average was fourth-highest in the Pac-12 for 2015. Sommer played in 472 sets and 129 matches in her career on the Palouse, both third-most in WSU all-time. On the single season digs records list, Sommer holds the number four, number six and number seven spots for digs in a season. She was a two-year tri-captain for the team.
Sommer delivered an inspirational speech at the banquet, reflecting on her WSU career and how she made the decision to play at WSU, saying, “Going into this, I knew I was going to be a part of a process, something that required hard work, perseverance and grit. I wanted to be a part of a change. Did I know what it was going to entail entirely? Absolutely not. Was I willing to take that risk and run with relentless pursuit no matter the challenge? Absolutely.
“Lastly, to my teammates, thank you for making my senior year the absolute best year I have had. Thank you for buying in and taking that risk even when you were told not to. Continue to represent this program with pride and confidence. I know that I will be standing in envy one of these days because of the fruit that will be produced from your hard work. You will always be my sisters, my friends and my family.”
Tani Stephens, a junior defensive specialist from Albany, Ore., and one of the Cougars tri-captains in 2015, was presented the “OUR FIVE” award which is based on the Cougar volleyball program's five pillars of passion, unity, thankfulness, humility and servanthood.
Among the 2015 season accomplishments celebrated were:
Pac-12 Conference Honors
Kyra Holt, All-Pac-12 Team
McKenna Woodford, Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
Casey Schoenlein, Pac-12 All-Academic First Team
Hailey Bethune, Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
Haley MacDonald, Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
Tani Stephens, Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
McKenna Woodford, Pac-12 Freshman of the Week Sept. 14-20 and Nov. 9-15
2015 All-Tournament Selections
Radford Highlander Invitational
Kyra Holt
McKenna Woodford
Texas Tech Lone Star Showdown
McKenna Woodford, MVP
Taylor Mims
Kate Sommer
Idaho Volleyball Classic
Kyra Holt, MVP
Haley MacDonald
Cougar Challenge Tournament
Kyra Holt, MVP
Haley MacDonald
Taylor Mims