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Virginia's Sarah Kirkwood Named To Academic All-America Second Team
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Dec. 1, 2005
WALTHAM, Mass. – University of Virginia second-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) has been named to the seven-member ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Volleyball Second Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Kirkwood is the first UVa volleyball player to capture national Academic All-America honors.
In addition to the seven-player second team, six players garnered first-team honors and five players were named to the third team. Kirkwood is one of only two sophomores named to the three teams. She became eligible for the Academic All-America team after being selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III First Team in November. There are eight districts from which the Academic All-America teams are selected.
“Being a successful student-athlete requires a lot of discipline and sacrifice,” said head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton. “Doing well at a demanding institution like UVA is an accomplishment for any student. For Sarah to be so successful on the court and in the classroom is a tribute to her desire to be the best and determination to make it so.”
Kirkwood was recently named to the 10-member 2005 All-Atlantic Coast Conference First Team. She helped lead the Cavaliers to a 20-11 overall record and a 15-7 mark in ACC play. The 6-0 outside hitter had a spectacular 2005 season for UVa while playing in all 120 games over 31 matches. She became the first sophomore in ACC history to register 1,000 career kills. Kirkwood, who was named the ACC Player of the Week on October 10, has tallied 1,085 kills in two seasons and already stands seventh on UVa’s all-time kills list. She is the first Cavalier to total 500 kills in two different seasons.
In 2005, Kirkwood led the Cavaliers with 531 kills (4.43 per game) and in service aces with 69. Her average of 0.58 aces per game leads the ACC and is 21st among all Division I players. The 69 aces are the third-highest single season mark in school history. She had a career best .296 hitting percentage, including .303 in conference play, and tallied 271 digs (2.26 per game). The 2004 ACC Freshman of the Year led the team with 13 double-doubles in kills and digs and registered double figures in kills in the final 30 matches of the 2005 season.
“Our program is honored to have Sarah be named our first Academic All-American. I am so proud of Sarah and the rest of my team for the conscientious effort they put into being great students,” said Shelton.
Kirkwood, an Echols Interdisciplinary major, registered a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. last year.
To be nominated for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his/her career. No athlete is eligible until he/she has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing in his/her career.