Three UVa Volleyball Players Named To ACC Academic Team
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Feb. 10, 2006
GREENSBORO, N.C. – University of Virginia volleyball players Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant), Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and Lindsay Osco (Houston, Texas/Elkins) have been named to the inaugural All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Volleyball Team as announced by Commissioner John D. Swofford today (Feb. 10). A total of 31 players were selected to the team with each school represented by at least one player.
NC State had four players named to the team, while Virginia tied with Boston College, Clemson, Maryland, Miami and Virginia Tech with its three selections. To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career. A committee appointed by the ACC selected the team.
Emily Kirkwood is a third-year setter and a three-year starter for the Cavaliers. Kirkwood, an art history major, earned VaSID First Team honors in 2005, marking the second consecutive season she has captured the honor. She led Virginia with a career-best 1,492 assists for an average of 12.64 per game. Kirkwood’s 1,492 assists are the fourth-highest single season total in school history. She stands second on UVa’s all-time assists list with 4,077. Kirkwood was second on the team in service aces with 47 in 2005 and her total of 128 career aces ties for fifth all-time at UVa. The two time ACC Academic Honor Roll pick, also added 209 digs, 59 kills and 35 blocks.
Lindsay Osco is a third-year outside hitter who is majoring in economics with a minor in religious studies. She is also working towards a second major in mathematics. Osco was second on the team with 352 kills in the 2005 season and became the 11th UVa player to amass 1,000 career kills. The two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection was third on the team in service aces with 38 and also tallied 189 digs and 45 blocks.
Sarah Kirkwood, a second-year outside hitter, is an Echols Interdisciplinary major. She became the first Virginia volleyball player to earn national Academic All-America honors when she was named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team. Kirkwood became the third Cavalier to capture All-America accolades with her honorable mention selection. She is an AVCA All-East Region First Team performer and captured first-team All-ACC honors as well. Kirkwood became the first sophomore in ACC history to register 1,000 career kills and has amassed 1,085 in her first two seasons which rank seventh all-time at UVa. In 2005, Kirkwood notched 531 kills (4.43 per game) and 69 service aces to lead the team in both categories. Her average of 0.58 aces per game led the ACC and was 19th among all Division I players. 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 season.
UVa finished the 2005 season with a 20-11 overall record and a 15-7 mark in ACC play.