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Nov. 9, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia third-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) has been named to the six-member ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III Volleyball First Team as announced Thursday (Nov. 9). Fourth-year setter Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and fourth-year outside hitter Lindsay Osco (Houston, Texas/Elkins) have been named to the seven-player third-team. With her selection to the first-team, Sarah Kirkwood is now eligible for national ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors.
Kirkwood was also a first-team Academic All-District III selection last season and went on to earn ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-America accolades. In 2006, Kirkwood has started all 19 matches she has appeared in and is averaging 3.74 kills per game (247 kills in 66 games) while hitting .238. She has also tallied 201 digs (3.05 per game) and leads all ACC players is service aces with an average of 0.67 per game (tied for ninth nationally). Kirkwood, a cognitive science/Pre Med major, is a 2006 Preseason All-ACC pick. She is currently third all-time at UVa with 153 career service aces. Last season, Kirkwood was an AVCA honorable mention All-American and also received first-team AVCA All-East Region and first-team All-ACC honors.
Emily Kirkwood, an art history major, captures Academic All-District III honors for the first time with her third-team selection. Kirkwood recently set UVa’s career service aces record and currently has 157 aces. She became just the 10th ACC volleyball player to surpass the 5,000 career assists mark and currently has 5,134 which ranks second all-time at Virginia and ninth among all ACC setters. The 2006 Preseason All-ACC pick is averaging 13.05 assists per game this season (1,057 assists in 81 games) while starting all 23 matches she has appeared in. Her 13.05 assists per game ranks 24th in the nation.
Osco captures Academic All-District III accolades for the second time in her career. She was a third-team selection in 2004 as well. Earlier this season, the double major in mathematics and economics became the fourth UVa volleyball player to amass 1,000 career kills and digs. Osco is fourth all-time at Virginia with 137 career service aces. In 2006, Osco has tallied 230 kills (2.64 per game) while hitting .196. She is second on the team with 36 aces and has also recorded 141 digs and 48 blocks. Osco has played in all 25 matches this season with 23 starts.
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. District III consists of schools from the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Virginia stands at 19-6 overall and 12-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers, who have won their last six matches, return to action on Friday (Nov. 10) when they travel to Tallahassee, Fla., for a 7:00 p.m. match against Florida State.