HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College volleyball program capped off another stellar season on the court this past Thursday by holding its annual year-end awards banquet at the Student Center on the campus of CVCC.
The Red Hawks finished their 2017 fall season with a 28-9 overall record and 15-0 mark in conference play, winning their sixth-straight Region X regular-season championship. The program also extended its winning streak in conference play to 112-straight matches.
CVCC also recently finished its spring volleyball season with home tournament on April 14 at the Tarlton Complex.
"It was nice to get everyone together to celebrate the accomplishments from the fall and spring seasons," said ninth-year CVCC head volleyball coach Shannon Hudson. "Our girls really embraced this past year's 'Win the Moment' motto and worked hard to reach our goal of another undefeated conference season. At the banquet, we had a great time reminiscing and watching a few videos by (CVCC assistant volleyball coach) Mark (Wimberley) after we enjoyed a barbecue meal together. I couldn't be prouder of this group of young ladies and pray that God will continue to direct their paths."
Hudson and Wimberley handed out awards at the banquet to commemorate special individual seasons by a few of the Red Hawk athletes.
Freshman outside hitter Adair Melton was named Best All Around. The former Foard High School standout from Hickory, N.C. tallied a team-high 289 kills (2.31 per set) and a .238 hitting percentage.
Melton, who is graduating early from CVCC and playing volleyball next season at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C., also recorded 243 digs, 191 assists, 68 total blocks, 15 service aces and recorded a team-best 340.5 points.
"Adair is the kind of player that coaches love," Hudson said. "She is the ultimate package of energy and positivity mixed with an extremely competitive spirit — not to mention that she contributed this year as a setter and outside hitter. We are definitely going to miss her on the court this fall, but I know she's going to do great things at Meredith."
Bound for UNC Asheville this fall, Sabrina Pinard was named the Red Hawks' Most Valuable Player. The sophomore middle hitter from Huntersville, N.C. tallied 202 kills with a .282 hitting percentage and helped score 254 points for the Red Hawks.
Defensively, she posted 75 blocks and 160 digs to go with 13 service aces.
"As the only returning starter from 2016, Sabrina had big shoes to fill to guide our young roster to a successful season, and she rose to the occasion," Hudson said. "She dominated as a right side hitter and also contributed as a swing hitter. We could always count on Sabrina's consistent play and positive attitude to lead us to success. She will make an immediate impact at UNC Asheville this upcoming season."
Freshman libero Emily Williams was named CVCC's Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-high 721 digs, which are the second-most in a season for any Red Hawk volleyball player behind only Katelyn Houser's 1,045 digs in 2015.
A former North Iredell High School standout, Williams also recorded 44 kills, 87 assists and 54 service aces during her first season as a Red Hawk.
"Emily did a phenomenal job for us on defense last year and is one of the best serve receive passers to ever come through the program," Hudson said. "I'm excited to have her leadership returning to the back court this fall."
The last of the individual awards went to setter Emilee Webber, who was named Catawba Valley's Offensive Player of the Year. Webber tallied a team-high 802 assists — 611 more than the second-most assists on the team — and she scored 199.5 points.
A freshman from Denver, N.C., Webber also contributed 332 digs, which were third-most for Catawba Valley, as well as 118 kills and 25 blocks.
"Emilee was the heart of our offense and her precision setting is not typical at our level," Hudson said. "She worked hard to become an offensive threat as an aggressive setter and by doing so opened up even more opportunities for our hitters to score. I can't wait to have her back this fall leading our offense."