SMU Volleyball Announces Team Awards

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SMU Volleyball Announces Team Awards

Wilkerson, Peters, Giubilato, Rainbird, Kons and Hill Honored


Feb. 12, 2008

DALLAS (SMU)--The SMU women's volleyball team held its annual awards banquet on Feb. 8 at Maggiano's Little Italy.

Freshman standout Kathryn Wilkerson was honored with both the Most Kills and Most Aces awards. Wilkerson, a Conference USA All-Freshman team pick, averaged 3.29 kills per game and totaled 378 kills on the season. Wilkerson currently ranks fourth all-time in kills per game. She also collected 35 total aces this season, nine more than any of her teammates. Wilkerson led the team in double-doubles, collecting 19 in her debut season.

Junior Natalie Peters was also given two awards. Peters earned the Highest Hitting Efficiency and the Most Blocks awards. Peters led the team in hitting with a .260 average on the season, with 361 kills on 888 swings. Her career hitting percentage (.262) sits at No. 3 all-time at SMU, while her kills per game (3.07) ranks eighth all-time and her total kills (988) rank her seventh all-time. Peters also led the team in blocks, collecting 110 total blocks, 98 blocks assists and 12 solo blocks. Currently, Peters is third all-time in total blocks (382), third all-time in block assists (317) and second all-time in block solos (65). She is also atop the all-time career list in blocks per game with an average of 1.19. Peters was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 4 for her role in SMU's wins over Villanova and Texas Tech.

Stefanie Kons was awarded honors for Most Assists. Kons racked up 1058 assists last season and averaged 10.37 per game. Her career total of 2649 assists ranks fourth all-time at SMU and her average of 10.51 also ranks fourth in school history. Kons was named C-USA Setter of the Week Sept. 4 and tallied nine double-doubles on the season. She spent much of the season ranked in the top 10 in the conference in assists.

Graduating seniors Caitlin Rainbird and Rachel Giubilato were both given the Captain Award for their roles in leading the team. Giubilato sustained a season-ending injury early in the season, but was a strong presence on the bench and an emotional leader for the team. Rainbird directed the offense from the floor most of the season, collecting 333 kills and 15 double-doubles. Giubilato finished her career ranked fifth all-time in kills (1310) and first all-time in kills per game (3.91). She is also fifth in attack attempts (3493), 10th in assists (101), 10th in assists per game (.30), sixth in service aces (95), second in aces per game (.28), fourth in service attempts (1309), fifth in digs (1155), fifth in digs per game (3.45), sixth in block solos (31), 10th in total blocks (193), fourth in total points (1517) and first in points per game (4.53). Rainbird finishes her SMU career ranked sixth in total kills with 1101. She's also seventh in kills per game (3.12), sixth in attack attempts (3417), third in service attempts (1452), 10th in service percentage (.938), eighth all-time in digs (1093), seventh in digs per game (3.10), seventh in total points (1266) and eighth in points per game (3.59).

Madison Hill was awarded the Mustang Award, as voted by her teammates. The Mustang Award is given annually to the person who best represents the desire, determination and dedication to being a student-athlete. It is the only award voted upon by the team. Hill has been a mainstay in the Mustang lineup during her time at SMU. This season, she collected seven double-doubles in 51 games. She ends her SMU career ranked fifth all-time in assists (1445) and in assists per game (6.98).

The SMU volleyball team will begin its spring schedule March 29. For the complete schedule and results, log on to SMUMustangs.com.