LEXINGTON, KY. – UNC Greensboro (UNCG) graduate student and outside hitter Kayla White was selected for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American Honorable Mention team, as announced by the organization today.
White was the only student-athlete from the Southern Conference selected for the All-American or Honorable Mention teams this season. White is the first Spartan in program history to earn this accolade.
"It has always been a dream of mine to earn an All-American award," exclaimed White. "I am so proud of my team, we made history this year and my biggest goal my super senior year was to go out with a bang. I had so much fun this season and I am so thankful UNCG gave me the opportunity to play one more year. I am forever grateful."
Most recently, White was selected to the AVCA Southeast All-Region Honorable Mention team last week.
White helped the Spartans win a share of the 2021 SoCon regular-season title. UNCG finished the season 23-7 overall and 12-4 in SoCon play, the 23 wins are the third-most single-season total in program history.
Right before SoCon tournament play, White was named SoCon Player of the Year, just the second honoree in school history. The first was Ashley Muench in 2017.
White was been named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week four times this season and the Offensive Player of the Month twice. She leads the Spartans in points (528.5), kills (449), and service aces (48). The Montgomery, Ala., native has averaged 3.87 kills and 4.56 points per set. White has double-doubled in 22 of the Spartans' 30 matches. She set two career highs this season, 25 kills against Furman (Oct. 9) and 28 digs against NC Central (Sept. 7).
Following the final match of the season, White was ranked nationally in nine categories: seventh in total attacks (1,341), 14th in points (528.5), 18th in service aces (48), 21st in kills (449), 28th in attacks per set (11.56), 50th in aces per set (0.41), 51st in points per set (4.56), 67th in kills per set (3.87), and total digs (128).
On top of being Player of the Week/Month/Year, White was a 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee and 2021 RMAC Academic Player of the Year. She's been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2017.
"Kayla being named All-American Honorable Mention is a truly awesome accomplishment," said head coach Corey Carlin. "She's the first player in program history to achieve this recognition and she's definitely earned it. There are over five thousand NCAA Division I players in the country and only ninety-six of them earn All-American status each year, so this is a huge deal. Kayla's impact on our program this past season is undeniable and her legacy at UNCG continues to grow. We're extremely proud of her."
White graduated with a Bachelors of Art in Human Performance and Sport with a focus on Sport Management from Metropolitan State University in Denver with a 3.95 GPA. Currently, she is pursuing her MBA and is set to graduate in May 2023.
-- About the AVCA –
The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of almost 7,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers.