Alumni, relatives and friends joined the current Lady Topper team in the Topper Club to celebrate one of the most successful seasons in WKU volleyball. The Lady Toppers finished the season with a 31-4 record while claiming both the Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles and advancing to the program's sixth NCAA Tournament. The 2011 team also cracked the Top 25 in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll for the first time in school history.
Junior All-American Jordyn Skinner was named the 2011 team Most Valuable Player after leading the Lady Toppers to their fourth SBC tournament title and first since 2008. Skinner -- who was also honored as the Best Offensive Player -- became the first outside hitter and fifth Lady Toppers in school history to be named an All-American after earning a spot on the AVCA Division I honorable mention All-America team. She was named to the first-team All-South Region team and first-team All-SBC while earning SBC Player of the Year honors. Skinner was the only player in the league to rank among the top 10 in kills, digs and service aces and finished the season leading WKU with 454 kills and ranking second with 407 digs.
Sophomore Ashley Potts was honored as the team's Best Defensive Player after averaging a team-best 4.29 per set. Potts was named the SBC Defensive Player of the Year and earned second-team All SBC honors behind a season where she ranked first on the team and third in the league with 511 digs. Her 511 digs ranked seventh most in school history for digs in a season.
The Most Improved Player award went to sophomore outside hitter Janee' Diggins, who finished the season with a .232 hitting percentage, 233 kills and 51 blocks. Diggins saw action in 117 of 119 sets in her second season on the Hill and was named to the Belmont Invite All-Tournament team.
Sophomore Lindsay Spears and junior Sarah Rogers were co-recipients of the 2011 Coach's Award. Spears recorded 15 kills in 22 sets as a sophomore and recorded at least two kills in four different matches while Rogers anchored a strong back row for the Lady Toppers in her third season. Rogers finished third on the team with 279 digs, an average of 2.34 per set.
Rogers also took home the team's Academic Award. A nursing major, she carries a 3.86 cumulative GPA and has earned a 4.0 in each of her last two semesters.
In addition, WKU game-day manager Kate Tishner was presented with the Dr. Charlie Daniel Award- named in honor of WKU's first volleyball coach.
Seniors Tiffany Elmore and Lindsay Williams were honored as the night's festivities came to a close.
