Posted: Jun 06, 2014
Seniors Kasey Cameron, Grace Kucharski to Captain 2014 Golden Bears
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Western New England University volleyball coach Bret Stothart Friday announced that Kasey Cameron (Reading, Mass.) and Grace Kucharski (Avon, Conn.) will serve as co-captains for the 2014 Golden Bears squad. The seniors-to-be were chosen by a vote of their teammates.
"Both captains have grown tremendously throughout their time in our program and have become such positive leaders for the team," Stothart stated. "Together, Grace and Kasey have the opportunity to leave a powerful legacy by helping to shape our program and determine in what direction we will go next."
Cameron, an outside hitter, earned All-Commonwealth Coast Conference Second Team last fall (she was Honorable Mention as a freshman in 2011) after racking up a Western New England-best 788 attack attempts and career highs of 243 kills and .187 hitting percentage. The health sciences major also became a better defensive player during her junior season with 274 digs, or 2.51 per set, which is twice as more than in her previous two years combined. She also posted career marks of 33 service aces and 31 total blocks. During WNE's second-consecutive Eastern College Athletic Conference New England championship run she stepped up with 27 kills, .247 attack percentage, 29 digs and four total blocks during the tournament, including a match-best 14 kills and 14 digs in the ECAC title match alone, to capture most outstanding player honors.
"Kasey made some impressive strides in her junior year both as a player and a leader. This fall, she will need to take another step up to handle the increased responsibility in both roles," Stothart said. "The entire team really believes in her and I know we are all excited for her to be the powerful leader she has grown to be."
A defensive specialist, Kucharski raked in a slew of postseason accolades as a junior including the program's first-ever American Volleyball Coaches' Association All-American citation, AVCA All-New England Region First Team, Eastern College Athletic Conference All-New England First Team, two-time Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District® Women's Volleyball First Team, CCC Libero of the Year and three-time all-conference choice (first team in 2013). She led the CCC with 5.05 digs per set and broke her own school record with 586 total digs (574 in 2012), both career highs, pushing her career total to 1,626 in just three seasons to become the school's all-time digs leader. The business management major also set a career high with 97 assists and ranked fourth in the CCC with 60 service aces (7 shy of her career best).
"Grace has been such a positive influence on the program both on and off the court since Day 1," Stothart said. "Everyone really respects who she is and what she's accomplished up to this point and as captain I know she'll help make the 2014 season such an amazing experience for all of her teammates."
"Both captains have grown tremendously throughout their time in our program and have become such positive leaders for the team," Stothart stated. "Together, Grace and Kasey have the opportunity to leave a powerful legacy by helping to shape our program and determine in what direction we will go next."
Cameron, an outside hitter, earned All-Commonwealth Coast Conference Second Team last fall (she was Honorable Mention as a freshman in 2011) after racking up a Western New England-best 788 attack attempts and career highs of 243 kills and .187 hitting percentage. The health sciences major also became a better defensive player during her junior season with 274 digs, or 2.51 per set, which is twice as more than in her previous two years combined. She also posted career marks of 33 service aces and 31 total blocks. During WNE's second-consecutive Eastern College Athletic Conference New England championship run she stepped up with 27 kills, .247 attack percentage, 29 digs and four total blocks during the tournament, including a match-best 14 kills and 14 digs in the ECAC title match alone, to capture most outstanding player honors.
"Kasey made some impressive strides in her junior year both as a player and a leader. This fall, she will need to take another step up to handle the increased responsibility in both roles," Stothart said. "The entire team really believes in her and I know we are all excited for her to be the powerful leader she has grown to be."
A defensive specialist, Kucharski raked in a slew of postseason accolades as a junior including the program's first-ever American Volleyball Coaches' Association All-American citation, AVCA All-New England Region First Team, Eastern College Athletic Conference All-New England First Team, two-time Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District® Women's Volleyball First Team, CCC Libero of the Year and three-time all-conference choice (first team in 2013). She led the CCC with 5.05 digs per set and broke her own school record with 586 total digs (574 in 2012), both career highs, pushing her career total to 1,626 in just three seasons to become the school's all-time digs leader. The business management major also set a career high with 97 assists and ranked fourth in the CCC with 60 service aces (7 shy of her career best).
"Grace has been such a positive influence on the program both on and off the court since Day 1," Stothart said. "Everyone really respects who she is and what she's accomplished up to this point and as captain I know she'll help make the 2014 season such an amazing experience for all of her teammates."
