STANFORD, Calif. – Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer is the 2019 winner of the Senior CLASS Award, the organization announced today.
The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I volleyball coaches, national volleyball media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I volleyball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: classroom, community, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. Plummer is the fourth Senior CLASS Award winner from Stanford, and the first Cardinal to win the award for volleyball.
"I always knew that Stanford was a special place, but I never fully grasped it until stepping foot on campus as a student-athlete for the first time," said Plummer, who has led the Cardinal to its fourth consecutive national semifinal this season after capturing NCAA national championships as both a freshman and junior. "I came to this university because I knew it was going to be a challenge: academically, athletically, and socially. I wanted to make myself better and I didn't know a way to do it."
"The people here are incredible and truly push me to be better each and every day. In the last three-and-a-half years, myself and our program have won two national championships, three Pac-12 titles, and many games along the way, but I cherish the memories that I have made with my teammates the most," said Plummer. "They are my best friends and have pushed me in ways that I didn't even know were possible, but I wouldn't do it with any other group of girls. The coaches, staff, fans, and community have made me feel loved and have helped me grow into a person that I am wholeheartedly proud of. My family and friends are the greatest support system, and I feel so lucky. While my time at Stanford is coming to an end, I am so happy, and humbled, to call myself a Stanford student-athlete and a Stanford alum. Go Card!"
With Stanford advancing to the national semifinals, Plummer is just two wins shy of an unprecedented three national championships during her four-year collegiate career. The senior outside hitter from Aliso Viejo, California has been named the AVCA and ESPNW National Player of the Year in both 2017 and 2018. Earlier this season she set a career-high with 34 kills during a thrilling five-set match against third-ranked Texas, including the game-winner. On the national scale, Plummer is the only player in history to win FIVB world championship medals in indoor (silver) and beach (gold) during her year with the United States National Team competing in Lima, Peru. In 2018, Plummer was named the NCAA Final Four Co-Most Outstanding Player.
Plummer is also a standout in the classroom. She was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District second team this season after earning Pac-12 honorable mention status in 2017 and 2018. She completed her degree in human biology with an emphasis in human sports and exercise physiology last week and would like to pursue a career as a physical therapist following a professional volleyball career.
"Kathryn is a part of a special senior class here at Stanford," said Head Coach Kevin Hambly, who led the Cardinal to its eighth national championship in program history in 2018. "She has proven what she can do on the volleyball court time and again. However, volleyball is only a small part of what makes Kathryn special. She has been a great student and role model, representing our campus and community well. She is also one of the most humble and hardest-working athletes I have ever been around. She is a great ambassador for the sport and it has truly been my honor to coach her."
A team captain and role model for younger players, Plummer has helped the Cardinal volleyball team earn the Stanford Athletics department's Community Service Award in back-to-back years. Her community outreach includes serving food at St. Anthony Padua's, and the Westside Food Bank. Plummer has also helped promote literacy at the Boys & Girls Club of East Palo Alto, and during the season she and the team have dedicated matches to breast cancer awareness, equality and neurodiversity.
"On behalf of everyone associated with the Senior CLASS Award, we are honored to recognize Kathryn Plummer as this year's winner for women's volleyball," said Erik Miner, executive director for the Senior CLASS Award. "Kathryn's spectacular performance on the court should not be overshadowed by her determination to excel in the classroom and in the community. We would like to offer our congratulations to Kathryn, her coaches, her teammates, and the entire Stanford Cardinal family. Good luck this weekend."
First-Team Senior CLASS Award All-Americans
Allie Barber, Marquette
Leah Edmond, Kentucky
Yumi Garcia, Charlotte
Morgan Hentz, Stanford
Kathryn Plummer, Stanford
Second-Team Senior CLASS Award All-Americans
Ann Ernst, Loyola University Maryland
Jenna Gray, Stanford
Mary Lake, BYU
Shelly Stafford, Baylor
Micaya White, Texas