Kempinski, Pappas Honored as WHAC Releases Awards

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) office announced the 2014 women’s volleyball awards Friday (Nov. 14), honoring several student-athletes around the league as conference tournament play gets underway in Grand Rapids. This year, the WHAC recognized senior libero Kara Kempinski for qualifying for the conference’s All-Academic Team and honored junior middle hitter Alixandria Pappas for earning a spot on the league’s All-Academic and Champions of Character Team.

WHAC ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM (min. 3.25 GPA and junior or above academic standing)
Pappas (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview High School), a leader on-and-off the court since arriving on Marygrove’s campus in 2012, was named to the WHAC’s All-Academic team by posting cumulative GPA well above the minimum 3.25 requirement. The two-time United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Academic All-American and Presidential Scholarship recipient added to her already-impressive scholarly awards collection with the recent conference announcement. Pappas, off to her best start on the court this year before suffering a season-ending injury, amassed 95 kills, 26 blocks and 26 digs in 17 matches.

Teammate Kara Kempinski (Livonia, Mich./Schoolcraft College) joined Pappas on the conference’s academic squad. Kempinski’s academic honor is the first during her remarkable two-year stint at Marygrove as the team’s libero. As a junior in 2013, Kempinski was honored by the conference as the WHAC Libero of the Year after putting together a well-rounded season that saw several of the program’s single-season records fall. As a senior this season, Kempinski followed up her stellar 2013 campaign with another strong showing, breaking Marygrove’s all-time digs record in the process.

To be named to the WHAC All-Academic Team, student-athletes must possess a 3.25 or above cumulative GPA and be a junior or above in academic standing (64 credit hours completed).

WHAC CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER TEAM
Pappas’ accolades continued to pile up Friday as the junior was honored as a member of the 2014 WHAC Women’s Volleyball Champions of Character Team. Pappas was named the Mustangs’ best representative of the NAIA’s Five Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Servant Leadership and Sportsmanship after being nominated by head coach Jamie Baker and assistant coach Breann Dotstry. For Pappas, the Champions of Character nod is fitting as the junior continued to showcase tremendous leadership after going down with her injury and subsequent surgery.

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