Senior outside hitter and captain Kalynn White of the volleyball team is the first Taco Bell Athlete of the Week for the 2011-12 academic year after leading the program to its first 2-0 start since the 2004 season. She is earning the honor for the second time in her career.
White, who was named the American Southwest Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after garnering All-West Division Second Team accolades for the second straight year in 2010, had a strong outing on both sides of the ball at the Concordia Invitational. She finished with a team-leading 18 kills to go along with 16 digs in a 3-1 victory over Concordia Chicago and a 3-0 sweep of Concordia Wisconsin. White also hammered home the kill on match point that gave the Tornados a thrilling 27-25 victory in the third and final set against Concordia Wisconsin.
“Kalynn was our most explosive hitter,” head coach April Birdsong stated after the tournament. “She was also strong on her serve receive and played well on defense in our two victories.”
White, a business major who posted a 4.0 cumulative GPA in the fall and spring semesters during the 2010-11 academic year, is the daughter of Jeanette Batey and David White. She has two brothers, Kyle White and Aiden Batey, and one sister, Madison Batey.
