Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - Cougar women's volleyball player
Carolyn O'Dwyer capped a remarkable freshman season, as Mount Royal University rookie has been named Canada West Volleyball Rookie of the Year.
O'Dwyer added her lofty list of accolades on Wednesday night in Sheerbrooke, Quebec at the All-Canadian Banquet when she was named to the CIS Women's Volleyball All-Rookie team, joining six other first years from across the country.
The award ceremony was part of the build up to the 2013 CIS championship which kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 28 and culiminiates with the championship game on Saturday, Mar.2, taking place at the Université de Sherbrooke.
O'Dwyer had a sensational season for the Cougars, helping her team to a 14-8 regular season record and a post-season berth in their first year in the Canada West.
A Calgary native, the 5-foot-11 leftside was absolutely dominate in her freshman campaign, leading the Cougars offence, while finishing fifth in the CWUAA in kills per set (kps), with a gaudy 3.15 kps average. Her season-high 25 kills against UBCO in November was also the fourth best single performance in Canada West this year - a phenomenal feat for a player fresh out of high school.
In addition to her offence, Carolyn is a stout defender, finishing second on the team with 2.72 digs per set, ranking her just outside the top ten in Canada West.
Head coach
Sandra Lamb, calls O'Dwyer the complete all-around student-athlete.
"Carolyn's been such a great contributor and member of our program this season," said Lamb. "Her dynamic ability to put the ball away and excel on both sides of the court has definitely helped us to where we are today. It's not only her on the court contributions, but her off the court contributions as well. She works hard in the classroom and really helps foster our team identity and chemistry, this is an extremely well deserved award for her."
A Bachelor of Science major - Carolyn will look to cap her rookie season with a trip to the Canada West Final Four and possibly beyond with the upstart Cougars.
