VIDEO: Julia Wheeler Interview
GREENVILLE, S.C. – For the first time in Carson-Newman volleyball history the Eagles can tout an All-American on a top three team as Julia Wheeler earned second-team All-American laurels from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) on Thursday.
"I look at back at my days at [Tennessee] Tech and the recruiting process and everything that has gotten me here," Wheeler said. "I am so thankful that the Lord has not only given me the ability to play volleyball but put me through so many things that have made me question volleyball. This is something that the Lord has wanted for me. I am so thankful for everything that I have had the opportunity to go through. A lot of times when you are going through something really hard like transferring, you don't see how great something is going to come from it. An accolade like this is something where you have to be able to trust the Lord through everything you do."
On Wednesday, Wheeler joined Jenna Wilson (2014) as the only All-Americans in program history but today she became the first player to earn a spot on one of the top three teams. The outside is one of the four players from the Southeast region to earn recognition joining fellow second-teamer Emily Johnson of Wingate and Anderson's Noelle Knutsen and Wingate's Shannon Kasprak, both third-team picks.
After being a first-team all-league selection and first-team AVCA and D2CCA All-Region honoree, the outside hitter ties the bow on one of the most illustrious seasons in program history. Wheeler added to her haul of laurels for the season. For the year, the Murfreesboro, Tenn. native brings her award tally to 14 adding to a first-team All-South Atlantic Conference honor and a SAC All-Tournament team selection. Wheeler is the fourth player in program history to earn all-region nods in two separate seasons joining three-time pick Morgan Ballard and two-time selections Carly Mozgai and Nikki James.
Wheeler was one of the best players in the country this year ranking 10th in kills per set (4.38), 10th in points per set (4.83) and fifth in total kills (504). Her total kill tally is over 100 more than any other player in the SAC and was one of five players in the nation with at least 500. In the C-N record books, Wheeler's 4.38 kills per set average stands as the best in a single year passing Carly Mozgai's 4.17 set in 2010. The Murfreesboro, Tenn. native had the second-most kills for a single season in school history and finishing 19 shy of the all-time school record.
This laurel marks the 18th in her first two years on campus as she was in double figures for kills in 31 of the team's 33 matches leading the team in the category 30 times. Between last season and this year, Wheeler increased her kills per set average by one and her hitting percentage by nearly 60 points. She had tallied 18 double-doubles and five matches with 20-plus kills.
The three-time SAC Offensive Player of the Week matched a career-high with 27 kills, the second-most in a single match in school history, on a .348 hitting percentage adding 18 digs in a four-set win at Limestone on Sept. 10. Among a year of highlights, Wheeler notched a career-best .583 attack percentage with 14 kills on 24 swings in a sweep of Emory & Henry on Nov. 1.
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