Liz McMahon Named Senior CLASS Award Winner
December 18, 2014 | Volleyball
Overland Park, Kan. - Illinois opposite hitter Liz McMahon has been selected as the 2014 Senior CLASS Award® winner for NCAA Division I women's volleyball. 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 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 community.
"On behalf of everyone associated with the Senior CLASS Award, we congratulate Liz on being selected as this year's winner for women's volleyball," said Erik Miner, executive director for the Senior CLASS Award. "She has been a high achiever in every aspect of life as a NCAA student-athlete and has been a wonderful model for others to follow."
An outstanding student-athlete both on and off the volleyball court, McMahon is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who garnered Academic All-District honors this fall. Standing at 6-foot-6, the opposite hitter is a force to be reckoned with on the right side, completing her career ranked in the top 10 all time at Illinois in career kills, attacks, points and block assists, while playing in the third-most sets and 10th-most matches of any Illinois student-athlete in program history.
"I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to attend a University that holds athletics to the highest standard," said McMahon, "one that values sport as a platform to reach community, achieve standards in the classroom, foster self discovery, and compete with pride and passion.
"I could not have had a more rewarding experience than being a part of this program that is committed to growth in all the areas this Senior CLASS Award represents. I've been pushed to become a better person, come away with an elite education, all while being surrounded with the highest level of support."
McMahon guided the Illini to an NCAA Regional appearance for the third time in four seasons in 2014, compiling 396 kills and 110 blocks on the year. An AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, the Liberty Township, Ohio, native was named to all four all-tournament teams to start the year, including earning Most Valuable Player of the Illini Classic and subsequently the first Big Ten Player of the Week of 2014.
"I think Liz is a great representative of the award," said head coach Kevin Hambly. "She is the definition of the award; she fits the criteria perfectly and she's a great student-athlete here at the University of Illinois. She is a model citizen, she is a hard worker, a great competitor and she's a great student. She did a lot in the community, as far as her accessibility to the community and the work she put in."
In the classroom, McMahon has accumulated a 3.85 GPA as a recreation, sport and tourism major. She has been named to the Dean's List three times and earned two consecutive Big Ten Distinguished Scholar awards.
"In the past four years, I've established my work ethic, core values to drive me, have been tested with adversity and encouraged to come out on top," said McMahon. "With all I've experienced, I'm confident Illinois has prepared me for the next steps in my life and that I will continue to embody what it means to be a Fighting Illini."
McMahon has been very involved with children in the community through events with the Boys & Girls Clubs and Big Brothers Big Sisters, while making numerous visits to local elementary schools throughout her Illini career. She has also volunteered each year with the local Daily Bread Soup Kitchen preparing snacks and sack lunches for those in need within the community.
"I'm excited for her to receive the award, because I think she earned it in the way that she operated every day that she was here," said Hambly. "I think it will mean a lot to her, because it means that she represents the things that she strives to be. I think you want a kid like this to win an award like this, because it can inspire other kids to operate in that manner."
McMahon is the first Illini ever to win the Senior CLASS Award in any sport since the honor was first given out in men's and women's basketball in 2002. First Team All-American Laura DeBruler was named as a top-10 finalist for the inaugural volleyball award in 2010, but suffered a career-ending injury shortly after the announcement and finished as one of five Senior CLASS Award First-Team All-Americans. McMahon is the third straight Big Ten player to earn the volleyball award, following seniors from Penn State and Nebraska.
McMahon was originally named to a list of 30 national candidates for the award in early September, where she and Michigan State libero Kori Moster represented the Big Ten. In mid-October, the list was whittled down to 10 finalists and a nationwide fan vote was held to help determine the winner. Thanks to the dedication of Illinois' loyal fans, McMahon received the most public votes of all 10 candidates, which strongly influenced her chances at being named this year's national winner.
"I appreciate all the resources that have been provided to me and thank the University, all involved with the DIA, the community, fans, teammates and my family for enabling me to be the best me I could be," said McMahon.
Joining McMahon on the list of Senior CLASS Award First-Team All-Americans is Moster; North Carolina's Chaniel Nelson, whose late surge in the fan vote closed the wide gap McMahon had held on the vote totals throughout the voting period; Haley Eckerman of Texas; and Cal State Northridge senior Casey Hinger.
2014 Senior CLASS Award Winner
Liz McMahon, Illinois
2014 First-Team All-Americans
Haley Eckerman, Texas
Casey Hinger, Cal State Northridge
Kori Moster, Michigan State
Chaniel Nelson, North Carolina
2014 Second-Team All-Americans
Liz Brenner, Oregon
Meredith Hardy, East Tennessee State
Madi Kingdon, Arizona
Savanah Leaf, Miami (FL)
Katie Mosher, Florida State
Senior CLASS Award Winners by Year
2014 - Liz McMahon, Illinois
2013 - Ariel Scott, Penn State
2012 - Gina Mancuso, Nebraska
2011 - Kanani Danielson, Hawaii
2010 - Ellie Blankenship, UNI
