The NCAA Today’s Top
VIII honors eight senior student-athletes among all levels for their athletics
success, academic accomplishments, community service and leadership. Pavan will
receive the award during the NCAA Honors Celebration on January 13, 2008, at the
NCAA Convention in Nashville.
The other 2008 Today’s
Top VIII are Rachel Buehler, Stanford University, soccer; Roberto Castro,
Georgia Institute of Technology, golf; Dennis Dixon, University of Oregon,
football; Ben Wildman-Tobriner, Stanford University, swimming; Lisa Winkle,
Calvin College, basketball and outdoor track; Jamie Wolf, Clarion University of
Pennsylvania, diving; and Sarah Zerzan, Willamette University, cross country and
outdoor track.
The Top VIII honorees
are selected by the NCAA Honors Committee, which is composed of eight athletics
administrators at member institutions and national distinguished citizens who
are former student-athletes.
Pavan is the 16th
Husker to earn to the honor, a total that leads the nation, and the fourth
Husker volleyball winner, joining former greats Nancy Metcalf (2002), Janet
Kruse (1992) and Virginia Stahr (1990). Pavan, the only volleyball player in the
2008 Today’s Top VIII, is just the 12th volleyball player ever receive the award
which was first presented in 1973.
“It
is truly humbling to see your name with such an elite group of
student-athletes,” Pavan said. “These people have accomplished so much in their
sports and in other areas and it is special to be considered in that
group.”
“When I came on my visit, they
showed me the list of the past Top VIII winners, and I was amazed,” Pavan said.
“I saw it and said ‘to be one of those you must to do something great.’ I didn’t
understand how special it was. Being at Nebraska over the past four years, I
began to understand how elite that group is. It is not something I ever expected
to receive, and I am really honored to accept
this.”
“After the honors
Sarah has earned during her career, this is the one award that eluded her
because it is only presented to seniors,” Nebraska Coach John Cook said. “Having
had the experience of watching Nancy Metcalf win this award in 2002, this is the
most prestigious honor that a college student-athlete can receive. It is truly
the elite of the elite.”
“While the
Honda-Broderick is like the Heisman Trophy for athletic and academics, the
Today’s Top VIII means even more because it is chosen from student-athletes,
both male and female, from every sport from all three divisions. To be selected
among the top student-athletes in the country is the ultimate honor, and it
shows the commitment that the University of Nebraska has for its student
athletes to succeed both academically and athletically. This is a proud moment
for the Husker Nation and a great reflection on our
program.”
Pavan recently wrapped
up one of the most decorated careers in college volleyball history, becoming one
of only four players in NCAA Division I history to be a four-time first-team
All-American. A three-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Pavan was named
the 2006-07 Honda Broderick Cup Winner and 2006 American Volleyball Coaches
Association National Player of the Year as a junior. She was a four-time,
all-conference selection and was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the
2006 NCAA Championship, helping the Huskers to a national title. As a
senior, Pavan averaged 4.83 kills, 1.90 digs and 0.49 service aces per game in
earning Big 12 Player-of-the-Year honors for the third straight year. She led
the Big 12 in kills and points per game (5.73) and was among the Big 12 leaders
in service aces (second) and hitting percentage (.342, 10th). She finished her
career with a school-record 2,008 kills, becoming only the fourth player in Big
12 history to reach that plateau.
She has been just as
successful off the court, where she carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry. She is a
three-time first-team Academic All-American and was chosen as the ESPN the
Magazine Academic All-American of the Year during 2006-07. Pavan has been named
to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor roll every semester at Nebraska and is a
three-time Academic All-Big 12 performer. The Kitchener, Ontario, native is also
active in Nebraska’s community outreach program, as she has volunteers for
SafeQuarters to Benefit Friendship Home, a breast cancer walk and was a
motivational speaker for the “School is Cool” Celebration program during her
Nebraska career.
Nebraska’s
All-Time NCAA Top VIII Winners
Randy Schleusener
(Football, 1981)
Dave Rimington
(Football, 1983)
Mark Traynowicz
(Football, 1985)
Tom Schlesinger (Men’s
Gymnastics, 1989)
Jake Young (Football,
1990)
Virginia Stahr
(Volleyball, 1990)
Pat Tyrance (Football,
1991)
Patrick Kirksey (Men’s
Gymnastics, 1991)
Janet Kruse
(Volleyball, 1992)
Rob Zatechka
(Football, 1994)
Trev Alberts
(Football, 1994)
Aaron Graham
(Football, 1996)
Grant Wistrom
(Football, 1998)
Nancy Metcalf
(Volleyball, 2002)
Richelle Simpson
(Women’s Gymnastics, 2005)
Sarah Pavan (Volleyball, 2008)
All-Time NCAA
Today’s Top VIII Winners in Volleyball
Year
Recepient, School
1986 Susan
Harbour, Oregon
1887 Lisa Ice, San Jose State
1989 Dylann
Duncan, BYU
1990
Virginia Stahr, Nebraska
1992
Janet L. Kruse, Nebraska
1995 Amy Albers,
Washington (Mo.)
1998 Kasey A.
Morlock, North Dakota State*
1998 Carrie
Ferguson, Capital (Ohio)*
1999 Kristin
Folkl, Stanford
2002
Nancy Metcalf, Nebraska
2005 Ogonna
Nnamani, Stanford
2008
Sarah Pavan, Nebraska
*-two-sport athletes