Schultz ending CMU volleyball career in memorable fashion
Senior middle-blocker Kaitlyn Schultz’s is having a memorable end to her career.
She recorded career kill No. 1,000, won her fourth All-MAC honor, was named to the All-MAC Tournament team, won the tournament’s most valuable player award and her Chippewas are now MAC champions, going to the NCAA Tournamemt.
“Winning the MVP is probably the biggest honor of my life,” Schultz said. “It’s a great achievement.”
The Highland native was a dominating force in the MAC Tournament, recording 44 kills, nine blocks and four aces as CMU took down the top three teams on its way to claiming the championship.
“I can’t do it without everybody else and winning the tournament was awesome,” Schultz said.
The Chippewas have a 58-51 record during her career. She has called three different venues home (Rose Arena, Finch Fieldhouse and McGuirk Arena) and now brings back the school’s first-ever MAC title.
“She (Schultz) is our first four-time All-MAC player," said head coach Erik Olson. "She is a phenomenal player and she really grew as a blocker in this final season. She is an offensive player, but she figured out blocking in the offseason and that was huge for her.”
Schultz started out her career as Miss Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year. She followed up the hype by being named as MAC Freshman of the Year in her first season.
She recorded a hitting percentage of .341 that ranked second in the MAC and earned her the second All-MAC honor as a sophomore.
She found a solid connection with sophomore setter Kelly Maxwell and it has paid off in a big way for Schultz, Maxwell and the rest of the MAC Champions.
Her junior year she recorded her biggest kill total of 24 in a lose against Miami of Ohio in last seasons MAC Tournament and earned her third All-MAC honor.
“Everything just fell in place for me, it was amazing and I’m glad I had this team to do it with, I love them,” Schultz said. “Now it’s time for the NCAA Tournament and we’re going to play it like we did here and not care who is on the other side of the net.”
