2011 USA Volleyball Women’s Sitting Athlete of the Year COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 22, 2011) – Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) has been named the USA Volleyball Sitting Women’s Athlete of the Year for 2011. “I am so very honored to be given this,” Holloway said. “I feel the progress our team has made this year has been such a huge success.” Holloway’s year has been filled with remarkable achievements both on and off the volleyball court. In addition to captaining a 2012 London Paralympic-bound team, Holloway was named Most Valuable Player and “best Katie Holloway spiker” at two international 2011 USAV Women’s Sitting tournaments, posted the most Athlete of the Year points for the U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team and inspired the country as a celebrity guest on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Immediately following the Continental Cup, the team traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil for the Parapan American Zonal Championship. Again, the team proved unbeatable with a 5-0 record, capturing the gold medal on Oct. 1. The team posted four individual honors; two earned by Holloway, who was again named the tournament’s MVP and Best Spiker. “Katie was named most valuable player at both the Continental Cup and Zonal Championship,” U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Head Coach Bill Hamiter said. “She was also the leading scorer for the U.S. in each tournament. Her improvements to her allaround play have made her one of the top players in the world.” Holloway has been competing with the Women’s Sitting Team since 2006 and she was part of the silver-medal winning team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. With the team, she has accumulated five gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal in international competition. Her achievements then went prime time.
On Oct. 9, Holloway appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition with NBA star Dwight Howard as the inspirational celebrities to a 10-year-old hero, Anaiah, who lost her left leg Holloway was born without a fibula in her right leg and when she and a kidney while saving her younger sister from an oncoming was 20 months old she had her right foot and ankle amputated. pickup truck. Since then, she has been a standout in women’s NCAA Division I basketball at Cal State Northridge (2004-08), a sitting volleyball The 2011 season was noteworthy for Holloway and the U.S. star representing the United States and an inspiration to every- Women’s Sitting Team, but to them it was all in preparation for one she meets. the 2012 Paralympic Games. In 2010, the team captured the silver medal at the Sitting Volleyball World Championships and In September, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team traveled to Yevpa- Holloway was named Best Offensive Player. The medal earned toria, Ukraine for the ECVD (European Committee Volleyball for the team a spot in the 2012 Paralympic Games. Disabled) Continental Cup. With the London Paralympic bid already in its pocket, the team had room to relax but it chose not “It means so much that USA Volleyball values the sitting program to. The women took the gold medal with a 7-0 finish, led by Hol- as much as they do,” Holloway said. “We all look forward to next loway’s 100 kills and 123 points. Holloway was named the tour- year in London and competing for that gold.” nament’s Most Valuable Player (MPV) and Best Spiker.
Courtesy Katie Holloway
39