Bibinbe, Kutlu named NJCAA All-Americans
Two members of the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Volleyball team have been named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American teams.
Sophomore middle blocker Ruth Manuela Bibinbe was named to the first team, and freshman setter Doga Kutlu received second team honors.
The announcement came Wednesday, Dec. 1, by NJCAA officials from the organization's headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Bibinbe, who hails from Yaounde, Cameroon, and Kutlu, who is from Cakaya, Turkey, are the 39th and 40th Grizzly Volleyball players to receive All-American honors. Bibinbe is the 18th player to receive first team recognition.
"I'm really happy and extremely proud of the recognition Manu and Doga are receiving for all the work, commitment and enthusiasm they put into the season," Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. "I know what they put into it, and it's great to see them being recognized by others for the players they are. They have come a long way since showing up in West Plains, and it's awesome to see how much they love where they are and what they do, not only as volleyball players, but as students on campus and in the community."
Bibinbe's season stats
This past season, Bibinbe recorded 322 kills (2.39 kills per set) and hit .285. She also had 89 blocks, including 31 solo blocks, and 96 digs.
"Manu has handled playing any position we have asked her to play," Wiedemann said. "She started as an outside for us and then moved to the middle, and she did it with gratitude and an effort to grow into the position.
"It's crazy to think where she is now and where she could be in another year," the coach added. "Her coachability is a big plus, and the enthusiasm she plays with is so much fun to watch. I get a lot of comments about her and the joy with which she plays the game from other coaches, officials and fans."
Kutlu's season stats
Kutlu led the team in assists this season with 1,299 (9.62 per set), sixth most in the nation among NJCAA Division I setters. She also had 97 kills, a .727 attacking percentage, 60 service aces, 331 digs and 27 blocks.
"Doga has a fun, competitive personality and knows how to run an offense. We were ranked third in the NJCAA for our team hitting percentage, so that gives you an idea of the high level offense she ran the floor with," Wiedemann said.
"She was a consistent, essential piece for us this season. She always came in with the 'I want to be the best on the court' mentality. She worked hard, trusted us with new ideas, and earned her teammates' respect," the coach added.
For a full list of this year's NJCAA All-American honorees, visit njcaa.org. For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit the team's website, msuwpgrizzlies.com.