Kellenberg Memorial HS Honors the Fall Athletic Season

On December 2nd, the Kellenberg Memorial athletics programs gathered to honor the athletes of the fall season. Awards were given for most committed, most improved, and most valuable athletes on each team.

• The Most Improved Player Award is awarded to the athlete who displayed the greatest amount of improvement and growth in their skills, which contributed to the success of their team.
• The Bernie Ward Commitment Award is named after our beloved former faculty member, coach and colleague Bernie Ward is for the athlete who has displayed the most passion and commitment towards bettering themselves and their teammates during the season.

The Most Valuable Player Award is awarded to the athlete whose contribution to the team contributed most towards that team’s success during the season.

Teresa Moulder (Volleyball - MVP)

Lots of players like to “talk the talk” but not many of them can continually “walk the walk.” Teresa Moulder was never one for talking much, so let’s just put that part of the aforementioned comment to the side. What she did do–every practice, every scrimmage, every game, every tournament–was let her actions do the talking. It’s one thing to be looked upon as the team leader on the court, but it’s quite another to deliver on that label time and time again. There have been very talented players who have come through the KM program who were dominant hitters or blockers or defenders or setters, but it takes a rare athlete who can perform at that high level ALL the time. Teresa was able to do that for us every day. Relegated to playing only three rotations (sometimes four if she had the chance to serve), Teresa would make an impact, and then have to head to the sideline to wait to check back in. For Teresa, however, there was no “down time.” In fact, she was even louder and more engaged on the sideline than she was on the court–which is kind of crazy to say because on the court she was unstoppable. Dominating matches with her team-leading 196 kills, 82 solo blocks and 8 assist blocks, Teresa learned to attack from every location at the net and was often called upon to run pin-to-pin in order to single block an opponent’s outside hitter. But what is so refreshing and so unique about Teresa is that she deflects all of the credit and shies away from the spotlight primarily because she wants the success to be all about the team. That is why she is just as pumped and just as excited on the sidelines as she is when she is tattooing yet another backrow defender with one of her thunderous attacks. In addition, Teresa is a true “gamer.” The higher the stakes, the greater she elevates her play. She does things on the fly that, for most people, would require hours and hours of training and reps in practice. Not only was she chosen as MVP of the championship match (thanks to her unbelievable 20 kills and 7 blocks), but she was also named as the NSCHSGAA Player of the Year. Finally, Teresa was also recognized at the national level when she was chosen as the recipient of the AVCA Best and Brightest Award (top performer on her team and high achiever in the classroom) and became Kellenberg’s very first AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention All American.
With statistics and awards like that, Teresa Moulder doesn’t ever have to “talk the talk.” As she tackles collegiate volleyball in the years to come, we are certain that she will simply continue to “walk the walk,” embracing a brand new team and garnering new titles and accomplishments with her customary humility and grace.

Adrian Nowak (Soccer - Commitment Award)

This year’s Bernie Ward Commitment award recipient should come as no surprise to anyone. This Senior began this season as our starting goalkeeper, later due to injuries, our starting center defenseman, to ending his season as our starting forward! If being asked to play every position on the field, with success and without any question, it is no wonder why Adrian Nowak is this year’s Bernie Ward Commitment award recipient.