Kelsey Spurlin Named Outstanding Senior Student

Story courtesy of Pacer Sports

by Brent Hager

Aiken, SC (05/06/2020) — University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball standout Kelsey Spurlin has been named this year's recipient of the Outstanding Senior Student award. Her acceptance speech can be viewed at www.usca.edu/graduation.

"It truly is an honor to be named outstanding senior, but to be quite honest, I'm just a senior at an outstanding university," Spurlin said.

"The decision to attend USC Aiken turned out to be the best decision of my life."

Spurlin, a four-year superstar on the volleyball team, recorded a tremendous amount of accomplishments on and off the court.A native of Gaffney, S.C., Spurlin was a two-time PBC Elite 15 award winner. She was on the program's first-ever Elite Eight team and helped guide the squad two a Sweet 16 appearance as a junior. Despite facing numerous adversities in her career, Spurlin continued to push forward. Her senior spotlight can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrIyYwmYYGI.

"I've been told multiple times by a countless number of people to slow down. To give up some of the things I love to do. That I would never be able to do a lot of things that I've done," Spurlin said. "I had a decision to make. There were many, many, many times in my volleyball career that I was encouraged, if not blatantly asked, to quit playing the sport of volleyball. I chose not to.

"Class of 2020, surround yourself with likeminded people and be relentless in pursuit of your dreams. It is because of the people that I met at this university, the voices telling me I can't were silenced. I found new voices of support in every niche of the university."

Off the court, she sported a 4.0 GPA throughout her entire time at USC Aiken. Spurlin was a teaching fellow, Chancellor's Ambassador, Secondary Education Student of the Year, vice president of Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society, treasurer of Kappa Delta Pi Education Honors Society, member of Omicron Delta Kapa Leadership Honors Society, a Pacesetter for two years, Orientation Team leader, presenter at the South Carolina Middle Level Association Conference, and she accompanied the dean of the USC Aiken School of Education at AACTE's Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C.

"For the past four years Kelsey has been an amazing asset to our volleyball program both on and off the court," USC Aiken Volleyball Coach Glenn Cox said. "Kelsey embodies what it means to persevere in the face of mountains of adversity.

"Through her drive to be the best at every challenge presented to her, and just a little bit of stubbornness, Kelsey has set the standard for the type of student athletes we recruit to be Pacer Volleyball team members.

"We are surely going to miss having Kelsey on the court but will be looking forward to still being able to hear her Gaffney accent coaching volleyball and teaching just down the road at Aiken High."

Spurlin has been involved with the leadership certificate program and was involved with USC Aiken's Disney's Leadership Exchange program. She graduates with a degree in secondary education.

No doubt, she will be just as passionate in her own classroom, teaching her Aiken High students, as she was on the USC AIken campus.

"Life is full of challenges, but with the right mindset, decision making, and people around you, you can do anything," she said in her speech to fellow Pacers.

"One thing I know for sure is that the Class of 2020 is tough. I can't wait to see the changes we make to this world."

Editor's note: Watch Kelsey Spurlin's speech at www.usca.edu/graduation.

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