Mikaela Christiaansen

2014 (SENIOR): Anchored the back line in all 31 matches…Recorded 535 digs on the season, which are the most in a single season in school history and ranked third in the SEC…Ranked fourth in the SEC in digs per set with an average of 4.35, which ranks fourth in school history for a single season in the rally scoring era…Ranked third in the league in conference play, averaging 4.4.43 digs per set…Finished career with a digs per set average of 3.99, which ranks second all-time at South Carolina…Reached double figures in digs in 30 of 31 matches…Second on the team in service aces with 17…Averaged 1.04 assists per set…Posted 26 digs vs. Ole Miss (9/26)…Tallied 14 digs and five assists vs. No. 8 Florida (10/15)…Recorded a 27 digs and had seven assists vs. Mississippi State (10/24)…Finished with first career double-double at Tennessee (11/19), tallying 22 digs and 10 assists…Contributed a career-high 33 digs at Georgia (11/23), which is a school record for a four-set match…Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week (11/24) for averaging 6.11 digs per set to lead the Gamecocks to wins at Tennessee and Georgia…Member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2013 (JUNIOR): Played in all 31 matches, including seven starts…Saw time at libero, defensive specialist and setter…Led the team and ranked 10th in the SEC in digs, averaging 3.57 per set…Distributed 1.18 assists per set…Reached double digits in digs on 20 occasions…Delivered a team-high 18 service aces…Recorded 13 digs and three service aces in win over FIU (8/30)…Finished with 20 digs in win over Utah State (9/13)…Collected 12 digs and had one assist in sweep of Liberty (9/13)…Contributed 16 digs and three assists at Duke (9/14)…Chipped in 17 digs and four assists in win over Western Carolina (9/20)…Led back line with 19 digs and three assists against Robert Morris (9/21)…Produced 10 digs and five assists in sweep of Presbyterian…Finished with 19 digs and six assists in win at Tennessee (9/29)…Had 14 digs, four assists and first career kill against Arkansas (10/4)…Pitched in 13 digs and six assists in win over Texas A&M (10/6)…Notched season-high 21 digs and a kill against No. 15 Kentucky (10/13)…Came up one assists shy of a double-double in win at Ole Miss (10/20), finishing with 19 digs and nine assists…Produced a career-high two kills, 11 digs and one block assist at No. 20 Kentucky (11/8)…Distributed a career-high 28 assists in first start as a setter and added five digs and two aces at Arkansas (11/22)…Member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2011-12 (PEPPERDINE): Played in all 64 matches during two seasons at Pepperdine…Helped lead Waves to NCAA Regional final and West Coast Conference title in 2011…Averaged 2.78 digs per set during her time at Pepperdine…Also a member of the Waves’ sand team, helping them claim the first AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Team Championship in 2012…Partnered with Emily Cook to go 17-4 overall, including 10-2 in dual play.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Lettered all four years at Ironwood Ridge High School for coach Bill Lang…Two-time first-team Arizona Class 5A All-State selection and two-time honorable mention selection…Two-time Arizona Southern Region Player of the Year…Holds school records for most digs, kills and points in single match, season and career…Led Nighthawks to three first-place finishes in the Southern Arizona region…Named to the Prepvolleyball.com “Senior Aces” list…Played for the Dinamo Volleyball Club for coach Chris Gonzalez…Helped lead team to a second-place finish in the American Division at the 2009 Junior Olympics…Was also a member of the Arizona Region High Performance Girls’ Division Team in 2008 and 2009 (USA Volleyball)…Team won the title in the International Division of the High Performance Championships…Received the Best Passer Award.

PERSONAL: Mikaela Jean Christiaansen is the daughter of Jeffrey and Gaynor Christiaansen…Mother played volleyball at UC Santa Barbara…Chose South Carolina because of the coaching staff and teammates and the success of the athletic department as a whole…Plans to major in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis on public relations and sports management.