Sarah Wilhite, who led the Gophers to the NCAA volleyball final four, was named the national player of the year Friday.
Wilhite, a senior outside hitter from Eden Prairie, is the first national player of the year for the Gophers. The award is presented by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
She was also a first-team All-America and Big Ten Player of the Year, finishing the season with 537 kills (4.26 per set) and a .288 hitting percentage.
The Gophers lost to Stanford on Thursday in an NCAA semifinal match in Columbus, Ohio, and finished the season 29-5.
