athletics
KEANmag
23
A Kean University Cougar does it again! Women’s volleyball shining
star, Jesse Larkin, of Redwood City, California, was awarded the 2016
New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Rookie of the Year after a
standout freshman season. Larkin is second in the league with a .334
hitting percentage and third in blocks, averaging 1.03 per set. Both
marks are tops among all NJAC rookies.
Although she was met with the expected challenges and tough op-
ponents as she made her first appearances on the court, Larkin man-
aged to hit .650 and .550 in her first two matches of the season and,
from then on, was on everyone’s radar.
“Jesse is smart and a steady player and we couldn’t be more excited
to have her on the team for the next few years,” said Head Women’s
Volleyball Coach Don Perkins. “Other teams had to pay attention to
her and she came out on top on most nights,” he added, noting that
she outperformed a senior competitor who had long been consid-
ered the best middle in the conference.
This marks the second-straight year a Cougar has taken home the
NJAC Rookie of the Year award. Last season, current Kean sophomore
Brett Harper earned the honor.
Larkin, a Redwood City, California, native, made a big first impres-
sion in her collegiate debut with 13 kills and a career-best 21 points
against Mount Saint Vincent in the first match of the year on Sep-
tember 1. She eclipsed the kill total in NJAC action with 14 at Rowan
University on September 27. Larkin’s regular season totals this year
included 174 kills, 85 blocks - including 14 solos - 57 digs and 27 aces.
Larkin hit better than .500 in eight matches this season, including a
.700 mark against Hunter College on October 25.
Being part of the Cougar’s women’s volleyball team has proven the
value of the motto Larkin lives by:“‘Play for the team and not for one-
self.’” She draws much of her inspiration from her teammates, peers
and parents, and said, “my best training has been to communicate
with my team to make the best chemistry on the court.” Larkin also
emphasized that school is her first priority. “I make sure to finish my
homework before practice and games, and then skip off to play,” she
said. “Volleyball is a kind of getaway for me.”
The Cougars finished the 2016 season with a 21-12 record, a fourth-
place finish in the NJAC regular season standings and an appearance
in the NJAC semifinals.
NJAC
of the
PLAYER
YEAR
