« Volleyball 2011

Mary Elizabeth Hooper

School
Wichita State
Position
Setter
Major
Health Science
K
68
Pct
.350
SA
8
BS
2
BA
25
D
115

Classroom

Hooper graduated magna cum laude with a cumulative grade point average of 3.66 in May 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in health science.  She is currently taking classes to get into PA school.  In 2010 as a junior, she was named first team all-Valley Scholar-Athlete, earned the Missouri Valley Conference State Farm Good Neighbor Award and earned the Wichita State Senior Woman Award.  In 2009 as a sophomore, she was named first team all-Valley Scholar-Athlete.  She is also a member of the Alpha Eta National Honor Society, National Society Collegiate Scholars Honor Society and the Mortar Board Honor Society.  According to Hooper, “Athletics has taught me the value of commitment, training, and hard work, and I will use those principles to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant. As an athlete and future Physician Assistant, my goal is to motivate people toward a preventive and healthy lifestyle. My greatest desire is to help people heal physically and encourage them emotionally. I am eager to become a Physician Assistant and serve as part of a healthcare team.
I also want to serve my community through volunteer and ministry activities. Athletics has given me a platform to reach kids, and I want to use that platform to motivate kids toward strong character. My goal is to volunteer with young athletes and encourage them that education matters and character counts!”

Character

Hooper has grown into the leadership position during her time at Wichita State and is extremely competitive.  She finds a way to win, is loyal, has taken ownership of the program and is very proud of her school and her program.  She has an amazing work ethic and despite not playing this spring due to injuries, she would always be working out with whatever she was allowed to do.

Community

Hooper has served her community doing many different things.  The list includes ESL Conversation Partner, Kansas Food Bank Warehouse volunteer, Habitat for Humanity volunteer, Numana Haiti Food Packaging Relief, Step Up for SIDS Run volunteer, Washington Elementary Just Read Program, Adams Elementary Walk-A-Thon, Goddard Intermediate Learning Center/WSU Pen Pal, Red Cross Blood Donor, Operation Christmas Child-Samaritans Purse, Salvation Army “Adopt a Family”, Partners for Wichita/Bags of Blessings, volunteer work crew for the Extreme Makeover Home Edition featuring Carl Hall, Homeless Shelter/Hygiene Product Collection, Little Spikers Volleyball Program and Junior Spikers Volleyball Program.  She also serves as the secretary/treasurer for the WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is a member of the FCA-Leadership Team.

Competition

In 2010, Hooper earned first team all-Valley honors and MVC Player of the Week once.  She had 10 double-doubles and was third in the MVC in assists per set.  In 2009, she earned first team all-Valley honors, was named to the Valley all-tournament team, and named to the tournament team at the Shocker Classic.  In 2008, she helped the team to a 29-0 record in the regular-season and earned first team all-Valley honors, MVC Freshman of the Year, all-Central Region honorable mention, Central Region Freshman of the Year and the CVU.com National Freshman of the Year.  She was also named to two all-tournament teams during the regular season.  She is one of just four Shockers to be named to the all-Missouri Valley Conference first team three times in a career.