Juliia Pakhomenko, Tim Koth Earn GLIAC Post-Season Awards

The Northwood University volleyball team's 2012 GLIAC Championship season has earned the Timberwolves numerous post-season honors from the conference.

Northwood took home two of the four major post-season GLIAC awards, the league announced between semifinals of the GLIAC Tournament.  Sophomore outside hitter Juliia Pakhomenko (Donetsk, Ukraine) has been named the GLIAC Player of the Year, while coach Tim Koth has been honored as the GLIAC Coach of the Year.

In addition, the league announced the 2012 All-GLIAC teams.  Pakhomenko claimed First Team All-GLIAC honors, while the trio of Jordan Dunn (Bowling Green, Ohio), Zina Liubymova (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine) and Tajana Rajic (Belgrade, Serbia) all earned Second Team All-GLIAC.  Junior Ally Hoomaian (Novi, Mich.) was also named to the  Honorable Mention team.

Juliia Pakhomenko stepped right into the Northwood lineup in her first year on the team and became a dominant force for the Timberwolves.  She currently ranks among the GLIAC leaders in kills (399 - second), kills per set (4.03 – second), aces per set (.51 – first), and attack percentage (.280 – ninth).   Pakhomenko registered at least 10 kills in 22 of 28 matches played and reached 19 kills on seven different occasions.  She also was a major contributor to the Northwood defense this season as well, finishing with at least 10 digs 15 times. A five-time GLIAC North Division Player of the Week this season, Pakhomenko is the fourth player in school history to earn GLIAC Player of the Year honors (Gorana Marcic -2005, Amy Gruszynski - 2002, Romana Morakova – 1999/2000).

Picked to finish seventh in the GLIAC Preseason poll, Northwood head coach Tim Koth guided the Timberwolves to their first GLIAC Championship since 2001.  Northwood finished the season 17-1 in the GLIAC, matching the best GLIAC record at Northwood in school history.  NU has already earned 10 more wins overall than a year ago (23-13) and posted six more victories in GLIAC play.  Koth, now in his ninth season at the helm of the Timberwolves, has led his team to the No. 2 ranking in the Midwest Region.  Northwood also has earned six GLIAC Players of the Week this season, easily the most in the conference.  Koth joins Jeff Williams (2000) as the only two GLIAC Coaches of the Year in Northwood history.

Northwood finished the regular season with a 23-6 overall record and a 17-1 mark in the GLIAC.