2018 Volleyball Roster
Denise Ssozi
- Class:
- Junior
- Position:
- OH
- Hometown:
- Johnston, Iowa
- Height:
- 5-8
- High School:
- Johnston
- Squadron:
- Johnston
- Squadron:
- 13 / Bulldawgs
JUNIOR YEAR | 2018: Earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award...saw action in 125 sets...member of the starting rotation for every match, including one (San Jose State) as the libero...accounted for 356 kills on the year...collected a season-best 17 kills during three-straight matches (Wake Forest, Maryland, Loyola Maryland)...recorded double-digit kill totals in 20 total contests...led the team in kills 11 times...used a nine-kill outing against Utah State to debut on the Academy’s Division I list for career kills and became the program’s 10th DI player to reach 900 kills in a career following a nine-strike outing at Fresno State...registered 324 digs, which is the eighth-best single-season mark in Air Force’s DI history...tallied a season-high 18 digs against Wyoming...accounted for at least 10 digs during 18 matches...registered 15 double-doubles (kills-digs) on the year...added 47 blocks (six solo, 41 assisted), 38 assists and 21 service aces...accounted for a season-best four blocks against both UNC Greensboro (1-3) and Samford (2-2)...the two solo stops against the Bulldogs equaled a career high...tallied a season-best five assists against Nevada and matched career-high of four aces against Utah State...named to the all-tournament team at the Spartan-Demon Deacon Classic and the Maverick Classic...named the Air Force Cadet-Athlete of the Week on Aug. 27.
SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2017: Competed in all 126 sets...member of the starting rotation for 31 matches...tied for the team lead with 395 kills...that total is tied for fifth on the program’s Division I single-season record book...also accounted for 272 digs, 60 blocks (12 solo, 48 assisted), 20 service aces and 46 assists...recorded first collegiate 20-kill match against Navy (career-high 23)...recorded second against Liberty (20)...tallied at least 10 kills in 20 additional contests...recorded a season-best hitting percentage of .467 against The Citadel (16k-2e-30a)...tallied a career-best 23 digs at Utah State...also matched career-high with two solo blocks during that match...accounted for double-digit dig totals in 11 total contests...registered a career-high four service aces against Columbia...had six additional multi-ace matches...posted career-best totals in assisted and total blocks during a six-stop performance against San Diego State...posted a season-high five assists against New Mexico...recorded seven double-doubles on the year...named to the all-tournament team at the Service Academy Challenge and Hampton Inn & Suites UNC Classic...named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week and Air Force Cadet-Athlete of the Week on Oct. 16.
FRESHMAN YEAR | 2016: Competed in 69 sets, after missing the first 10 matches with injury...member of the starting rotation for 19 contests, including one at the libero position...tallied 153 kills and 159 digs...accounted for a career-high 17 kills during first start in the front row (Nevada)...reached double-digit kills in seven additional matches...led the team in kills during four contests, while tying for the team lead in three others...recorded a career-best hitting percentage of .545 at San Jose State (6k-0e-11a)...collected a personal-best 16 digs against Southern Utah...also reached the 10-dig mark in six other matches...recorded double-doubles against Nevada (17 kills, 11 digs) and Fresno State (12 kills, 13 digs)...added 24 blocks (four solo, 20 assisted), 11 service aces and 25 assists...notched a pair of solo blocks against Nevada...also earned solo stops at Fresno State and against New Mexico...assisted on a career-high three blocks at San Jose State...tallied career-high marks in assists (six) and aces (three) during contests with Fresno State...selected to participate on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team.
HIGH SCHOOL | CLUB TEAM: Johnston High School...coached by Rick Brooks...lettered four years in volleyball...named to the All-CIML Elite Team in 2015...claimed first-team all-state honors for Class 5A as a senior...also earned all-district (Class 5A West), first-team all-conference (CIC), first-team all-division (CIC West) and first-team all-Western Division that year...awarded all-district Achievement honors for 5A West...earned 5A Honorable Mention honors in 2014...collected 979 kills, 784 digs and 210 service aces during career...also lettered one year in track and field...received the All-Academic Award four times (2014, 2015 for both track and volleyball)...competed at the club level for the Johnston Volleyball Club...coached by Sarah Schuster and Laura Roeder-Grubb...member of the team that finished third at the 2015 Nationals...selected to be on the USA All-Tournament Team that year.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Dan and Hilton Ssozi...nickname is “D”...has two younger siblings...majoring in legal studies and earning a minor in Portuguese...future plans include becoming a Cyber/Space officer...served as Vice Commander for Falcon Sports Camps during the summer of 2019...also worked as Honor Cadre and took an astronautical engineering class...hobbies include reading, playing/listening to music, seeing art and watching movies...greatest personal moment in sports is playing in the state tournament for the first time...member of Cadet Squadron 13.
