CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Parkland volleyball freshman setter Rachel Verdun and Cobra sophomore golfer Kristian Kristensen have been named the 2019 Parkland Athletes of the Year. Verdun orchestrated the Cobras to a 2019 NJCAA National Runner-Up finish, while Kristensen led the Parkland golf team to its third best finish at NJCAA Championships while finishing tied for eighth individually.
 
A product of Edwardsville, Ill., Verdun served as the Parkland setter from the start of the season and was named an NJCAA First Team All-American and an AVCA Two-Year College Second Team All-American following the season.  Selected as the Region 24 Volleyball Player of the Year and named to the M-WAC First Team All-Conference, Verdun led NJCAA Division II in assists (1,611) on the season while ranking second in assists per set (11.11). Helping to keep opponents off balance, Verdun also ranked in the top-60 nationally in block assists (76) while averaging 1.31 kills per set with a .278 hitting percentage to earn a team-high 19 double-doubles on the season. In the NJCAA Tournament, Verdun led the Cobras to the National Championship match with an 11.9 assists-per-set average and was named to the NJCAA All-Tournament team with teammate Ryleigh Warfel.
 
"It's rare to have a freshman starting, let alone running the team as the primary setter," said head coach Cliff Hastings of his freshman setter. "Take that great accomplishment and add to that Rachel's steady composure and outstanding work ethic, and you have the ingredients for a top-notch athlete and young woman. Rachel did great things both on-and-off the court for us in her freshman season, and we consider ourselves fortunate to have her leadership and experience to guide us into next season as well."
 
Leading Parkland to back-to-back top-five finishes at NJCAA Championships over the past two seasons, Kristensen capped his impressive two-year career at Parkland with a second First Team All-America finish in 2019. Also named a PING First Team All-American, Kristensen placed tied for eighth out of 132 golfers – capped by the team's best individual round (71) of the tournament on his final round – to lead the Cobras to the fifth-place finish. A native of Norager, Denmark, Kristensen also won Region 24 Medalist honors by six strokes to lead the Cobras to a dominant 42-stroke team victory and second consecutive Region 24 Championship. Overall, Kristensen carded a 74.3 stroke average with four rounds at or below par.
 
"Kristian is very deserving of this award," said head coach Corbin Sebens. "Out of 11 tournaments, he finished in the Top-11, seven times. He was a 2x NJCAA First-Team All American, Honorable Mention Ping All American and First-Team Ping All American. KK was a gamer and always played his best on the biggest stage. Not only is he successful on the course, Kristian is a better person off the course. KK has left his mark as one of the most decorated players in program history."