2013: Alison Cooke was an AVCA honorable mention All-American in 2013...Earned first team All-SAC honors, earning All-Region accolades from Daktronics and the AVCA...Finished with 9.37 assists per set, ranking third on the team with 2.44 digs per set while adding 0.54 blocks and 0.72 kills per set...Ran the league's most potent offense...Wingate led the SAC in kills per set, assists per set and hitting percentage, ranking 16th nationally in hitting percentage, 20th in kills per set and 25th in assists per set...Started her season with 55 assists, 15 digs and five kills in the win over Hillsdale...Followed with a 53-assist, 10-dig performance in the win over #9 UIndy...Piled up 47 assists, nine digs and seven blocks in the victory against #11 Colorado Mines...Handed out 54 assists to go along with 12 digs in the win over Anderson...Had 35 assists, 11 digs and four blocks in three sets at Mars Hill...Registered 55 assists and 14 digs in the win at Lenoir-Rhyne...Piled up 45 assists and 10 digs in the sweep over Tusculum...Had 36 assists and seven digs in the SAC Tournament quarterfinal win...Had 27 assists and 15 digs in the SAC title match, adding three kills...Registered 34 assists and 12 digs in the regional quarterfinals, while notching 31 assists, nine digs and five kills in the regional semifinals...Had 40 assists, 14 digs and five blocks against Armstrong in the regional title match.
2012: Led the Bulldogs with 8.30 assists per set, ranking seventh in the SAC...Earned All-Tournament honors at the NCAA Southeast Regionals...Had 2.52 digs per set, adding 56 kills, 48 blocks and 19 aces...Helped lead one of the most potent offenses in the nation as Wingate ranked 12th nationally in kills, 13th in assists and 30th in hitting percentage...Handed out double-digit assists 31 times, while ranking second on the team with 10 double-doubles...Piled up 30 assists and 28 digs in Wingate's 3-1 win over defending regional champion Flagler...Had 31 assists, 12 digs and four blocks against Catawba...Had 53 assists in the five-set win at LMU, followed by a 51-assist, 15-dig performance at Carson-Newman...Handed out a career-high 66 assists against Tusculum in the SAC title match, adding seven digs, four blocks and two kills...Had 35 assists, seven digs, four kills and four blocks against Tusculum in the regional title match...Registered 38 assists, nine digs, four kills and three blocks against Concordia-St. Paul in the Elite Eight.
2011: Appeared in 25 matches during her first year as a Bulldog, playing in a total of 50 sets...Finished second on the team with 3.28 assists per set, adding 12 kills, 44 digs, 10 blocks and five aces...Had 17 assists against St. Andrews...Had 29 assists, four digs and three blocks against St. Augustine’s, while compiling 29 assists, eight digs and four kills against Winston-Salem State...Had 28 assists at Shaw...Contributed seven assists and six digs against Mars Hill, while notching nine assists at Brevard.
2010: Redshirted.
Personal: Ali Cooke was the I-Meck Conference Player of the Year in 2009, leading her North Mecklenburg High School team to unprecedented success. Cooke was among the state leaders in kills, earning all-state honors as a senior. She captained the team to the state semifinals and was named the team MVP. Cooke earned national honors as Max Prep Player of the Week in October. As a junior, Cooke was a key player for CJV at the 2008 Junior Olympics. She teamed with fellow incoming players Allison Rickher and Kayla Osterhus with the Carolina Juniors Volleyball Club this club in 2009. Alison’s father Dick Cooke is the head baseball coach at Davidson College.
Full name is Alison Elizabeth Cooke...Born September 9, 1992 in Davidson, N.C...Daughter of Dick and Susan Cooke...Majoring in Psychology...Wants to be a college volleyball coach....Favorite class at Wingate: Sport Psychology...Favorite athlete: Kerri Walsh...Favorite sports team: Boston Red Sox...Favorite movie: Crazy, Stupid, Love...Favorite TV Show: Mistresses...Favorite Food: Strawberries...Favorite sport to play other than volleyball: Wiffle Ball...Ali can't imagine a week without: A nap everyday...Most thrilling sports moment: Final point to win the region title in 2013...People Ali most admires: Her parents...How Ali gets ready for a game: Listening to music and taking selfies with Tyler...Something people don't know about Ali: I took German in high school...Nickname: Ali, Al, Cookie..Ali thinks: the fastest person on the team is Steph, strongest is Shelly, and the funniest is Tyler...Favorite quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."
Why Ali chose Wingate: I loved the small-school atmosphere and I felt so welcomed by the team when I visited. I also was intrigued by the small classrooms and the various opportunities to travel through programs offered at Wingate.
Coach Collier: “For Ali to lead us to the Elite Eight last year and receive honorable mention All American honors as a setter is quite a tribute to her development. She has a unique story, being a high school hitter and not playing as a setter until she arrived at Wingate. She will be in her fifth year as a redshirt senior so we expect she will provide some valuable leadership as we make another championship run."
