Kimerle V. Watterson has been elected to the Northeastern Hall of Fame for her achievements in the sport of volleyball.
Watterson, Class of 1995, won four volleyball letters between 1990-93 and was a front-runner in making the sport an integral part of Northeastern athletics. The native of Engelwood, Colo., was a much sought-after star, earning tournament MVP honors in leading her Cherry Creek High School volleyball team to the state championship. She later was named All-League and All-State. The lure of NU's co-op program offset the fact that the university had a part-time volleyball coach and a small facility located in a classroom building.
In Watterson's freshman year, the Huskies went 21-13 to qualify for the ECAC Tournament. In the semifinals they pounded Hartford 3-1 and then swept Liberty 3-0 in the championship series to win the ECAC title. Her sophomore year had a little added spice as volleyball was added to the America East slate of conference sports. The Huskies finished the regular season with a 28-12 record, good for the top seed in the first-ever America East Championship. NU had to battle out of the losers bracket to advance to a one-game playoff with Drexel, only to bow 15-7. Watterson earned All-Tournament honors. The team finished 31-13, setting a school season record for wins that still stands.
In Watterson's junior year, it was clear that the quality of NU's schedule had escalated. The team still finished the regular season with a 15-8 record. The Huskies then swept through the conference qualifying tournament and kept their number one seed for the championship. However, dreams of the America East title ended with losses to Delaware and Drexel. Once again, Watterson led NU in nearly every statistical category. She earned selection to three All-Tournament teams during the year and received America East All-Conference honors.
Watterson was named captain as a senior, but a drain on the team's talent due to graduation led to a modest final record of 13-18. Individually, she continued as the team's kill queen and her career mark of 1256 kills remains an NU record. Watterson received America East All-Tournament honors and maintained her place as a member of the All-Conference team.
Watterson is currently living in Phoenix, Ariz., where she is pursuing a masters degree in Sports Psychology. She graduated from NU, magna cum laude, and was the recipient of the Christine Hobart Award for excellence in her major of Human Resources Management.
