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Milica Kusmuk
Posted: Nov 07, 2022

Kusmuk inducted into NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame

Having positively impacted and continue to advance NJCAA volleyball, former Cowley College standout Milica Kusmuk was recently inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Joining Kusmuk in the 2022 Class are Sonny Lewis, Jekaterina Stepanova, Ron Sweet, and Jim Dietz.

According to Cowley College head volleyball coach Steven Gream, Kusmuk came to Cowley with experience in the game from playing at a high level in Europe and used that experience to have a solid career for the Lady Tigers.

"Milica was an all-around player who played at a high level for our program," Gream said. "She was the player a coach could count on to be a leader on the court and put the team on her back when times got tough. Milica could beat teams on both sides of the ball with her amazing hitting skills that made her, at that time, the all-time kills leader in Cowley history, as well as with solid defense and serve receive to shut teams down. Those skills combined with an aggressive serve made her the elite player she was."

During her freshman season in 2017, the six-rotation outside hitter played in 149 sets and recorded 524 kills, a .384 hitting percentage, 324 digs, 73 service aces, and 61 blocks. 

At the 2017 NJCAA DII Volleyball Championship, Kusmuk and the Lady Tigers earned a fifth-place finish. Kusmuk's efforts earned postseason accolades, including NJCAA First Team All-American, AVCA Third Team All-American, First Team All-District, and KJCCC First Team All-Conference.  

During Kusmuk's sophomore campaign, the Bosnia and Herzegovina native finished the season with 658 kills at 4.54 kills per set, a .347 hitting percentage, 40 service aces at 0.28 aces per set, and 390 digs at 2.69 digs per set. Kusmuk finished the season ranking second in the nation in total points with 745.5 and third in total kills. 

Kusmuk's 658 kills in 2018 placed her first in Cowley history in kills in a season, and her 1,182 career kills ranked her first all-time in Cowley history at the time she finished her career. Kusmuk concluded her two-year college career with a series of honors, including NJCAA First Team All-America, AVCA First Team All-America, First Team All-District, First Team All-Conference, and as a two-time KJCCC All-Academic.