.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
1,000-1,000 Club Highlight: Kristi Wilkinson Was the Third Player in Three Years to Join the Club
10/15/2025 | Volleyball
OXFORD, Miss. – In celebration of Ole Miss volleyball's 50 seasons of competition, OleMissSports.com is proud to highlight nine student-athletes part of an elite club, who accomplished one of the rarest athletic feats in program history.
Comprised of athletes from the 1980's to as recently as 2017, Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club honors players who record at least 1,000 tallies in two statistical categories throughout their careers, generally kills and digs, showcasing excellence in both offense and defense.
In 1991, Kristi Wilkinson became the third Ole Miss volleyball player in as many years to join the 1,000-1,000 club, succeeding her former teammates Mary Ahern and Michelle Whitby-York. She became the fourth ever Rebel to join the club, the first being Julie Link Clark in 1986.
Wilkinson paced Ole Miss in kills in her junior and senior years and would have as a sophomore if not for Ahern's record-setting 1989 season. The Lakewood, Colorado, native was known for her extremely efficient offense, holding some of the best single match attack percentages in the sideout scoring era among all Rebels.
She finished her career with 1,263 kills and 1,090 digs as an outside hitter. She's one of the first Colorado natives to succeed at Ole Miss, which has developed to include Emma Ammerman, Payton Brgoch and Kate Gibson in recent years, as well as currently with Gabi Placide.
Destination: Oxford
Wilkinson grew up in Lakewood, Colorado, which is over 1,100 miles from Oxford, Mississippi, and a nearly 17-hour drive. She had minimal prior knowledge about the university or the Southeastern Conference.
During a club volleyball tournament in Las Vegas, Blair caught sight of Wilkinson's play. Following the tournament, Blair wrote a letter to Wilkinson and offered a paid visit to Ole Miss. In the 80s, athletes were allowed just three official visits during their recruiting cycle, and Wilkinson was on her last visit.
She decided to take a chance and visit the small town.
"Once I got there, I was immediately in love with the campus' southern charm," Wilkinson said.
She met who would become her future teammates, coaches and trainers. Following her visit, she called her father on a payphone, explaining how interested in Ole Miss she was. This was much to the surprise of her father, and the rest of her family as well, who had never been as far south as Wilkinson was and had slight knowledge of the area.
Shortly after her visit, and backed by her family, Blair flew out to her house in Colorado to join Wilkinson as she signed her national letter of intent to the University of Mississippi.
She was part of a quintet of freshmen, where she came from the furthest geographical hometown by over double the amount of miles as the next furthest in the group. However, she quickly bonded with each of the fellow freshmen, as well as the entire team. They faced an exciting prospect of seeing new places while playing the game they love.
Opening her career in 1988, Wilkinson got experience in her first season for the Rebels, getting a chance to start from the beginning. Wilkinson provided valuable depth to the lineup which already had star potential in Ahern and Whitby-York. She still finished the season with 120 kills and 97 digs, despite playing in only 55 sets for the season. She also contributed with 11 service aces and 24 total blocks.
At just 5-foot-8, Wilkinson was undersized for an outside hitter. Despite that, she had an unmatched tenacity to her game that exceled with the inclusion of a stellar vertical leap. She tapped into that mindset during her sophomore campaign, having her best all-around year.
She exploded for 474 kills on a .252 attack clip, both marks serving as the second-best on the team. Wilkinson and Ahern were one of the best outside hitter tandems in the country, combining for 1,042 kills between the two of them. This was also the season that Whitby-York set the still-standing program record for assists with 1,654.
"I am not sure what made me so successful at Ole Miss in volleyball other than I am very competitive by nature," Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson also demonstrated improvement on the defensive front, totaling 379 digs and 76 total blocks. To make matters more impressive, she also had 63 assists and 35 service aces. She set every personal statistical single-season record that year.
Ole Miss, backed by the dangerous trio of Wilkinson, Ahern and Whitby-York, finished the season 30-12, its first 30-win season since 1979. After such an exceptional season for the program, Wilkinson had the difficult task of assuming the leadership role vacated by a graduated Ahern.
Wilkinson continued her momentum from the previous season individually while the team felt the impact left by those who had graduated. Wilkinson had 277 kills with 273 digs, while Ole Miss went 14-10. This was a special season for Wilkinson and Ole Miss, however, as they were headed to the SEC Tournament, which hadn't been organized since 1987.
"It was right before Thanksgiving and I remember it being my first time celebrating it away from home and being with my coach and teammates," Wilkinson said.
It ultimately became a memorable tournament, with Ole Miss besting Kentucky in a five-setter in the first round. It served as Blair's first postseason victory as the Rebel's head coach, and Ole Miss' first since 1985. They fell in the next round to Georgia, 3-1, but the weight of winning in the conference tournament had been released.
Entering her senior season, unbeknownst to her, she had 871 kills and 749 digs to her name. She was within striking distance of joining Ole Miss' illustrious 1,000-1,000 club and being just the fourth athlete to ever do it.
"Kristi has had two very good years and has really done a good job within the Southeastern Conference," Blair said ahead of the 1991 season. "She's a strong athlete who's worked hard to improve her all-around game since she's been at Ole Miss. She'll be one of the cornerstones we'll be counting on, to be 'on' her game, match in and match out during '91."
She expectedly breezed past 1,000 kills early in the season, now acting as the primary outside hitter alongside Kate Ditolla and MeShun Thomas. She would finish that season with a team-high 392 kills, nearing the 400-kill mark for the second time in her career.
Wilkinson also demonstrated another strong defensive season, where she accounted for 341 digs. She recorded her 1,000th dig against Alabama on Nov. 1, 1991. She entered the game needing just nine digs to breakthrough, and she delivered with a team-leading 11 against the Crimson Tide.
She had done it with six matches remaining in the regular season, where she continued to build on her total. For the first time in her career, Wilkinson had paced the Rebels in digs, which she used to achieve 1,000-1,000 status.
"I know the rules of volleyball changed a few times even in my four years," Wilkinson said. "Serving rules, sideout scoring, the total points needed to win … I remember watching my niece play high school volleyball several years later and being surprised to see rally scoring and the position of a libero. So, to have my name still attached to Ole Miss history, it is an honor. All in all, I am very proud to be in a group of elite women at Ole Miss."
Wilkinson and the Rebels once again participated in the SEC Tournament in Mobile, Alabama, where they came away with another first round win, this time over Auburn. But their run would conclude once again in the next round to Florida.
By the time she exited the court for the final time in a Rebel jersey, Wilkinson had the fourth-most career kills, the third-most career digs and nine instances of having a top-five hitting percentage based on the amount of attacks she had. Today, she stands fifth in Ole Miss' sideout scoring era in career kills, sitting eighth all-time.
Life After Volleyball
Wilkinson thrived in the classroom during her time at Ole Miss. She needed only three-and-a-half years to graduate, and in her words, she was "competitive in the classroom as well as on the court."
She was named to the SEC Honor Roll for three consecutive years, only the second Rebel ever to accomplish that academic feat.
Wilkinson graduated with a bachelor's degree in public administration with an emphasis in criminal justice. She also minored in sociology. After her volleyball career, Wilkinson had planned to become an FBI agent.
However, life went in a different direction for Wilkinson. She decided to return to Colorado with her husband, Mike, who had begun to get established at his commercial real estate firm. Instead of pursuing a career in the FBI, Wilkinson worked as a paralegal for an immigration law firm for five years.
After her stint as a paralegal, Wilkinson spent time as an executive assistant for a home improvement supplies distributer in the area.
Ultimately, Wilkinson found her most fulfilling career as a stay-at-home mother to her and Mike's three children.
"My greatest career was being a stay-at-home mom and I feel very lucky that I had that opportunity," Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson has spread her devout devotion and love for Ole Miss to the next generation of Colorado natives. She's met and influenced many young people in her home state to take the leap to Oxford and has remained a fan of the volleyball program since her playing days ended.
"Ole Miss has grown so much and to see it become so dominant in the SEC is just fun," Wilkinson said. "I watch the games on television from Colorado; I proudly wear my Ole Miss gear and say a proud 'Hotty Toddy' to other Ole Miss attendees I met in Colorado."
Comprised of athletes from the 1980's to as recently as 2017, Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club honors players who record at least 1,000 tallies in two statistical categories throughout their careers, generally kills and digs, showcasing excellence in both offense and defense.
In 1991, Kristi Wilkinson became the third Ole Miss volleyball player in as many years to join the 1,000-1,000 club, succeeding her former teammates Mary Ahern and Michelle Whitby-York. She became the fourth ever Rebel to join the club, the first being Julie Link Clark in 1986.
Wilkinson paced Ole Miss in kills in her junior and senior years and would have as a sophomore if not for Ahern's record-setting 1989 season. The Lakewood, Colorado, native was known for her extremely efficient offense, holding some of the best single match attack percentages in the sideout scoring era among all Rebels.
She finished her career with 1,263 kills and 1,090 digs as an outside hitter. She's one of the first Colorado natives to succeed at Ole Miss, which has developed to include Emma Ammerman, Payton Brgoch and Kate Gibson in recent years, as well as currently with Gabi Placide.
Destination: Oxford
Wilkinson grew up in Lakewood, Colorado, which is over 1,100 miles from Oxford, Mississippi, and a nearly 17-hour drive. She had minimal prior knowledge about the university or the Southeastern Conference.
During a club volleyball tournament in Las Vegas, Blair caught sight of Wilkinson's play. Following the tournament, Blair wrote a letter to Wilkinson and offered a paid visit to Ole Miss. In the 80s, athletes were allowed just three official visits during their recruiting cycle, and Wilkinson was on her last visit.
She decided to take a chance and visit the small town.
"Once I got there, I was immediately in love with the campus' southern charm," Wilkinson said.
She met who would become her future teammates, coaches and trainers. Following her visit, she called her father on a payphone, explaining how interested in Ole Miss she was. This was much to the surprise of her father, and the rest of her family as well, who had never been as far south as Wilkinson was and had slight knowledge of the area.
Shortly after her visit, and backed by her family, Blair flew out to her house in Colorado to join Wilkinson as she signed her national letter of intent to the University of Mississippi.
She was part of a quintet of freshmen, where she came from the furthest geographical hometown by over double the amount of miles as the next furthest in the group. However, she quickly bonded with each of the fellow freshmen, as well as the entire team. They faced an exciting prospect of seeing new places while playing the game they love.
Opening her career in 1988, Wilkinson got experience in her first season for the Rebels, getting a chance to start from the beginning. Wilkinson provided valuable depth to the lineup which already had star potential in Ahern and Whitby-York. She still finished the season with 120 kills and 97 digs, despite playing in only 55 sets for the season. She also contributed with 11 service aces and 24 total blocks.
At just 5-foot-8, Wilkinson was undersized for an outside hitter. Despite that, she had an unmatched tenacity to her game that exceled with the inclusion of a stellar vertical leap. She tapped into that mindset during her sophomore campaign, having her best all-around year.
She exploded for 474 kills on a .252 attack clip, both marks serving as the second-best on the team. Wilkinson and Ahern were one of the best outside hitter tandems in the country, combining for 1,042 kills between the two of them. This was also the season that Whitby-York set the still-standing program record for assists with 1,654.
"I am not sure what made me so successful at Ole Miss in volleyball other than I am very competitive by nature," Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson also demonstrated improvement on the defensive front, totaling 379 digs and 76 total blocks. To make matters more impressive, she also had 63 assists and 35 service aces. She set every personal statistical single-season record that year.
Ole Miss, backed by the dangerous trio of Wilkinson, Ahern and Whitby-York, finished the season 30-12, its first 30-win season since 1979. After such an exceptional season for the program, Wilkinson had the difficult task of assuming the leadership role vacated by a graduated Ahern.
Wilkinson continued her momentum from the previous season individually while the team felt the impact left by those who had graduated. Wilkinson had 277 kills with 273 digs, while Ole Miss went 14-10. This was a special season for Wilkinson and Ole Miss, however, as they were headed to the SEC Tournament, which hadn't been organized since 1987.
"It was right before Thanksgiving and I remember it being my first time celebrating it away from home and being with my coach and teammates," Wilkinson said.
It ultimately became a memorable tournament, with Ole Miss besting Kentucky in a five-setter in the first round. It served as Blair's first postseason victory as the Rebel's head coach, and Ole Miss' first since 1985. They fell in the next round to Georgia, 3-1, but the weight of winning in the conference tournament had been released.
Entering her senior season, unbeknownst to her, she had 871 kills and 749 digs to her name. She was within striking distance of joining Ole Miss' illustrious 1,000-1,000 club and being just the fourth athlete to ever do it.
"Kristi has had two very good years and has really done a good job within the Southeastern Conference," Blair said ahead of the 1991 season. "She's a strong athlete who's worked hard to improve her all-around game since she's been at Ole Miss. She'll be one of the cornerstones we'll be counting on, to be 'on' her game, match in and match out during '91."
She expectedly breezed past 1,000 kills early in the season, now acting as the primary outside hitter alongside Kate Ditolla and MeShun Thomas. She would finish that season with a team-high 392 kills, nearing the 400-kill mark for the second time in her career.
Wilkinson also demonstrated another strong defensive season, where she accounted for 341 digs. She recorded her 1,000th dig against Alabama on Nov. 1, 1991. She entered the game needing just nine digs to breakthrough, and she delivered with a team-leading 11 against the Crimson Tide.
She had done it with six matches remaining in the regular season, where she continued to build on her total. For the first time in her career, Wilkinson had paced the Rebels in digs, which she used to achieve 1,000-1,000 status.
"I know the rules of volleyball changed a few times even in my four years," Wilkinson said. "Serving rules, sideout scoring, the total points needed to win … I remember watching my niece play high school volleyball several years later and being surprised to see rally scoring and the position of a libero. So, to have my name still attached to Ole Miss history, it is an honor. All in all, I am very proud to be in a group of elite women at Ole Miss."
Wilkinson and the Rebels once again participated in the SEC Tournament in Mobile, Alabama, where they came away with another first round win, this time over Auburn. But their run would conclude once again in the next round to Florida.
By the time she exited the court for the final time in a Rebel jersey, Wilkinson had the fourth-most career kills, the third-most career digs and nine instances of having a top-five hitting percentage based on the amount of attacks she had. Today, she stands fifth in Ole Miss' sideout scoring era in career kills, sitting eighth all-time.
Life After Volleyball
Wilkinson thrived in the classroom during her time at Ole Miss. She needed only three-and-a-half years to graduate, and in her words, she was "competitive in the classroom as well as on the court."
She was named to the SEC Honor Roll for three consecutive years, only the second Rebel ever to accomplish that academic feat.
Wilkinson graduated with a bachelor's degree in public administration with an emphasis in criminal justice. She also minored in sociology. After her volleyball career, Wilkinson had planned to become an FBI agent.
However, life went in a different direction for Wilkinson. She decided to return to Colorado with her husband, Mike, who had begun to get established at his commercial real estate firm. Instead of pursuing a career in the FBI, Wilkinson worked as a paralegal for an immigration law firm for five years.
After her stint as a paralegal, Wilkinson spent time as an executive assistant for a home improvement supplies distributer in the area.
Ultimately, Wilkinson found her most fulfilling career as a stay-at-home mother to her and Mike's three children.
"My greatest career was being a stay-at-home mom and I feel very lucky that I had that opportunity," Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson has spread her devout devotion and love for Ole Miss to the next generation of Colorado natives. She's met and influenced many young people in her home state to take the leap to Oxford and has remained a fan of the volleyball program since her playing days ended.
"Ole Miss has grown so much and to see it become so dominant in the SEC is just fun," Wilkinson said. "I watch the games on television from Colorado; I proudly wear my Ole Miss gear and say a proud 'Hotty Toddy' to other Ole Miss attendees I met in Colorado."
Players Mentioned
HIGHLIGHTS: VB at Vanderbilt
Sunday, October 19
HIGHLIGHTS: VB at Missouri
Friday, October 17
HIGHLIGHTS: Volleyball vs. Tennessee (10/12/25)
Sunday, October 12
HIGHLIGHTS: VB at Mississippi State
Friday, October 10