Mikaila Dowd is the subject of our Where Are They Now segment, with the former Metea Valley star now at Georgia Tech – presented by Molly Maid of Aurora-Naperville Area.
The Naperville area has been home to so many outstanding girls volleyball teams and players for well over a decade. State champions, All-Americans and even eventual collegiate National Champions have competed in our six local high schools.
Record Breaking Mustang
One of the more recent standouts is 2018 Metea Valley graduate Mikaila Dowd. Mikaila was a four-year varsity team member for the Mustangs and is without a doubt the most highly decorated player in the program’s history.
With Dowd throwing haymakers as an outside hitter, Metea Valley had the most successful seasons the team had ever seen. As a junior in 2016, Mikaila played alongside older sister Jada and helped the Mustangs to a then program record 25 wins. Mikaila was named first team All State and set the school single season record for kills with 320.
Her senior year in the fall of 2017, Dowd broke her own record with 328 kills while also setting the program record for career kills with 1,002. MV went 29-9 and won the DuPage Valley Conference for the first time with a perfect 8-0 record.
Georgia on Her Mind
After graduating early from Metea Valley in December of 2017, Mikaila enrolled at Georgia Tech in January of 2018 to prepare for her career with the Yellow Jackets.
It certainly paid off as she made an immediate impact as a freshman that fall. After leading the team in kills per set, including 12 matches where she recorded at least ten kills and ten digs, Dowd was named to the All-ACC Freshman team and to the All-ACC Second Team.
She made Second Team All-ACC once again as a sophomore in 2019, helping Georgia Tech to a 26-8 record including 14-4 in ACC play.
Buzz Around the Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets were able to begin their 2020 conference only season in late September. 2nd on the team in kills to start the year, Mikaila Dowd is still thriving from her outside hitter position. Georgia Tech has high hopes as team as they are currently ranked 12th by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, the first top 15 ranking for the program since 2004.
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