Amber Sutherland

Arkansas

Sep 12 (Fri)

6 PM

Position:
Outside Hitter
Height:
5-10
Class:
Redshirt Senior
Hometown:
Glenwood Springs, Colo.
High School:
Glenwood Springs

Amber Sutherland in 2008

Amber Sutherland will look to finish off her career as one of the best at CU after redshirting the 2007 season due to shoulder surgery. She ranks 15th on the all-time career kills chart and is just 98 kills from the elite 1,000-career kills club. Sutherland will be an important part of CU’s offense, but can also step up on defense as she ranks 24th overall on the career digs list.

As a Senior in 2007

Redshirt. Did not compete

As a Junior in 2006

Sutherland had a stellar junior season and led CU in kills with 456 kills, which is tied for fifth on the single-season chart with Rachel Wacholder (1996). Sutherland is also 10th in season attacks (1,182) and 31st in season digs (312). She averaged 4.18 kills per game, which ranked fourth in the Big 12. She also averaged 4.74 points per game, sixth in the league. Sutherland had seven matches with over 20 kills, including a match against No. 17 Missouri where she recorded a career-high with 35 kills. She became the first Buff since 1997 to reach the 30 kill mark and the 35 kills was the third-highest total in CU history. Sutherland was named the Big 12 Player of the Week and the CU Athlete of the Week for the first time in her career on Sept. 18 due to her performance against MU. She added 14 digs and hit .397. Sutherland led CU with 16 double-doubles. She recorded double-figured in kills 23 times and digs 18 times. Sutherland put up a career-high six blocks twice this season, once against Kansas State (one solo and five assists) and once against Iowa State (six assists). She helped CU defeat No. 1 Nebraska (11/1) by notching 18 kills, 11 digs and four block assists. Her 100th career block came in the match. Sutherland was named to the Colorado Invitational All-Tournament team after collecting 35 kills, 35 digs and 11 blocks in nine games. She was named All-Big 12 honorable mention for the first time in her career. Sutherland is 15th on the career kills chart, just 98 from the 1,000 mark. She is also 24th in career digs (618) and 15th in career attacks. She was the only Buff to play and start in every match.

As a Sophomore in 2005

Sutherland started every match and played in all but one game as a sophomore. She ranked second on the team in kills with 3.86, which ranked sixth in the Big 12. Sutherland led the Buffs in digs with 290, ranking 15th in the league. In Big 12 only matches, she was ninth in kills (3.63) and 13th in digs (2.62). Sutherland tallied a team-high 15 double-doubles, reaching double figures in kills 26 times. She recorded a career-best 26 kills (.476) and 28 points at Kansas State (11/16), despite a dislocated finger. Sutherland led the Buffs in kills and digs on 11 occasions, which included a career-high 19 digs at Texas Tech (10/8). The 19 digs were a team-best in 2005. In Sutherland’s first match as a sophomore, she hit a career-high .624, registering 12 kills on 16 attempts with two errors against St. Peter’s (8/27). Sutherland hit above .300 on 13 occasions and hit .400 or above six times. She was named to the America University Classic, Colorado Invitational and University of Denver All-Tournament Teams.

As a Freshman in 2004

Sutherland played in just four out of the first 20 matches of the season, but after shoulder injury sidelined Maragda Santillana, she competed in seven of the final eight contests and showed some great promise. Her best match was arguably CU’s NCAA Tournament outing against undefeated and No. 2 ranked Hawai’i. She played all four games finishing with a career-high nine digs and a personal-best tying two blocks. Her pair of blocks, which nearly doubled her season output, both came late in game one allowing the Buffs to take the frame from the Rainbow Wahine. She registered a personal-high six kills while playing all three games at No. 14 Texas A&M (11/7). Sutherland made her collegiate debut at Oregon (9/3) recording one dig and tallied her first kill at Iowa State (10/5) on match point as CU wrapped up a three-game win.

High School

Named the 2003 Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post Colorado Class 4A Player of the Year after leading Glenwood Springs High School to a 29-1 record and a spot in the state semifinals. Earned a spot on the 2003 Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado volleyball team, and was the only non-Class 5A selection. Also named to the Denver Post All-Colorado volleyball squad. Selected as one of the top 100 high school volleyball players in the country by PrepVolleyball.com. Topped Class 4A in kills (385) and attacks as a senior while hitting .382. A four-time, All-Western Slope League selection. Tabbed the Western Slope Player of the Year in 2003. Second-team all-state selection as a sophomore. Led the Demons to an overall record of 82-17 during her four-year varsity career. Lettered in both track & field and basketball as well. Sutherland was the 2003 Colorado Class 4A state champion in the discus and runner-up in the shot put. In 2004 she was the state runner-up in both the discus and shot put. Holds school record in the discus at 130-7 and freshman records for shot put (35-10), long jump (15-11) and discus (120-11). Sutherland was the leading scorer for the Demons’ basketball squad as a senior, earning a spot on the All-Western Slope League team.

Personal

Born Amber Michelle Sutherland on April 4, 1986, in Glenwood Springs. She is the daughter of Mike and Debby Sutherland. She has an older sister, Nicole, and a younger sister, Courtney.

Academics

Sutherland will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in December. Sutherland was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll the spring of 2007.