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University of New Mexico Lobos athletics
Melissa Walden - Women's Volleyball - University of New Mexico Lobos Athletics
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Melissa Walden

Position

S

Height

6-0

Class

Sr.

Hometown

Aurora, Ill.

High School

Waubonsie Valley HS/ Texas A&M

SENIOR | 2023-24: College Sports Communicators Academic All-District … Started all 31 matches for the Lobos, leading the team with a career-high 942 assists (8.05/set) … 13 double-doubles on the season … eight matches with 40+ assists … career-high 52 assists in the Lobos’ five-set win at Nevada (9/21) … 19 aces on the season, with four matches with multiple aces … at the conclusion of the season, ranked No. 5 among MW active leaders in assists per set (7.15) … ranked No. 7 in the conference on the season in assists per set … 40 total blocks on the season (36 BA, 4 BS) … posted 58 kills on .267 hitting … racked up 296 digs (2.53/set) … finished with 41 assists, five digs, two kills and an ace in UNM’s first MW Tournament win since 2006, a five-setter against UNLV on 11/22.

JUNIOR | 2022-23: Played in 26 matches and 87 sets with seven starts… finished with 436 assists, 138 digs, eight service aces, 13 kills, 17.0 total blocks (all assisted)… recorded six double-doubles with three in the last four matches… averaged 5.01 assists per set and 1.59 digs per set… 10 matches with 20 or more assists, eight matches with 30 or more assists and tallied a career-best 52 assists against Wyoming… double-digit assists in the last seven matches… named MW Scholar-Athlete and to the MW All-Academic Team.

SOPHOMORE | 2021-22: Started in 26 matches and played in 94 sets … led the Lobos with 752 assists, an average of 8.0 per set … finished with 250 digs, 20 total blocks (one solo), 34 kills and 57.5 points … tallied a team-high 13 double-doubles … career-high 42 assists against Boise State (10/9) … finished with 20-plus assists in all but two matches and 30-plus assists in 11 matches … season-high 20 digs against SeattleU … season-high five kills at Cal State Fullerton … 752 assists are the eighth-most assists in a single season in program history in the 25-point rally scoring era… named a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete… named to the Academic All-MW team.

FRESHMAN (at Texas A&M) | 2020-21:Appeared in two matches and four sets … tallied three assists at South Carolina (2/10) … recorded two digs vs. Florida (3/25) … Spring AD Academic Honor Roll … Fall AD Academic Honor Roll … Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year varsity setter/right side hitter for WVHS … was named the Team MVP… led her team to a conference championship to finish off her senior year … helped her team to win regionals her sophomore year for the first time in school history since 1999 and continuing it for the following three years … all-conference special mention as a junior and sophomore … 2019 Beacon News Player of the Year, three-time AAU All-American … graduated high school with honors.

PERSONAL
Born Dec. 5 in Denver, Colo. … parents are Ayten and David Walden … has three siblings: Michael, Kristin and Jon …  majoring in English.

WHY UNM: “This is such a special team with so much potential, that I wanted to be a part of this amazing group of girls.”