Rachael Kidder will be remembered for being the best player on a national championship-winning team. In 2011, her junior year, she led the UCLA women’s volleyball team to its first NCAA Championship since 1991 and was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. After a productive first two years in which Kidder showed consistent improvement, she emerged in 2011 as one of the best outside hitters in the country during the regular season and was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America, All-Pacific Region and All-Pac-12 First Teams. She averaged 4.7 kills per set that year, which earned her ninth in the nation.
Although 2012 was a down year statistically for Kidder, it was not for a lack of improvement on her end. While still stellar, her 3.98 kills/set was down from her junior year output largely due to the emergence of fellow senior Tabi Love, who took some of the workload off Kidder’s shoulders. Ultimately, Kidder still went on to be recognized in 2012 as an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American.