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The University of Mississippi Athletics
1,000-1,000 Club Highlight: Michelle Whitby-York Becomes Ole Miss’ First Setter in the Club
10/8/2025 | 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 1980s 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 1990, Michelle Whitby-York became Ole Miss' first and only setter to join the prestigious club, while being the third athlete to do so in five seasons. She became the third player in Ole Miss history to join the club, alongside Julie Link Clark and Mary Ahern, all of which came under head coach John Blair.
The only Rebel to combine for over 1,000 assists and 1,000 digs, Whitby-York has stood the test of time as one of Ole Miss' best offensive setters in program history. With a natural capability of setting up teammates mixed with her inherent ability to efficiently get kills, Whitby-York was truly ahead of her time at the position.
Whitby-York completed her career with 2,983 assists and 1,007 digs, the former of which set a then-program record, and she needed only three seasons in Oxford to accomplish her athletic feat. She also set multiple single-season records during the sideout scoring era, with her 1,654 assists in 1989 still serving as the all-eras record.
Destination: Oxford
Unlike her predecessors, Whitby-York began her collegiate career elsewhere. She spent one season at Mississippi State where she set the freshman record for most solo blocks in a single season with 22. She had one game against Southern Miss with five solo blocks, which tied a then-single game record.
However, a coaching change at Mississippi State caused Whitby-York to pause and reevaluate her situation.
"I don't have any ill-feelings toward State," Whitby-York said. "I appreciated the opportunity to play there."
Ultimately, Whitby-York decided she would transfer to Ole Miss. Oxford was closer to home for the Memphis native, and she said that it felt like home the longer she spent with the Rebels.
Due to NCAA transfer rules at the time, Whitby-York was required to sit-out for the 1987 season. It was a frightening proposition for Whitby-York because of the uncertainty, but head coach John Blair demonstrated faith in her abilities and helped keep her prepared for whenever she would be cleared to play.
"I'll be forever grateful to him for giving me that opportunity," Whitby-York said. "I think the world of him. He is an incredible, incredible coach and technician of the game, and I learned so much from him."
That decision would pay off for Blair and Whitby-York, who competed for the Rebels for the first time in 1988. Whitby-York had a solid first season in Oxford, accumulating 360 assists and 187 digs, both team highs. She also helped in the scoring category, racking 138 kills. This season would serve as a precursor for what was in store for Whitby-York as a junior in 1989.
That season, she would explode for 1,654 assists to set Ole Miss' all-time single season record, which still stands to this day. It was the second-highest single season mark by any SEC competitor at the end of the season, and still stands as the eighth-most by an individual player ever.
She paired her offensive dominance with stingy defense, becoming the first player in Ole Miss history to accrue over 500 digs in a single season, finishing with 503. That mark set a program sideout scoring era record and stood as the most in a single season until 2007.
Going into that season, which was the senior seasons for team staples Mary Ahern and Cami Jones, Whitby-York and the rest of her teammates set out with a goal in mind: Build a culture.
"When that's what you're trying to build as an individual, game on," Whitby-York said. "You just have to rise to the occasion, and I think that's what we all did. A rising tide raises all ships. We were trying to make each other better day-in and day-out, trying to be super competitive. We wanted to win. There's no doubt we wanted to win."
Whitby-York helped Ahern achieve one of the best single seasons in program history while doing so herself, as the Rebels reached 30 wins for the first time since 1979. The Rebels won 13 consecutive games, which included tournament sweeps at the Saint Louis Invitational and the Mississippi Collegiate Preview.
Now a senior in 1990, Whitby-York was missing a key piece of her individual résumé: an all-conference nod. For her, she saw it as the next step to her career and a goal of hers to end her career with a bang. In her final push, she managed to accomplish that goal.
She totaled 969 digs for the Rebels, a team-high by a mile, while also digging the ball 317 times. Whitby-York accounted for over 90 percent of Ole Miss' assists that season.
Unbeknownst to her, she joined Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club with her 1,000th career dig in her final career match against Florida. Entering that match, Whitby-York sat at 995 career digs, needing only five to make history. She reached that comfortably, finishing the day with 12 digs.
She had bolstered her chance at reaching the mark earlier in the season, when she set a sideout scoring era record 37 digs against Mississippi State. That record would stand in all-eras until 2024, when Cammy Niesen recorded 39 against Arkansas.
A highly competitive athlete, Whitby-York tapped into a different mentality every time she stepped on the court. She said she preferred making a defensive stop if it helped her team win.
"I'm the most competitive person you're going to find," Whitby-York said. "I did not want to lose. If it meant that I needed to get 1,000 digs for us not to lose, that's what I was going to do."
That mentality served her well during her senior season. She became Ole Miss' sixth All-SEC member and first since Link Clark in 1986. She attributed her success that season to a constant state of improvement while keeping with a team-oriented mindset.
"Showing up to every practice, every minute, everything you can do for your teammates, that was my goal," Whitby-York said.
By the time she walked off the court for the final time, Whitby-York had cemented herself as one of the best all-around setters in program history. On top of her century-marks in digs and assists, Whitby-York added 350 kills, over 250 total blocks and 96 service aces throughout her time in the navy and red.
"I would want anybody in that era I played to be part of this moment," Whitby-York said. "It's such a 'we-over-me' sport. Things like this don't happen in isolation. I'm only as good as the people around me, whether that was the coaches pushing or the fans cheering or the players on the court getting after it."
Even with all her success, Whitby-York looked back on her experience humbly. Throughout her time at Ole Miss, she remained highly team-motivated throughout. Much beyond her individual success, the impact she hoped to have on her teammates is a resounding one.
"For me, one of the many things that I took was believability," Whitby-York said. "The courage and the confidence it gives you when you go day-in, day-out. Just the ability to continue to believe that you can achieve what you set your mind to, which were big goals for us, this moment in celebrating the 1,000-1,000 brings so much of that back to mind. Setters typically don't get that. The believability that I could, and it was done in a way that I hope was centered on serving my teammates and doing the next best thing."
Life After Volleyball
Years have passed since Whitby-York last suited up for Ole Miss, yet "Hotty Toddy" has remained an integral part of her character. Her office walls are coated with Ole Miss memorabilia, including her 1990 All-SEC plaque, her letter and one of her No. 10 jerseys.
After she graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in health and wellness, she remained in Oxford, joining Blair as an assistant coach the Rebels. She spent several years learning under Blair and found a way to make an impact on young athletes.
She said that's one of the most fulfilling things Ole Miss has provided her in her lifetime.
"Purpose is so much more to me than goals," Whitby-York said. "Living out that purpose of volleyball is an incredible avenue to impact lives."
Her purpose has led to over 20 years of coaching experience, both at the collegiate and high school ranks. She spent 16 years as a high school volleyball coach after her time with Ole Miss and moved into a sport administrator role at the high school level. She presently works at St. George's Independent School in her native Memphis, as its athletic director, where she's served in that role since 2023.
Outside of the volleyball court, Whitby-York married Greg York in between her junior and senior season of competition, where all her teammates attended. The couple has three sons, Hunter, Kegan and Kaelan.
Her husband was the voice of the Rebels volleyball team while she was an Ole Miss coach and was the lead minister of several churches. Additionally, all three of her sons shared their parent's passion for sports and love for Ole Miss. They always enjoyed volleyball, with the oldest son, Hunter, essentially growing up in a ball cart. In Whitby-York's words, they are "brutally inflicted with the Ole Miss genes."
For a program rich with statistically dominant setters such as Liz Poerner, Lisa Frannino and Aubrey Edie, Whitby-York served as the benchmark for what Rebel setters can achieve. The love for Ole Miss has persisted for Whitby-York, and her team-oriented mindset serves as an example for all student-athletes to strive for.
"At the end of the day, I don't ever want it to be about me," Whitby-York said. "It's what we all accomplished together as a group. As women, especially, the things that we learned from that experience, that shaped and formed us into who we are."
Comprised of athletes from the 1980s 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 1990, Michelle Whitby-York became Ole Miss' first and only setter to join the prestigious club, while being the third athlete to do so in five seasons. She became the third player in Ole Miss history to join the club, alongside Julie Link Clark and Mary Ahern, all of which came under head coach John Blair.
The only Rebel to combine for over 1,000 assists and 1,000 digs, Whitby-York has stood the test of time as one of Ole Miss' best offensive setters in program history. With a natural capability of setting up teammates mixed with her inherent ability to efficiently get kills, Whitby-York was truly ahead of her time at the position.
Whitby-York completed her career with 2,983 assists and 1,007 digs, the former of which set a then-program record, and she needed only three seasons in Oxford to accomplish her athletic feat. She also set multiple single-season records during the sideout scoring era, with her 1,654 assists in 1989 still serving as the all-eras record.
Destination: Oxford
Unlike her predecessors, Whitby-York began her collegiate career elsewhere. She spent one season at Mississippi State where she set the freshman record for most solo blocks in a single season with 22. She had one game against Southern Miss with five solo blocks, which tied a then-single game record.
However, a coaching change at Mississippi State caused Whitby-York to pause and reevaluate her situation.
"I don't have any ill-feelings toward State," Whitby-York said. "I appreciated the opportunity to play there."
Ultimately, Whitby-York decided she would transfer to Ole Miss. Oxford was closer to home for the Memphis native, and she said that it felt like home the longer she spent with the Rebels.
Due to NCAA transfer rules at the time, Whitby-York was required to sit-out for the 1987 season. It was a frightening proposition for Whitby-York because of the uncertainty, but head coach John Blair demonstrated faith in her abilities and helped keep her prepared for whenever she would be cleared to play.
"I'll be forever grateful to him for giving me that opportunity," Whitby-York said. "I think the world of him. He is an incredible, incredible coach and technician of the game, and I learned so much from him."
That decision would pay off for Blair and Whitby-York, who competed for the Rebels for the first time in 1988. Whitby-York had a solid first season in Oxford, accumulating 360 assists and 187 digs, both team highs. She also helped in the scoring category, racking 138 kills. This season would serve as a precursor for what was in store for Whitby-York as a junior in 1989.
That season, she would explode for 1,654 assists to set Ole Miss' all-time single season record, which still stands to this day. It was the second-highest single season mark by any SEC competitor at the end of the season, and still stands as the eighth-most by an individual player ever.
She paired her offensive dominance with stingy defense, becoming the first player in Ole Miss history to accrue over 500 digs in a single season, finishing with 503. That mark set a program sideout scoring era record and stood as the most in a single season until 2007.
Going into that season, which was the senior seasons for team staples Mary Ahern and Cami Jones, Whitby-York and the rest of her teammates set out with a goal in mind: Build a culture.
"When that's what you're trying to build as an individual, game on," Whitby-York said. "You just have to rise to the occasion, and I think that's what we all did. A rising tide raises all ships. We were trying to make each other better day-in and day-out, trying to be super competitive. We wanted to win. There's no doubt we wanted to win."
Whitby-York helped Ahern achieve one of the best single seasons in program history while doing so herself, as the Rebels reached 30 wins for the first time since 1979. The Rebels won 13 consecutive games, which included tournament sweeps at the Saint Louis Invitational and the Mississippi Collegiate Preview.
Now a senior in 1990, Whitby-York was missing a key piece of her individual résumé: an all-conference nod. For her, she saw it as the next step to her career and a goal of hers to end her career with a bang. In her final push, she managed to accomplish that goal.
She totaled 969 digs for the Rebels, a team-high by a mile, while also digging the ball 317 times. Whitby-York accounted for over 90 percent of Ole Miss' assists that season.
Unbeknownst to her, she joined Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club with her 1,000th career dig in her final career match against Florida. Entering that match, Whitby-York sat at 995 career digs, needing only five to make history. She reached that comfortably, finishing the day with 12 digs.
She had bolstered her chance at reaching the mark earlier in the season, when she set a sideout scoring era record 37 digs against Mississippi State. That record would stand in all-eras until 2024, when Cammy Niesen recorded 39 against Arkansas.
A highly competitive athlete, Whitby-York tapped into a different mentality every time she stepped on the court. She said she preferred making a defensive stop if it helped her team win.
"I'm the most competitive person you're going to find," Whitby-York said. "I did not want to lose. If it meant that I needed to get 1,000 digs for us not to lose, that's what I was going to do."
That mentality served her well during her senior season. She became Ole Miss' sixth All-SEC member and first since Link Clark in 1986. She attributed her success that season to a constant state of improvement while keeping with a team-oriented mindset.
"Showing up to every practice, every minute, everything you can do for your teammates, that was my goal," Whitby-York said.
By the time she walked off the court for the final time, Whitby-York had cemented herself as one of the best all-around setters in program history. On top of her century-marks in digs and assists, Whitby-York added 350 kills, over 250 total blocks and 96 service aces throughout her time in the navy and red.
"I would want anybody in that era I played to be part of this moment," Whitby-York said. "It's such a 'we-over-me' sport. Things like this don't happen in isolation. I'm only as good as the people around me, whether that was the coaches pushing or the fans cheering or the players on the court getting after it."
Even with all her success, Whitby-York looked back on her experience humbly. Throughout her time at Ole Miss, she remained highly team-motivated throughout. Much beyond her individual success, the impact she hoped to have on her teammates is a resounding one.
"For me, one of the many things that I took was believability," Whitby-York said. "The courage and the confidence it gives you when you go day-in, day-out. Just the ability to continue to believe that you can achieve what you set your mind to, which were big goals for us, this moment in celebrating the 1,000-1,000 brings so much of that back to mind. Setters typically don't get that. The believability that I could, and it was done in a way that I hope was centered on serving my teammates and doing the next best thing."
Life After Volleyball
Years have passed since Whitby-York last suited up for Ole Miss, yet "Hotty Toddy" has remained an integral part of her character. Her office walls are coated with Ole Miss memorabilia, including her 1990 All-SEC plaque, her letter and one of her No. 10 jerseys.
After she graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in health and wellness, she remained in Oxford, joining Blair as an assistant coach the Rebels. She spent several years learning under Blair and found a way to make an impact on young athletes.
She said that's one of the most fulfilling things Ole Miss has provided her in her lifetime.
"Purpose is so much more to me than goals," Whitby-York said. "Living out that purpose of volleyball is an incredible avenue to impact lives."
Her purpose has led to over 20 years of coaching experience, both at the collegiate and high school ranks. She spent 16 years as a high school volleyball coach after her time with Ole Miss and moved into a sport administrator role at the high school level. She presently works at St. George's Independent School in her native Memphis, as its athletic director, where she's served in that role since 2023.
Outside of the volleyball court, Whitby-York married Greg York in between her junior and senior season of competition, where all her teammates attended. The couple has three sons, Hunter, Kegan and Kaelan.
Her husband was the voice of the Rebels volleyball team while she was an Ole Miss coach and was the lead minister of several churches. Additionally, all three of her sons shared their parent's passion for sports and love for Ole Miss. They always enjoyed volleyball, with the oldest son, Hunter, essentially growing up in a ball cart. In Whitby-York's words, they are "brutally inflicted with the Ole Miss genes."
For a program rich with statistically dominant setters such as Liz Poerner, Lisa Frannino and Aubrey Edie, Whitby-York served as the benchmark for what Rebel setters can achieve. The love for Ole Miss has persisted for Whitby-York, and her team-oriented mindset serves as an example for all student-athletes to strive for.
"At the end of the day, I don't ever want it to be about me," Whitby-York said. "It's what we all accomplished together as a group. As women, especially, the things that we learned from that experience, that shaped and formed us into who we are."
Players Mentioned
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