Hall of Fame
Kucharski is one of the best women's volleyball players in program history. The Avon, Connecticut native landed on campus in 2011 and made an immediate impact on the team. She was named to the WNE Invitational All-Tournament Team in September of her first year with the team. After finishing the season with 466 digs and 4.24 digs per set, the first-year standout was named as an honorable mention on the All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Team. Kucharski was not just an immediate threat on the court, but also on the softball field. Kucharski would become a regular in the lineup, starting 19 of 24 games for the blue and gold.
Kucharski continued her excellence on the volleyball court as a sophomore, picking up the WNE Invitational Most Valuable Player award. After finishing the season with 557 digs and 4.68 digs per set, Kucharski was named as an honorable mention to the All-CCC Team once again, was named to the Capital One Academic All-District I First Team, and to the CCC All-Academic Team. She helped lead the team to ten more wins in 2012 compared to 2011. Kucharski's Golden Bears won the 2012 ECAC New England Championship, with only two sets lost during the tournament. The sophomore also continued to shine on the softball field. Kucharski was named to the All-CCC Team as an honorable mention and was named part of the CCCÂ All-Academic Team and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)Â Division III Scholar All-America Team. Kucharski played a pivotal role in helping the softball team win an ECAC Playoff game versus Norwich University.
Kucharski's career fully blossomed in year three. Kucharski would have a sensational year on the volleyball court, picking up single-season records for digs and digs per set, which still stand today. Kucharski recorded 607 digs and 5.23 digs per set to set those records. The junior was named to the WNE Invitational All-Tournament Team for a third consecutive season and was the WNE Invitational Most Valuable Player. The Golden Bears won 25 games again to reach 50 wins in two seasons and secure a second consecutive ECAC New England Championship. For her efforts, Kucharski earned multiple awards. The CCC named Kucharski their Libero of the Year and part of the All-CCC First Team. The junior phenom was also named to the Capital One NCAA Division III District 1 Academic First Team, was the Golden Bear Teammate of the Year and earned Western New England's Richard DiRuzza Leadership Award.
Along with being named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All-New England First Team and the ECAC Division III New England First Team, Kucharski became the first and only WNE women's volleyball player to be named to the AVCA Division III All-American Team as an honorable mention. In the spring of 2014, Kucharski was named the Female Coca-Cola Athlete of the Year. Kucharski did not join the softball team in 2014 due to earning and accepting the distinguished opportunity to join the Walt Disney Company College Internship Program.
Kucharski returned to Springfield for her senior season, ready to add to her Hall of Fame resume. At the end of the 2014 women's volleyball season, Kucharski was named to the All-CCC First Team, the CCC Co-Libero of the Year (her second Libero of the Year award), and was the CCC Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year. After concluding the season with 485 digs and 4.08 digs per set, Kucharski was recognized by the AVCA once again. Grace was named to the AVCA All-New England Division III Region First Team, the Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America Third Team, the New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Senior Classic, and the CCC All-Academic Team. To cap it all off, Kucharski was named an AVCA Division III All-American honorable mention for a second time, becoming the only two-time All-American in program history, which still stands today. By being named both an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season, Grace became one of the only Golden Bear to earn that achievement, and the first since 2007.
Kucharski ended her career as a Golden Bear by rejoining the WNE Softball team for her senior season in 2015. Kucharski immediately got back into the lineup and was named to the All-CCC Second Team and was a member of the NCAA Division III Williamstown Regional All-Tournament Team. Kucharski helped lead the Golden Bears to a CCC Championship versus Endicott College, an NCAA Tournament berth, and a win in the NCAA Tournament. At the end of the academic year, Kucharski was once again named the Female Coca-Cola Athlete of the Year and was named the WNE Female Senior-Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Kucharski received numerous awards during her time at WNE as a member of the women's volleyball and softball teams. Kucharski leads the women's volleyball program in career digs (2,118), career digs per set (4.52), single-season digs (607), and single-season digs per set (5.23). She remains in the top ten in program history for career service aces (249, 5th), career matches played (128, 4th), and career service aces per set (0.53, 7th). She is also on the single-season record board for single-season digs (607, 1st - 2013), (557, 2nd - 2012), (485 4th - 2014), and (466, 6th - 2011). Lastly, Kucharski's single season digs per set with 4.68 (4th), 4.24 (7th), and 4.8 (9th) all still hold in Western New England women's volleyball history today.
