2011: Appeared in all 31 matches as a back row specialist ... Made 14 digs in a win over Weber State (8/27) ... Contributed eight digs in each of NU's two matches at the Chicagoland Challenge ... Obliterated her previous career-high for digs by five when she made 23 in a five-set match against Central Arkansas (9/9) ... Also made 10 digs the same day in a four-set match versus Ole Miss ... Reached double-digit digs at 30th Wildcat Classic on Sept. 16 vs. Duquesne (11) and on Sept. 17 in a sweep over New Mexico State (10) ... Recorded back-to-back aces during the first set at Wisconsin (9/23) ... Set season highs in both kills (6) and attempts (28) at Minnesota (9/25) ... Dug out nine attacks against Purdue (9/28) ... Collected a pair of service aces for the fifth time this season on Oct. 1 versus Indiana...Had six digs and another pair of service aces at Penn State (10/5) ... Chipped in with four digs at Ohio State (10/8) ... Tallied three kills and added nine digs against Michigan (10/15) ... Reached 900 career digs with 11 against Iowa (10/22) ... Notched 15 digs against Wisconsin (10/29) ... Served three aces to go with 12 digs at Michigan State (11/19) ... Had 10 digs and a kill at Illinois (11/23) ... Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
2010: Started all 33 matches for Northwestern ... Finished third on the team with 298 digs with 32 service aces ... Recorded a career-best five service aces against Illinois-Chicago (Aug. 28), all of which came in the second set ... Had back-to-back aces to start the set, followed by back-to-back-to-back aces late in the set ... Recorded a pair of service aces against Utah (9/4) with 12 digs ... Notched 10 digs in the win over Morehead State (9/4) ... Reached double-digit dig totals in all three matches at the Ohio tournament ... Had three service aces in the opening set in the victory over Charlotte (9/17) ... Added a pair of aces against Harvard (9/18) ... Recorded her 500th career dig in the victory over Marquette (9/18) ... Finished with a season-best 17 digs against Purdue (9/25) ... Notched 16 digs at Illinois (10/2) ... Posted three kills with 11 digs against Minnesota (10/10) ... Finished with 14 digs in the upset of sixth-ranked Illinois (11/5) ... Posted 10 digs against Michigan State (11/26) ... Finished with 10 digs and a service ace in the NCAA first round victory over Arizona (12/3) ... Followed up that performance with six digs and a pair of aces against Missouri (12/4) in the NCAA second round ... Recorded double-digit dig totals in 15 matches ... Academic All-Big Ten selection.
2009: Played in all 32 matches for Northwestern with 23 starts ... Tied for third on the team with 226 digs, finished fourth on the team with 132 kills and was second in service aces with 19 ... Put together arguably her best match as a Wildcat at Wisconsin (10/24), setting new career-bests in kills (16) and attempts (47) and adding 14 digs while recording the first double-double of her NU career ... Came up big in her season debut, recording 14 kills on 43 attempts at Kentucky (8/28) ... Set a new personal-best with three blocks against Florida International (8/29) ... Played a key role for the Wildcats at the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational, finishing with 15 kills, four blocks and 16 digs ... Had nine kills on 17 attempts with just one error, setting a new personal-best in hitting percentage at .471 against Presbyterian (9/11) ... Had 14 digs in the tournament finale at Charlotte (9/12) ... Had a pair of service aces and 11 digs at Michigan State (10/3) ... Recorded nine kills, two blocks, two service aces and 6 digs vs. Minnesota (10/17) ... Had her second career double-double at Purdue (10/30) after posting 13 kills and a career-best 18 digs ... Led the Wildcats in both kills (11) and digs (13) at Ohio State (11/13) for the third double-double of her career ... Notched double-digit kill totals in four matches and double-digit dig totals in eight matches ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2008: Hit the court running as a freshman, appearing in all 31 matches for Northwestern while starting 17, including her collegiate debut against Illinois Chicago (8/29) ... Finished fifth in the team in kills with 133 and was one of just two `Cats to tally triple digits in both kills and digs (185) ... Had an impressive collegiate debut, starting both matches of the Chicagoland Challenge ... Registered eight kills on 34 attempts at Loyola Chicago (8/30) to go along with five digs and a pair of blocks ... Registered seven kills, three digs and three service aces in her collegiate debut vs. Illinois-Chicago (8/29) ... Had a eight digs against Cleveland State (9/6) while adding a pair of blocks ... Came up big against Montana State (9/12), setting personal-bests in kills (nine) and digs (13) ... Played a key role for NU at the Wildcat Classic, setting new personal bests in kills (15) and hitting percentage (.375) against Virginia ... Had a pair of assists and blocks against UCLA (9/20) ... Recorded her 100th career kill against Wisconsin (10/8).
High School: Four-year letterwinner for Marymount High School ... Helped lead the Sailors to the division 4 state championship as a junior ... Captured CIF championship all four years ... Was named to the CIF first-team in 2004, 2006 and 2007 ... As a freshman was named one of PrepVolleyball.com's top-50 freshman and was evaluated by USA Volleyball as "one of the top 10 outside hitters in the country in her age group" ... Began playing club volleyball at eight years old, most recently for TCA 18-1 ... Played a major role in helping club team capture the 2008 Las Vegas Fiesta Classic championship ... Member of 2006 national championship while finishing third nationally in 2007 ... Named to the honor roll and California Scholarship Federation in 2004, 2005 and 2006 ... Participated in student council as a senior.
Personal: Born Alexandra Ayers ... Daughter of Jim and Paula Ayers ... Sister Kelly played volleyball for William and Mary ... Received first volleyball recruiting letter from Southern California when she was 12 years old ... Majoring in radio/film/television.
Ayers' Career Statistics
Ayers' Career Highs
| Kills | 16, at Wisconsin (Oct. 24, 2009) |
| Total Attempts | 47, at Wisconsin (Oct. 24, 2009) |
| Hitting Pct. (min. 10 att) | .471, vs. Presbyterian (Sept. 11, 2009) |
| Service Aces | 5, vs. UIC (Aug. 28, 2010) |
| Assists | 27, vs. Wisconsin (Oct. 8, 2008) |
| Total Blocks | 3, vs. Florida International (Aug. 29, 2009) |
| Digs | 23, vs. Central Arkansas (Sept. 9, 2011) |