When Courtney Carrington Wells '04/'07M received a phone call from Averett University Director of Athletics Meg Stevens, the former Averett women's volleyball standout was jokingly expecting Stevens to tell her she was one credit shy of graduating and didn't have her degree.
 
Luckily for Wells, that wasn't the case. Instead, Stevens was calling to inform her she was one of four members chosen for induction into the 2017 Averett Athletics Hall of Fame class in a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 21, as part of the university's Homecoming festivities.
 
"Hearing I was being inducted into the Hall of Fame wasn't something I expected," Wells said. "I owe Averett so much. The discipline I learned as a student-athlete is something I still carry into my own life whether it's my job, my marriage or raising my children. If it wasn't for Averett, I wouldn't've learned that discipline."
 
Wells shouldn't've been surprised by her induction, looking at the long list of accolades she piled up as a member of Averett's volleyball team. In 2003 alone, she was named the USA South Conference Player of the Year along with Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) State Player of the Year and was also named to the USA South First Team and VaSID All-State First Team. She rounded out her senior season with a USA South Conference Tournament championship and USA South All-Tournament Team recognition.
 
As a junior, she was named to the 2002 USA South First Team along with making an appearance on the VaSID All-State Second Team. In 2001, she picked up USA South Second Team honors. The versatile player finished her career with 991 kills (2.37 per set), 1,186 digs (2.84 per set), 769 assists and 185 service aces over 417 career sets. She also helped lead Averett to two USA South Conference Tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances, including being a member of the squad that notched the program's first NCAA postseason win.
 
Wells, however, is quick to point out there are a lot of people to thank for her success, especially volleyball head coach Danny Miller, now in his 23rd season.
 
"I can't say too much about how awesome Coach Miller is because it will go to his head," Wells said, laughing, "but that man taught me the benefits of working hard and being early and whether you're cleaning up, taking nets down or working on drills in practice, it's important to do it the best you can for the best results. The awards I got came from Miller, standing behind me, with a blood-red face, screaming at me because he knew I wouldn't start crying and leave and that's what would motivate me."
 
Wells was just a freshman in 2000 when the Cougars won the USA South Conference title and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. She didn't see much playing time that year because she injured her knee early in the season and had to have surgery, but she remembers watching the 2000 squad and being in awe at their talent and how much she had to learn.
 
"My teammates that year were so talented and played together for so long and Coach Miller used that to build cohesion on the team," Wells said. "It was the first time I had been a part of a team that had made it look so easy all the time. They knew each other and could anticipate each other's reactions. It was the first time I had watched something like that and been in total awe at how good they were."
 
Wells, however, was just 18-years-old at the time and didn't really recognize the significance of the Cougars' accomplishment after winning the USA South tourney.
 
"At the time, that was my freshman year and I didn't understand how important it was at the time because at my high school we dominated and won state titles and things like that all the time," Wells said. "To me, it was like 'what's the big deal?' Averett does this all the time."
 
It took three years for the significance of Averett's 2000 championship run to sink in for Wells. The Cougars graduated a ton of talent in 2000 and spent the next few seasons building back up to a championship level. However, Wells and her teammates believed in what Miller was trying to do and stayed the course, eventually winning the 2003 USA South Tournament and earning the program's second NCAA tourney berth in four seasons.
 
"Looking back on the 2000 season after winning the championship my senior year gave me a whole new perspective," Wells said. "It made me realize the importance of it. My sophomore and junior years were rebuilding years so when we got back to the top spot my senior year, it not only solidified the accomplishments of my senior season, but my freshman year as well.
 
"But we really learned a lot from watching that 2000 team and seeing how well they knew each other. We knew that was something we were going to have to get back if we were ever going to return to the top of the standings again, which we did."
 
Despite winning two USA South Tournament titles, a 2003 regular season matchup against conference rival Greensboro College is the match Wells remembers the most.
 
"It seemed like it was going to be for the regular season championship well and we were at their place and there was so much intensity in the game, but we won it," Wells said. "My grandpa still talks about the game. It took the whole team for us to come back and get that top spot, which defined that game and that season."
 
Averett meant so much to Wells that even after graduating, she stuck around and earned her master's degree while getting to pace the sidelines next to Miller, her former coach. For Wells, her return was a no-brainer.
 
"I loved everything about Averett and still love everything about it," Well said. "I respected the athletics program, but also respected my education and teachers and loved the atmosphere at Averett. Everybody knew everybody. I was comfortable in that. Averett gave me so much that staying and helping was enjoyable and it provided me with the opportunity to receive my masters and stay in touch with volleyball even though I was playing it."
 
Wells currently lives in Yadkin County, North Carolina, with her husband Kevin and her kids Elijah, Cooper and Britain. Along with her mom, Vetina and step-dad Benigno Gonzalez, Wells runs a poultry farm. Between the three, they have 12 breeder chicken houses, 150,000 chickens between three farms that each produce 30,000 eggs per day. Additionally, she helps run her grandfather's cattle farm.