Three Spartan Volleyball Players Earn All-Big Ten Accolades

Dec. 1, 2003

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State volleyball's Kim Schram, Nikki Colson and Jenny Rood were named to the Big Ten Conference's all-league teams Monday. Schram was a first-team All-Big Ten selection; Rood and Colson were selected honorable mention. The league's head coaches vote on the honors.

Schram, a native of London, Ontario, leads the Spartans with 530 kills on the season, an average of 4.77 per game. She had a streak of nine matches lasting from Oct. 18 to Nov. 15 during which she posted at least 19 kills. In that span, she recorded 20 or more kills six times. An opposite-side hitter, Schram also has five double-doubles on the season, each of which was a kills-digs combination.

Nikki Colson was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.

Colson, a setter from Lincoln, Neb., is currently ranked ninth in the nation in assists per game at 13.56. She has 1,513 assists on the season, and set the Michigan State career record for assists this season. At the conclusion of the Big Ten season, Colson had 4,491 assists in her four years at MSU. She set the season assist record in 2002 with 1,577, and is just 65 from breaking that record.

Jenny Rood earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades in 2003.

Rood, who was a Preseason All-Big Ten selection, is averaging 3.32 kills and 0.99 blocks per game on the year. Her 111 blocks are a team-best, and her .232 attack percentage ranks third in the Big Ten. A native of Ada, Mich., Rood is ranked sixth in career kills (1,354), ninth in block assists (276) and 10th in both career block solos (76) and career total blocks (352).

Minnesota's Cassie Busse was named Player of the Year, while Paula Gentil, another Golden Gopher, was named Defensive Player of the Year. Cassy Salyer of Penn State was voted the Freshman of the year. The Big Ten coaches voted Don Hardin of Illinois the Coach of the Year, while the media votes were split between Hardin and Penn State's Russ Rose.

The Spartans host the first and second rounds of the 2003 NCAA Volleyball Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5-6 in Jenison Field House. MSU is 19-11 on the season, and finished sixth in the Big Ten this year. State faces Dayton in an 8 p.m. match on Friday, following a 5 p.m. match that features No. 9 Nebraska and Valparaiso.

ALL-BIG TEN

Name, School Class Pos. Hometown/High School Erin Virtue, Illinois Jr. S St. Charles, Ill./St. Francis Lisa Argabright, llinois Sr. MB Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Erin Moore, Michigan* Sr. MB Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian Kim Schram, MICHIGAN STATE Jr. OH London, Ontario/Oakridge Secondary Cassie Busse, Minnesota* Sr. OPP Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake Christian Paula Gentil, Minnesota So. LIB Fortaleza Ceara, Brazil/Lake Highland Prep (Fla.) Erika Lange, Northwestern Sr. MB Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg Stacey Gordon, Ohio State* Jr. OH Oshawa, Ontario/Eastdale Collegiate Cara Smith, Penn State* Sr. MH Lafayette, Ind./Harrison Erin Iceman, Penn State Sr. OPP Wooster, Ohio/Wooster Sam Tortorello, Penn State So. S Shorewood, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy Jill Odenthal, Wisconsin Jr. RS Geneva, Ill./Geneva HONORABLE MENTION: Indiana: Melissa Brewer MICHIGAN STATE: Nikki Colson, Jenny Rood Minnesota: Lindsey Taatjes Purdue: Kim McConaha, Renata Dargan Wisconsin: Morgan Shields * - unanimous selection

BIG TEN ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM Name, School Pos. Hometown/High School Megan Bowman, Michigan MB St. John, Ind./Lake Central Meredith Nelson, Minnesota MB St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Briana McCarthy, Ohio State S Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam Cassy Salyer, Penn State MH Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill Melanie Ukovich, Purdue OPP Minooka, Ill./Minooka Amy Bladow, Wisconsin MB Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cassie Busse, Minnesota DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Paula Gentil, Minnesota FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Cassy Salyer, Penn State COACH OF THE YEAR (Coaches): Don Hardin, Illinois CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR (Media): Don Hardin, Illinois and Russ Rose, Penn State

Three Spartan Volleyball Players Earn All-Big Ten Accolades

Related Videos