Michigan State University Athletics
Ashley Schatzle Earns AVCA All-Mideast Region Honors
12/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Dec. 10, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State volleyball senior Ashley Schatzle (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Mideast Region Team. This is the first all-region honor in Schatzle's career and she is the first Spartan since Kim Schram in 2004 to be named to the team. Schatzle is now eligible for the AVCA All-America team, which will be announced on Wed., Dec. 12.
Schatzle racks up her second postseason honor of the season, having been named to the All-Big Ten Team, for the second-straight season, prior to the NCAA Tournament. Schatzle led the team and was third in the Big Ten with 553 kills (4.53 per game), which is the fifth most by a Spartan in a single-season. She posted 20 double-doubles on the season and ended the season with a string of 21-straight double-digit kill efforts. Schatzle was also second on the team with 365 digs (2.99 per game). In only three seasons in Green and White, she finishes her career in eighth all-time with 1,419 kills and fifth with a 4.16 kills per game average.
Schatzle helped the Spartans to a 21-14 overall record and a trip to NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal. MSU finished the Big Ten season at 10-10 and in a tie for fifth place, despite a 1-4 start in league play. Their regular season play earned the Spartans a berth in the NCAA Tournament and a trip to Dayton, Ohio. In Dayton, Michigan State swept both Kentucky and No. 15 Dayton to advance them to the Madison, Wis. Regional for a match-up with No. 2 Nebraska. The Spartans took the first two games from the defending national champions, but the Huskers came back to squeeze out the final three games for the match win. MSU is currently ranked No. 24 in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, their first national ranking since Oct. 20, 2003.
Upon conclusion of the Madison Regional on Saturday, Schatzle and classmate Katie Johnson (Brooklyn, Mich./Columbia Central) were named to the regional's all-tournament team. Both seniors posted double-doubles in Friday night's loss. Johnson posted a game-high 24 kills and tied her career-high with 13 digs, while also adding three blocks (one solo, one assisted). Meanwhile, Schatzle had 21 kills and 13 digs for her 20th double-double of the season, and also chipped in career-best four block assists.
