2009 Horizon League Volleyball -- Players to Watch

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INDIANAPOLIS -- With 2009 regular-season volleyball action slated to begin on Friday, Aug. 28, the Horizon League's nine head coaches selected their top returnee and top newcomer:

*** TOP RETURNEES ***

JESSICA WOLFE -- Butler -- Junior -- Outside Hitter -- Plainfield, Ind.

   * An All-Horizon League selection in 2008
   * Ranked fourth in the League with 3.24 kills per set last season
   * Ranked fifth in the League with 3.70 points per set last year

AMY BENZ -- Cleveland State -- Junior -- Middle Hitter -- Tiffin, Ohio
   * A two-time All-Horizon League selection and League All-Tournament choice (2007 & 2008)
   * Led the conference in hitting percentage as a freshman (.334) and sophomore (.303)
   * Finished second in the League in blocks as a freshman (1.50) and third as a sophomore (1.06)

HOLLY VISSER -- Green Bay -- Senior -- Outside Hitter -- Waupun, Wis.
   * Enters senior season with 807 career kills, which ranks among the school's all-time top 10
   * Led the Phoenix in kills per set (3.09), total attacks (1,098) and points per set (3.48) last season
   * Tallied 10 double-doubles in 2008, including nine in Horizon League play

DANA VANDIGGELEN -- Loyola -- Senior -- Outside Hitter -- Arlington Heights, Ill.
   * Finished with 297 kills (2.63 kps), 318 digs (2.81 dps) and 85 blocks (0.75 bps) a season ago
   * Reached double-figures kills on 13 occasions and totaled nine double-doubles

LAUREN FELSING -- Milwaukee -- Senior -- Libero -- Hartland, Wis.
   * A 2008 All-Horizon League choice and League All-Tournament honoree
   * A 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American
   * Has reached double-figure digs in 57 straight matches -- the nation's longest active streak

CASIE SULLIVAN -- UIC -- Junior -- Outside Hitter -- Kewanee, Ill.
   * Returning for third year as team captain
   * Played 108 sets in 2008; finished second on team with 2.74 kills per set
   * Tallied 13 double-doubles last season, nine of which came in UIC's final 12 matches

ANGIE PORCHE -- Valparaiso -- Senior -- Outside Hitter -- Lynwood, Ill.
   * The Horizon League's 2008 Player of the Year
   * A two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and All-Midwest Region pick
   * Already holds Valparaiso career records for kills (1,599) and attacks (3,976) in addition to single-season records in both categories; finished 2008 seventh in the nation with 4.61 kills per set

SHAUNDA SANDIFER -- Wright State -- Junior -- Middle Blocker -- Calumet City, Ill.
   * An All-Horizon League selection in 2008
   * Led the League in solo blocks and overall blocks, was second in blocks per set and third in hitting percentage
   * In conference-only matches, led in hitting percentage, was second in solo blocks and third in blocks per set

RUTH BOSCALJON -- Youngstown State -- Senior -- Middle Hitter -- Elgin, Ill.
   * Led League in blocks per set (1.16) and ranked second in hitting percentage (.297) last season
   * Her 992 career kills are the most ever by a YSU player entering their senior season; her .294 career hitting percentage is the best in school history
   * Needs eight kills and 136 blocks to become the second player in school history to have 1,000 kills and 500 blocks

*** TOP NEWCOMERS ***

GINA VERA -- Butler -- Freshman -- Setter -- Joliet, Ill.
   * A 2008 High School All-American; also earned MVP honors at the Illinois 3A State Championship
   * Set Joliet Catholic Academy record with 1,631 career assists
   * Led club team to fifth place at a national tournament

KARA KOCH -- Cleveland State -- Freshman -- Outside Hitter -- West Salem, Ohio
   * A four-time all-league and all-district pick at Northwestern High School; also earned All-Ohio honors three times
   * Collected a state-best 614 kills last year to finish with an Ohio High School all-time best 2,196
   * A three-time District 4 Player of the Year, earning the honor as a freshman, junior and senior

WHITNEY SCHOTT -- Green Bay -- Junior -- Setter -- Rocscoe, Ill.
   * Transfer from Stephen F. Austin who will have two years of eligibility at Green Bay
   * Finished second in the Southland Conference in assists last year, both in overall and conference-only matches
   * Collected 1,020 assists for the Ladyjacks, who finished with a 20-9 record

DIANA SCHULTE -- Loyola -- Freshman -- Middle Blocker -- Cincinnati, Ohio
   * A three-time, first-team All-Conference pick at Anderson High School
   * Participated in Southwest Ohio Volleyball Coaches Association District 16 Senior Showcase

JENA BERG -- Milwaukee -- Junior -- Outside Hitter -- Bristol, Wis.
   * Played two seasons at Tennessee -- mainly slotted at setter (over 1,000 assists)
   * Primary position at Milwaukee will be outside hitter
   * A PrepVolleyball.com top 35 player in the country as a high school senior

NICOLE ALLGOOD -- UIC -- Freshman -- Middle Blocker -- Crestwood, Ky.
   * A transfer from Louisville who has four years of elgibility remaining at UIC
   * Helped South Oldham High School to three district crowns and four region titles
   * Led high school squad in kills as a junior and senior

TAYLOR ROOT -- Valparaiso -- Freshman -- Libero -- Jenison, Mich.
   * A PrepVolleyball.com High School All-American; one of just three liberos to receive the honor
   * Led Jenison High School to back-to-back Michigan State Championships as a junior and senior
   * One of 10 finalists for Michigan's Miss Volleyball award

STEFANIE SHIRAMIZU -- Wright State -- Freshman -- Libero -- Okemos, Mich.
   * Named to honorable mention all-state, all-region and all-conference as a high school senior
   * 2008 MVP at Okemos; led prep squad in digs en route to a 33-8-1 record
   * Also picked up academic all-state and all-area honors

SUZANNE LASSEIGNE -- Youngstown State -- Freshman -- Outside Hitter -- Virginia Beach, Va.
   * Earned High School All-America honors from PrepVolleyball.com as a senior
   * Named Group AAA second-team All-Virginia as both a junior and senior
   * A three-time all-district and all-region selection; District Player of the Year as a senior