Volleyball Players, Newcomers to Watch

Aug. 7, 2006

Horizon League Players to Watch in 2006

Krystal Hendrix, Butler
6-1 * Sr. * MB-OH
Krystal Hendrix returns for her final collegiate season as the Bulldogs' active leader in kills, attacks (1,875), aces, digs and total blocks. Last season, she finished second on the team with 24 service aces, third with 82 total blocks and fifth with 155 kills. She added career-highs with 22 digs and six assists against Cleveland State (Sept. 23) and tied her career-high with 10 block assists against Youngstown State (Sept. 24).
Key stats from 2005 season: 1.67 kpg, 1.61 dpg, 0.88 bpg

Danielle Siefker, Cleveland State
6-0 * Sr. * MH
An All-Horizon League selection last year, senior middle hitter Danielle Siefker will be Cleveland State's go-to player this season. In 2005, she hit .294 (second-best in the League) while averaging 2.72 kills and a League-best 1.26 blocks, upping her average to 1.42 blocks in League play. Poised to break the school career record for total blocks, Siefker will have to step up her level of play in an offense that could feature as many as three freshmen on the court.
Key stats from 2005 season: 2.72 kpg, 2.60 dpg, 1.26 bpg

Ambria Springer, UIC
5-10 * Sr. * MH
Ambria Springer was to the All-Horizon League team in 2005. The middle hitter finished first on the 2005 squad with 113 total blocks, averaging 0.95 per match and earning an eighth-place ranking in single season records for UIC. Springer ranked second on the team and sixth in the conference with 395 kills (3.32 per match). The senior posted 20 service aces and led the team with a .272 hitting percentage, earning her a seventh-place spot in the league and a tenth-place ranking in the UIC single-season records book.
Key stats from 2005 season: 3.32 kpg, 0.53, dpg, 0.95 bpg

Courtney Ashley, Loyola
5-9 * Sr. * OH
One of the most well-rounded players in the Horizon League, Courtney Ashley rebounded from nagging injuries during the non-conference schedule to lead the Ramblers to their second successive Horizon League Championship title in 2005. She finished second on the team with 322 digs (2.88 dpg) to go with 249 kills (2.22 kpg) and 45 service aces en route to earning All-Horizon League honors. Ashley enters her senior year ranked tenth on LU's all-time list in kills (836).
Key stats from 2005 season: 2.22 kpg, 2.88 dpg, 0.21 bpg

Betty Slinger, UW-Green Bay
5-9 * Jr. * S
Betty Slinger's selection to the All-Horizon League team last fall marked the third consecutive season that a Phoenix setter was named to the 12-member squad (including Leslie Kuhn in 2003 and 2004). She was one of just two sophomores named to last year's team. Her assist total of 1348 a year ago ranks as the third-best single-season mark in school history, while her 1708 career assists already rank her fourth in UW-Green Bay annals.
Key stats from 2005 season: 1.60 kpg, 12.04 apg, 2.39 dpg

Cheryl Hegemann, UW-Milwaukee
6-1 * Sr. * MH
Cheryl Hegemann has emerged as the leader of the Panthers heading into the 2006 season. An All-Horizon League honoree a season ago, Hegemann started every match for the Panthers while leading the team in kills. She reached double-figures in kills 19 times a year ago while recording double-figure efforts in digs 16 times. She also tallied 12 double-doubles and recorded 20 or more kills in a match three times. Hegemann currently ranks fourth in the school's Division I history in blocks and 12th in kills.
Key stats from 2005 season: 3.23 kpg, 2.60 dpg, 0.95 bpg

Sarah Poling, Wright State
5-11 * Sr. * OH
Sarah Poling was named All-Horizon League in 2005 as she finished fourth in the Horizon League in kills per game (3.68) and fifth in digs per game (4.11). She reached double figures in kills in 21 matches and posted 19 double-doubles, including in 11 of the final 13 matches of the year. Poling was also named to theAll-Tournament Team as she tallied 70 kills and 69 digs in four matches as the Raiders advanced to the Horizon League championship match for the first time.
Key stats from 2005 season: 3.68 kpg, 4.11 dpg, 0.41 bpg

Jessica Fraley, Youngstown State
6-1 * Jr. * OPP

Jessica Fraley returns to action after missing most of the 2005 season with a sports hernia.She set the Youngstown State single-match kills record with 31 against Canisius (8-28-05) and averaged 2.97 kills per game in just 30 games played. Fraley was named to the 2004 Horizon League All-Newcomer Team after leading the Penguins with 360 kills and 3.13 kills per game, setting the Youngstown State freshman kills record with the eighth-highest single-season total in school history.
Key stats from 2005 season: 2.97 kpg, 2.13 dpg, 0.33 bpg

Horizon League Newcomers to Watch in 2006

Porshia Allen, Butler
6-1 * Fr. * OH
Freshman Porshia Allen possesses great ball handling skills and is capable of playing both at outside hitter and middle blocker, although the Indianapolis native will probably see a majority of the time outside this fall. She shared Most Valuable Player honors at the Nike Challenge in 2002-03 while playing at Mother McAuley and was named to the Indianapolis Star First-Team All-City honor roll in 2003 and 2004. She also holds the school records for digs and service aces.

Alexis Korovich, Cleveland State
5-9 * Fr. * OH
Outside hitter Alexis Korovich has a big burden to shoulder. A redshirt last season behind three senior outside hitters, she will be asked to step into the starting line-up in 2006 at one of the starting outside spots. It won't just be a token offensive role for the 2004 conference player of the year at Geneva (Ohio) High School, as she will be relied upon as one of the primary passers and as a solid blocker as well.

Amanda Kenny, UIC
6-1 * Jr. * OH
Outside hitter Amanda Denny joins the Flame program after two seasons at the University of Dayton. She averaged 2.01 kills and 2.39 digs per game for the Flyers a year ago, and recorded ten digs in ten matches, and finished the 2005 season with 13 digs, eight kills and two service aces versus 11th-ranked Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament. She returns to her hometown area where she was an All-State choice while playing at Mother McAuley High School.

Dana VanDieggelen, Loyola
6-1 * Fr. * MB
Dana VanDiggelen arrives in Rogers Park after a terrific career at suburban Hersey High School, where she was a two-time all-state honoree and three-time all-area and all-conference selection. The graduation of Hilary Stromath leaves the Ramblers with a void in the middle and VanDiggelen will be in the mix for immediate playing time along with returning juniors Shelby Henriksen and Melissa Craig.

Holly Visser, UW-Green Bay
5-10 * Fr. * OH
Holly Visser joins the Phoenix following the completion of her career at one of the most successful high school volleyball programs in the state of Wisconsin. Her Waupun High squad captured the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 state championship for a state-record fifth straight year. In the championship match of her senior year, Visser recorded a match-high 20 kills to go along with a .594 hitting percentage.

Maddie Sueppel, UW-Milwaukee
6-1 * Fr. * MH
Maddie Sueppel had a strong career at both Cedarburg High School and with the Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club. She earned all-state honors in both 2003 and 2004 at Cedarburg before a knee injury shortened her high school career. She was also a three-time all-North Shore Conference selection and a two-time Milwaukee Journal Sentinel all-area choice. In club play, she helped her Sting team to a second-place national finish and a national title in 2004. She was a club All-American in 2004 and was selected to the Senior Aces List by Prep Volleyball.

Lexi Leonhard, Wright State
5-11 * Fr. * OH
Leonhard was named Second Team All-State as a junior and senior by the Michigan High School Volleyball Coaches Association along with First Team All-Region both years by the Monroe Evening News. She was also selected First Team All-Southeastern Conference as a senior. The Lady Mules finished 79-4 in 2005 and advanced all the way to the Class A state semifinals before falling to eventual champ East Kentwood in five games. In that match, Leonhard recorded 11 kills along with eight digs and six block assists.

Ruth Boscaljon, Youngstown State
6-3 * Fr. * MH
Middle hitter Ruth Boscaljon was a three-time All-Upstate Eight Conference (2003, 2004, 2005) performer at Larkin High School in Elgin, Ill. She set the school's career kills record with 949 and the all-time blocks record with 546. Boscaljon was named the Elgin Courier News Player of the Year in 2005 and earned All-Area recognition in 2003, 2004 and 2005. She was also an Academic All-Upstate Eight selection in each of her last three seasons at the school.