Sanborn And Gustin Named Volleyball All-Big Ten
11/30/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 30, 1999
PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Juniors Jessica Sanborn and Sarah Gustin were both named to the All-Big Ten volleyball team on Monday, Nov. 28. Redshirt freshman Angela Morley was selected to the conference all-freshman team.
Sanborn, a middle hitter, is second on the team and fifth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.330) and blocks per game (1.20) and is one of five Spartans averaging over 2.00 digs per game (2.09). She earned GTE Academic second-team all-region honors earlier in the month and was the Big Ten's Player of the Week on Sept. 13. Sanborn has tallied three 20-kill matches this season, all in the month of November, including a career-high 22 against Illinois on Nov. 20. She hit the fourth-best single-match hitting percentage in school history with .882 (15-0-17)against Southern Miss and is fourth all-time in that category as a Spartan at .288 (639-225-1,438). As a blocker, Sanborn stands sixth on the school's career blocking list at 348 and is fifth on the block assists chart with 287.
Gustin, an outside hitter, who was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 1998, leads the Spartans and is fourth in the Big Ten in kills per game (4.34). She notched a career-high 31 kills, tied for 10th on the MSU single-match list, against Iowa on Oct. 8 and has led the team in kills 18 times this season. Against Indiana on Oct. 23, Gustin helped MSU set the school blocking record by recording 11 blocks, tied for eighth-best in school history. She is currently seventh on the MSU career blocking chart with 321 and is sixth on teh career block assists chart with 272. Going into the NCAA Tournament, Gustin is ranked 10th on the single-season kills list with 482 and is second on the attempts list at 1,181.
Morley, a middle blocker, leads the team and is fourth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage at .331, and is the Spartans' top blocker at 1.56 per game, third in the Big Ten. She made her collegiate debut against Cleveland State on Sept. 3 with 17 kills on .682 hitting with six blocks. On Oct. 23 against Indiana, she set the school single-match blocking record with 14 (1-13) and is currently third on the MSU single-season blocking chart with 169 (29-140)and in a tie for second on the single-season block assists chart. Morley, who was the Big Ten's Player of the Week on Oct. 25, has recorded double-figure kills five times in 1999 including four of her last six matches.
Following is the All-Big Ten team announcement from the Big Ten office:
The Big Ten Conference has announced the All-Big Ten honorees for the 1999 volleyball season. Penn State senior middle blocker Lauren Cacciamani, who led the Big Ten in attack percentage and finished second in blocks and kills per game (Conference games only), was named Player of the Year, while Ohio State setter Katie Virtue earned Freshman of the Year honors. Minnesota's Mike Hebert was selected Coach of the Year by both the League coaches and the media.
Cacciamani collected nine first-place votes to earn Player of the Year honors. She averaged 4.63 kills and 1.75 blocks per game while hitting .413 during the 20-match Big Ten season. The middle blocker earned two Big Ten Player of the Week honors and helped lead the Nittany Lions to their second straight undefeated Big Ten title. Cacciamani is part of a senior class that became the first in League history to win four consecutive Conference championships and compiled an astounding 77-3 record in Big Ten play during that span. She has never lost on her home floor in Rec Hall and has helped Penn State earn the NCAA record for consecutive home wins, with the tally at 76 and counting. The Lions will host NCAA first and second round action this weekend, facing Robert Morris in the first round.
In a tight race, Katie Virtue picked up Freshman of the Year honors. She finished sixth in the League in assists with 12.89 per game, helping the Buckeyes earn their 11th NCAA Tournament berth. She is the fifth Ohio State player to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, following teammate Dana Stearns, who won the award in 1997.
Mike Hebert won his third Big Ten Coach of the Year award after leading the Golden Gophers to a 15-5 Conference record and a second-place League finish. The team's overall record of 25-8 was the second-best in school history, and the squad's 15 Conference wins was also a new standard. He was named Coach of the Year by both the Big Ten coaches and selected media. Minnesota has been ranked in the nation's top 20 for seven straight weeks and travels to Los Angeles, CA, to face Cal State - Sacramento in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
1999 All-Big Ten Volleyball Team Bonnie Bremner, S, Penn State*, Lauren Cacciamani, MB, Penn State*, NICOLE BRANAGH, OH, Minnesota, SHERISA LIVINGSTON, MB, Wisconsin, BETSY SPICER, MB, Illinois, LINDSEY BERG, S, Minnesota, JENNY MAASTRICHT, OH, Wisconsin, STEPHANIE HAGEN, MB, Minnesota, SARAH GUSTIN, OH, Michigan State, JESSICA SANBORN, MB, Michigan State, Jen Flynn, OH, Ohio State, KATIE SCHUMACHER, OH, Penn State, Kelly Kennedy, MB, Wisconsin.
Honorable Mention: Ryann Connors, OH, Indiana, Rosie Snow, OH, Ohio State, AMANDA ROME, OH, Penn State, Carrie Schonveld, OH, Penn State, Aneska Arosarena, OH, Purdue.
* Unanimous Selection 2000 Returnees in ALL CAPS (Note: Because of ties there are 13 members to the 1999 All-Big Ten Team)
1999 Big Ten All-Freshman Team Katie Virtue, S, Ohio State, Angela Morley, MB, Michigan State, Mishka Levy, MB, Penn State, Laurie Gardner, S, Indiana, Erin Byrd, OH, Wisconsin, Suzie Stiling, MB, Ohio State.
BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lauren Cacciamani, MB, Penn State BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Katie Virtue, S, Ohio State BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Hebert, Minnesota (Coaches and Media)
