On Sept. 14, 1998, promising Illinois State freshman Jenny Kabbes earned Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Player of the Week honors in just her second week of college competition on her way to earning 1998 Valley Newcomer of the Year honors. Four years, two major shoulder surgeries and a lot of effort on her part later, Kabbes was honored again by her conference after her outstanding weekend on the road at Evansville and Southern Illinois, which included her first career triple-double and the Valleys first of the 2002 season.
Kabbes, a middle blocker from Normal who sat out the entire 2000 season after those shoulder surgeries put her career in jeopardy, hammered Evansville for a .571 hitting percentage on Friday before recording a 24-kill, 13-block, 10-dig effort in five games at Southern Illinois.
Her coach, Sharon Dingman, thought her leadership meant at least as much in the Southern Illinois victory as her statistics. Trailing 8-1 in game five, the Birds were in danger of losing to Southern Illinois for the first time in 23 matches over 12 years.
Jenny and Erin (Jones) just werent going to let it happen, said Dingman. They didnt want to lose to Southern, and they got the younger players on board with that. Jennys numbers were just phenomenal, but I look at what she and Erin did in that (fifth) game and that really made the difference.
Physically, Kabbes has more than just recovered from her surgeries.
She tells me shes hitting the ball now harder than she has since the surgeries, said Dingman. Theres no question shes stronger. But thats leadership, too. She works very hard, and people respect that.
Hitting .500 for the weekend, Kabbes averaged 4.5 kills, 2.5 blocks and 1.38 digs per game in the victories at Evansville and SIU. And it wasnt like the Valley didnt have strong competition for the weekly award: SIUs Kristie Kemner averaged 5.31 kills and 4.56 digs in nine games while Northern Iowas Molly OBrien averaged 5.3 kills, 1.5 digs and 1.3 blocks for the week.
In the process, Kabbes moved into second place on the Redbird career block assist list, pulling in behind former Redbird teammate and 2000 Valley Most Valuable Player Kendra Haselhorst. Her 13 blocks vs. Southern Illinois were just one short of the Redbird single-match record, held by current Redbird Staci Boyce. Kabbes had a hand in (by block, kill or ace) 58 of Illinois States 225 points for the weekend, better than 25 percent.
Illinois State plays Wichita State at 7 p.m. Friday and Southwest Missouri State at 7 p.m. Saturday in Redbird Arena.
