May 31, 2005
NORMAL, Ill. -
Junior Savannah Knowles and sophomore Kari Staehlin have been selected from a national pool of top college players for a USA Select Volleyball Team touring Argentina June 7-19, competing against teams from the Argentine Federation. The trip is sponsored by BringItUSA, cooperating with the United States Volleyball Association.
Knowles, the 2003 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, was a Second-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection in 2004 after becoming just the second player in Redbird history--and ninth in conference history--to collect 600 kills and 600 digs by the end of her sophomore season. The outside hitter from Crystal Lake, Ill., was the only Valley player to average at least three kills (3.12) and three digs (3.17) per game in 2004.
Staehlin earned a spot on the 2004 Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team by finishing No. 6 in the conference in hitting percentage (.306) and No. 10 in blocks per game (1.15). The 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Tinley Park, Ill., began her career as the first freshman to be Most Valuable Player in the Barker GMC Classic and finished the year as only the fourth freshman in Redbird volleyball history to collect 300 kills in a season.
Knowles, whose minor is Spanish, sees academic advantages and looks forward to the intensity of the competition.
"All my professors have said that you learn and improve your Spanish the most when you are immersed into a society that speaks that language," said Knowles. "Kari and I will learn how it feels to compete at a higher level all day, every day. We can bring that back to our team and hold each other accountable for playing that well, and raising the level of play for our team."
Staehlin agrees with Knowles that the two can learn some valuable volleyball lessons, and something about another culture.
"I am looking forward to getting feedback and technique tips from different coaches that I could share with my teammates," said Staehlin. "The trip will show me a different culture, which probably will give me a better appreciation for what I have at home and at Illinois State."
Redbird coach Sharon Dingman believes both the experience will help both student-athletes develop individually as well as athletically.
"They are going to be exposed to many opportunities to learn and it will be up to them to take advantage of those situations," said Dingman. "Savannah and Kari are very good volleyball players who have the potential to be great and this is the type of experience that can catapult them into that class."
Dingman thinks the trip has the potential to elevate her team as well as give her program some international exposure.
"If they take advantage of opportunities and come back and share those opportunities with their teammates, we will all be better because of this trip," said Dingman. "I am very confident they are going to show the world what Redbird volleyball is all about."
The team will be coached by Colorado State head coach Tom Hilbert, Michigan head coach Mark Rosen and former USA National Team assistant coach Kevin Hambly. The players were selected by the coaching staff, Tim Kelly and Cory Soloman of BringItUSA, and Tom Pingel of the USVBA.
