Nov. 20, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State's volleyball team enters this week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as one of the league's hottest teams, having finished the regular season with four-consecutive wins via three-game sweeps. Three days before beginning its postseason run against host Missouri State in the tournament quarterfinals, three Redbirds were recognized by the conference's sports information directors, as juniors Erin Lindsey and M.C. Richmond, along with sophomore Peggy Riessen, were all named to the Valley's scholar-athlete team. Lindsey and Richmond garnered first-team plaudits, while Riessen was an honorable mention selection.
Twelve MVC volleyball student-athletes were named to the first-team, and the honorable mention squad included eight members. The teams, elected by the Valley's volleyball media relations contacts, require players to be starters or key reserves and have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average. Also, students must have participated in at least 75 percent of the regular season, reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institution and completed at least one full academic year at their institution.
"This is a great honor for Erin, M.C. and Peggy," said head coach Sharon Dingman. "These three have dedicated themselves to succeeding at a very high level in the classroom. The demands on student-athletes are tremendous and to have three of our volleyball players demonstrate this level of success academically and athletically speaks to the commitment they make every day to our program and to Illinois State University."
Lindsey has a cumulative 3.68 grade-point average in ISU's physics curriculum, and tallied a perfect 4.0 GPA in the Spring 2007 semester. On the court, Lindsey has been one of the Valley's most consistent setters this season, averaging a league third-best 12.73 assists per game in conference play. Lindsey is a two-time member of the scholar-athlete squad, having being named to the first-team last season.
She has recorded 20 double-doubles (set assists-digs) on the season, and tallied her second career triple-double with 10 kills, 10 digs and a career-high 71 assists in a win over Northern Iowa (Oct. 6). Lindsey eclipsed the 4,000 career assist plateau against Indiana State (Nov. 8), becoming just the fourth setter in ISU history to accomplish the feat.
Richmond has a cumulative 3.65 grade-point average in ISU's physical education program. She has been one of the Valley's most versatile six-rotation players this season, averaging 3.54 kills and 3.72 digs per game, to go along with 4.14 points per frame. She has reached double-figures in kills in 20 matches, including four outings with 20 or more kills. Richmond has tallied 14 double-doubles on the season, including 10 in conference play. She is a four-time member of the AFNI honor roll.
Richmond, who had a career-high 28 kills in a win over Northern Iowa (Oct. 6), was named Valley Player of the Week for the period ending Sept. 16. She has hit .300 or better in 12 matches.
Riessen has compiled her 3.90 GPA in ISU's business administration program. She tallied a 3.81 GPA in the Spring 2007 semester. Riessen was named to the AFNI in both the Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 semesters, and was recognized as a District 5 first-team Academic All-District selection by CoSIDA and ESPN the Magazine on Nov. 8.
Riessen has 18 double-digit kill efforts on the season, including a stretch of eight-consecutive matches between Sept. 14 and Oct. 6. She 13 total double-doubles (kills-digs), including eight in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Fifth-seeded ISU and No. 4 Missouri State will face off in the MVC quarterfinals Friday beginning at 10 a.m. at Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo.
