Nov. 21, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
For the 16th consecutive season, Illinois State's volleyball team had multiple players named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference teams, as announced by the league office Wednesday. Senior middle blocker Kari Staehlin and junior right side hitter M.C. Richmond garnered first-team honors; junior setter Erin Lindsey collected a second-team tally and outside hitter Mallory Leggett was named to the All-Freshman Team.
Staehlin has been a member of one of the various all-conference teams in each of her four seasons at Illinois State. She was a second-team honoree both last season and in 2005, and was a member of the All-Newcomer team as a freshman (2004). Richmond is a 2006 repeat selection to the first-team; and Lindsey tallied her third-consecutive all-conference honor after claiming first-team plaudits last season, and being named to the All-Newcomer Team as a freshman (2005). Lindsey was the 2005 MVC Freshman of the Year.
All-conference honors are voted on by the league's ten head coaches. The announcement was made by the Valley office in conjunction with this weekend's (Nov. 23-24) 2007 State Farm MVC Tournament at Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo.
"I'm thrilled that these four were honored for what has been a great season for each of them in a different way," said head coach Sharon Dingman. "There are so many great players in our conference, and for us to have three on the first and second-teams, and have another one of our freshmen honored, is a testament to their hard work, and the respect they all have from the teams and coaches around our league."
Staehlin ranks fourth in the Valley in hitting percentage (.323) and is sixth overall in total blocks (112). She has a team second-best 340 kills (3.47 kpg) and has scored a team-high 427.5 points. Staehlin has 20 double-digit kill efforts on the season, including nine with 15 or more kills. She went over the career 1,000-kill mark at Northern Illinois (Aug. 28), and now has 1,316 career kills, which ranks eighth in ISU's all-time annals.
"I'm very excited for Kari (Staehlin), because she has had a tremendous senior season," said Dingman. "She is clearly one of the best players in this conference, particularly in the position she plays. Kari is a dominant middle (blocker), and I think she proved that down the stretch of the season."
Richmond has been one of the Valley's most dominant six-rotation players all season. She ranks sixth in the MVC with 350 kills (3.54 kpg), is seventh in total points (409.5) and ranks 11th overall in digs (3.72 dpg). Richmond enters this weekend ranked 15th in the league in hitting percentage, attacking at a .272 clip. She has reached double-figures in kills in 20 matches, including four outings with 20 or more kills, and has 14 double-doubles on the season, including nine in conference play. Richmond was the MVC Player of the Week for the period ending Sept. 16.
"M.C. was a legitimate Player of the Year candidate most of this season, before her leg injury slowed her down some," Dingman said. "So I think her being a first-team selection was a fairly easy decision for the head coaches in our league. M.C. is just a unique player in this conference based on what she brings to the table. I think teams really respect her ability."
Lindsey ranks fourth in the Valley in set assists, providing 12.37 assists per game. Her 1,262 total set assists rank third in the league. 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.
"This is Erin's third year in a row to be recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference coaches, and that is a great honor," said Dingman. "There are so many good players and setters in our conference this year, and for Erin to be able to sustain that success says a lot about her work ethic, and what she means to our program and the Valley."
Leggett, a candidate for the Valley's Freshman of the Year award, ended the regular season with 303 kills (3.03 kpg) and 358 digs (3.58 dpg). She had 16 double-digit kill outings, including one in each of the last six matches of the Valley's regular season. Leggett claimed MVC Freshman of the Week honors three times this season. The league's specialty awards will be announced at the pre-tournament banquet Thursday night in Springfield, Mo.
"Mallory is just a really good player," Dingman said. "She plays the game at a much higher level than most freshmen do, and is if not the busiest player we have; she is certainly one of our busiest. When you look at the number of balls she has passed this year, it is pretty impressive. Mallory has handled the responsibility of constantly being served to tremendously well, and in the last couple of weeks; she has absolutely taken her game to another level. She has added a couple of extra shots to her repertoire, and found new ways to use those shots."
Illinois State now has 90 all-conference selections dating back to the 1992 season, and 32 in the eight seasons under Dingman.
ISU will open play in the Valley Tournament Friday, when the Redbirds take on host and fourth-seeded Missouri State in the quarterfinals. First serve from Hammons Student Center is set to begin at 10 a.m.
