Aug. 15, 2008
Illinois State's most glaring loss on the court entering the 2008 season is the graduated Kari Staehlin, who ended her Redbird career ranked seventh all-time in career kills (1,369) and kills per game (3.31), ninth in attack attempts (3,079), fourth in hitting percentage (.300), sixth in blocks (439), seventh in blocks per game (1.06) and fourth in block assists (391).
Staehlin was a three-time all-Missouri Valley Conference selection, including a first-team nod in 2007. While her services will be challenging to replace, junior Katie Seyller and sophomore Hailey Kelley both logged significant time last season, and will be relied upon to fill Staehlin's void.
Seyller was forced to sit out eight matches last season after suffering a severe ankle injury early in the non-conference slate. But she returned to the lineup on a full-time basis in late September, and ended the season with 21 starts alongside Staehlin. She hit .400 or better in three of ISU's final five matches, and tallied seven efforts with a .300 or better hitting percentage.
Seyller became a full-time starter just two matches into the Valley slate in her freshman season (2006) after coming into her own down the stretch of the non-conference schedule. She averaged a team-best 1.14 blocks-per-game, including 1.24 blocks per set as a starter. Seyller's 100 blocks and 250 points earned her a spot on the Valley's All-Freshman Team.
Kelley sat out the first five matches of the season in 2007, and appeared to be on her way to redshirting. But she made her first appearance against Sacramento State in the `Bama Bash, and saw action in 17 more matches, including 11 in Valley play. Kelley had a breakout spring season, and may be the Redbirds' most versatile returning blocker.
When given the opportunity, Kelley showed the ability to be effective in the front row. She had a career-high six blocks against Eastern Illinois, and had two or more blocks on six occasions. Kelley also improved as a hitter down the stretch of the season, going errorless in her final three appearances.
Freshman Tabitha Visk, a Salem, Wis., native, nabbed first-team all-state, all-conference and all-Kenosha County honors in her senior campaign, while also being named the Lakeshore Conference Player of the Year. She served as Westosha Central High School's team captain last season, and led the Falcons to the 2006 state championship.
Monday's 12 Topics in 12 Days installment will examine Illinois State's outside hitters.
