PULLMAN, Wash. – Senior libero Courtney Pence and sophomore setter Stef Jankiewicz have been named to the 2018 Washington State Cougar Challenge All-Tournament Team.
Pence collected 54 total digs over the weekend, averaging a team-best 5.40 digs per set. After recording 18 against Stony Brook to open the tournament, the Springfield, Illinois, native jumped up to third all-time in the Missouri Valley Conference in career digs and now just needs 400 to break the Valley record of 2,656 set by Ellie Blankenship from 2007-10. Pence paced the Redbird defense in holding their opponents to a combined .169 hitting percentage. This all-tournament team honor also marks the second this season for the senior, after being named to the Benson Hospitality Invitational all-tourney team to open the season at Georgia.
Jankiewicz has earned a spot on an all-tournament team in each of Illinois State's first three weekends. She recorded her second double-double of the season in the Redbirds' opening match this weekend versus Stony Brook, with 10 digs and 34 assists. The Farmington Hills, Michigan, native finished the weekend with seven kills, 116 assists, 25 digs and tied for a team-best four service aces, as she recorded three of those in Illinois State's sweep of McNeese.
Illinois State will wrap up its challenging nonconference slate next weekend, when it travels to the Marquette Invitational. The Redbirds will face two top-25 programs in Wisconsin and Marquette, who are currently No. 2 and No. 25, respectively, as well as Tulsa.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
