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Nice article, sounds like Jacks volleyball really looking up. All-American chose SDSU over Kentucky and some other major DI schools.
Orwat, Ball named to NJCAA Division II All-America Team
By Nick Gerts - Chronicle Sports Staff
Kishwaukee's Tonya Ball (6) powers a kill through an opposing team's block indicative of the type of play that earned her NJCAA All-America acclaim. Chronicle file photo HOLLY LUNDH
MALTA - Kishwaukee College volleyball coach Ron Sweet is already counting down the days for the 2005 season.
The second-year coach is getting anxious to start the upcoming season which will feature one NJCAA Division II All-American returning, along with four other players from a squad that claimed third at the National Tournament this season. Sweet also has two recruits shored up for the upcoming season, putting an even higher expectation for the program's sixth straight appearance at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
However, the Kougars received some bittersweet news on top of freshman Krissy Orwat's Second-Team All-American status. Fellow freshman Tanya Ball, who was named First-Team All-American, signed a Letter of Intent to play her final three years of eligiblity with NCAA Division I program South Dakota State University.
"I'm excited for Tanya," said the Kougars coach. "I'm disappointed that we won't have her back, but in typical Kishwaukee fashion, we will reload. It's going to be a really exciting year for us next season."
And rightfully so.
Sweet brings back one of his lethal offensive weapons in Orwat.
The Wheaton Warrenville South High School graduate was deadly both at the net and in serving. She notched two game-winning aces in the first three matches of the national tournament. Orwat finished the last two matches with a combined 22 kills and six aces, and joined freshman Tiffany Burleson on the NJCAA Division II All-Tournament team.
Orwat joins Burleson, Alicia Debartolo, Sara Wasylyszyn and Erin Bultinck on next season's roster.
"When you first look at her, you don't see that she is one of our biggest threats," Sweet said. "However, she will put on a clinic every match. She will take advantage of every team's weaknesses."
Ball finishes a solid freshman season with the Kougars and will join three incoming freshman on the South Dakota State roster for 2005. Joining the middle blocker will be Mackenzie Angner of Cincinnati, Ohio; Danielle Norby of Windom, Minn. and Laura Slagter of Roseville, Minn.
The Andrew Palileo-led Jackrabbits finished its first season as an NCAA Division I member with a 22-12 overall record, winning 13 of its final 14 matches. SDSU wrapped up the season with a second-place finish at the LaQuinta Independent Championship. However, it won't be eligible for NCAA postseason play in volleyball until the 2006 season.
Ball was being recruited by Northern Illinois University and the University of Kentucky before settling on South Dakota State.
"I got a lot of e-mails from a lot of coaches after we got back from the national tournament, but I told them Tanya settled on South Dakota State," Sweet said. "She's a great person. I was going to try and convince her to stay, but this is too good to pass up. She is going to be missed."However, Sweet already found Ball's replacement in the middle for next season in 6-foot-2 middle blocker Jessica Schultz of Beaver Dam, Wisc. Schultz joins DeKalb High School standout Caitlin Jones, who was a 2004 All-Upstate Eight Conference unanimous selection as a setter.
The Beaver Dam High School product was a part of a team that finished second in the Wisconsin's version of the Little Ten Conference and its first state tournament appearance since 1973. Schultz was named to the LTC Second-Team this past season.
"Jessica jumps really well," the KC coach said. "She blocks a ton. I can see her being where Tanya is at today. She is going to be tremendous."
Orwat, Ball named to NJCAA Division II All-America Team
By Nick Gerts - Chronicle Sports Staff
Kishwaukee's Tonya Ball (6) powers a kill through an opposing team's block indicative of the type of play that earned her NJCAA All-America acclaim. Chronicle file photo HOLLY LUNDH
MALTA - Kishwaukee College volleyball coach Ron Sweet is already counting down the days for the 2005 season.
The second-year coach is getting anxious to start the upcoming season which will feature one NJCAA Division II All-American returning, along with four other players from a squad that claimed third at the National Tournament this season. Sweet also has two recruits shored up for the upcoming season, putting an even higher expectation for the program's sixth straight appearance at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
However, the Kougars received some bittersweet news on top of freshman Krissy Orwat's Second-Team All-American status. Fellow freshman Tanya Ball, who was named First-Team All-American, signed a Letter of Intent to play her final three years of eligiblity with NCAA Division I program South Dakota State University.
"I'm excited for Tanya," said the Kougars coach. "I'm disappointed that we won't have her back, but in typical Kishwaukee fashion, we will reload. It's going to be a really exciting year for us next season."
And rightfully so.
Sweet brings back one of his lethal offensive weapons in Orwat.
The Wheaton Warrenville South High School graduate was deadly both at the net and in serving. She notched two game-winning aces in the first three matches of the national tournament. Orwat finished the last two matches with a combined 22 kills and six aces, and joined freshman Tiffany Burleson on the NJCAA Division II All-Tournament team.
Orwat joins Burleson, Alicia Debartolo, Sara Wasylyszyn and Erin Bultinck on next season's roster.
"When you first look at her, you don't see that she is one of our biggest threats," Sweet said. "However, she will put on a clinic every match. She will take advantage of every team's weaknesses."
Ball finishes a solid freshman season with the Kougars and will join three incoming freshman on the South Dakota State roster for 2005. Joining the middle blocker will be Mackenzie Angner of Cincinnati, Ohio; Danielle Norby of Windom, Minn. and Laura Slagter of Roseville, Minn.
The Andrew Palileo-led Jackrabbits finished its first season as an NCAA Division I member with a 22-12 overall record, winning 13 of its final 14 matches. SDSU wrapped up the season with a second-place finish at the LaQuinta Independent Championship. However, it won't be eligible for NCAA postseason play in volleyball until the 2006 season.
Ball was being recruited by Northern Illinois University and the University of Kentucky before settling on South Dakota State.
"I got a lot of e-mails from a lot of coaches after we got back from the national tournament, but I told them Tanya settled on South Dakota State," Sweet said. "She's a great person. I was going to try and convince her to stay, but this is too good to pass up. She is going to be missed."However, Sweet already found Ball's replacement in the middle for next season in 6-foot-2 middle blocker Jessica Schultz of Beaver Dam, Wisc. Schultz joins DeKalb High School standout Caitlin Jones, who was a 2004 All-Upstate Eight Conference unanimous selection as a setter.
The Beaver Dam High School product was a part of a team that finished second in the Wisconsin's version of the Little Ten Conference and its first state tournament appearance since 1973. Schultz was named to the LTC Second-Team this past season.
"Jessica jumps really well," the KC coach said. "She blocks a ton. I can see her being where Tanya is at today. She is going to be tremendous."