May Named IWU Volleyball "Most Valuable Player"

10 January 2005

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Junior Molly May, who was the “Player of the Year” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, has been chosen as the “Most Valuable Player” for the 2004 Illinois Wesleyan University volleyball team.

May, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter from Mt. Prospect, Ill. (Prospect HS), was named earlier to the first team of the all-Midwest Region volleyball squad and was a first team all-CCIW selection. She finished fourth in the league with 1.38 blocks per game and eighth with 3.12 kills per game. Her .307 hitting percentage was fifth best in the CCIW.

May set a school record with 222 blocks and led IWU with 401 kills and a .313 hitting percentage last fall. After three seasons she has 504 blocks, making her No. 2 all-time at IWU and within reach of LeAnn Genzel’s career mark of 589, set from 1995-98.

May and fellow junior Lindsay Clements (Mt. Pulaski HS) were chosen to serve as co-captains for the 2005 Titans.

In other team honors, senior Christine Konopasek (Chicago, Marian Catholic HS) earned the “Titan Volleyball Strength Award” and senior Kristy White (Dubuque, Iowa, Wahlert HS) was the winner of the team's "Most Inspirational Player" honor for the third straight season.

Konopasek, a second team all-conference selection, was second on the team in kills (371), service aces (44) and digs (427) and third with 87 blocks. She finished her career No. 13 all-time at IWU with 906 kills, No. 16 with 184 blocks and No. 17 with 861 digs.

White was fourth on the team with 341 digs and ended her career No. 21 all-time at the school with 795 digs. She also contributed 67 set assists last fall.

Sophomore Colleen Ernst (Lemont, Montini Catholic HS) and freshman Sarah Vegter (Lombard, Willowbrook HS) were the co-winners of the squad’s “Most Improved Player” honor.

A defensive specialist, Ernst played in 35 of 37 matches and averaged 2.82 digs per game. She also made eight kills and provided 19 service aces.

Vegter, a setter, played in only 14 games at the varsity level and made 1.43 digs per game.

The Titans finished with a 22-15 overall mark and were 5-2 and finished third in the regular season phase of the CCIW last fall. IWU placed fourth in the conference tournament.

Head coach Kim Nelson-Brown awarded letters to 13 players, 11 of whom will return for next season. They are, with hometowns and high schools:

SENIORS - Christine Konopasek (Chicago, Marian Catholic HS); Kristy White (Dubuque, Iowa, Wahlert HS).

JUNIORS - Lindsay Clements (Mt. Pulaski HS), Molly May (Mt. Prospect, Prospect HS); Natalie Quinton (Shirley, Sterling Newman HS).

SOPHOMORES –Crystal Dye (Springfield, Southeast HS), Colleen Ernst (Lemont, Montini Catholic HS), Melissa Serritella (St. Charles, North HS), Jaclyn Verticchio (Jacksonville HS), Nicole Walsh (Lemont HS).

FRESHMEN – Jenna Passananti (Western Springs, LaGrange Lyons HS), Ashley Reed (Lemont HS), Sarah Vegter (Lombard, Willowbrook HS).

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206