Penn State Nittany Lions
So you think the Penn State football players are the only athletes who have a big date with Florida? The No. 11 Nittany Lions take on No. 6 Florida in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla.
First up, however, is the No. 2 Nittany Lions volleyball team, which meets No. 8 Florida at 6 p.m. Thursday in a Final Four semifinal match at the Arena.
Because our home in Happy Valley is halfway across the country, you probably don’t know much about us. (Although we did beat Pac-10 power Stanford twice this year). And what you do know, I’ve decided I’ll fill in with a few details. Forget the stats, here’s what you really need to know about my teammates.
The Nittany Lions start with senior captain middle hitter Terri Zemaitis
Who’s that? Oh, she just has led, or tied, our team in match kills this year 16 times and is the Big Ten’s all-time block leader. But she’s on our team because she’s pretty. (Just kidding) She’s our captain and our go-to player.
The team’s offense is run by sophomore Bonnie Bremner. Bremner, named 1997 Big Ten player of the year as a sophomore, is a feisty floor general and one of the main reasons we’re at the Final Four.
Another starter, sophomore outside hitter Carrie Schonveld, is known mostly for her happy disposition and her sweet skills; “Schonie” passes nails all the time. Sophomore Lauren Cacciamani, third in kills behind Zemaitis and myself, is a superb athlete and a dominating force in the middle. She’s from New Jersey, but no one actually believes she’s a Jersey girl.
Lindsay Anderson, a senior with junior eligibility, brings more to our team than her durability and 274 kills. Anderson’s not the Avon lady, but she’s known for giving facials. Wait until you see her hammer the ball.
That’s the starting six, but there are plenty more reasons why we’re 33-1 heading into the semis.
There’s Nikki Higley our lone Minnesota athlete. Higley has played in 16 matches this year and is known for her ball control and her enthusiasm.
Kalna Miller, our proud Pennsylvania product, is known for her tenacious defense and is a card-carrying member of the B.W.A. (Blond Woman’s Association). And don’t let senior Jen Burdis fool you. Although “Bird” is only 5-foot-2, she’s knocked all of us down once or twice. She is a tough aggressive player known for her quickness and silly jokes.
Tomuke Ebuwei, simply known as “T”, is our captain, leader, mom, and adviser. The senior (junior eligibility) also is president of every club on campus and one of the hardest-working and most-dedicated members of our team.
When it comes to cooking, we can always turn to junior middle hitter Emily Stout. Despite her sweet personality, she has one of the meanest blocks on our team. Off the court, Emily can put together a pretty mean meal.
Leilani Schlottfeldt, our favorite foreigner, has enhanced our team with her great serve. In her times of frustration, she has also expanded our knowledge of the Brazilian language.
As for me, a starting junior outside hitter, I’m just an aspiring American Gladiator who likes to take my frustrations out on the volleyball … and against any opponent who happens to get in the way.
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