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![[vbcircle]](vbcircle.jpg)
As most everyone knows, the ISU volleyball team is my favorite sports team at ISU, or anywhere for that matter. Soooo first to learn more about the volleyball redbirds go to their official home page by going to Redbird Athletics and then clicking "volleyball" on women's sports.
Again this year I wanted to honor the team
for another great season. This year I got to know the team a little better and even talked
with a few of them a couple of times. They are all really nice and always have time to sign
an autograph to all of the children that come to games, and even us big kids sometimes.
So anyway I wanted to salute the VB team so I am again holding the 3rd Annual
Matty's. To see the 1998 "Matty's" just click 1998
Matty's Or to see last years Matt's just click 99 Matt's. This year I again let the ISU fans vote on the Matty's so the fans picked
the winners this year (at least the ones who voted) even though I again had the final say in
all of this and there will be no recount. 8-) And this year I give you nominees which are
usually the top vote getters in each category in order of uniform number. So once again I give you...
THE MATTY'S
(Kind of like the Grammy's but not
quite)![[IMAGE]](trophy.jpg)
And now the awards...
The first award I could not give to just one person or even two people. The voting was
within one vote for 4 people with other athletes also getting votes. So I give the favorite
player award to...
The whole team! They rocked this year and everyone made great
contributions for the good of the whole team. Even with a new coach and line up changes
everyone stayed focused on the main objective, winning as a team. So I give this award to
the whole team.
![[ISUVB]](vbpic.jpg)
The next award this year is for favorite
newcomer. This award is for, as it says, the favorite new player on this years VB team.
This one started out close, but then one player took over the voting just like she could a
game. She transfered here from Illinois-Chicago where she made the 2nd team
all-Midwestern Collegiate Conference. She led that conference in kills (3.84 per game)
and was the first player in UIC history to record a 30/30 with 32 kills, 30 digs vs. DePaul
(10/13) She had 6 20-20 kill/dig games and 16 double-doubles etc. etc. etc. At ISU she
found her roll as a spark off the bench and provided some much needed power when we
needed it.
The next award seemed to be a fan favorite, at
least it is mine. It is the award for cutest player. There were again
a few players that could have gotten this award this year and the voting was very close and
a final vote by a very influential person made me decide that I had to give this to two
people. The athletes who win the cutest player awards
are...the two hometown girls Last years winner
Abby Lewis and the runner up last year Erin Jones. The next award is the Nikki McCleary
award that is given to the athlete that showed the most intensity on the court. Again this award had a couple people that it could go to but it goes to a well
deserving athlete who has been and will be the heart of the birds offense and definitely
keeps the blood of the other players and the fans pumping. The winner of the award for most intensity is...Becky Webber
And the nominees are: Stacie Boyce, Jackie Utz, and Brandi
Patelle.![[Jackie]](jackie.gif)
Thanks for picking ISU for your last year Jackie, it was great having you on the
team.
And the nominees are: Stacie
Boyce, Brandi Patelle, Abby Lewis, Erin Jones, and Julie Washburn
![[Abby]](abby.gif)
![[Erin]](erin.gif)
And
the nominees are: Megan Stephenson, Becky Weber, Abby Lewis, and Megan O'Connell
(MO).
![[Becky]](becky.gif)
The next award was a late entery in the voting after it was suggested to me about mid
season and I thought it was something that definitely needed an award. It is the most
improved. This award is for the Redbird who has given her all to make herself better
either between seasons or even within the season and it shows to the fans. The winner
was also a candidate for the Nikki McCleary award. She came in the lineup to give a
spark to the team and get them over the little humps they needed to get over. She may
not look intimidating off the court, but her kills have flown past many opponents and her
blocks have upset many too. The winner of the Most improved player
is:
And the nominees are: Megan Stephenson, Abby Lewis, Erin Jones and
Megan O.
![[Meg S]](megs.gif)
This award is for as it says the person who we feel was the most valuable player on the team. The one who gave the most or really made a difference when she was in the line up. This player has given her all to the Redbirds for 4 years. She has just about done it all for the redbirds and holds many records for the birds and even the conference including hitting percentage for this year. As coach Dingman put it you could go on and on about this person. If you haven't figured it out it is my personal favorite player (and yes she won this very easily by votes and not just me) and one of the greatest volleyball players to ever walk out of the tunnel of Redbird Arena. And she is not only the a great volleyball player. She is a great person too. Watching her with the fans after games and watching children come up to her and ask for autographs is just amazing. She loves the crowd and the fans. She even puts up with weird people who make signs supporting her and shirts with her picture on it. Some players would think you're crazy, but she brings her dad over to see it. Even her teammates look up to her in every way even if they have to give her toilet paper as a gift for some reason. (ask a player because I don't know) To sum this up I'll take a quote from Megan Stephenson "I want to be like Kendra when I grow up"
The
winner of the 2000 MVP is also the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the year!!!
![[Kendraaaaa]](kendra.gif)
That is it for this years awards. Feel free to e-mail me by clicking Send Matt Mail! Also check out some
pictures I have taken of the volleyball team at games or after. (You'll some pictures of the
seniors reception in the redbird room too) Just click ISU VB
pics
Thanks for stopping by, and again thanks to the team for another great year.
