Players and Coaches
There are 13 players on the team: four seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and four freshmen.
#16 Meryl Bender
is a senior from Yorktown, Indiana. She’s a defensive specialist with endless energy: a true Scorpio. Last year she led the team in aces eight times, and in digs four times.
#2 Sue Jacobi
is a senior from Louisville, KY. She’s an outside hitter with a powerful spike and steady double-digit kills: 16 of them in last year’s defeat of Miami in the MAC tournament. A classic, almost acrobatic spiker, and a steady blocker.
#10 Michelle Jantsch
is a senior from Mission Hills, KS. She’s our setter extraordinaire, steady on defense, a strong blocker, ready with a power dink at any moment. She was Second-team All-MAC last year, and was twice MAC East Player of the Week.
#11 Mandy Nichols
is a senior from Greenwood, IN. She’s a 6′3″ outside hitter who transferred from Purdue at the end of last year. At Purdue she played in 25 matches, and started six times. A great addition to the team.
#12 Katie Post
is a junior from Streamwood, IL. Last year, though out with an injury for several matches, she hit and blocked strongly at the start and end of the season—and hit .300 as we beat Western Michigan in the finals of the MAC Tournament.
#9 Nicole Staverman
is a junior from Edgewood, KY. A defensive specialist with a killer serve, she led the team in aces five times last year. Unflappable and steady in the back court, she’s even been known to spike a few balls.
#15 Lexie Hartnett
is a red-shirt freshman from Fairport, NY, a middle blocker. We watched her practice and warm up with the team all last year, as her blocking and hitting got better and better. It’s a great excitement to see her on the court this year.
#7 Ashley Jordan
is a sophomore from Frankfort, OH, an opposite hitter. She hits leftie, which is an advantage when hitting from the right side. We’ve watched her since high school (Adena), and she’s a fierce competitor.
#5 Leah Petrovich
is a sophomore from Pittsburgh, PA, a setter. Big, strong, deft, she gives depth to our setter position—and next year she’ll be starting.
#8 Faith Robins
is a sophomore from Winston-Salem, NC, an outside hitter. She came in as a freshman last year and found herself, even before her 18th birthday, playing in some big matches. A smart hitter who can work around the blocks.
#4 Kelly Colyar
is a freshman from Los Gatos, CA, and a hustling defensive specialist.
#4 Marah Farage
is a freshman from Medina, Ohio, a 6′3″ middle blocker who may also hit outside. She takes over #4 from the legendary Ellen Herman: live it up, Marah, we’ve already seen that you can do it.
#14 Mollie Geske
is a freshman from Shakopee, MN, a defensive specialist. Our backcourt works best when there’s a Mollie playing there (after Mollie Mangan, who graduated a year ago).
#13 Liis Kullerkann
is a freshman from Keila, Estonia. She’s a 6′3″ middle blocker (adding more great height in the front row).
#2 Lauren Seyller
is a freshman from Bloomington, IL. She’s a 6′O” outside hitter with a solid hand.
