Four Pittsburgh Volleyball Players Earn All-Big East Honors
11/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Four Pittsburgh Volleyball Players Earn All-Big East Honors
11/18/2000
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh volleyball team closed out its 2000 campaign with a 3-1loss to Rutgers Nov. 18 in the Big East Tournament. The Panthers finished the season with a 22-10 overall record (8-4 Big East) marking their best record since the 1996 season when Pittsburgh finished 22-11.
Pittsburgh, who finished third in the Big East, placed four Panthers on the all-conference teams, marking the most postseason honors for Pittsburgh since it joined the conference in 1982. The Panthers have had three honorees on two occasions, but have never had four selected.
Sophomore setter Carrie Norris (Fostoria, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon) earned All-Big East honors for the second time. Norris was a second-team selection this year after being selected to the All-Rookie team as a freshman last season. Norris led the Panthers with 12.74 assists per game overall and 13.38 in Big East play. She was additionally third on the team with 2.55 digs per game.
A pair of seniors, Marcia Thiesen (Chatham, Ontario/John MacGregor) and Stacy Renick (Eagan, Minn./Eagan), capped their careers with All-Big East second team honors. Both Thiesen and Renick saw the most productive years of their careers this season. Thiesen averaged a team-high 3.33 digs per game overall and 3.45 in Big East action, and was second on the team with 3.99 kills. In conference action, Thiesen had a team-leading 4.48 kills per game. Renick sank a team-leading 4.51 kills overall and was second with 4.43 in Big East play. She also averaged 2.88 digs in league play and 2.82 overall, ranking her second on the team.
Freshman right side Wendy Hatlestad (Roseville, Minn./Roseville Area) also earned All-Big East honors. Hatlestad played in all 42 games for Pittsburgh and was selected to the All-Rookie team. Hatlestad averaged 2.14 kills per game and 0.93 blocks in Big East play. She also had a .248 hitting percentage in games overall, placing her third on the team.
Thiesen and Renick led Pittsburgh in its loss to Rutgers in the Big East Tournament. Thiesen posted her 19th double-double of the season with 17 kills and 17 digs. Renick also had 17 kills and added eight digs. Norris had 46 assists and 11 digs for her 13th double-double of the season.
Rutgers captured the first game, 15-7, but Pittsburgh rallied for a 15-13 win in game two. The Scarlet Knights rebounded and took 15-11 and 15-10 victories, respectively in the final two games.