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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1996)
McFadden, KozM hurt; out for season Pettit stunned by loss of team leader, redshirl freshman. By Trevor Parks Senior Reporter The Nebraska volleyball team has lost two players expected to perform key roles in the defense of NU’s national title. Jen McFadden, who was to be the emotionally charged senior leader of the Cornhusker squad, and Denise Koziol, a 5-foot-11 redshirt freshman, who was to be an impor tant reserve, will not play this fall. Before the Huskers’ first prac tice, doctors discovered a mis aligned disk in McFadden’s lower back. McFadden, an All-America candidate from Dubuque, Iowa, will not apply for a medical hardship. Her collegiate career is over. “You can’t put what I’m feeling into words,” McFadden said. * Ihere is notning more tnat 1 would rather be doing, but I just can’t.” Koziol, who walked on last fall and was given a scholarship after the season, suffered a season-end ing knee injury in the Huskers’ Red White scrimmage Saturday night at the NU Coliseum. Koziol, from Norfolk, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee after landing awkwardly on her ankle following an attack early in the fourth game of the scrimmage. Coach Terry Pettit said the inju ries will hurt the team, which is now down to 12 players. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Pettit said of the injury to Koziol, who had been working on an effec tive jump serve in preseason work outs. “I’m so upset about it. Koziol McFadden “My heart goes out to Denise. She had been doing great. She worked hard all summer to put her self in a position to play.” Former NU All-American Allison Weston, who has been prac ticing with the team this fall and played Saturday in the intrasquad scrimmage, said Koziol would be missed. “She was going to be a great player,” Weston said. Pettit supported the decision of McFadden and her family. He said McFadden was in the best shape of her career during summer workouts in Lincoln. “Obviously I’m saddened by that for a lot of reasons,” Pettit said. “I had the feeling that if Nebraska had a great year, she would have chal lenged for player-of-the-year hon ors. “The first concern is her health, and I think the family made a good decision.” In 1994, McFadden’s sopho more year, she missed three matches with back spasms, and after play ing in 16 matches she tore an ante rior cruciate ligament in her knee, ending her season. In the spring of 1995, she had back surgery to repair a herniated disk. McFadden played a limited role in the 1995 regular season in an effort to remain healthy for NCAA Tournament. Date Opponent Site Time NACWAA 8/23 Illinois St 8/30-31 New Mexico Tint ASra< 8/31 New Mexico at North Carolina A/20-21 First Bank Inv. Lincoln 9/21 Colorado St Date Opponent 10/4 at Iowa St 10/9 at Colorado 10/18 Texas A&M 10/30 Colorado YOUR CAMPUS SOURCE FOR: Textbooks Padlocks Jon's Notes Notebooks Greeting Cards Dictionaries Calculators Highlighters Calendars Nebraska Clothing and Gifts UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE The Store Down Under Lower Level Nebraska Union & Garden Level East Union Pettit says talk of1995 not allowed . By Gregg Madsen StaffReporter Nine months after winning the first national title in school history, Ne braska Volleyball Coach Terry Pettit enters the 1996 season wanting noth ing more than to forget last year. “I know enough about this business that we need to cut ourselves off from last season as quickly as possible,” Pettit said. “There are 287 volleyball teams out there. They all want to win national championships. The differ ence between them and us is that they didn’t lose Christy Johnson, Allison Weston and Billie Winsett.” The trio of former Comhuskers built a 63-2 record the past two seasons, twice winning a school-record 31 straight matches. NU can break that record with a victory in its season opening match Friday against Illinois State in the State Farm/NACWAA Volleyball Classic at Normal, 111. But even with graduation taking such a toll, the cupboard is not bare for Pettit in his 20th season at Ne braska. “I think we have competitive people,” he said, “and with every cri sis canes opportunity.” In addition to the loss of Johnson, Weston and Winsett, the Huskers will also be without Jen McFadden. The 6 foot-2 senior middle blocker from Dubuque, Iowa, will not play this fall because of a misaligned disk in her lower back. Pettit said although he is saddened to lose McFadden, he agreed with her decision to sit out. Redshirt freshman Lisa Avery and Megan Korver, a sophomore transfer, appear ready to fill the holes at middle blocker left by Weston and McFadden. Korver, who was bom in Lincoln and grew up in Adams, earned Atlan tic 10 newcomer-of-the-year and all conference honors last season at George Washington. Also pressing for playing time at middle blocker will be 6-foot sopho more Stacie Maser and 6-3 Tonia Tauke, a true freshman from Council Bluffs. “We’re fortunate that we have four good options there,” Pettit said. “And I expect that in time we’ll have two very good players at that position.” Pettit said he was also expecting great things from hissetter, sophomore Fiona Nepo. The Honolulu native played alimited role in 1995 behind Johnson, but Pettit said Nepo had the potential to become a dominant setter and team leader. The Huskers will benefit from the experience of returning starters Lisa Reitsma and Kate Cmich, as well as backcourt specialist Maria Hedbeck, who has played in 95 collegiate matches. Cmich said she was confident in her ability and leadership skills. “I’ve thought about the pressure before,” she said. “But this year, I don’t feel any. I play so much better when I’m relaxed.” Reitsma, a junior outside hitter from TERRY PETTIT is beginning his 20th year as Nebraska’s volleyball coach. Sanborn, Iowa, who earned first-team All-America honors last season, said she was excited about the Huskers’ position to begin the season. Nebraska is ranked No. 5 in the j^e season USA Today/AVCA coaches’ poll, behind Hawaii, Stanford, Michi gan State and Texas, respectively. “I would love to repeat,” she said. “But you have to take things one day at a time. 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