Nov. 28, 2000

Champaign, IL - After a stellar senior season, senior middle blocker Betsy Spicer (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) was a unanimous selection to the 2000 All-Big Ten Volleyball Team, as announced by the conference office. With the award, Spicer earns All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season.

Spicer ranked second in the Big Ten and eighth in the nation with an attack percentage of .398, which also ranks as the sixth-best season hitting percentage in Illinois history. She hit over .400 in 18 of Illinois' 31 matches, and hit a combined .375 against nationally and regionally ranked opponents. She ranked second on the team in kills, amassing 473 for an average of 3.85 kills per game. Spicer's credentials were just as impressive defensively. Playing in every rotation of all 123 games during Illinois' season, Spicer finished second on the team in digs (273 total, average of 2.22 per game) and also second in blocks (119 total, 0.97 per game).

Spicer wraps up an illustrious collegiate career that has put her in the Illinois record books. She tallied 1,245 kills, which ranks sixth all-time at Illinois for career kills. Her hitting percentage over four years was .348, which stands as the fifth-best career attack percentage in school history. Spicer also leaves Illinois ranked sixth all-time in career blocks, tallying 456.

Outside hitter Nicole Branagh from Minnesota and middle blocker Sherisa Livingston from conference champion Wisconsin were chosen as Co-Big Ten Players of the Year. Those two, along with Minnesota's Stephanie Hagen and Wisconsin's Jenny Maastricht join Spicer as unanimous selections. Rounding out the All-Conference Team were setters Lindsey Berg (Minnesota), Lizzy Fitzgerald (Wisconsin), and Katie Virtue (Ohio State), setter/hitter Fabiana de Abreu (Iowa), outside hitters Sarah Gustin (Michigan State) and Katie Schumacher (Penn State), middle hitter Mishka Levy (Penn State) and opposite Amanda Welter (Indiana).

Claudia Rodriguez, a right side hitter from Wisconsin, was chosen as the conference's Freshman of the year, while Badger head coach Pete Waite was named the Coach of the Year by both the coaches and media.