Jan. 21, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Seniors Nicole Kump (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic H.S.) and Johannah Bangert (Washington, Mo./Washington H.S) received special awards at the annual Networker's Volleyball Awards Banquet. The team also honored its four graduating seniors - Bangert, Kump, Laura DeBruler (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North H.S.), and Hillary Haen (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge H.S.).
Bangert and Kump were repeat winners. Bangert earned the Jim Bayne Award for Academic Excellence for the second straight year while Kump claimed the Sandy Scholtens Award, which she also received as a junior. Bangert also earned the Jimmy and Jeane Seyler Top Gun award given to the player with the top hitting percentage on the team.
Bangert became Illinois' first first-team Academic All-American since 1990, one of just six players nationally to receive the honor, while earning her third consecutive Academic All-Big Ten accolade. The secondary education/mathematics major shined on the court as well, breaking Illinois' all-time blocks record, finishing her career with 653. She became just the 10th player in Big Ten history with over 600 total blocks and set an all-time conference mark for career block assists with 613. Bangert, who ranked fourth in the conference in attack percentage (.370) in 2010, earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week five times and was named to five all-tournament teams during her career.
Named after the former Illini great, the Scholtens Award honors the player that best combines effort and attitude with athletic achievement. Kump was a spot starter at middle blocker and right side hitter, appearing in 147 sets and 59 matches during her career. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection had a career-high 10 kills vs. Iowa in 2007 and had a key kill and block in Illinois' NCAA second round victory over Cincinnati in 2008.
The Illinois volleyball family honored all four of its seniors. DeBruler was a two-time All-American, earning first-team All-America honors in 2009, and finished as Illinois' all-time leader in career kills (1,833) and attacks (4,806). The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree was named to 12 all-tournament teams in her career, earning MVP of three, and was named Big Ten Player of the Week eight times. Haen was named third-team All-America in 2010 after earning honorable mention All-America honors in 2009. The two-time first team All-Big Ten selection and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree stands fourth on Illinois' all-time career assist list with 3,956.
Illinois posted a 24-9 overall record in 2010 and reached the Sweet 16 for the third straight season and 19th time in school history. The Illini broke Texas' 25-match home court winning streak and ended Penn State's 65-match Big Ten winning streak with victories over those teams while they were each ranked No. 2 in the nation. Illinois reached as high as No. 3 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, finishing the season ranked No. 9.
