Getting to know Ashley

Favorite Illinois volleyball memory: Last Halloween we had a team party at former Coach Don Hardin's house. We all dressed up as different Don Hardins and went on a scavenger hunt around his neighborhood.

Favorite professional sports team: Either the Chicago Bears or the Cubbies

Favorite restaurant: Chipotle or Sushi Avenue

Nickname: The Hurricane

Favorite Food: Eggplant Parmesan

Favorite TV Show: The Price is Right

Favorite Movie: Matilda

How I started playing the game of volleyball: I went to a small Lutheran school when I was younger. When I was in 4th grade they did not have enough players for the 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade teams so they asked some of us to try out. My first year playing I made the 7th and 8th grade team as a 4th grader. It was pretty exciting!

I chose my jersey number because: My dad and I are both born on the 5th of different months and when I was younger I chose number 5. Ever since then, I have always been number 5.

Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours. Before every volleyball game, since I have been in college, I have listened to the same song before every game. (If I Could Be Like That - 3 Doors Down)

What's your favorite cartoon character, and why? Belle from Beauty and the Beast because she wears a pretty yellow dress and yellow is my favorite color.

If you could have a t-shirt printed with a message, what would it be? "No Regrets" because I try to live each day to the fullest and get the most out of life each and every day.

One thing most people don't know about you: I was chosen to be the University of Illinois' Big Ten Conference Student Athlete Advisory Committee representative. I go to Chicago twice a year and represent Illinois at the meeting. SAAC'n it up.

At Illinois

2009
• Named Academic All-Big Ten
• Earned her fifth career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor on Oct. 19 after tallying 19 digs in straight sets victories over both Northwestern and No. 6 Minnesota.
• Suffered a season-ending knee injury vs. Purdue.
• Will finish her career as Illinois' all-time digs leader with 1,921
• Moved into 9th on the all-time Big Ten digs list
• Ranks fourth in the Big Ten in digs (4.09)
• Has posted 14 double-digits digs matches this season
• Had 32 digs vs. Purdue on Oct. 9, which is tied for the sixth-best digs match in school history and is fourth in the Big Ten this season
• Has six of the top 10 single-match digs matches in school history

2008
• Moved past Tracey Marshall on Nov. 1 to become Illinois' career digs leader and now has 1,614 for her career • Her 562 digs this season are second best in a single-season in school history. She already holds the first second and fourth most with 488 and 564 in her first two seasons, respectively • Won back-to-back Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 • Earned her third Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor on Dec. 1 after tallying 28 digs and a 98 percent serve reception percentage in victories at Wisconsin and Northwestern • Named Academic All-Big Ten • Holds six of the top-ten single-match digs marks in school history • Named to the All-Tournament team at the State Farm Illini Classic, her third all-tournament honor of her career • Named to the All-Tournament Team at the Tennessee Comcast Classic after amassing 35 digs vs. the Lady Volunteers, her sixth 30+digs match of her career

2007
• Ranked third in the Big Ten in digs per game in all matches.
• Earned all-tournament honors at the Mizuno Invitational II.
•Had an amazing season on defense, registering three matches with 30-or-more digs, including 32 against No. 22 LSU, 34 against Ohio State and a career-high 37 against Northwestern
• Has now posted five of the top nine single-match digs performances in school history with her 37 digs second and one off the school record
• Topped the 1,000 digs plateau in just her 57th match and with 1,052 digs (the seventh-most in school history) is on pace to shatter the Illini digs record
• Set Illinois' single-season digs record with 564
• A consistent defensive presence for Illinois, accumulating double-digit dig matches in all but four contests this season, including 13 with 20-or-more.
• Set Illinois' single-season digs record with 564

2006
Started every match at libero • Named to the all-tournament team at the State Farm Illini Classic after tallying 34 digs, six aces and a .947 serve reception percentage • Earned all-tournament honors, collecting 71 digs in three matches at the Marquette Kick-off Tourney • Moved into second on Illinois' single-season digs list with 488 • Collected a career-high 31 digs against Loyola, almost matching the record with 30 against Iowa on Nov. 3 • Ranked fourth in the Big Ten in digs p/g (4.51) in league contests only • Posted 20 or more digs in a match eight times • Set a team season-high 18 digs in a three-game match against Minnesota on Sept. 23 • Ranked fifth in aces per game (0.37) in conference matches only, including five against Northwestern, a season, team and individual high • Name Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her 30-dig performance against Iowa for the week ending Nov. 5 • Her 488 digs on the season is the second most in school history.

High School
Named one of the Top 50 "Senior Aces" and the top libero nationally by prepvolleyball.com • Has been ranked among the top 50 players in her class each year by the publication • Named first team All-State and the Duneland Athletic Conference MVP in 2005 • High school coach was Vera Jones • Three-time first team All-State selection • Named All-Area Player of the Year three times as well • The Wolves won the Michigan City Invitational 2005, claimed the sectional title and were the regional runners-up in 2004 • Played for the USA Volleyball Youth National Team that traveled to China to participate in the U18 World Championships. • Has been a member and team captain of the Dunes Volleyball Club (coached by Rick Ashmore) for nine years, earning All-America honors at the USA Junior Olympic National Championships • Holds Michigan City High School season and career records for kills (570 in 2005 and 1,644 overall), attack percentage (.488 in 2005 and .457 overall), digs (499 in 2004 and 1,712 overall), and aces (140 in 2004 and 427 overall)

Personal
Born Feb 5, 1988 • Daughter of Holt and Julie Edinger • Brother is Jeff Edinger • Graduated No. 1 in her high school class with a perfect 4.0 GPA • Plans to major in biology (pre-med) with plans to become an orthopedic surgeon • Enjoys physical fitness, dogs and arts & crafts • Member of National Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, school newspaper, the science club and the steering committee for the Red Ribbon Committee. • Won the national title in the 2001 NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass, and Kick contest. • Earned three state titles and was also national runner-up one season in that event.

Career Statistics

    Year MP  GP  K   E   TA  Pct.    A   SA  SE  RE  DIG BS  BA  TB  BE  BHE    2006    30  104 5   3   11  .182    42  38  62  41  488 0   0   0   0   3    2007    30  118 2   4   13  -.154   127 27  40  26  564 0   0   0   0   5    2008    34  125 5   1   8   .500    87  20  33  17  562 0   0   0   0   3    2009    21  75  0   0   3   .000    74  10  15  12  307 0   0   0   0   7    Total    115 422 12  8   35  .114    330 95  150 96  1921    0   0   0   0   18
Career Highs

K:  1, 9x, last vs. Michigan (10/31/08)TA: 6 at Toledo (9/15/07)A:  9, 2x, last at Indiana (10/30/09)SA: 5 vs. Northwestern (9/27/06)D:  37 vs. Northwestern (11207)