Over the course of the next ten weeks, while you look for things to do with your Thursday and Saturday nights not being in Shroyer Gym, enjoy a walk in time with Bobcat volleyball.
By: Tom Schulz
When the Bobcat volleyball coaches approached me to do a top 20 countdown of the all-time greatest players during my era with the program, I instantly hesitated. The reason: I didn't want to step on any toes because Montana State has had a plethora of talented athletes since my first year in 1988, which was also the first season women competed under the Big Sky Conference umbrella.
I knew if I had to list players from 1-20 my Facebook message box would light-up with former athletes putting in their two cents. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy corresponding with former players and the group I usually hear from holds a special place in my heart. They were good, funny, and full of shenanigans.
So, as I thought about the list, the idea to do a top 10 favorite teams list suddenly became much more palatable. Over the course of the next ten weeks, while we all look for things to do with our Thursday and Saturday nights without volleyball in Shroyer Gym, I will revisit ten teams which during my 32 years covering the Cats standout in the back of my cobwebbed mind. Again, these are not necessarily the best teams, but the teams that have had an impact on Bobcat Athletics, Montana State University, and my career as Sports Information Director.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention that before the Bobcats started play in the Big Sky Conference, there were some amazing teams in the '70s and early '80s led by some of the best coaches in the country. Names like Terrall, Moe, McKinzie, Williams-McMullan, Wagner, McCanlies, Ditchfield, Kinney, Usitalo, Koughan, Ryan, Cruz, Griffith and Dirks set the foundation for what Bobcat volleyball is today, and they will always be remembered in the annals of Bobcat history.
No. 10Bottom Row (l to r): Becky Davis, Sheri Kreple,
Katy Steensma, Tonia Bauer. Second Row:
Stacey Nielsen, Heidi Hemmert, Stephanie
Nowicki. Third Row: Donna Schwartzkopf,
Wendy Adams. Top Row: Caoch Donna
Palivec, Assistant Michelle Usitalo,
Trainer Dawna Gilbert.
The 1988 Bobcats
The 1988 Bobcats automatically make my top 10 as it's the first team I covered during my tenure at Montana State. And four words describe that squad: Good People, Big Hair.
Thumbing through the 1988 media guide I was reminded of the windy day on Peets Hill. For whatever reason, it was decided that would be a good location for preseason photos. We navigated the strong gusts, snapping pictures during a lull in the breeze, and captured one shot worthy of publication . Many cans of Aqua Net were used that day.
Under the direction of second-year head coach Donna Palivec and assisted by former Bobcat standout and Hall of Famer, Michelle (Usitalo) Stickney, the Bobcats listed just nine players on its roster as Palivec looked to rebuild the MSU program. Palivec came to Montana State after a very successful stint at then Division II power North Dakota State. She led the Bison to five national tournament appearances and a 331-152 overall record.
"I remember that team as good people willing to try different things," Stickney said. "They started off the preseason strong but ran into some injuries. Stephanie Nowicki was a hammer with an attitude, but her back problems limited her to half a season. We had a lot of kids playing new positions, but they maintained a good attitude. We did a lot of visualization with them in the second half of the Big Sky season to help them with their confidence."
The team was led by its lone senior Sheri Kreple, who had transferred into MSU from Western Michigan. Also adding fire power to the Bobcat line-up was Nowicki, a junior from Mustang, Okla. The left-hander had a cannon of an arm, which still ranks as one of the most powerful swings to play in Shroyer Gym.
The rest of the roster was young but was highlighted by very gifted all-around athletes like Butte's Heidi Hemmert, who turned down numerous track offers from West Coast colleges. In track, Hemmert led the Bulldogs to a state title and Bobcat head coach Dale Kennedy had a keen eye on her joining the MSU squad.
However, Hemmert's heart was playing volleyball and at 5-8 became an undersized middle blocker. She used her quickness and jumping ability to offset inexperience at the position. She finished the year with 190 kills and 71 blocks.
Sophomore Stacey Nielsen ran the Bobcat offense from the setting position despite not having much experience at the spot. The native of Downers Grove, Ill., finished the year with 851 assists, to go along with 210 digs and 31 service aces. She is currently listed eighth on MSU all-time assists chart dishing out a career 1,735 assists during her tenure in the Blue and Gold.
Another sophomore, Katy Steensma out of Salt Lake City, provided MSU with a big block. As just one of two players on the roster 6-foot or taller, Steensma guided the Cats with 102 blocks, while adding 167 kills. Both on and off the court, its was Steensma's sense of humor that kept the mood light with a young team struggling to find its identity.
The team finished the season 5-23 overall and 1-15 in league play. They posted notable victories over Oral Roberts, Kansas and Western Illinois in non-conference action.
The 1988 Bobcats gained valuable experience through the face of adversity and saw its resiliency and confidence payoff the following season by upping its win total by eight matches.
Sideouts:
Two players from the 1988 team married Bobcat football players. Heidi Hemmert married former standout linebacker Jon Skelton of Orr, Minn. Skelton served as a football team captain in 1990. They are currently raising their family in Aurora, Minn. Stacey Nielsen married Kevin Wolf. The family currently resides in Oregon.
Donna Palivec – Head Coach – Bemidji, Minnesota
Michelle Usitalo Stickney – Assistant Coach – Boise, Idaho
Dawna Gilbert – Athletic Trainer – Independence, Missouri
If any former alum would like to reconnect with Bobcat Volleyball or update their current whereabouts, please email Tom Schulz, Sports Information, with your contact information – tschulz@msubobcats.com We would love to hear from you!
