May Repeats as Illinois Wesleyan Volleyball “MVP”

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — For the second straight season, senior Molly May has been chosen as the “Most Valuable Player” for the Illinois Wesleyan University volleyball team.

May, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter from Mt. Prospect, Ill. (Prospect HS), was named earlier to the first team of the all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin squad. She was No. 7 in the CCIW with 0.96 blocks per game, eighth with a .281 hitting percentage and 11th with 2.72 kills per game.
The CCIW “Player of the Year” in 2004, May finished her career as IWU’s all-time leader with 600 blocks and is ninth with 1,108 career kills. She also holds the school’s season record with 222 blocks in 2004.

Other Team Honors

In other team honors, sophomore Jenna Passananti (Western Springs, LaGrange Lyons HS) earned the “Titan Volleyball Strength Award” and junior Natalie Quinton (Shirley, Sterling Newman HS) was the winner of the team's "Most Inspirational Player" honor.
Passananti was a second team all-CCIW player for the second straight year as she was second in the conference in set assists with 10.96 per game. She led the 2005 Titans in assists (1,222), digs (402) and service aces (46).
Quinton was fifth on the 2005 team with 126 kills and was third with 331 defensive digs.
Sophomore Paige Azuma (Evanston HS) was the winner of the squad’s “Most Improved Player” honor. Azuma had 27 kills and 10 blocks while playing in 27 games in 2005.

The Titans finished with a 14-17 overall mark and were 3-4 and finished tied for fourth in the regular season phase of the CCIW last fall.

Head coach Kim Nelson-Brown awarded letters to 12 players, 11 of whom will return for next season.
They are, with hometowns and high schools:

SENIOR - Molly May (Mt. Prospect, Prospect HS).

JUNIORS - Lisa Cercello (Joliet, Providence Catholic HS), Colleen Ernst (Lemont, Montini Catholic HS), Natalie Quinton (Shirley, Sterling Newman HS); Melissa Serritella (St. Charles, North HS), Sarah Vegter (Lombard, Willowbrook HS). Jaclyn Verticchio (Jacksonville HS), Nicole Walsh (Lemont HS).

SOPHOMORES – Paige Azuma (Evanston HS), Jenna Passananti (Western Springs, LaGrange Lyons HS), Ashley Reed (Lemont HS).

FRESHMEN –Michelle Malinowski (Shorewood, Providence Catholic HS).