Sara Westling Season 2003

Honors and Awards

2003 Big 12 Commissioner?s Honor Roll (Spring)
2002 First-Team Academic All-Big 12
2002 Big 12 Commissioner?s Honor Roll (Spring and Fall)
2001 Second-Team Academic All-Big 12
2001 Big 12 Commissioner?s Honor Roll (Spring and Fall)

More About Sara

Full Name: Sara Ann Westling
Parents: Mike and Leesa Schumaker, Larry and Michelle Westling
Major: Elementary Education (3.601 GPA)
Birthday: Jan. 29, 1981
Place of Birth: Lincoln, Neb.

Westling?s Career Highs

Kills: 8 vs. Kansas, 10/10/01
Attacks: 10 vs. Oklahoma, 11/16/02
Hitting Percentage: .889 (8-0-9) vs. Kansas, 10/10/01
Aces: 2 vs. Hawaii, 8/24/01, 2 vs. Kansas, 10/10/01, 2 at Iowa State, 10/12/02
Block Assists: 4 vs. Missouri, 10/9/02
Digs: 5 at Iowa State, 10/12/02

Career Wrapup<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

After serving as a backup to All-Americans Jenny Kropp and Amber Holmquist during her first two years at <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska, Sara Westling enjoyed a breakthrough 2003 season. Westling ranked among the league leaders in both blocks per game (1.11, sixth) and hitting percentage (.301, 10^th) helping the Huskers rank sixth nationally in blocking. She improved both numbers in conference action, as she was fifth in the league with a .317 hitting percentage and third with 1.26 blocks per game. The middle blocker split time with freshman Christina Houghtelling, seeing extensive time when Houghtelling missed more than a month with a knee injury. Overall, she averaged 1.82 kills per game in 2003 and was second to All-American Melissa Elmer in total blocks with 99. Westling began her collegiate career at Pacific, where she spent the 1999 season before returning to her home state. Westling garnered first-team academic All-Big 12 honors in 2003 and was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for seven straight semesters.

2003: Outlook
Senior Sara Westling will have the opportunity to contribute significantly after seeing limited action in 2002. A Lincoln Northeast graduate, Westling enters the season with a starting spot at middle blocker after playing in 17 matches last season.

Nebraska Coach John Cook said Westling has the tools to develop into an offensive threat. He added that Westling has an extremly high "volleyball IQ." Westling makes adjustments and hits angles because she sees the court so well, Cook said.

Westling is one of two players on the Husker roster originally from Lincoln. The other is fellow senior Anna Schrad.

2002: Junior Season

Westling served as the Huskers? No. 3 middle blocker in 2002, playing in 28 games and 17 matches, while giving the Huskers an offensive punch and a solid serve off the bench. The Lincoln Northeast graduate averaged 1.29 kills per game and swung for a .299 hitting percentage.

Westling had her best match of the season Nov. 16 against Oklahoma. Playing in only the third game, she tallied seven kills on a .600 hitting percentage and also added two blocks.

Westling earned her only start of the season Oct. 9 against No. 23 Missouri, when she played the first game as a serving specialist and the last two games at the middle blocker position. Westling posted four kills on seven attempts for a .429 hitting percentage against the Tigers, adding three digs and a career-best four block assists.

Westling recorded five kills on a .375 hitting percentage against Iowa State Nov. 13. She recorded a season-high two service aces against the Cyclones in Ames Oct. 12.

Westling also saw extensive action against Creighton Sept. 29, tallying four kills while swinging at a .375 clip.

2001: Sophomore Season
Westling competed in 22 matches and 45 games, backing up All-Big 12 middle blockers Amber Holmquist and Jenny Kropp and also aiding NU as a serving specialist. Westling made the most of her playing time, recording a .365 hitting percentage on 52 attacks and notching six service aces. She hit .356 in Big 12 Conference matches.

Westling produced her most impressive performance of the season Oct. 10 against Kansas, pounding eight kills on nine attacks in a single game for an .889 hitting percentage. She posted five kills against Texas Tech on nine attacks for a .556 clip. Westling tied a career best with two service aces against Hawaii Aug. 24 at the State Farm/NACWAA Classic.

An excellent student-athlete, Westling earned second-team academic All-Big 12 honors.

2000: Redshirt (at Nebraska)

Westling sat out the 2000 season after transferring from Pacific.

1999: Freshman Season (at Pacific)

Westling saw action in 24 games and 15 matches as a freshman middle blocker at Pacific. She averaged 0.79 kills per game and posted a .245 hitting percentage on the year. Westling also produced seven service aces, and her 0.29 per-game average was tied for third among all Tigers in 1999.

High School

A four-year letterwinner in volleyball, basketball and track at Lincoln Northeast High School, Westling led the Rockets to a 35-1 record and the 1998 Nebraska Class A state championship. Westling, a four-time All-Heartland Conference selection and a three-time all-state honoree, earned all-conference, all-city and all-state honors as a senior. She established Nebraska state records in career kills and kills per game in 1998 and was recognized as honorary captain of the Lincoln Journal Star all-state squad.

Westling was a member of the Lincoln Juniors volleyball club coached by Sandi Genrich, and she received all-tournament recognition at the 1997 USVBA National Tournament in Denver.

A gifted scholar-athlete, Westling ranked in the top three percent of her graduating class at Northeast High, where she was a member of the National Honor Society.