Saunders' Honors
- First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (1996-97)
1997-98 (Sophomore)
Renee Saunders was a two-sport contributor for the Nebraska volleyball and women's basketball teams in the late 1990's. She saw playing time for the Huskers in basketball as a frehsman in 1996-97, but missed the entire 1997-98 season after suffering a broken left foot during a physical education class on Oct. 2, 1997. She was listed on the 1998-99 roster to open the season but did not play for the Huskers in either of her final two seasons of eligibility on the basketball court.
Saunders joined the Husker basketball team in January of 1997-98 after completing the fall season with the Nebraska volleyball team, which earned its 16th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Saunders was a back-row starter for the Huskers, competing in all 16 matches until breaking her left foot, which sidelined her for the rest of the volleyball season.
1996-97 (Freshman)
Saunders joined the Huskers in January after helping the Nebraska volleyball to the NCAA semifinals. She appeared in four games for the basketball team, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound.
Against Oklahoma, Saunders played four minutes and had two points and one offensive rebound. Saunders also saw action against Minnesota, Missouri in Lincoln and Baylor.
As a sophomore on the Husker volleyball team, Saunders played primarily as a back-row specialist, competing in all 34 of Nebraska's matches, missing just two games during the season.
Saunders recorded 194 digs (1.63 per game), which was the fifth-best mark among the Huskers. She also served as the backup setter to All-American Fiona Nepo.
1995-96 (Nebraska Volleyball)
Saunders did not compete in basketball as a true freshman at the University of Nebraska, but was a member of the Huskers' national championship volleyball team. She played in 15 matches, recording six kills on 21 attacks for a .143 hitting percentage. She added four set assists and one service ace in limited action.
High School
Saunders was twice named to the Super-State team and averaged 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds as a senior, while leading Marian High School to the semifinals of the Class A state basketball tournament her final year.
Saunders was listed by USA Today as one of the 12 best basketball players in the state of Nebraska, and she finished as Marian's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She led her high school to the state title game as a junior and was a three-year starter.
For her play on the basketball and volleyball courts, Saunders was named the Nebraska Female Athlete of the Year by both the Lincoln Journal Star and the Omaha World-Herald.
Along with her performances on the basketball and volleyball courts, Saunders was a two-time academic honor roll selection and president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In volleyball, Saunders was a USVBA third-team All-American and a Mizuno Honorable-Mention All-American. Saunders was a two-time Super-Stater and was named the top scholar-athlete for volleyball by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee and was a national nominee for Wendy's High School Scholar-Athlete Citizen Scholarship. She also lettered three years in track and played softball for Marian.
Personal
Saunders was born June 11, 1977, in Omaha. The daughter of Tom and Rita Saunders, Renee was an exercise science major at Nebraska. Her full name is Renee Caresse Saunders.
A four-time all-stater, she was named to the Super-State, all-state, all-class, team as a senior.
Saunders' Career Statistics
Year
G-GS
FG-FGA
Pct.
3P-3PA
Pct.
FT-FTA
Pct.
TRB-Avg.
PF-D
A
TO
Blk
ST
Pts-Avg.
1996-974-0
1-3
.333
0-0
.000
0-0
.000
1-0.0
1-0
0
1
0
0
2-0.5
1997-980-0
0-0
.000
0-0
.000
0-0
.000
0-0.0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0-0.0
Career
4-0
1-3
.333
0-0
.000
0-0
.000
0-0.0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0-0.0