STIDHAM TIES PROGRAM RECORD WITH FIFTH BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTION

11/19/2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State senior outside hitter Missie Stidham was named the Big Sky Conference’s co-Volleyball Player of the Week today, receiving the award for the program-record tying fifth time this season.

Stidham shared this week’s award with Portland State’s Dominique Fradella.

In her first season with the Hornets after transferring from Saint Mary’s prior to this season, Stidham has also received the weekly award this year on Sept. 3, Sept. 17, Sept. 24 and Nov. 12. The five awards ties the Sacramento State program record for most Big Sky Player of the Week awards in a single season, originally set in 2003 by Lisa Beauchene. It is also the most by a Big Sky player this year.

In Sacramento State’s biggest week of the season, Stidham led the Hornets to a 1-1 record and a share of the Big Sky Conference’s regular season title. She combined to post lofty numbers of 7.00 kills, 5.12 digs, 0.88 blocks and 0.38 service aces per game while hitting .257 over two matches.

In 140 swings during the week, she amassed 56 kills, including a career-high 34 against Portland State despite the match lasting just four games. In fact, her 34 kills were 18 better than any other player on the floor, and were the most by a Big Sky player this season.
        
She began the week by leading the Hornets to a victory over Eastern Washington on Friday after posting a match-best 22 kills to go along with 20 digs, four blocks and two aces. The Fresno, Calif., native followed up that effort Saturday night at Portland State with 34 kills, 21 digs and three blocks. The 34 kills are tied for the fourth-best mark in Sacramento State single-match history.
        
Against conference competition this season, Stidham has 5.68 kills and 4.40 digs per game while hitting .274. Overall, she is 12th in the nation and second in the Big Sky with an average of 5.17 kills per game. Stidham’s mark of 626 kills this season are now the third most in Sacramento State single-season history.

Sacramento State (26-7, 13-3) will host the Big Sky Tournament this Friday-Saturday, Nov. 23-24. The Hornets, who are the tournament’s No. 2 seed, will receive a first round bye and play the highest remaining seed in the tournament semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The winner of Saturday’s championship match (7:00 p.m.) will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, a place the Hornets have been five straight and nine of the last 10 years.