Eight volleyball Lions earn MIAA academic honor

Nov. 26, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for volleyball announced

Missouri Southern State University has eight volleyball student-athletes listed on the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. That’s the most of any other MIAA school in the sport of volleyball.

Five of Southern’s eight selections are seniors, including Jessica Brown (Stark City, Mo.), Jenny Ford (Tulsa, Okla.), Lindsey Mason (Edmond, Okla.), Kym Mutert (Washington, Mo.) and Jessie Puszewski (Papillion, Neb.). Junior Sara Jaynes (Springfield, Mo.) and sophomores Marci Johnson (Winona, Mo.) and Jeri Rinehart (Diamond, Mo.) also received the honor.

To be eligible for the MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better at the qualifying institution; have at least two terms of attendance at the member school, excluding summer session; and be at least a sophomore in athletic eligibility. Student-athletes inactive due to redshirt or hardship qualification are not eligible.

Brown, a 5-foot-3 libero, saw action in all 30 Missouri Southern matches this year and charted 450 digs, finishing second on the team and sixth in the conference with her 4.25 digs per game average. Her dig total from 2003 ranks as the ninth-best single-season total in school history. In the classroom, Brown is a 3.50 student in business management.

Ford, who maintains a 3.907 GPA in secondary education/history, earned the honor for the third time in her career. In 2003, she finished second on the Lions with 0.79 blocks per game and added 145 kills. Ford, a middle hitter, played in all 30 matches in 2003 and saw action in 75 over her MSSU career. Her 170 career block assists ranks sixth in Lions history.

Mason, with a 3.633 average as an international business major, also won the honor for the third year. The Lions all-time leader with 265 block assists, she finished the 2003 campaign as Southern’s top blocker (0.89 per game) and ended up seventh in the MIAA with her .291 hitting percentage. This year, the Southern middle hitter tallied 240 kills and 95 total blocks. Mason also ends her MSSU career sixth with 335 total blocks and 10th with 70 solo blocks.

Mutert, a setter with a 3.667 GPA and is a physical education major, ended her Lion career as the school’s all-time leader in assists (4,628), and ranks eighth in MIAA history in that category. For her career, this three-time All-MIAA performer and three-time Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll choice, finished with 506 kills, 1,076 digs and 190 total blocks. In 2003, she logged 1,289 assists to go with 146 kills, 274 digs and 55 blocks.

Puszewski, a criminal justice major with a 3.645 GPA and a right-side hitter on the volleyball squad, finished up with 288 kills and 352 digs in 29 matches this year, and earned her second berth on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. For her career, she ends with 1,132 digs, good enough for eighth on the Southern list, 842 kills and 190 total blocks. Puszewski also finished as a two-time honorable mention all-league choice.

Jaynes had 143 kills and 105 digs in 2003 for the Lions, and earned her second berth on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. A general studies major with a 3.532 average, she has 369 kills, 278 digs and 59 blocks for her MSSU career.

Johnson, a biology major with a 3.409 average, played in 10 matches this season as a reserve setter and finished with 12 assists and six digs. Rinehart, a libero who carries a 3.583 GPA as a physical education major, played in 20 matches this year. She charted 19 digs and 11 service aces.

Missouri Southern completed the 2003 season with a 17-13 record for its eighth winning season under head coach Debbie Traywick. The Lions went 8-8 in conference play to finish sixth in the MIAA and qualify for the MIAA Postseason Tournament.


	Nov. 26, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Eight volleyball Lions earn MIAA academic honor MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for volleyball announced Missouri Southern State University has eight volleyball student-athletes listed on the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. That’s the most of any other MIAA school in the sport of volleyball. Five of Southern’s eight selections are seniors, including Jessica Brown (Stark City, Mo.), Jenny Ford (Tulsa, Okla.), Lindsey Mason (Edmond, Okla.), Kym Mutert (Washington, Mo.) and Jessie Puszewski (Papillion, Neb.). Junior Sara Jaynes (Springfield, Mo.) and sophomores Marci Johnson (Winona, Mo.) and Jeri Rinehart (Diamond, Mo.) also received the honor. To be eligible for the MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better at the qualifying institution; have at least two terms of attendance at the member school, excluding summer session; and be at least a sophomore in athletic eligibility. Student-athletes inactive due to redshirt or hardship qualification are not eligible. Brown, a 5-foot-3 libero, saw action in all 30 Missouri Southern matches this year and charted 450 digs, finishing second on the team and sixth in the conference with her 4.25 digs per game average. Her dig total from 2003 ranks as the ninth-best single-season total in school history. In the classroom, Brown is a 3.50 student in business management. Ford, who maintains a 3.907 GPA in secondary education/history, earned the honor for the third time in her career. In 2003, she finished second on the Lions with 0.79 blocks per game and added 145 kills. Ford, a middle hitter, played in all 30 matches in 2003 and saw action in 75 over her MSSU career. Her 170 career block assists ranks sixth in Lions history. Mason, with a 3.633 average as an international business major, also won the honor for the third year. The Lions all-time leader with 265 block assists, she finished the 2003 campaign as Southern’s top blocker (0.89 per game) and ended up seventh in the MIAA with her .291 hitting percentage. This year, the Southern middle hitter tallied 240 kills and 95 total blocks. Mason also ends her MSSU career sixth with 335 total blocks and 10th with 70 solo blocks. Mutert, a setter with a 3.667 GPA and is a physical education major, ended her Lion career as the school’s all-time leader in assists (4,628), and ranks eighth in MIAA history in that category. For her career, this three-time All-MIAA performer and three-time Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll choice, finished with 506 kills, 1,076 digs and 190 total blocks. In 2003, she logged 1,289 assists to go with 146 kills, 274 digs and 55 blocks. Puszewski, a criminal justice major with a 3.645 GPA and a right-side hitter on the volleyball squad, finished up with 288 kills and 352 digs in 29 matches this year, and earned her second berth on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. For her career, she ends with 1,132 digs, good enough for eighth on the Southern list, 842 kills and 190 total blocks. Puszewski also finished as a two-time honorable mention all-league choice. Jaynes had 143 kills and 105 digs in 2003 for the Lions, and earned her second berth on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. A general studies major with a 3.532 average, she has 369 kills, 278 digs and 59 blocks for her MSSU career. Johnson, a biology major with a 3.409 average, played in 10 matches this season as a reserve setter and finished with 12 assists and six digs. Rinehart, a libero who carries a 3.583 GPA as a physical education major, played in 20 matches this year. She charted 19 digs and 11 service aces. Missouri Southern completed the 2003 season with a 17-13 record for its eighth winning season under head coach Debbie Traywick. The Lions went 8-8 in conference play to finish sixth in the MIAA and qualify for the MIAA Postseason Tournament.