IUP Volleyball Team Adds Three Incoming Freshmen for 2008 Season

April 11, 2008

IUP volleyball head coach Zach Shaver has announced the addition of three incoming freshmen for the 2008 season. The group includes middle blockers Danielle Ostendorf and Kelsey Rovnan and libero Stacey Root.

"The IUP volleyball team is pleased to announce the signing of these three talented players," Shaver said. "Our coaching staff and players are very excited about the additions to our roster for the 2008 season. We have added three tremendous student-athletes who will complement our current roster and give us needed depth at the middle blocker and libero positions."

Danielle Ostendorf
Ostendorf is a senior at Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford, Ill., and also plays for the Fusion Volleyball Club team. She was selected the second best blocker in her conference in 2007 and led the squad in blocks, kills and aces during her senior season.

Ostendorf was selected Boylan Catholic's MVP and first team all-conference while serving as a team captain a year ago. She was also chosen to the Jacobs High School and Stillman Valley all-tournament teams and was a four time conference Scholar-Athlete. Ostendorf also played basketball at Boylan Catholic.

Her Club Fusion volleyball team won the Great Lakes qualifying tournament in 2007 and earned a bid to the national tournament where they placed 19th out of 48 teams.

"Danielle is a dynamic volleyball athlete who is exceptionally well-trained and is expected to fit into our offensive scheme immediately," Shaver said. "Danielle is also a very accomplished student who has been accepted into the Robert E. Cook Honors College at IUP."

Ostendorf, who plans on majoring in either exercise science or athletic training at IUP, ranks 13th out of 331 students in her class and received First Honors for achieving no grade less than a B during her high school career. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club and is an Illinois state scholar.

Stacey Root
Root is in her final year at Spring Grove High School in York, Pa. She was a member of the volleyball and soccer teams her junior and senior years and this past season led the volleyball team with 38 blocks while adding 174 kills, 63 digs and 20 assists. She was the team's co-captain as a senior.

Root played on Spring Grove teams that qualified for the state tournament her senior year and the District 3 playoffs both seasons. Her team was recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association with the AVCA academic award her junior year.

Root has also played club volleyball for the past six year, including 2008 with the Yorktowne Cheetahs. She was an assistant junior high school volleyball coach her junior and senior years and participated in the Keystone State Games in 2006 and 2007. Root has also attended volleyball camps at IUP, Juniata, Messiah and York.

"Stacey possesses great ball control skills which will be a great asset as we plan on moving her to a libero position," Shaver said.

Root, who plans on majoring in athletic training at IUP, took college courses at Penn State York her senior year as part of a dual enrollment program. She was an honor roll student all four years in high school and was a student athletic trainer as a senior.

Kelsey Rovnan
Rovnan is a senior at Mars High School and a four-year member of the volleyball team, including three as a starter. She led the team in kills and blocks as a middle hitter her junior and senior seasons.

Rovnan was named section MVP and selected to the WPIAL third team her senior year and earned all-section accolades as a sophomore and junior. In each of her three seasons as a starter, Mars won the section championship.

She played club volleyball for the Pittsburgh Elite and also played on a Junior Olympic squad the past four years. Rovnan's brother, Matt, played on the IUP baseball team during the 2006 season.

"Kelsey is a very aggressive player who possesses great athleticism," Shaver said.

Rovnan plans on majoring in elementary education at IUP. She was a member of the honor roll throughout her high school career.