The MSU volleyball team isn't playing for individual accolades this season, but when someone is performing as well as senior setter Nikki Colson has been, those honors just happen.
Colson, a three-year captain from Lincoln, Neb., not only was named Big Ten Player of the Week but also was named AVCA National Player of the Week after her MVP weekend in Washington, D.C., at the American Volleyball Classic.
Colson averaged 15.6 assists, 3.6 digs and 1.3 blocks per game in the two matches. She tied a career high with 74 setting assists in the four-game match against American University. For the weekend, Colson finished with 125 assists, 29 digs and six kills - her best statistics over a two-game stretch this season.
"This is Nikki Colson's team," head coach Chuck Erbe said. "She keeps them on course."
Led by its captain, MSU (8-2) defeated then-No. 21 San Diego on Saturday morning before knocking off American later that evening.
In her stellar career at MSU, Colson was never named Big Ten Player of the Week, let alone the National Player of the Week, before this year.
The last time MSU had a player named AVCA National Player of the Week was the week of November 19, 2001, when Angela Morley took home the honor.
Look, Mom, I'm on TV
When MSU (8-2) hosts Penn State (11-1) to open the Big Ten volleyball season on Friday, it will be the first of eight Big Ten matches televised on Fox Sports Chicago. The game will not be on live but will be replayed at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
Still, Erbe knows being televised is not a chance all college volleyball teams get.
"The important thing for us is to have a large crowd so that we present our program well nationally," Erbe said. "It's a great opportunity."
One step at a time
The No. 14 MSU volleyball team moved up one spot from last week in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Poll. MSU started the preseason at No. 25 and has moved up the list each of the past three weeks.
The No. 14 ranking is the Spartans' highest since they were ranked No. 12 on Sept. 7, 2002.
Around the Big Ten
No. 12 Penn State is still the top-ranked team in the conference despite dropping one spot from last week's standing. Both No. 18 Minnesota (7-5) and No. 23 Wisconsin (8-3) moved up in the poll, with the Gophers jumping four spots and the Badgers one.
Northwestern (9-3) received 10 votes and previously ranked Ohio State (6-2) got four to round out the Big Ten's representation in the poll.
High fliers
The MSU volleyball team racked up frequent-flier miles in the first month of the 2003 season.
The Spartans flew a total of 5,448 miles with trips to Maryland, South Carolina, Nebraska and Washington, D.C.
After two straight weekends without airplane food, the Spartans travel to Purdue, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota - four much shorter trips compared to the season's first month.
Home openers
MSU has a 20-10 all-time record in home openers, including six straight victories. The last time MSU lost a home opener was in 1996, when the Spartans were beaten by Texas.
Last season, the Spartans won their home opener over Georgetown 30-25, 30-13 and 30-24 in the MSU Volleyball Classic.
