Sept. 4, 2006
NOTRE DAME, IND.- Notre Dame volleyball’s Christina Kaelin (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) finished off a strong second week by being named the BIG EAST Conference’s Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week on Sept. 4. The freshman led No. 21 Notre Dame’s volleyball team (3-2) to a second place finish in the 12th edition of the Shamrock Invitational, as well as being selected to the All-Tournament team herself.
Kaelin began her week with a 21-kill performance against Valparaiso in a four-game victory for the Irish in the first match of the Shamrock Invitational. She followed it up with 12 kills and a career-high four total blocks against Idaho in her second match of the week and Notre Dame’s second win of the tournament. Kaelin continued her strong tournament play against No. 13 Missouri, tying her career best with 24 kills and setting a new career-high in digs with six in the emotionally draining five-game loss. In the tournament, Kaelin totaled 57 kills, for an average of 4.38 kills-per-game, while also digging 12 balls and blocking five attempts. For her strong tournament play she along with sophomore Justine Stremick (Langdon, N.D./Langdon Area) were both named to the Shamrock Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Kaelin has had a strong start to her rookie campaign as she has led the Irish in kills in four of the five matches and currently leads the team in kills with 84 for an average of 4.42 kills-per-game.
By being named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week for the second week in a row, she became the first Irish volleyball player ever to capture consecutive Rookie of the Week honors since the award started in 1996. She also ties junior Adrianna Stasiuk (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) and former Notre Dame volleyball players Lauren Kelbley and Mary Leffers, as the only Irish players to capture the award twice in a season.
Kaelin and Notre Dame will next be in action this weekend as the team starts its first road trip of the season at the UNI Invitational in Cedar Falls, Iowa with a match against Alabama starting at 6 p.m. locally. The Irish will have a busy weekend with three matches including two against teams that made the 2005 NCAA Tournament (Alabama and Kansas State).
— ND —