 Senior Stacey Carter is
the most experienced player coming back for the Penn
volleyball team. Penn is looking to defend its Ivy League
title.
[Evelyn Kudelski/DP File
Photo] |
Volleyball Spotlight: Stacy Carter
Senior Stacey
Carter has blossomed into Penn’s top right outside hitter.
By Bess Lochocki
September 11, 2002
It was a
toss-up between field hockey and volleyball. But Stacy Carter was
tall, and so the decision was made.
Carter, then in the seventh grade, could not have predicted that
her extra inches would lead to a collegiate volleyball career.
With the help of an encouraging attitude from her high school
coach years later, Carter's volleyball career gradually became more
and more intense -- eventually bringing her to West Philadelphia.
"My high school coach told me that I had the potential, which
helped," Carter said. "But mostly it was just that I really enjoyed
it.
"I love the team aspect of it. It's something that I didn't have
in other sports I tried -- like swimming or tennis."
When asked how she chose Penn as her destination, Carter offered
several motivations.
"I knew I wanted to go to school in a big city -- that was really
the first thing that attracted me. It's a great school and academics
are important to me. So I came for a visit and really liked the team
and the coaches.
"I just fell in love with the school."
Now over four years later, the Penn senior is recognized not only
as an impressive competitive force, but also as a selfless and
committed leader of her team.
"Stacey's court presence is a huge part of her game that has
developed over the years," fellow senior Kai Gonsorowski said.
"You could see it growing every year -- especially between our
sophomore and junior years.
"By junior year she had become so much more confident. You
definitely knew when Stacey was on the court."
"Stacey puts in a ton of hard work and as a dedicated player she
leads by example," Penn head coach Kerry Carr said. "She is a
natural leader in the way she knows how to talk to the other players
without coming off as bossy."
As a freshman for the Red and Blue, Carter arrived as an outside
hitter. But as the team developed, she realized that a change in
position might be necessary and eventually settled in as a right
side hitter.
"I just had the mentality that I would go where my team needed
me," she said. "I think it worked out well for everyone that way. I
also came in at a good time -- we were rebuilding as a team and
there were lots of opportunities as a young player."
"Stacey has always been a person who found her way out on the
court," Carr said. "Now it's reached a point where we need her to be
out there.
"She sees the court very well," Carr said. "She knows where to
find the holes in the defense, how to see the block, and she knows
where to place the ball. And on top of that, defensively she is one
of the strongest blockers in the league."
Last season, Carter was named honorable mention All-Ivy League
after helping the Quakers to the Ivy League Championship and their
first NCAA Tournament.
She finished sixth in the league in hitting percentage (.264) and
had a career-high 25 kills in the Ivy playoff game against Brown on
Nov. 20.
Voted captain by her teammates for the past three years, Carter
considers her role as a leader on the team as "a great
responsibility but never as an extra burden.
"The team is easy to lead. We really don't have many problems,
and we all get along really well.
"I have loved being a captain and helping to make team decisions.
It's just a great team all around." 
