Russ Rose Then (1995): “Samantha is clearly one of the hardest working players that we have in the program right now. She spent a lot of time in the gym and in the weight room last year. I think Samantha has the opportunity to have a bright future here. She’s a very competitive, intelligent player with solid leadership skills. Her biggest strength is her work-ethic. I don’t anticipate her being the top setter in the conference this year, but I have no reason to believe that she won’t be the hardest working setter in the conference and will have a bright future at Penn State.”
1995 Season (RS Freshman): Highlights and Awards: Her 1500 assists total was the 4th best in the Big Ten and tied for the 6th best Penn State single season mark.
Season Recap: Samantha Spink was thrown into the fire as a redshirt freshman in 1995, taking the reins from 3-time All-American Salima Davidson … was one of 2 players to start in all 35 matches and 116 sets on the season … displayed physical and mental toughness in her 1st year of competition, posting 1,500 assists … a reliable hitter, the 5-9 Spink recorded 128 kills while leading the team with a .308 hitting percentage … posted 299 digs and 72 blocks … recorded a season high 82 assists twice on the season (both against Illinois) … had a season best 23 digs against Iowa … posted season highs of 8 kills against Oregon State and 6 blocks against Michigan State.
Before Penn State: Spink, the setter for Coeur d’Alene HS, led the Vikings to a 3rd-place finish in the 1993 Idaho state tournament and received 1st-Team All-State honors .. .Spink was named Athlete-of-the Year by her high school and the Spokane Sportscasters … she played for the S.P.E.C.S. Elite Club team … contributed to the Vikings’ state basketball championship and a 3rd place finish during her career … she received basketball All-State honorable-mention honors in 1994 and was the Vikings’ MVP, as well as MVP of the East/West District I All Star game … Spink also was a three-year Outstanding State Scholar-Athlete with a 4.0 grade-point average and earned the A.VC.A. Scholastic National Award in 1993.
“Lady Spiker Spink transfers to WSU,” The Daily Collegian, Jan. 20, 1997
“Spink finds a second home,” The Daily Collegian, Sep. 7, 1995