Russ Rose Then (1994): “Jodi is our hardest working player as she has a tremendous work ethic; she just needs to develop the confidence and the maturity to understand that working hard is only part of the deal. The other part is to really know what you’re suppose to be doing and develop the concentration to accommodate what you’re physically trying to do. Jodi’s an aggressive middle who hits the ball well and has good ball-handling skills.”
1994 Season (Sophomore) Season Recap: Appeared in 14 of 35 matches and 19 of 117 sets … totaled 25 kills (.169 hitting %), 27 digs, and 9 total blocks … recorded a season-high 5 kills and a season-high 7 digs in the 4-set victory at Florida State (9/10) … totaled 2 blocks in two matches.
NCAA Tournament: In the 5-set loss to UCLA (15-3,4-15, 9-15, 15-5, 11-15) in the NCAA Semifinal match (12/15), Niswender played in 3 sets, posting 3 kills, 3 digs, and 2 blocks.
Before Penn State: Niswender distinguished herself academically and athletically at Fort Collins HS in Fort Collins, Colorado … earned All-State and All-Conference honors 3 times in volleyball, as a starting middle blocker/outside hitter, and 3 times in basketball, as a post player … was a team captain in both sports … a highlight of her senior year was participating in the annual North-South all-star match … selected to compete in the 1993 All-State Games … her volleyball teams placed 2nd in the state her junior and senior seasons … was honored annually for her excellence in the classroom.