Russ Rose Then (2002): “I think Sam is going to bring back a lot of memories to our fans with the way Bonnie Bremner played becuase they come from the same club.  Sam has a great touch on the ball, and she’s a feisty competitor.  She will be one of our better blocking setters because she has long arms.  What Sam is going to have to learn about the college game is the physical nature, the importance of not only how strong she has to be to play at the highest level, but also the emotional aspect of making sure she keeps the team on task and forces them to work hard.  It’s not who is the better setter, it’s who is the better leader and who is going to play an all-around game.  There are alot of intangibles and some of those are different than the system she’s in right now.  She has demonstrated in her career that she has all of the tools to be very successful at the collegiate level.  I look forward to her contributions and I know our fans will like her game.”

 

Russ Rose Now (2025):

Before Penn State: Volleyball Magazine’s “Fab 50” selection; a four-year letterwinner at Joliet Catholic Academny in Joliet, Illinois; two-time captain for the Angels; also a member of Sports Performance for eight years (1994-2002); led Sports Performance 18-1 to 2002 AAU National Championship; Chicago Sun-Times 2001 Player of the Year for Volleyball; 2000 USA Youth National Team member; four-time AAU All-America honoree; 2001 AAU Most Valuable Player; member of the 2000 Junior Olympic All-Tournament team; led Sports Performance to a second-place finish at the National Junior Classic in 2000 and first place finishes at the National Junior Classic and AAU Nationals and claimed the Junior Olympic Silver Division championship in 2001; named Best Setter at the the 2000, 2001, and 2002 National Junior Classic; member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, and earned a high school leadership scholarship.