Russ Rose Then (2007): “Megan had as good a freshman year as a player could have, up until her last match. In that match, I felt the expectations and demands of the season, as well as a good opponent playing at home, caught up with her. She is a great offensive talent and isn’t afraid of competition. Megan is a player who has the potential to play at the highest level, either professionally or for our national team. The transition from high school and club ball to the Regional Championships is a huge jump. Some people can hit the ground running, and Megan’s knowledge of the game and experience as a go-to player enabled her to make a great impact as a freshman.”
Russ Rose Now (2025):
2007 Season: Honda Award Finalist … NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player … AVCA First Team All-America … AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region … Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten … Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week (9/10) … Big Ten Player of the Week (9/10) … Yale Classic All-Tournament Team … Penn State Classic Most Valuable Player … Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten … started all 36 matches and 122 games … ranked first on the team and third in the Big Ten with 4.60 kills per game … recorded 561 total kills for the season, good for sixth on the Penn State single-season record list … ended the season with 1,112 career kills, good for 17th on the all-time Nittany Lion record chart … ended the year averaging 4.71 kills per game for her career, good for the top spot on the Penn State record list … had double-digit kills in 35 of 36 matches and has 66 career double-digit kill contests … had seven matches of 20 or more kills … set a new season high with 26 kills in the national championship match against Stanford (12/15) … averaged 5.25 kills per game in two four-game wins over Texas (8/24-25) to open the season … became the 19th player in Lion history to reach 1,000 kills, surpassing the plateau at Michigan (11/24) … averaged 4.45 kills per game on a .363 hitting percentage in the NCAA Tournament … recorded 13 double-doubles (kills-digs) during the season to push her career total to 25 … ranked second on the team with 2.54 digs per game and 310 total digs … picked up a season-high 19 digs versus Wisconsin (11/16) … ranked second on the team with 35 service aces … had at least one ace in 22 matches and provided multiple aces in 10 contests … tallied 88 total blocks … had 24 multiple-block matches … posted a career-high eight blocks against Delaware State (9/15).
Before Penn State: Four-year volleyball starter at Riverside High School in Durham, N.C. … 2006 Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year … one of five finalists for the 2006 Gatorade National Female Athlete of the Year … two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year (2005 & 2006) … named the National High School Player of the Year by Volleyball Magazine … 2005-06 PrepVolleyball.com High School All-American and Top Senior Ace … first team Mizuno Volleyball High School All-American in 2006 … voted the 2006 National High School Senior Athlete of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association … member of the 2006 USA Junior National Team and the 2004 and 2005 USA Youth National teams … voted the Most Valuable Player and ‘Best Attacker’ at the 2004 NORCECA Championships in Cataño, Puerto Rico … competed with the USA Youth National Team at the Youth World Championships in Macau, China in 2005 … earned the prestigious Paul Williamson Award as the Pac 6 Athlete of the Year … named the North Carolina High School Female Athlete of the Year by the News and Observer … helped Riverside High School to a 74-14 scholastic record … posted career totals of 1,596 kills, 319 blocks, 647 digs, 286 aces and 130 assists … as a member of the Triangle 18’s club team, was selected as an All-American as the 2006 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Fla. … selected as the Most Valuable Player of the North Carolina Regional Championships for the 18’s Gold age division … the first player from the Carolina Region to be named All-Tournament at the USA Junior Olympic Girls Volleyball Championships … three-time USA Volleyball Carolina Region MVP … four-time Pac 6 all-conference selection … two-time Pac 6 conference Player of the Year … led Riverside to the state playoff semifinals in 2002 and 2004 and the state quarterfinals in 2003 … from 1996-2002, was a member of the Bouncing Bulldogs Jump Rope Demonstration team and was a silver medalist in the 12-14 age division at the World Championship in Ghent, Belgium, as a member of the USA Jump Rope Team … ranked 53 in her class of 493 at Riverside, holding a 4.5 grade point average … member of the Riverside Student Council … acted as a peer mentor for students with special needs.