Russ Rose Then (1994): “Heidi might be one of the few people in the history of women’s volleyball to play in the USVBA Junior Championship match in July and then play, as a freshman, in the Division I NCAA Championship in December. I’m not sure if there’s ever been another player to do that feat. Heidi did a lot of things really well her first year. I think that if she can become better at really focusing on the things that she does well, she’ll have an exceptional and rewarding career. She does several things well. She is a good ball-handler and plays tough defense. Heidi has the ability to incite the crowd because she’s a small, aggressive attacker. During the spring, she was our best defensive player.”
1994 Season (Sophomore) Highlights and Awards: Academic All-Big Ten.
Season Recap: Appeared in all 35 matches and 71 of 117 sets .. totaled 118 digs and 32 kills during the season with a high of 15 digs against Ohio State (9/21) … season-highs: 8 kills vs. St. Bonaventure (9/17); 15 digs vs. Ohio State (9/21); 4 aces vs. LSU (9/10) … Blocks: 4 (twice).
Before Penn State: At Columbus East HS, Rottinghaus left an indelible mark on the teams she participated on at the high school, club and national levels … was a Volleyball Monthly “Fab 50” selection and a 1992 First-Team All-State performer and a 2-time Hoosier Hills all-conference pick … chosen All-Area Player-of-the-Year by The Republic newspaper…a 4-year starter and letterwinner, Rottinghaus was selected to compete in the 1993 Indiana Coaches Association all star match … as a senior captain, she led Columbus East to the Final Four of the Indiana state tournament … voted the team’s MVP in 1991 and ’92, Rottinghaus was a sensational all-around player … while attending the Elite Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., she earned a spot on the 1992 U.S. Junior Olympic team and received the Judy Bellomo Memorial Scholarship … a 1989 AAU All American, she earned MVP honors at the University of Kentucky summer camp in 1991 … is a 6-year veteran of USVBA club competition … during the 4 years she spent with the Circle City Club in Indianapolis, Rottinghaus played on several USVBA title teams … was one of 6 athletes named First-Team All-America by the USVBA … a member of the National Honor Society, she ranked 9th in a class of 275 and made the honor roll in 8 semesters.
“Rottinghaus has seen and done it all in a year’s time,” The Daily Collegian, Oct. 26, 1995
