Russ Rose Then (2015): “I think it will take some time for Nia to get her game ready to play again. But I would expect, as I thought when we elected to redshirt her, that there are going to be times when she makes a real contribution to the team with her front row play. She hits the ball high and she is an exceptional blocker. Always smiling and caring for the team are two of Nia’s greatest contributions.”
Russ Rose Now (2026): “Nia Reed is one of my favorite stories, because although she didn’t play a lot at the beginning of her career, and in today’s world could easily have just left and gone somewhere else where she would have played right away, she stayed at Penn State, worked incredibly hard, and became an All-American. Nia was clearly one of the most physical players that we ever had. Nobody could go through multiple practices in a day and still have the ability to go up and take a swing like Nia did. She had natural skills at the net. She could play left side, she could play right side. She was just one of those individuals that you could count on to make the big play when it was time. I had great confidence that when I put Nia in she would be able to have success, whether it was as an attacker or as a blocker. And her smile could light up Rec Hall. After Penn State, she had great success in Korea and Brazil — her impact was so obvious that the Olympic coach of Brazil called me and tried to get her to come to his professional team in Brazil. She spent time with USA Volleyball and the PVF, and is still playing professionally in Brazil. I’m a big fan.”
2015 Season (Redshirt Freshman): Played in 11 of 34 matches (2 starts) and 21 of 115 sets … totaled 20 kills and 6 blocks … made her collegiate debut against Stony Brook (8/29) … had a career-high 3 kills without any attack errors against Eastern Kentucky (9/11) … made her Big Ten collegiate debut at Northwestern (10/10)… tallied a career-high 6 kills to go along with a career-high 2 blocks against Indiana (10/16) … had 3 kills and 1 block against No. 13 Purdue (10/17) … matched a career-high mark with 6 kills, while also posting 3 blocks at Michigan State (10/24) … had 1 kill on the road at No. 4 Nebraska (11/28).
2016 Season (Redshirt Sophomore)
Before Penn State: A 4-year starter at Immaculate Heart Academy … led her high school squad to 4 consecutive non-public state championship titles, picking up Bergen Record Player of the Year honors in 2012 and 2013 … earned Star Ledger Player of the Year accolades in 2011, 2012 and 2013 … earned Big North Conference All-State honors from 2010-13 … competed with the “Digs” club team …played on the USAV Girls’ Youth A2 team in 2012, serving as an alternate on the Youth National Team in 2013 … a 2013-14 Under Armour All-American … a Mizuno First Team All-American … 3-time New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year from 2011-13.
