Russ Rose Then (1996): “I think, considering it was her first year of collegiate setting, she executed about as well as we could have expected last year. I thought she competed hard and the thing that I like about Sam is that she is physically tough. She absorbed a lot of beatings and she had a lot of body parts that were banged up during the year, but she kept on practicing and playing. I’m sure she learned a great deal last year. For a first year setter to keep you in the Top Ten for the whole year speaks highly of what Sam did for us last year and, with the gained experience and confidence, she should continue to do well.”
1996 Season (RS Sophomore) Season Recap: Played in 13 of 34 matches and 19 of 115 sets … totaled 16 assists and 17 digs for the season. Transferred to Washington State University following the 1996 season, where she played in 1997 and 1998.
Before Penn State: Spink, the setter for Coeur d’Alene HS, led the Vikings to a 3rd-place finish in the 1993 Idaho state tournament and received 1st-Team All-State honors .. .Spink was named Athlete-of-the Year by her high school and the Spokane Sportscasters … she played for the S.P.E.C.S. Elite Club team … contributed to the Vikings’ state basketball championship and a 3rd place finish during her career … she received basketball All-State honorable-mention honors in 1994 and was the Vikings’ MVP, as well as MVP of the East/West District I All Star game … Spink also was a three-yearvOutstanding State Scholar-Athlete with a 4.0 grade-point average and earned the A.VC.A. Scholastic National Award in 1993.
“Lady Spiker Spink transfers to WSU,” The Daily Collegian, Jan. 20, 1997
“Spink finds a second home,” The Daily Collegian, Sep. 7, 1995