Collegio Online

Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Sports

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It was Hank Williams Jr. who sang about family tradition, but it was senior setter Emily Vosseler who lived that. Vosseler, a fifth-year senior on the PSU volleyball team, was influenced to commit to Pitt State in high school because her brother Tommy Vosseler was a member of the PSU basketball team.
"I didn't really know a lot about the program, but he told me what it was like to be an athlete at Pitt State," she said. "It's something nice that we can both say that we're both PSU athletes."
As a three-year starter at Immaculata High School in Leavenworth, Vosseler helped to lead her team to a fourth-place finish in the 2002 3A state tournament. She garnered all-tournament honors for state in 2002 and 2003 and was named to second team class 2A all-state performer in her senior year. The transition from high school volleyball to college volleyball wasn't the hard part of college for Vosseler.
"I was fortunate enough to play for a club that the majority of the girls went to MIAA schools and had great careers," Vosseler said. "It was more of a challenge moving away from home, being on my own and growing up than it was on the court."
After red-shirting her freshman year, Vosseler was able to get her feet wet playing in 21 matches in her first year, including one start. She ended the season with 142 assists, contributing to a single season team record for assists with 1,984; she's been an integral part of the Gorillas since.
"Emily brings a different perspective to the table, veteran leadership, understanding of what we've been doing over the years, being able to make plays and she is a good resource to new players," coach Ibraheem Suberu said. "She's practically another coach on the court with her experience."
As a sophomore, Vosseler saw more playing time as she played in 37 matches and finishing with 833 assists. In her junior year, Vosseler ended the year with 992 assists and had established herself as a premier setter in the MIAA.
As a senior, Vosseler has been forced into a leadership role since there is only one other senior on the squad, senior Pamela Cartagena.
"She's a nice girl, these past couple years we've been really close," Cartagena said. "It's been a great opportunity to get to play with her, she's a really good player."
So far this season, Vosseler has recorded more assists than she ever has in a season, with 1,262 and with only four regular season games left. Vosseler sits at second all-time in PSU history with 3,229 assists, which leaves her 351 from the No. 1 spot, a feat she never expected to accomplish.

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