One of the key ingredients to a contending team is players with the know-how to win.

With that in mind, NIU Volleyball Coach Pete Waite has quite a recipe on his hands.

In his third year as Huskie boss, Waite will be playing this year’s schedule with six returners and seven newcomers. Usually with that much inexperience on one team, coaches refer to the season as a rebuilding one.

Usually.

The catch to the 1990 NIU volleyball team is that all 13 players have seen a lot of court time and experienced much success.

“There is no doubt we’re young class-wise,” Waite said. “But as far as playing experience and athletic talent, we won’t be playing young on the court.”

Of the 13, four Huskies played on a state high school championship team and nine NIU players played on club teams at the Junior Olympics national tournament.

Waite said that there is such a good mix on the team that no one is secured of a starting spot. But the only two seniors on the team, Kari Niesen and Julie Kreiling-Zinke, are top hitters back from the NIU attack which ranked first in the North Star Conference with a kill average of 14.3 kpg.

Both Niesen and Kreiling-Zinke have overcome injuries which slightly side-tracked their careers.

“Kari is back from her knee surgery and Julie Kreiling-Zinke is fully recovered from shoulder surgery,” Waite said. “They will be looked upon to pull the team together.”

The only junior, Wendy Bonnette, improved throughout the 1989 season and eventually became the starting setter. But the setting postion isn’t a lock with sophomore Amber Kimmel and freshman Shauna Campbell also looking for playing time.

Andrea Baker and Wendy Mason round out the collegiate-experienced hitters for Waite. Baker suffered a stress fracture in the spring which may limit her action this season. Mason saw a lot of action in her first year with the injuries to Niesen and Kreiling-Zinke.

Two red-shirts, Michelle Detry and Kori Schauer, look to provide some solid frontline help. Schauer, the tallest Huskie at 6-foot-3, presents a big threat to opponents at the net and Detry, a walk-on last fall is ready to prove herself.

“There will really be a whole new team out there this year,” Waite said. “Overall, we are much more athletic and quicker. It’s just a matter of when we all gel together and go after teams.

“I really think this will be a much more exciting team to watch.”