The Tera Lobdell who first entered the NIU campus and the Tera Lobdell of present day are comparable to night and day, black and white or Martha Stewart and DMX. They are nothing alike.

The 6-foot-1 freshman outside hitter has raised her level of play tremendously since becoming a Huskie, according to NIU volleyball coach Todd Kress.

"I see her day to day in practice and she came in Aug. 10 and she was very timid, not very assertive," said Kress. "And now I look at a player who is very confident, someone who is out there doing well offensively, playing solid defense, controlling things blocking-wise and serving aggressively"

A soft-spoken resident of Plymouth, Minn., Lobdell is the fifth Huskie from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Lobdell brings with her a winning attitude through and through.

Having led Robbinsdale Armstrong High to a perfect 32-0 record her senior year, including the Class 3A Minnesota State Volleyball Championship, she was in turn named to the Minnesota all-state team.

Lobdell appropriately played for the Northern Lights club volleyball team in high school and led the team to the national tournament five times. She brings a shining light to NIU with her improving play.

"If you look at any freshman at any program across the country and their first practice on Aug. 10 they are going to be a little timid," said Kress, "but she is starting to get over that, and really starting to contribute and step it up."

And step is just what Lobdell has done, as she has been a major part of the Huskies' 8-2 Mid-American Conference start. Showing consistent play, she has appeared in 46 of 49 games.

Ranking first on the team for overall kills, second for kills per game, third for assists and second for service aces, her maturation as a college player indeed has come at a high rate.

"Tera has really stepped up and improved her play since she's been here," said teammate Jenny Bowman, who also is from Minnesota. "At first she was very unconfident with herself because they were changing a lot of things with her arm swing and different techniques that they were teaching her. But she has really come into her own and begun playing more like an upperclassmen instead of a freshman."

Working on minor details with her swing, Bowman feels that Lobdell has learned to utilize the tune-ups in her game to her advantage.

Upon her arrival at NIU, Lobdell said she was overwhelmed by her surroundings and the whole system.

Unaccustomed to the college style, Lobdell reserved a spot for herself on the Huskie bench with her timid play. But she wasn't going down without a fight.

"I've never really been a player to sit on the bench throughout my years, and the beginning of this season I was," said Lobdell. "Since then, I've pushed myself to where I needed to be. I think it had a lot to do with being more comfortable with the team and being more confident in myself."

In her infancy as a Huskie, Lobdell was quieter than a sleeping mime, but has progressed to the point where she is more carefree and talkative with her teammates.

"It's fun to see some of the things that she's been able to do in such a short period of time," Kress said. "Usually, you don't see that much growth in that short of time."

Still bringing a quiet demeanor on the floor during matches, she attributes her silent approach to her lack of knowledge.

"Being a freshman you really don't know who you're playing out on the court because you've never played them before," Lobdell said. "I go into each game just like any other game, and there is no real reason for me to be intimidated by anyone that I don't know."

In the same position as Lobdell only a year ago, Bowman, a sophomore, has tried to be as supportive as possible along with the rest of the Huskies.

"I think that a big part is having everyone there for her to support her," said Bowman, "and tell her, ‘Even though it's hard right now with the new techniques, we know you're a great hitter and you'll continue to improve, but keep working at it and you'll get to the level that you want to be at.'"

Feeling that the best is still yet to come, Kress is optimistic about Lobdell's future: "If Tera stays focused and if she decides that she wants to work very hard and be a committed, disciplined player, she's got the world ahead of her and she can accomplish a real lot."