Volleyball: Martin named MVP of All-American game

Posted Dec 20, 2009 by Nick Williams

Updated Dec 20, 2009 at 09:01 PM

TAMPA   Plant volleyball senior hitter Maddie Martin’s winning habits are infectious.

Weeks after leading Plant’s volleyball team to its fourth consecutive state championship and first in Class 6A, Martin led Team Red with seven kills, three digs and one blocked assist en route to a sweep over Team White, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20, at the second Under Armour All-American Volleyball Match at the Forum on Sunday.

Martin, who will play for three-time defending national champion Penn State, was named Team Red’s Most Valuable Player.

“I was really surprised because there were amazing girls on our team,” said Martin, who earlier this month was named the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year. “It’s an honor to have gotten it alongside those girls.

Martin was one of six Penn State senior recruits playing in the All-American game.

“I’m beyond happy [going to Penn State], especially since they won [on Saturday],” Martin said. “We were all screaming [on Saturday] and we made signs. We’re all very excited to go and play for Penn State.”

Martin and her fellow recruits have the task of continuing the Nittany Lions 102 consecutive win streak, the longest active streak in Division I women’s sports.

“If we lose, we’re the ones who lost the winning streak. We’re going to work hard and we’re not going to lose that streak,” she said.

Burlington Central (Ill.) outside hitter Stephanie Holthus, who will play for Northwestern University, finished with four kills and five digs to earn Team White’s MVP award.

The match will be shown on ESPNU on Dec. 27 at 8:30 p.m.