Bridget Murphy, Katie Hosteng, Heather Smith, Sarah Fetter, Molly Murphy, Ann Miller, Bailey Kaloupek, Mallory Gibson and Samantha Fournier all return for the 2012 season, April Hall's first as head coach.

In spring action, the team is scheduled to participate in a tournament at Illinois-Chicago on April 21 and play an all-day scrimmage April 28 at Iowa.

2011 Highlights

Bridget Murphy - Led The Summit League and ranked fourth in the nation with 5.98 digs per set … Led the Western Illinois defense to a No. 6 national ranking in digs per set (18.56) … Her 580 digs is the fourth best single-season performance in program history … Her 5.98 digs per set is the second highest single-season average in program history … Ended the season ranked fifth all-time in program history with 1,250 career digs … Earned two tournament MVP honors at the SIUE Invitational (Aug. 29) and Drury Inn/ASICS Challenge (Sept. 4) … The Summit League's Female Athlete of the Month for August/September … Named the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Week twice (Aug. 29 & Oct. 31) … Compiled 16 20-plus dig performances, including four 30-plus dig efforts.

Katie Hosteng - Posted 11 double-digit kill performances … Led the squad with 2.62 kills per set and ranked third with 241 kills … Named to the All-tournament team at Drury Inn/ASICS Challenge ... Set a Western Illinois season-high with 18 kills on a career-high 47 attempts at South Dakota (Oct. 2).

Ann Miller - NAMED TO THE SUMMIT LEAGUE ALL-FRESHMEN TEAM ... Led the squad with 11 double-doubles … Finished second on the squad in kills (263), digs (349) and aces (19) … Compiled 23 double-digit digs performances … Named all-tournament team at the SIUE Invitational ... Recorded six consecutive double-doubles from Sept. 7-23, including 12 kills and a season-high 27 digs in the four-set home win over Oakland (Sept. 19) … Set season-highs with 14 kills, 49 attempts and three service aces in the four-set win at UMKC (Sept. 30).

Sarah Fetter - Transferred from Illinois State ... Collected seven double doubles, including four straight from Sept. 30-Oct. 10 … Had nine 40-plus assist efforts, including a season-high 50 assists at South Dakota (Oct. 2) … Ranked seventh in The Summit League with 9.56 assists per set ... Set a season-high with 21 digs to go along with 49 assists against IPFW (Oct. 10).

Molly Murphy - Led the squad and ranked first in The Summit League with 43 service aces, which was the most in a single-season since Ashley Baker collected 53 during the 2007 campaign … Ranked No. 50 in the nation with 0.39 aces per set … Ranked third on the team with 312 digs … Compiled 12 double-digit dig performances … Named to SIU-Edwardsville Invitational All-Tournament Team after collecting two service aces in each contest … Had a season-high seven aces to go along with 19 digs in the four-set win over Oakland (Sept. 19) … Set a season-high with 29 digs at Oral Roberts (Oct. 20).

Samantha Fournier - Had six double-digit kill efforts, including five over the first 10 contests of the season … Collected her first career double-double against Savannah State (Sept. 4) with 10 kills and 13 digs … At the SIUE Invitational, Fournier put down 10 kills against SIUE (Aug. 26) and 11 versus Kent State (Aug. 27) … In her home debut against Chicago State (Sept. 13), she collected 13 kills and three blocks … Set a season-high with 14 kills on 30 attempts at South Dakota State (Sept. 17).

Mallory Gibson - Topped the team with 0.80 blocks per set and ranked second with 61 total blocks … Had six kills and eight total blocks (five solo) against Savannah State (Sept. 4) in her first career appearance … Collected six total blocks against Southern Utah (Sept. 23) and a season-high nine blocks in the four-set win at UMKC (Sept. 30) … Posted a season-high seven kills on 17 attempts in the home sweep over DePaul (Oct. 18).

Bailey Kaloupek - Collected six double-digit dig efforts, including a season-high 16 against South Dakota (Oct. 28) … Collected 12 digs and two service aces against Southern Utah (Sept. 23) … Compiled 11 digs at South Dakota and 15 in the home sweep over South Dakota State (Oct. 14) … Finished the season with 15 digs at Oakland (Nov. 12).

Heather Smith - Finished the season with four double-digit kill performances … Over the final eight matches of the season, Smith led the squad with 69 kills and 2.46 kills per set … Set career-highs with 12 kills, 45 attempts and three blocks at IUPUI (Nov. 5) … Had a career-high three aces to go along with a season-high 14 digs at Oakland (Nov. 12).