81 Thursday, Sept. 23,2010 Daniel Bott/Collegian Matt Smallwood (22) battles for a ball against Hartwick in August. Smallwood has shifted from central midfield to the starting right back on defense. Off the field, Smallwood keeps the team loose and has been video taping moments from the season. Junior lifts By Andrew Robinson COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Matt Smallwood is an interesting guy. The junior’s off-field demeanor is relaxed and keeps his teammates loose. Put him in a game atmosphere, or more specifically on the field, _ and Smallwood is a totally different person, one with an edge and a competitive fire. It was that edge and toughness Smallwood plays with that prompted his new coach, Bob Warming, Wilson staying steady By Jake Kaplan COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER She’s had to deal with a new set ter distributing the ball to her and a new hitter playing to her side, but not much has changed in Arielle Wilson’s perform- WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ance this season, The senior mid die hitter is still one of the best in the nation Wilson leads the No. 2 Penn State women’s volleyball team (10- 1) with a .456 hitting percentage the next highest is .392. The Broadview, 111. native is the sev enth-most efficient attacker in the nation. D-I move By Anthony Barton COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER With Penn State announcing the addition of NCAA Division I hockey programs, many ques tions have been raised about the uncertain future ICERS oi the cu: men’s club team, the leers One of those questions is how the move will affect recruiting for the team’s last two seasons. Pittsburgh vs. St. Louis 12:35 p.m., FSN NCAA FOOTBALL Pittsburgh vs. Miami (FI.) 7:30 p.m., ESPN TRIVIA Q: What is Buster Posey’s first name? Wednesday’s Answer Temple, 12-0 team on and off field to make Smallwood his starting right back on defense. “Matty’s a pretty tough guy and he brought a little hard edge with him,” Warming said. “He likes communicating to the players in front of him and I just felt he could add some leadership to the back line and he’s done a great job.” Smallwood has started every game for the Nittany Lions this season and has come up with several key tackles, including one early in the season opener against Buffalo that prevented a potentially game-changing scoring chance. MEN’S SOCCER Her efficiency doesn't stop with hitting. The 6-foot-3 Wilson has 44 blocks and only three blocking errors. Wilson is doing all of that with out two teammates she was accustomed to playing alongside in her first three seasons in Happy Valley setter Alisha Glass and outside hitter Megan Hodge. The three years that trio played together, the Lions amassed a record of 110-2, including 102- straight wins and three national titles. Last season, Wilson’s .540 hit ting percentage led the nation. It also shattered the Big Ten record formerly .492 set by her See WILSON, Page 10. could lead to recruiting boon Head coach Scott Balboni said he believes the move can only help the leers’ cause during the recruiting pro cess “As far as recruiting goes, I think it’s a situa tion where it is going to change," Balboni said. “There’s going to be a lot of potential student ath NFL Pick ’Em contest Every week, the Collegian’s sports edi tors go up against some of the biggest names on Penn State’s campus in an NFL picking contest. Included in the pool each week is a Penn State student selected by the editors. Want to be that student this week? Then listen closely. Fbr the chance to be included in the pick ’em, e-mail the answers to today’s trivia question (to the left) to Collegian Sports Chief Paul Casella. Paul’s e-mail address plcso32@psu.edu. Send your answers to Paul, first one to correctly answer the question gets brag ging rights and the chance to make picks. Arielle Wilson (7) goes for a kill in a match earlier this season against Seton Hall. Despite having soe new teammates, Wilson has maintained her level of success and has been a key contributor for the Lions. letes who are now going to be coming to us and want to be involved in the program that weren’t potentially wanting to be involved with the program before.” Balboni said the volume of calls the team has received about recruiting since the announce ment has increased tenfold from this time in past years. Assistant coach Josh Hand agreed with Balboni. “I think we’re going to see a lot During his first two years at Penn State, Smallwood played as a central midfielder but his move to defense has been relatively seamless, junior centre back Mark Fetrow said. Fetrow said see ing Smallwood make a good tackle lifts the energy of the other defenders and he likes the physical play Smallwood has brought to the right side. “Whether it be a big slide tackle in front of him or a big tackle standing up where he knocks somebody on their [back] or he wins a good head ball, it just makes the defense excited,” Fetrow See SMALLWOOD. Page 10. K-Rod released on bail Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez was charged Wednesday with seven counts of criminal contempt for sending his girlfriend dozens of text messages begging for for giveness, violating a restraining order issued after he was accused of attacking her father at Citi Field. Rodriguez, who wore a studded T-shirt and a gold chain, did not enter a plea at his arraignment. He posted the $7,500 bail almost immediately and left Queens court without speaking. A new protection order was issued barring him from contacting Daian Pena and her family. Rodriguez was told to keep away from Carlos Pena and his daughter. But a week after he appeared in court, he sent her two text messagess and kept going, sending 56. provides Daniel Bott/Collegian of interest nationally from guys, and I think it’s only going to help our efforts to bring in very good athletes and good students as well,” Hand said. Hand also said the leers would include the possibility of playing See RECRUITING, Page 10. For up-to-date coverage of the Penn State leers, follow w the leers’ twitter at: TWITTER twitter.com/Collegian_lcers Temple ast tune-up By Audrey Snyder COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Sitting at the front of the media room with a seri ous stare, Graham Zug insisted he and his teammates are not overlooking Temple. It doesn't matter that Penn State leads the all-time series 35- 3-1 or that the Owls have never beaten Joe Patemo, who holds a 26-0 record against Temple. Simply put, Zug said, ’ the past is the past.” Aside from, the Nittany Lions’ historic domi nance against the Owls, the game still gives each side plenty to play for. With it being the Lions’ final game before opening Big Ten play at lowa next week, it’s the last chance for the team to make sure it’s prepared for the task ahead. “We definitely want to come in this weekend and perform well," left guard Johnnie Troutman said. “We could really know what we could do as a team. We can scale ourselves and know what we have to do coming into the Big Ten." Defensive tackle Devon Still said the Lions believe they can contend for a Big Ten title and the confidence that could come from a win against an improved Temple team that's off to a 3-0 start is something they want to take with them to lowa City. With Temple having a big-time running back in See FOOTBALL Page 10. More coverage on the Penn State football team. | SPORTS, Page 12. Graham Zug (5) carries the ball during last week’s game against Kent State. Zug in the Lions will face Temple in their final nonconference game Saturday. Coaches discuss Big Ten It would be easy to look at Penn State's 2-6-1 nonconfer ence record and think the Nittany Lions women's soccer team's run of 12- straight Big Ten titles is close to over. Michigan State coach Tom Saxton knows better. "I don't know how much you can read into that,” Saxton said. “But Penn State has played a very demanding schedule so I’m sure as heck not shortchang ing them or my opinion of them going into the Big Ten.” • There’s no question the Nittany Lions have dominated the conference over the last 12 See CONFERENCE, Page 10. More coverage on the women’s soccer. | SPORTS, Page 14. Overrated: Pitt or Miami? Miami will face Pittsburgh tonight at Heinz Field in a battle of two teams fight ing to avoid the dreaded “overrated” tag. The Panthers opened the season at No. 15 in both polls, but lost to Utah in over time on the season’s opening night and are currently unranked. The Hurricanes started ranked No. 13 in both polls but lost to Ohio State in week two and have fallen to No. 19. Stars for each team have struggled, Dion Lewis for Pitt and Jacory Harris for Miami. The two players will be seeking to prove that they not to mention their teams, were worth the big offseason hype they received all along. The Daily Collegian FOOTBALL By Andrew Robinson COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER WOMEN'S SOCCER
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