Aug. 20, 2008

Champaign, Ill. - Betsy (Spicer) Brookbank remembers her playing days at Illinois fondly, but no season more so then 1998. The fall followed an overseas trip to Holland and ended with the team's first Sweet 16 trip under Don Hardin. Spicer is among 21 former Illini returning to Huff Hall for the Annual Alumni Event this Saturday. The match between the current Illini and the alumni starts at 7 pm and features three sets to 25 and one to 15.

"The trip to Holland was incredible," Brookbank recalls. "We not only had extra playing time, but got in so much team bonding time. As a result there was great chemistry. I've played on so many teams after that, but nothing could match how close we all were that year."

In 1998, Spicer and the Illini defeated Southwest Texas State and Colorado at Huff Hall to advance to the Sweet 16. Now Illinois hopes to repeat that magic in 2008 after going through a successful overseas trip with the players experiencing the same sentiment some 10 years later.

That 1998 season ended with a loss to eventual national champion Long Beach State, which featured Olympian Misty May. "We came so close in game one," Brookbank recalls. "The crowd at the Pyramid was totally into it."

Brookbank played two seasons in the USPV professional volleyball league, first in Chicago for a traveling all-star team then for the Grand Rapids Force, which also featured former Illini Cristy Chapman and current Illini assistant Jen (Flynn) Oldenburg.

"Illinois prepared me well for going to the next level," Brookbank said. "Once I got there, they realized I was too short to play middle blocker, so they switched me to an outside. Although the process was hard, it was fun because it was like I was playing a new game."

After the league folded in 2003, she joined the work force, working in human resources for Pot Belly Sandwiches until she got a call from Hardin inquiring about a chance to play in Portugal.

"Although the competition (in Portugal) wasn't as competitive, it was a great experience going overseas."

Brookbank served two seasons as an assistant under Anne Kordes at Saint Louis University. Kordes coached Brookbank's senior season while an assistant at Illinois and Brookbank remembers a fiery, yet compassionate young coach.

"Anne is such a fired up, motivated, caring person," Brookbank said. "Hopefully I can get back into coaching someday. When I do, I'm so glad I have her as a contact."

She also remembers seeing Hardin at the same venues on the recruiting trail. "Don was just the greatest," she said. "When I saw him, it was like seeing one of your parents. He not only cares about the program and making sure it's successful, but he cares about making sure you have the best college experience. I think that's what sets him apart from other college coaches."

Brookbank met her husband, Wade, while in Grand Rapids. Her husband was then a defenseman for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. Wade Brookbank is beginning his second season with the Carolina Hurricanes and his sixth season overall in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2008-09, having played in Nashville, Vancouver, and Boston as well. Since they met, Wade has also made AHL stops in Binghamton, Milwaukee, Manitoba, Providence, Scranton-Wilkes Barre and Albany. The couple had their first child, Addie, on Aug. 16, 2007. Now Betsy has taken on the role of mom and supporter, but she misses the game.

Brookbank is definitely looking forward to playing again at Huff.

"We've already started a bunch of e-mails back and forth getting ready for the weekend," she said. "Huff is one of the greatest places to play. I played with and against many other former Big Ten players. They all said they hated and loved coming to Huff. It was a hostile environment for them, but the crowd was so much fun and every match felt special."

The strong list of players coming back for Saturday's Alumni match also includes Linda Bantz, Melissa Beitz (1996-99), Carrie Cavato Lombardi (1995-98), Cristy Chapman (1997-98), Kelly See Finet (1981-83), Lydia Ferguson Gard (1998-2001), Shadia Haddad (1998-2001), Mary Coleman Hambly (1995-98), Meghan Macdonald (2003-06), Joan McArthur (1974), Laura Haselhorst Mueller (1995-98), Stephanie Obermeier (2004-06), Shelly O'Bryan (2000-03), Kelly Scherr McClure (1993-96), Annie Stoessel (1996-99), Rachel VanMeter (2001-05), Melissa Vandrey (2000-o3), Rasa Virsilaite (2002-05), Sue Nucci Ward (1991-94), and Rena Zenarosa (1992-93).