Kennedy grad pursuing a long final season of Panther volleyball

Ellie Blankenship has done about everything a volleyball player can do at the University of Northern Iowa.

She was named first team all-Missouri Valley Conference for the second straight season Thursday and also was named the league's libero of the year. She recently became one of only eight players in NCAA Division I history to record more than 2,500 digs.

She has earned various academic honors and will graduate in three-and-a-half years. She's one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in volleyball, given to a student-athlete for “notable achievements in four areas ... community, classroom, character and competition.”

Is there anything this former Cedar Rapids Kennedy prep can't do?

“Haven't found that yet,” UNI volleyball coach Bobbi Petersen said. “We've definitely been blessed to have somebody like her in our program.”

Blankenship, switched to the libero position when she went to UNI, will lead the 12th-ranked Panthers into the MVC tournament this weekend in Cedar Falls. The tournament started last night but as top seed UNI doesn't play until tonight, drawing either Missouri State or Illinois State in a 7 p.m. semifinal.

The Panthers were 18-0 in MVC play during the regular season, 28-2 overall.

“Ellie is a huge part of that,” Petersen said. “She's just had an amazing career ... she's been our defensive leader since she got here.”

Blankenship said her career achievements won't sink in until it's all over. And she hopes that won't happen until after a deep run into the NCAA tournament.

“I try not to pay attention to it all,” she said. “Ultimately, I'm just playing a game I love.”

Blankenship was a three-year starter for the Kennedy volleyball team, earning second team all-state as a senior. She blossomed at UNI, recording a team high and then school-record 624 digs as a freshman.

“She does her job, but she's also the kid who can make the big play,” Petersen said. “She's a difference maker.”

As a sophomore, she broke her school digs record with 676 and was second team all-MVC. She had 698 digs as a junior and has 575 this season.

“Each year she's just grown in the ability to lead out there,” Petersen said.

“It's just been awesome,” Blankenship said. “People tell you time flies, but you don't really believe them ... it's gone really fast.”

The end may not come when the season is over. Blankenship was one of 24 players selected for USA Volleyball's National A2 program last year and helped her team to a bronze medal at the USA Volleyball Open Championships.

“She's amazing,” Petersen said. “She's only going to keep getting better and better.”

Blankenship is interested in seeing what's next.

“I loved playing at that one-step higher,” she said. “It's something I'm definitely going to look into.”

Just not yet.

“I'm hoping to end my senior year the best way I can ... make a run in the tournament as far as we can,” she said.

By J.R. Ogden, The Gazette