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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, December 12, 2001

Hawai'i Homegrown Report
Setting high standards for herself

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Minnesota athletic director Chris Voelz calls all-Midwest Region volleyball setter Lindsey Berg "the pride and joy of us."

University of Minnesota

"If you have a dream," says Lindsey Berg of Manoa, "keep dreaming it and never give up on that dream."

Many of Berg's lifetime dreams have centered on volleyball. Many have come true. Starting this weekend, she will move on to even bigger dreams.

"Never think a dream is too big for you," Berg says. "You are capable of anything ..."

Berg will complete her degree from the University of Minnesota's prestigious Carlson School of Management Friday and fly to San Diego for a two-day tryout with the U.S. National Team this weekend.

On Jan. 1 she reports to the Rochester Chill of the U.S. Professional Volleyball League, which opens its inaugural season in February, and made Berg one of its top draft choices.

"I'll keep playing volleyball until I can't," Berg said Monday. "I feel blessed to have the qualities that I have and I enjoy every minute of it."

Friday, Berg was named first-team all-star setter for the 44-school Division I Midwest Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the third year in a row. The selection put her on the ballot for the AVCA All-America team, which will be announced today.

While helping Minnesota reach the second round of this season's NCAA Tournament and climbing to third place on the all-time Big Ten Conference assists and service aces lists, Berg is graduating in 3 1/2 years with a 3.5 grade-point average.

"She is the ultimate student-athlete, who in fact is a scholar-athlete," said Minnesota women's athletic director Chris Voelz. "We honor and respect those who can handle Big Ten athletics and the Carlson School of Management.

"She is the pride and joy of us."

Minnesota coach Mike Hebert, whose teams had an 84-37 record during Berg's career, said Berg was the catalyst in two of the biggest victories in Minnesota history.

"When we broke Penn State's 89-match home winning streak in 2000, it was her sheer determination to will us to win," Hebert said.

"Against USC in the 1999 NCAA Tournament, we were down 2 games to none and 14-11. Her serve tied it at 14 and we went on to win in five. She just put the team on her back and carried us across the line," Hebert said.

AD Voelz said, "Her competitive drive permeates her team."

Hebert said Berg's biggest asset is "her volleyball IQ is extremely high."

"She was never one of the best athletes on the floor, but she was always one of the best volleyball players on the floor. She understands set selection and thinks like a coach," Hebert said. "She always brought out her best competitive games when we needed it most."

It might be in her genes, or her childhood environment. Lindsey's father, Dennis Berg, played on the same University of California-Santa Barbara team in the 1960s as Hebert and Hawai'i coach Dave Shoji.

Dennis Berg had Lindsey and her sister, Erin, "going through the motions — (pass, set, hit) — as tiny babes," recalls her uncle, John Marrack. "Lindsey would pepper in the back yard as a little girl."

She learned strategy playing for Shoji's club team, the Asics Rainbows.

Berg was a three-time Advertiser first-team all-state selection and was co-Player of the Year as a junior when she helped Punahou win the 1996 state championship.

Five years and a brilliant collegiate career later, Hebert says, "She's ready for the next stage."

• • •


Lindsey Berg

  • Ranks No. 3 on the Big Ten Conference career lists in assists and service aces.
  • Finished 112 assists short of a Big Ten record because, Minnesota coach Mike Hebert said, the new rally scoring rules don't afford as many opportunities for assists as the side-out era.
  • Used her booming jump serve to become the first player in history to lead the Big Ten in service aces four consecutive years.
  • 3-time All-Big Ten.
  • 3-time All-Big Ten Academic.
  • 3-time All-Midwest Region.
  • 3-time team captain or cocaptain.
  • Grade-point average: 3.5.
  • Assists: Career, 5,913 (third Big Ten). This season: 1,314 (12.06 per game).
  • Service aces: Career, 283 (third Big Ten). This season: 76 (0.73 per game). First Big 10, ninth in NCAA I.

The Berg quotebook

Lindsey Berg was asked by the Big Ten Conference to describe what her collegiate athletics experience has meant to her. Here are some of her responses:

  • "Not only are sports fun, but they teach you things that are hard to find in other places. I learned leadership, teamwork, patience, intensity, competitiveness, time management ... I could go on and on. The experience that I have had, and playing a Division I sport in college, will stick with me for life."

  • "There are days when you are really tired, because you had a game the night before and then stayed up studying for a test. Then, you have to practice after that. But you learn to push through. You learn how to make the most out of everything you do."