By Colleen Kane
Enquirer staff writer

Kristen Rust's shin and knees hurt her so badly, she has had to limp or be carried off the volleyball court at times this season.

Tendinitis in her knees and a stress reaction - the injury that comes just before a stress fracture - in her shin send shots of pain through her legs every time she jumps. And that's a lot, considering she's an outside hitter.

But a little pain has done nothing to stop the former Enquirer Player of the Year from having her best season yet.

Rust, a McAuley graduate and the Enquirer's top Division I player in 2000 and 2001, has grown into her role as a leader at Florida State. Rust leads the Seminoles (13-9) in kills (3.68 a game) and service aces (.35 a game) and is second in digs (2.49 a game). Last week, she was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week for averaging 5.0 kills and 3.2 digs in three straight Florida State wins.

"I think I have more confidence this year, and plus, I'm an upperclassman, so I try to be a leader," Rust said. "I've found it within myself . . . I'm finally getting the hang of this."

Rust isn't the only former Enquirer Division I Player of the Year getting the hang of college volleyball. Bryn Kehoe (2003) and Stephanie Blackburn (2002) are making an impact as rookies. The pair lead a solid 2004 class of players who have gone on to start at their colleges.

Kehoe, a national player of the year finalist at St. Ursula, is the starting setter as a freshman for No. 11 Stanford.

"I didn't expect to get any playing time, so I'm really happy to be able to contribute," Kehoe said. ". . . The college game is different from high school and club. It's a lot faster, and there's no such thing as a horrible team that you're supposed to crush. The college field is so much more even."

Kehoe has started every match for Stanford, which could contend for a national championship. She leads the team in service aces (0.33 a game) and is second on the team in digs (2.80 a game).

Blackburn, an Ursuline graduate, twice has earned Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week awards as a freshman at Ohio. She averages 2.80 digs, 3.26 kills and .41 service aces.

Others

• The Xavier men's cross country team finished third in the Atlantic 10 championships this weekend. Paul Staudigel (Elder) led the team with a 12th-place finish. The team's previous A-10 best was seventh place.

• Union College defensive back Ernest Johnson (Hughes) was named the Mid-South Conference and NAIA Defensive Player of the Week this week. He had a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, had three pass breakups and made five tackles in a game against Bethel

College.

• Cincinnati sophomore goalkeeper Mike Vessells (Turpin) was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week last week after making 13 saves in two shutout wins.

• Cincinnati head cross country coach Bill Schnier and former runners Chris Reis and Angie Kist were named to the C-USA all-decade team this week.

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E-mail ckane@enquirer.com