Northwestern University Athletics
NU Volleyball Inks the Last of the Gardners
11/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern head volleyball coach Keylor Chan has announced the signing of Christie Gardner of West Bend, Wis. to a National Letter of Intent. Gardner, currently a senior at West Bend East High School, will join the 'Cats in 2002.
"Christie is going to add the dimension we've been missing this year, which is passing and defense," Chan said. "She comes from a winning high school and club program, and we just want to let her attitude and desire to compete take us to the next level."
Gardner helped West Bend East to a pair of state championships and a state runner-up title in her four years. Her club team, Milwaukee Sting, won the 2001 Under-17 Junior Olympics national title, and Gardner was named MVP of that tournament.
The 5'9" hitter has earned USAV All-America honors three times, and all-state, all-county, all-conference honors twice. Gardner is also a two-time honoree of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel All-Area Team.
There is no doubt Gardner earned her awards with her performances in tournament situations. She broke the all-division record for kills this season at the Wisconsin State Tournament with 88, and in 2000 she broke the same record for digs with 84.
Milwaukee Sting, Gardner's club team, has enjoyed much success at the Junior Olympics in the past few years. In addition to the Under-17 championship in 2001, they took ninth in 2000 and second in 1999. Gardner was named to the all-tournament team both times.
An accomplished athlete, Gardner has also been named to the All-Little Ten Conference first team in soccer the past two years.
Gardner is the last of four sisters to sign within the Big Ten, one of the nation's elite volleyball conferences.
Of her older sisters, Jamie graduated from Wisconsin in 2000 and was the starting defensive specialist for the Badger team that went to the Final Four. Laurie, a junior, has been Indiana's starting setter for the past two seasons and Korie, a sophomore, is currently a defensive specialist at Wisconsin.
Gardner is the daughter of Jim and Deb Gardner. Her mother is the assistant volleyball coach at West Bend East.
