DN names Hannah Werth Female Athlete of the Semester

Those glasses on Hannah Werth's face aren't just for looks.

Even though they're now a part of her volleyball uniform, at the beginning of this season the outside hitter from Springfield, Ill., decided she didn't need them.

And that was a mistake, she said.

"I didn't think I needed them, I thought I was fine," she said. "The goggles really helped me hone in and focus and helped me to be that much better of an athlete.

"I can feel a difference in my body so it was a good transition."

Those goggles must have made a real difference for Werth. After she donned the red-and-black frames against Iowa State and in Big Ten play, she averaged 2.77 kills and 3.15 digs per set during the regular season.

And her defensive ability helped the Huskers stay alive in difficult situations. As the reigning Big 12 Conference defensive player of the year, her teammates expected a lot from her and she's delivered, co-captain Bridgette Root said.

"She's always been a great defender but she really upped it this year," Root said. "There are so many times she has stuck her arm out and saved a point for us."

This season, the junior was second on the team to libero Lara Dykstra in digs with 314.

Werth's ability to move around the floor makes it hard to slip balls by her for points, a rarity among outside hitters, NU assistant coach Dan Meske said.

"She can really change the tide of matches with her quickness," he said. "And it really sets her apart from other attackers."

But it isn't just the numbers and the athleticism that Werth brings to the floor.

She's constantly jumping around the court and takes part in a pre-match dance routine with senior Brooke Delano.

"She brings a spark," defensive specialist Paige Hubl said. "She's a well-rounded athlete but it's more than that. She brings energy and excitement and that's not something you can get in the weight room or on the court."

That carefree attitude is something that comes natural to Werth, she said. And getting everybody else to have fun is a crucial part of helping her teammates to have a memorable volleyball career at NU.

"It's all about getting us in that mindset that yes we're out here to have fun," Werth said. "I feel like I need to be the life of the party so everybody can enjoy the moment because you never know when it's going to end."

And one moment Werth was sure to enjoy was when the Huskers beat undefeated No. 1 Illinois in the NU Coliseum.

She had 17 digs with 14 kills on a night with 27 attacks in four sets to help lead the Huskers to a 3-1 win against the Illini.

But the crowning moment of that match for Werth came with the score at 24-11 in the fourth set. Werth notched the final kill by smashing the ball into Annie Luhrsen of the Illini to give the Huskers the victory against her home-state team.

"The feeling of that victory over Illinois is the best feeling I can remember having all year," Werth said. "And no one can take that away from us, so it was pretty cool."

After that match, Werth and her teammates celebrated. And it's safe to say she was leading the pack as the player that matured as time went on this season.

"She really grew this year as a teammate and somebody to look to," Root said. "She just puts a smile on your face."

Robbykorth@

dailynebraskan.com