Natalie Risi

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Photo by: Brad Caudill - Ball State Athletics

Position:
Outside Hitter
Height:
6-0
Class:
Junior
High School:
Notre Dame Preparatory
Hometown:
Clarkston, Mich.

Career Notes Entering 2022 Season:
• Played in 85 of a possible 87 matches over her career
• Saw action in 315 of a possible 335 sets over her career
• 2021 MAC Volleyball Championship Most Outstanding Player
• 2021 MAC All-Tournament Team
• 2019 MAC Freshman of the Year
• 2019 First Team All-MAC
• 2019 MAC All-Freshman Team
• Two-time Academic All-MAC (2020-21, 2021)
• Two-time MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21, 2019 and Nov. 11, 2019)
• Smashed a career-high 27 kills versus Toledo (Oct. 31, 2019)
• Recorded a career-high 26 digs versus Central Michigan (March 20, 2021)
• Scored double-digit kills in 28 career matches
• Credited with double-figure digs in 43 career matches
• Tallied 17 kill/dig double-doubles over her career

2021 (Jr.): Earned third letter at Ball State … MAC Volleyball Championship Most Outstanding Player … MAC All-Tournament Team … Academic All-MAC … one of four players to see action in all 129 sets, making 26 starts on the outside … was Ball State’s starting libero in the other eight matches … smashed a season-high 19 kills in the MAC Tournament championship match victory over Bowling Green (Nov. 24), while adding 13 digs for her fourth kill/dig double-double of the season ... ranked fifth on the squad with 192 total kills, with double-digit kills in seven matches … second on the squad and 11th in the MAC with 360 digs, including double-digit digs in 17 matches … credited with a season-high 25 digs at Kent State (Sept. 24), one match after earning 20 digs versus Northern Kentucky (Sept .18) … third on the squad with 25 service aces, including tying her career high with four versus Western Michigan (Nov. 22) … dished out 59 assists on the year, including a career-high seven at Kent State (Sept. 25) ... finished the year with 32 total blocks, including tying her career high with three on four occasions, including the MAC Tournament championship win over BGSU.

2020-21 (So.): Earned second letter at Ball State … Academic All-MAC … would have missed a majority, if not all, of the season due to injury had it not been moved to the spring … played in 20 of BSU’s 21 matches, earning 12 starts … saw action in 74 of a possible 80 sets … served as an outside attacker early in the year before transitioning to a backcourt role for the last half of the season … smashed a season-high 12 kills in the second match at Toledo (Feb. 5), while earning 10 kills each in the first contest at Toledo (Feb. 4) and at Ohio (March 4) … added double-digit digs in each of those matches to finish the season with three kill/dig double-doubles … credited with a career-high 26 digs versus Central Michigan (March 20), while earning 22 digs in the second match versus the Rockets for a pair of matches with 20-or-more digs … ranked second on the squad with 222 digs for a 3.00 digs-per-set average … earned a perfect reception percentage in 13 matches, including a 36-for-36 effort in the March 4 five-set win at Ohio … also tied a career-high with three total blocks in the win over the Bobcats … served up seven aces on the year, while dishing out 10 assists … Preseason All-MAC West Division Team.

2019 (Fr.): Earned first letter at Ball State … MAC Freshman of the Year ... First Team All-MAC ... MAC All-Freshman Team ... two-time MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21 and Nov. 11) ... played in all 32 matches and in all 126 sets ... led the Ball State offense with 360 kills, which is the most for a Ball State freshman since Julie Breivogel registered 377 as a freshman in 2006 ... smashed 25 kills versus Bowling Green (Oct. 26) and followed with a career-high 27 against Toledo (Oct. 31) to become one of only two Ball State players in the rally scoring era (2001-present) to register 20-or-more kills in multiple matches as a freshman ... smashed at least three kills in 31 matches, with double-digit kills in a team-high 18 contests ... ranked third on the team with 358 digs, including double-digit digs in 17 matches ... recorded a season-high 22 digs at Northern Kentucky (Sept. 13), while collecting 18 digs in both matches against Eastern Michigan (at EMU on Oct. 12 and vs. EMU on Nov. 15), as well as against Buffalo (Nov. 2) ... led Ball State with 10 kill/dig double-doubles on the year, including a pair in the MAC Volleyball Championship ... paced the Cardinals with 30 service aces, including a career-high four versus USF (Aug. 30) ... hit .188 on the year, including a career-high .400 (17-3-35) versus Northern Illinois (Oct. 4) ... hit .200-or-better in 19 matches ... collected 20 total blocks and handed out 22 assists on the year.

PHILLIPS ON RISI: Natalie is a six rotation outside attacker that not only can frustrate opponents with her precision attacks, but also with her relentless ball control and defense. She reads incredibly well and uses her quickness and touch on the ball to put pass after pass on target. Offensively she's a shot maker that makes blockers chase her all across the net. She remains steady even in tough situations and is used to competing in high pressure moments.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterwinner for coach Betty Wroubel at Notre Dame Preparatory, Risi has helped guide the Irish to a runner-up finish at the 2018 MHSAA Division 2 State Tournament … she finished her senior season with 550 kills, 466 digs, 180 service aces and 67 total blocks this season … a two-time All-State honoree, earning first team honors as a senior and second team accolades as a sophomore, Risi was also named the Maxpreps and AVCA Player of the Week in August of this season … as a junior, she helped guide Notre Dame Preparatory to the MHSAA Division 2 State Championship by blasting 473 kills and 171 aces, while tallying 455 digs and 91 total blocks … overall, she has helped guide the Irish to four district titles and a pair of regional championships … her 171 aces her junior season led all players in the state of Michigan … Risi's other accolades over her career including being named to the All-America Team as a junior, earning all-region, all-county and being named a Michigan High School Volleyball Insider "All-Insider" Team honoree as a sophomore and being named to the AVCA Phenom List as both a freshman and junior … she finished her four-year Irish career with 1,628 kills, 1,705 digs, 499 aces and 275 total block.

CLUB: Played for the Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy.

PERSONAL: Undecided on major ... born Feb. 15, 2001 in Clarkston, Mich. ... daughter of Leslee and Thomas Risi ... has three brothers; Michael, Jack and Jonathan.

WHY BALL STATE: I chose Ball State because I liked the family environment of the volleyball program, and the beautiful campus that feels like home.