When the ISU volleyball team takes the floor this Friday night in the Heritage Classic, it will be looking for leadership on and off the court from senior Stacy Nicks. Nicks has been a steady performer for a Cyclone team that is looking to improve on a shaky season from a year ago. After starting three years for Iowa State, Nicks will again be back as a middle blocker. A native from Spencer, Nicks sees this season varying vastly from a year ago. “I expect us to win more games and earn more respect in the Big 12,” said Nicks. “Right now, I don’t think anyone seriously respects us, and I’m hoping that through our play, that will change.” Being a senior at Iowa State, Nicks has been starting to think about her future. The journalism and mass communications major doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do yet, but has been getting experience in a number of different areas that may help her in the decision process. “I spent my summer in New York, which was interesting,” said Nicks. “I worked for a magazine called Folio, so I wrote for them all summer, and played volleyball in Central Park every Sunday, which was really a fun time.” Nicks doesn’t necessarily want to limit her volleyball career to Iowa State. “I’ve been thinking about maybe playing in Europe, but I’m not sure about that yet,” she said. “I’ll know more by the end of the season and whether I want to do that or not.” Teammate Nannette Allen sees the possibility of playing in Europe as “a good thing for Stacy.” “She’s got the height, the ability, and she’s got the right attitude,” said Allen. “Whatever Stacy puts her mind to, I think she’ll do it and do it well.” This is Allen’s fourth season playing with Nicks at Iowa State, and through hard work, she foresees this being Nick’s best season in a Cyclone uniform. “Stacy’s a great blocker,” said Allen. “That’s probably her best ability that she’ll bring not only to the team but to the Big 12, possibilly even to the nation if she works hard at it.” Nick’s blocking has definitely been a strong point in her ISU career. Last season she was considered one of the best blockers in the Big 12 totalling a team high 106 blocks, good enough to rank among the top 10 in the Big 12. Cyclone Coach Linda Grensing sees Nick’s blocking as a great asset, but thinks her leadership may be the most important thing she brings to the team. “Stacy is a real important part of our core,” said Grensing. “She’s a very unique individual, and is a great person to be your senior and to be your leader,” said Grensing. “In here, she’s one of our best examples as a middle (blocker). She’s a great player offensively and also in terms of blocking,” added Coach Originally a walk-on at Iowa State, Nicks didn’t plan on playing much volleyball. “I decided to come here for the school, first of all, and then I said `I guess I could try some volleyball’,” she said. “I ended up totally committing myself to the sport.” There are at least a few people who are glad she did. “Stacy really is very untapped as far as her potential goes,” said Grensing. “If you look at Stacy as a freshman walking on to Iowa State versus how she is now as a senior, it’s vastly different.” “If she stays in volleyball four or five more years, she will become a very prime player,” Grensing said. “I think playing in Europe would give her that opportunity.”