Senior player has showed success so far

By By Jeff Deters

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Her name is Danielle Wittman. But at volleyball practice, you might hear players and coaches call her “D-Witt,” “Dan Dog,” and “Danni-Wanni.”

Nicknames are often given to players for various reasons, including accomplishments on the playing field. But finding out where and who started the nickname can sometimes be a mystery.

Dani Wittman against BYU

Dani Wittman against BYU

“I don’t know where any of these names come from,” Wittman, a senior defensive specialist/libero said.

To find the answer, she wouldn’t have to go very far. Following the Jayhawks’ victory against K-State last Wednesday, junior right side hitter/setter Emily Brown was given credit for “Dan Dog,” and another player later came clean on “Danni-Wanni.”

“I was the one who invented Danni-Wanni,” senior outside hitter Jana Correa said.

Correa thought about calling her “Dani-Witt,” but ultimately decided that was too lame. Wittman and Correa have spent hours together both on and off the court, and the two have become close friends.

“Dani Wittman is a fun girl,” Correa said. “She’s such a nice girl. She’s like a sister.”

Correa is from Brazil and doesn’t have a car in Lawrence. But anytime she needs to go somewhere, Wittman is usually her chauffeur.

This season Wittman has spent much of her time driving volleyballs onto the opposing team’s side of the floor.

“She’s that fireball on our team that we always talk about,” Brown said. “You always need that spark plug, and that’s for sure Dani Wittman.”

Wittman has played in 17 of KU’s 19 matches this season, playing solid defense and contributing 35 digs. On offense she has drilled 15 serving aces this season, including five in her last three games.

She credits her serving success to assistant coach Jill Jones Stucky, who gave her a few words of encouragement.

“Coach Jones said ‘Dani, you’re mentally tough, you’re mentally tough, you’re mentally tough.’ So every time I go behind the line I say I’m mentally tough, and I’m in.” Wittman said. “It’s part of positive self-talk.”

Wittman, a native of Salina, had many positives to talk about with her friends following the Kansas State victory, including those on the K-State volleyball team.

“I love the rivalry between KU and K-State, just because I have so many friends on the other side of the net,” Wittman said. “During the game you want to beat them, but after the game you’re great friends again. So it’s a healthy competition.”

Competing against K-State at the Horejsi Center had been a problem for Kansas until last Wednesday’s game. The Jayhawks finally defeated the Wildcats at the Horejsi Center for the first time during coach Ray Bechard’s tenure.

Bechard knew how much the victory meant to his team.

“That was very important to these seniors and this group to make that happen,” Bechard said. “And it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

After winning their last two matches the Jayhawks have momentum going into their next game Oct. 28 at Texas A&M.; The Jayhawks have only a month remaining in the regular season. And as time on her Jayhawk career draws to a close, Wittman couldn’t help but reflect on her playing career.

“I think you look back and you’re like, ‘Have I done it long enough? Did I do it every single game?’” Wittman said. “That’s how I hope my teammates remember me: as a good teammate, one that brought them energy and made them feel comfortable.”

Kansan sportswriter Jeff Deters can be contacted at jdeters@kansan.com.

— Edited by Patrick Ross

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