Having the No. 9 women's volleyball team in the country usually implies individual accolades as well.

Middle hitter Cara Smith is leading the nation in hitting percentage, with 157 kills compared to only 20 errors in 275 chances, an astounding .498 clip.

"She's a unique player in the fact that she doesn't even have to go up and swing every time," sophomore outside hitter Ashley Pederson said. "She's learned the wipe shot, she uses the whole court. She just has a lot of different shots so that's why I think her hitting percentage is so high."

The junior is recognized as a team leader, and her work ethic and game smarts are rubbing off on those around her.

"She's got such a court sense about her, and that's why she is such a great hitter," Pederson said.

Smith has led the nation in hitting from the beginning of the season, a statistic bolstered by a perfect 11-for-11 performance Sept. 14 against Army, making her only the eighth player in NCAA history to hit 1.000 with as many as 11 attacks.

Yet Smith (or any other Nittany Lion, for that matter) has not won conference player of the week honors, despite the fact that Penn State has the league's best record and a No. 2 national ranking.

What makes the lack of Lions honored even more troubling was that this week Ohio State sophomore Stacey Gordon -- admittedly a very good middle hitter -- was named player of the week despite her Buckeyes going 0-2, a fact that irked Penn State women's volleyball coach Russ Rose.

"In all my 11 years [in the Big Ten] I don't think that has ever happened," Rose said.

"You wouldn't give the national player of the year award to someone who went 0-24, would you?"

But Rose remains confident Smith's day will come.

"Hopefully she'll have some more big matches in the Big Ten, so we can get some recognition," Rose said.

But, for her part, Smith doesn't seem to mind the lack of accolades.

"I really don't think about it too much," Smith said. "I just go out every game same as normal and help us win. Whatever I hit, I hit, I just want to help the team."

Iceman cometh

Junior opposite Erin Iceman returned to the Penn State lineup two weeks ago at the American University tournament, seeing action in four games. Iceman had been returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament she suffered in the spring. However, Iceman has only seen very limited action since, getting in three of the last 14 games the Lions played.

"She's been out for a pretty long time, so it's going to take some time for her to get back into the flow of the game," Rose said. "I have hopes that Erin will be able to continue to improve and be a player we can get into the rotation."

Iceman said she is physically just about back to 100 percent, and that it was just a matter of getting game reps in.

"I'm feeling pretty confident, ready to go," Iceman said.

"It's been a long five months. Jumping and moving abilities are pretty much equal right now between the two legs."

Rose gushes about the work ethic Iceman displayed as she went through physical therapy to get back on the court.

"She's a committed player and she's doing everything she can to get back where she can play, and it's not about her, it's about the team," Rose said.

"Those are just some of the things I've always recognized that make her a really special kid."