Take a bow, Kaleena Walters.

After four years of diving, sprawling, serving, bending, twisting and yelling as the libero for the Penn State women's volleyball team, the senior co-captain is certainly deserving of some recognition this weekend when she plays her final regular season home match on Saturday evening in Rec Hall.

Just as she has become so adept at deflecting hard-hit balls spiraling toward the hardwood, Walters has also become quite skilled and experienced at deflecting praise and credit to those around her.

Is there anything that helps her dig all the balls she gets to?

Yes, the confidence that she has in her front row teammates to pound the ball for a point as long as Walters can get the ball up for setter Sam Tortorello.

Isn't it great to win the inaugural Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award (and several thereafter)?

Yes, but it's really a great award for recognizing "the libero as a great defensive position for someone who maybe isn't as tall as everyone else but still loves the game and plays passionately."

Playing passionately is another thing Walters specializes in. Anyone who's attended one of the last 128 Penn State matches has more than likely noticed Walters going all out one moment, then picking herself up with a smile the next. Such displays of grit and passion for her sport and team have made her a fan favorite at Rec Hall.

"Kaleena seems to be one of the crowd favorites, and that smile is a very welcoming sight to young and old people alike," Penn State head coach Russ Rose said. "She's had that from the first time I ever saw her until now. It's not a manufactured thing so that people will like her, it's just the way she expresses herself and it's terrific."

The fans agree that it is terrific, as Walters consistently draws the warmest reception from the Blue and White faithful during pregame introductions. Not that she has let it get to her head.

"I've never really noticed that before," Walters said of being a fan favorite.

She is, however, quick to point out how much she appreciates the fans that come out to cheer on the No. 2 Nittany Lions.

Walters was a first-team All-Big Ten athlete last year and is in good shape to land that honor again this season. With a 3.48 GPA, Walters is currently in the running to be an Academic All-American.

"When people ask me who's the best libero in the country, I say I have no idea who the best is, but I wouldn't trade Kaleena for anyone in the country," Rose said. "Those same things that those people in the stands notice, I notice."

Since the NCAA incorporated the libero position into women's volleyball in 2002, Walters has amassed the highest win total of a starter at the position. With three Big Ten championships in the bag and the Lions poised for a NCAA run in the coming weeks, Rose may also have much to smile about. Not that the typically straight-faced coach would actually exude a grin or two while there is work to be done.

"You need people like her that smile all the time for people like me that don't smile all the time," Rose said. "I don't know that anyone could actually bal-

ance me, but she certainly is a special person, and it's obvious the fans recognize that about her."

Though her time in Rec Hall is nearing an end, Walters plans to make the best of it -- by practicing hard during the week, and by having fun and playing hard by weekend. Walters, along with fellow seniors Sam Tortorello and Kim Holm, will enjoy Senior Night on Saturday, but will be sorely disappointed if that is the last time they suit up for a match at Rec Hall. Penn State hosts the rounds of 16 and eight in the NCAA Tournament next month, and the Lions have been training for the past three months with the full intention of being there, and then advancing to the Final Four in San Antonio.

"We still have [four regular season] matches left and then however many in order to get to the national championship, and our goal is to be in the national championship match," Walters said. "It still hasn't really hit me yet that it's all winding down."

So before Saturday's match when Walters is accompanied by her parents on a walk from the east side of the gym toward the west, she will be going in the direction in which these seniors want to head for their first trip to the national championship. Walters will stop before she gets to the net -- the very net that her position has restricted her from attacking for the past four seasons.

Maybe she won't take a bow before the sure-to-be-standing home crowd, but the dependable back-row captain will, like for so many other occasions, certainly be smiling.