Sports Editor
Marie Franke's career has not gone how she expected.
The senior volleyball player has started only 12 matches in the last three seasons.
She started 33 matches her freshman year.
As an All-American and a Fab 50 player during her senior season in high school, she got the attention of several schools. A rebuilding Purdue program was one of them.
"I came here because I knew Purdue was trying to greatly improve the program," Franke said.
Franke was recruited by then Purdue coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. Hulsmeyer not only brought Franke to West Lafayette, but he compiled a strong recruiting class.
"I remember coming in here surrounded by Renata (Dargan) and Sarah Vitali and how excited we were," Franke said. "All of us knew we could come in and contribute right away."
Suddenly, Purdue's future got brighter. Franke thought that future included her.
Following Franke's 12-21 freshman year, which included only two Big Ten wins, Hulsmeyer lost his job.
"A lot of things change under a new coach," Franke said. "And a lot of what I've been through is attibuted to some of that."
Couple a coaching change with a roster suffering from graduation and injuries, Franke's role increased dramatically. She became one of the few hitters availble to take reps in practice.
Then Franke fractured her foot.
"We only had five players," Franke said. "So, all spring I was doing extra repetitions at several positions and that caused the fracture."
Franke's role has never been the same.
During the 2003 season, Franke, who said she has always been healthy minus the fractured foot, played in only 19 matches, while her kills total decreased by more than 175.
"I don't know what happened my sophomore year," Franke said. "I wish I had an answer, because I was healthy."
Meanwhile, the Boilers were improving and coach Dave Shondell was beginning to recruit more and more talented players.
"The recruits mean good things for the program," Franke said. "But something that a lot of players think about is when you host these recruits is that you are saying 'Come to Purdue,' but then you think 'You play my positition.'
"The talent creates good competition but it makes you wonder what your role in the program is."
That talent has been seen this season.
Freshman hitters Stephanie Lynch, Danita Merlau and Kelli Miller have been recognized nationally for their talent. But what does that mean for Franke?
"It means we will continue to get better as a team," Franke said. "And I will have to continue to search for something that I am doing wrong."
Shondell said Franke hasn't "faded away" with the coaching change, but her role has been limited.
"Her role on the court is small," Shondel said. "But she is very important for us in practice. Every team has practice players. My own daughter has played less than anyone in the past two years, so I know what that is like."
Now, four years after being on of those talented recruits settling in at Purdue, Franke's career is ending. She's determined to finish what she started.
"It's been really tough for me," said Franke, who began to cry. "There have been good days and bad. I committed at the beginning and I was going to stay.
"But I don't know I would be here today without my fiance. He is my rock."
Franke and Alan Dukeshire, a senior in mechanical engineering, have been engaged since Easter and plan to marry in 2007. Dukeshire said despite the situation being frustrating on Franke she has continued to stay positive.
"It's been saddening to see her not get a quality chace to prove herself," Dukeshire said. "But she still loves Purdue volleyball, her teammates and the coaches."
That love has her in Chapel Hill, N.C., for the NCAA tournament this weekend. For the second consective season, the Boilers have qualified for postseaosn play.
"It is amazing how faw we have caome since our freshman season," Franke said. "I dreamed of this happening. It makes everything worth it."
Published in the Purdue Exponent on Dec. 1, 2005
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