Print edition: 
For all the vicious kills, booming serves and acrobatics, Wichita State's Emily Stockman is really about something much less flashy on the volleyball court.
She's reliable.
While those descriptions can't compete with her power swing, long fingers and springy legs as attention-grabbers, it's what makes her great as an outside hitter.
"She's been the most low-maintenance superstar that I've ever coached," WSU coach Chris Lamb said. "Just add water and let her go. You're not ever worried about anything."
Injuries? Stockman doesn't get hurt and doesn't complain about the daily grind. Practice? Always there and always playing hard.
"Anytime, any place, she's ready to go," teammate Kim Wadsworth said. "It's more of a life goal. For some people, this is their last step in volleyball. You can tell Emily really wants to go further and is still working on all aspects of her game."
Grades? She is a two-time conference scholar-athlete. Scouting report? If Lamb says it on Tuesday, Stockman remembers on Saturday during the match.
"I just show up at the gym ready to play hard and practice and help my teammates," she said. "I want everyone to accomplish things and have as much fun as I've experienced here."
Matches? She carried WSU's offense for two seasons despite defenses planning to stop her.
That will continue tonight when the Shockers play Saint Louis in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Ames, Iowa. Stockman, a senior from Colorado Springs, leads WSU with an average of 4.03 kills a set and ranks second behind middle Sarah McGee with an attack percentage of .268.
"We play teams knowing that they're preparing for Emily, and she's going to have to work hard to affect the scoreboard," Lamb said. "And she has and she does."
For Lamb, Stockman and Sara Lungren are the list of the most complete players in his 10 seasons at WSU. Both played six rotations, excelling at the grunt work on defense in addition to scoring. Stockman won Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors in 2008. Lungren won it in 2006 and 2007. Both earned honorable-mention All-America honors.
Before Stockman starts thinking about volleyball overseas or on the beach, she wants the Shockers to advance in the NCAA Tournament. In three appearances, WSU has won three first-round matches and lost in the second round to national powers. While the matchup against Saint Louis is daunting, a possible second-round match against Iowa State is not as imposing as Texas or Nebraska.
"I said at practice the other day that I hope everyone is looking at it as not just one more weekend of play, but at least two," she said. "I think people are pretty fired up about it."
