Natalie (Sutyak '83) Watkins

In 1982, Natalie Sutyak became the first Grove City College female athlete to earn All-American honors.  A 5-foot-10 senior, she was one of only eight women selected from NCAA Division III for national honors by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

A two-sport star from Burton, Ohio, Natalie earned four letters in both volleyball and basketball under coach Terry Ellis from 1979-1983.  In both her junior and senior years, the volleyball team finished 37-8 and advanced to the NCAA III Championship Tournament.

Grove City compiled a 125-41-1 record during her volleyball career, including three Women’s Keystone Conference titles.  Her honors include numerous all-tournament teams, All-EAIAW and three All-WKC citations. 

In the college newspaper, Coach Ellis praised, “Natalie is by far the top middle blocker/middle hitter in the East.”

Natalie’s All-American selection displays even more luster when learning the selection process.  Twenty-six players came from NCAA Division I or II schools.  Among the eight from Division III, six came from the final four championship teams. 

Sutyak also helped the basketball team capture four WKC titles.  She earned Second Team All-WKC as a freshman and was the team’s third-leading scorer as a sophomore.  During her four years, the team went 75-16.

An Omicron Delta Kappa inductee, Sutyak also served as Varsity G Club president and earned Academic All-America.  After receiving her bachelor’s degree in accounting, Sutyak added her J.D. from the John Marshall Law School in 1996.