This Week In Lobo Volleyball
Matches 6-8 • Comcast Lobo Challenge
Sept. 11 vs. Cal State Fullerton, 1 p.m. (MT)
Sept. 11 vs. Baylor, 7:30 p.m. (MT)
**Heroes Night**
Sept. 12 vs. Pittsburgh, 1:30 p.m. (MT)
Johnson Center • Albuquerque, N.M.
This Week: The Lobos (5-0) will host Cal State Fullerton, Baylor and Pittsburgh in the Comcast Lobo Challenge. Baylor and Pittsburgh are currently receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll.
** Friday night vs. Baylor will be Heroes Night at Johnson Center. Military personnel get into the match for $1 with a military I.D. The first 300 fans will get a Lobo volleyball t-shirt.
If You Can’t Make It To The Johnson Center: Lobo fans can follow all the action this weekend through Gametracker and All Access links on GoLobos.com. Lobo junior nursing student Jessica Montoya will call the play-by-play.
Next Week: UNM begins Mountain West Conference action on Wednesday, Sept. 16 when TCU comes to the Johnson Center. It will be Lobo League Night and Greeks @ The Game Night at Johnson Center. The Lobos will then travel to Tucson for the Arizona Invitational, Sept. 19-20.
QUICK HITS
• Lobos Among Tops In Attendance ... The numbers through the first two weeks of the 2009 collegiate volleyball season are in and the Lobos are currently ranked 15th with an average of 1,368 fans over the three sessions of the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic on Aug. 28-29. It is the first time since 1996 that the Lobos started the season with over 1,000 fans at the first three matches of the season. New Mexico finished the 2008 season ranked 20th in the national attendance rankings. UNM averaged 1,570 fans over the 13 home matches of the 2008 season. The Lobos’ season-high so far in 2009 is the season opener of 1,782 vs. Delaware. MWC member Colorado State is ranked 11th overall with an average of 1,987 fans per match.
• Michaelsen Named Nike Portland Invitational MVP; Meeter and Buck on All-Tournament Team ... Junior setter Jade Michaelsen was named Nike Portland Invitational Most Valuable Player on Saturday night after leading the Lobos to their second tournament championship in two weeks. Michaelsen was joined on the All-Tournament team by junior outside hitter Lisa Meeter and sophomore libero Allison Buck.
About New Mexico (5-0, 0-0 MWC) ... UNM won the 2009 Nike Portland Invitational with wins over American and Portland. Jade Michaelsen was named MVP of the tournament, while Lisa Meeter and Allison Buck were named to the all-tournament team ... UNM won the 2009 MCM Elegante Lobo Classic to begin the season. It is the third season in a row the Lobos have started the season 3-0 and won the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. Anna Lehne was named the tournament MVP, and joined by Michaelsen and Buck on the all-tournament team ... The Lobos were picked third in the 2009 Mountain West Conference Preseason Poll, the same place they finished the 2008 season. The big difference this season is UNM earned three first-place votes from the voting panel of coaches and media ... Junior setter Jade Michaelsen was named MWC Co-Preseason Player of the Year by the same voting group ... Michaelsen and senior Rose Morris are the team captains for 2009.
About Cal State Fullerton (6-1, 0-0 Big West Conference) ... The Titans are 6-1 on the season, following Monday night’s loss at Oregon State. Head coach Carolyn Zimmerman is in her eighth season at Fullerton. CSF returns five starters plus the libero to the 2009 squad. Junior middle blocker Erin Saddler is the Big West leader in kills per set at a 5.56 average. Saddler and junior libero Cami Croteau were named to the Oregon State Active Ankle Challenge All-Tournament team over the weekend.
About Baylor (7-0, 0-0 Big XII Conference; plays Texas State Tuesday night) ... The Bears are undefeated to start the season and currently receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Baylor, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jim Barnes, won the Holiday Inn & Suites Baylor Classic over the weekend with a 3-2 win over No. 24 Purdue. Senior outside hitter Katie Sanders was named the tournament MVP for her weekend performance and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates junior middle blocker Ashley Byrd and senior setter Taylor Barnes.
About Pittsburgh (5-2, 0-0 Big East Conference; plays Duquesne Tuesday night) ... The Panthers are currently receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll with their only loss last week coming against No. 1 Penn State at the Nittany Lion Invitational. Second-year head coach Toby Rens is no stranger to Johnson Center, bringing the Long Island Blackbirds to Albuquerque in 2007. Senior middle hitter Meagan Dooley and junior outside hitter Amy Town were named to the Nittany Lion Invitational all-tournament team.
RPI rankings available in a few weeks ... Unofficially, RichKern.com has the Lobos’ RPI ranked 65 and the Lobos’ Pablo ranking is 59, their final standing in 2008. Kern also has the Lobos ranked 42 in his current poll. The Lobos ended the 2008 season ranked 66th in the NCAA RPI report.
Jamming Johnson Early And Often ... Even though the official date for Jam Johnson in Thursday, Oct. 1 vs. San Diego State, the Lobos set the tone for the season during the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. UNM averaged 1,368 fans in three sessions, currently ranking 17th in the nation over the first two weekends of action. It is the first time since 1996 that the Lobos have recorded over 1,000 fans in each of the first three matches of the season.
2009 National Attendance Rankings (courtesy of Wisconsin)
School Total Average
1. Hawaii 39,177 6,530
2. Minnesota 16,112 5,371
3. Nebraska 4,054 4,054
4. Wisconsin 10,584 3,528
5. Penn State 9,405 3,135
6. Florida 8,891 2,964
7. Wichita State 8,713 2,904
8. Saint Louis 7,751 2,584
9. Purdue 7,203 2,401
10. Texas State 2,389 2,389
11. Colorado State 11,869 1,987
12. Creighton 3,442 1,721
13. Long Beach State 2,909 1,454
14. Notre Dame 4,123 1,374
15. NEW MEXICO 4,103 1,368
16. Iowa State 2,635 1,318
17. New Mexico State 2,576 1,288
18. Texas A&M 3,849 1,283
19. Clemson 3,791 1,264
20. Georgia Tech 3,579 1,193
