UWM Panthers Volleyball Team Getting Ready For Challenging Spring Slate
MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's volleyball team starts its challenging spring schedule at the Badger Spring Invite Saturday.
The Panthers will also play in the Three Wise Men Classic in Chicago next weekend while squaring off with Marquette and Western Michigan in single matches over the next few weeks.
The spring competition schedule comes after the Panthers have spent an extensive amount of time on off-season practices, weight workouts and conditioning in preparation for the 2011 season, when Milwaukee will try to win the Horizon League regular season title for the eighth time in the last nine years.
"Things have been going really well. It is extremely competitive in practice every day," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "It is exciting to look at the development of players, the energy, and really seeing everyone getting ready for the fall. It is fun to be around the team and the competition we have every day. The players are all pushing each other to get better."
Plenty of familiar faces return for the Panthers, who went 20-9 a season ago. Milwaukee has won 85 matches in four seasons under Johnson, who was named the league coach of the year for the third time. Horizon League Player of the Year Kerri Schuh (2.88 kills per set, 3.10 digs per set, 1.03 blocks per set) and league newcomer of the year Rachel Neuberger (1.71 kps, 1.08 bps) head the list of returnees, while hitters Elizabeth Egerer (2.69 kps) and Mary Beth O'Brien (2.22 kps) are also back to spark the offense. Defensively, back row regulars Morgan Potter (4.67 dps) and Anna Bartz (2.07 dps) return.
Throw in three reserves from last season - Melissa Jansen, Mackenzie Millis and Samantha Trawitzke - along with redshirt freshmen Julie Kolinske and Amber Simonton, and Johnson has no shortage of options and combinations to try out this spring. Then, come the fall, recruits Hannah Blanchard, Kayla Price, Arianna Wiersma and Taylor Golabowski will be added to the mix.
"It's up in the air on some levels," Johnson said of her lineup for the spring and even this fall. "Some people are playing multiple positions and we have some really competitive situations in some positions. It is fun to see how positive every player is about it. They know they have to earn it and they are all willing to fight for the chance to be on the court."
Since last season ended in a disappointing league semifinal loss to Valparaiso, the Panthers have had their eyes on getting back to the floor in 2011. Johnson says it has been apparent her team is even more dedicated to returning to the top of the league and to the NCAA Tournament.
"You had to look for a positive after our loss at the end of the year, and the only thing I could come up with is that we're all going to work harder and really appreciate what we have in front of us," Johnson said. "When you come up short, you come back with more drive and everyone has been working hard in the weight room, in conditioning and on the court. We all realize it's not just a given that you win - you have to work for it and you have to really own it and realize that it's possible to win and possible to lose. We've learned you can't take a day off, and we'll try to put that into action this spring. You can say it doesn't count, but to me it does, at least when it comes to trying to get better every day. That's the goal for us and we're excited to actually start this Saturday."
Saturday is the first of four days full of great tests for the Panthers. UWM will get a shot at both Minnesota and Iowa this weekend in Madison, while next weekend in Chicago the Panthers will play both Illinois and Washington. Milwaukee's two single matches - at Marquette April 7 and home against Western Michigan April 16 - will pit the Panthers against a pair of 20-win teams.
"In the spring we are able to play so many great teams from our region, all in places that are close by," Johnson said. "We're able to play Big Ten teams, Big East teams, high-quality teams from the MAC. I always really want to push it in the spring and challenge our team because that's what we're going for - we want to get to that next level. So we'll learn a lot about ourselves and we'll really be prepared for the fall."
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Full Spring Schedule
Saturday, April 2 - Badger Spring Classic at Madison (Nicholas Johnson Pavilion - UW)
9 am - Milwaukee vs. Michigan Tech
11 am - Milwaukee vs. Northern Illinois
12 pm - Milwaukee vs. Minnesota
3 pm - Milwaukee vs. Iowa
4/5 pm - Playoff round
Thursday, April 7 - Single match at Marquette (Al McGuire Center)
Saturday, April 9 - Three Wise Men Classic at Chicago (Gentile Center, Loyola)
10 am - Milwaukee vs. Washington
12:15 pm - Milwaukee vs. Bradley
1 pm - Milwaukee vs. Illinois
TBA - Playoff round
Saturday, April 16 - Single match vs. Western Michigan (Klotsche Center)
