Volleyball Voices

Katie Daorai Named Colonial Athletic Association Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week

Katie Daorai Named Colonial Athletic Association Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week

 

 

 

 

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 17, 2012 – James Madison volleyball junior libero Katie Daorai (Tampa, Fla./Plant) has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. She is the third JMU player to garner a conference honor this season, and this is her fifth conference recognition overall.

 

Daorai helped lead her team to a 3-1 record last week. She helped limit opponents to a .150 hitting percentage for the week, collecting 64 digs in just 11 sets played. She was named to the USF Volleyball Invitational All-Tournament team and averaged 5.82 digs per set, including tying her career-high with 31 digs in a four-set win over FIU.

 

The Dukes’ junior libero is averaging 4.50 digs per set this season. She has collected 171 digs in 38 sets played and has already set a new career-high for service aces in a season with 15. Her previous high for a season was 14.

 

Daorai joins sophomore middle blocker Lizzy Briones (Siloam Springs, Ark./Siloam Springs) and freshman outside hitter Meghan Niski (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) as conference award winners this season. Briones was the CAA Player of the Week last week while Niski earned Rookie of the Week accolades during the opening week of play.

 

Daorai twice was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Week as a sophomore while winning CAA Rookie of the Week twice in 2010.

 

JMU returns to play this weekend as it opens up CAA play on Saturday, Sept. 22 against Georgia State. First serve is schedule for 7 p.m. at Sinclair Gymnasium/Godwin Hall.

 

CAA Volleyball’s Abel Named to Preseason All-CAA Team

CAA Volleyball’s Abel Named to Preseason All-CAA Team

 

From CAA Reports

RICHMOND, Va., August 21, 2012 – James Madison volleyball redshirt senior outside hitter Natalie Abel (Washington, Pa./Trinity) was named to the 2012 preseason All-CAA team on Tuesday in a vote of the league’s head coaches. Senior outside hitter Danielle Erb (Tampa, Fla./Plant) was an honorable mention after being named to the team a year earlier.

 

Towson’s Katy Buck was selected the preseason Player of the Year after collecting the postseason honor in 2011 while Northeastern led all teams with three players on the preseason team. Joining Abel and Buck on the team were Northeastern’s Jillian Briner, Natalia Skiba and Janelle Tucker as well as Delaware’s Alissa Alker and Chelsea Lawrence and UNCW’s Christi Laite.

 

Abel was a First Team All-CAA selection in 2011 and the VaSID State Player of the Year. She started all 31 matches last season, leading the team with 350 kills and averaging 2.97 per set. She was second on the team in digs with 376 and added 27 aces, 37 assists and 36 blocks. She enters her senior campaign ranked ninth on the team’s all-time dig list with 990. With 10 more digs she’ll become just the eighth player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs.

 

Erb is a three-time All-CAA honoree, including receiving Third Team honors in 2011. She appeared in 29 matches, starting 24 as a junior and finished the year third on the team with 265 kills. She added 276 digs, 40 blocks, 31 aces and 28 assists. She needs just 31 kills to become the 10th player in school history with 1,000 career kills and 211 digs to become the fourth player with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.

 

Buck was named the 2011 CAA Player of the Year in just her second season at Towson. She led the league with 4.05 kills per set last season and recorded a team-leading 458 kills and 487 points. The Cantonsville, Md. native posted double-digit kills in 28 of the Tigers’ 32 matches while also making 268 digs.

 

Alker, a first-team All-CAA selection last season, ranked sixth in the CAA with 3.73 points per set while totaling 466 points. The San Diego native also ranked third on the team in blocks per set (0.74) and digs per set (3.07).

 

Lawrence topped the Blue Hens in hitting percentage (.264) and ranked second on the team in blocks (120) in 2011. The senior was named to the All-CAA second team and helped lead Delaware to its fourth CAA title in five years.

 

Briner was honored as the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2011 after leading the league in aces per set (0.42). The Oak Park, Ill. native also tallied 214 kills and 499 assists for the Huskies.

 

Skiba was named the 2011 CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year after ranking first in the conference in digs per set (5.18) while recording 513 digs. The sophomore was also third on the team with 27 aces.

 

Tucker led Northeastern with 302 kills and 343 points en route to being named to the All-CAA first team last season. The junior also contributed 241 digs, which was second on the team.

 

UNCW’s Laite ranked fourth in the CAA last season in points per set (3.92) and fifth in kills per set (3.28). The junior also led the Seahawks with 431 points and 361 kills to help earn a spot on the All-CAA second team.

 

JMU opens up its 2012 campaign on Friday, August 24 by hosting Appalachian State at 7 p.m. in the JMU Classic. Joining the Dukes and Mountaineers in the two-day, five-game tournament is No. 16 Minnesota and Seton Hall.

 

2012 Preseason All-CAA Team

Natalie Abel, James Madison
Alissa Alker, Delaware
Jillian Briner, Northeastern
Katy Buck, Towson
Christi Laite, UNCW
Chelsea Lawrence, Delaware
Natalia Skiba, Northeastern
Janelle Tucker, Northeastern

Honorable Mention: Danielle Erb, James Madison; Lana Zonjic, George Mason; Kelise Willis, Hofstra; Aubrey Kirven, Towson

 

2012 CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Katy Buck, Towson

 

NCAA Volleyball: Hofstra Volleyball Coach Hernandez Announces 2012 Schedule

NCAA Volleyball: Hofstra Volleyball Coach Hernandez Announces 2012 Schedule

Full schedule can be found here: http://www.gohofstra.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=22200&SPID=13591&SPSID=109635

Hempstead, NY – Hofstra University Head Volleyball Coach Kristina Hernandez today announced her squad’s 2012 schedule, a slate that features four quality inseason tournaments along with the always tough Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) portion of the schedule.   “We are excited to announce our 2012 schedule,” commented Hernandez.  “We have an exciting preseason with four quality tournaments followed by our CAA schedule.  It is a competitive schedule that we are thrilled to compete against.” Hofstra will open the season at home for the fifth consecutive season as it will host the Hofstra Asics Invitational on August 24-25 at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center.  The Pride will welcome Providence, Fairleigh Dickinson, UC Riverside and Marist to the two-day, nine-match tournament.   The second weekend of the year will see the Pride host its second tournament as Princeton, St. Francis (NY) and Siena will take part in the Hofstra Invitational.  Six matches will take place over two days starting on August 31 and culminating on September 1.   Hofstra’s first midweek match of the year will be against Seton Hall on September 4 before the Pride departs for Denton, Texas to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Oral Roberts, Eastern Michigan and North Texas in the Mean Green Invitational on September 7-8.   The fourth and final inseason tournament will send Hofstra to the Upper West Side of Manhattan as Hofstra takes part in the Columbia Invitational on September 14-15.  Rhode Island, Colgate and Columbia complete the field.   Prior to the Columbia tournament Hofstra will host Long Island on September 11 and will host another local rival, Fordham, on September 18.     The CAA portion of the schedule starts in earnest on Saturday, September 22 with a road match at Northeastern and Hofstra will travel to Iona on October 3 to complete the non-conference part of the 2012 schedule.     Six of the Pride’s home matches this season will take place at the Hofstra Fitness Center (rec center behind center field of University Field) due to the University hosting the second Presidential Debate on Tuesday, October 16.  Hofstra’s matches on September 18, September 28, September 30, October 5, October 7 and October 13 are affected.   Hofstra will travel to 2011 CAA Champion Delaware on October 20.  The Blue Hens advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago.   Hofstra closes the regular season on November 10 with a road match at James Madison.  The CAA Championship will take place on November 16-19 at the highest seed.

 

 

JMU Volleyball Set for Challenging Schedule as it Announces 2012 Slate

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JMU Volleyball Set for Challenging Schedule as it Announces 2012 Slate

 

HARRISONBURG, Va., May 7, 2012 – After posting 20-win seasons and advancing to the semifinals of the CAA Championship in consecutive years, the James Madison volleyball team is looking to build on its success with a challenging schedule in 2012.

 

“I am truly excited about the caliber of teams we have scheduled for the 2012 season,” head volleyball coach Lauren Steinbrecher said. “We have Minnesota, a team that finished 12th in the country, coming to Sinclair Gymnasium opening weekend, along with two talented top-100 teams. [Senior setter] Megan Wiechmann (Sunland, Calif./Village Christian) will get to play in front of a home crowd at Long Beach State and both of our Florida girls will get to compete at South Florida in front of family and friends.”

 

The upcoming schedule includes four teams that qualified for last year’s NCAA tournament and nine opponents that concluded the season in the top 100 of the final Ratings Percent Index (RPI). Minnesota had the most successful 2011 season, finishing the year ranked 15th in the AVCA Coaches Poll and advancing to the final 16 of the NCAA tournament. Joining the Golden Gophers on Madison’s schedule and in the 2011 NCAA tournament is Long Beach State, Delaware and Liberty.

 

The 2012 campaign starts with four straight weekends of tournament play, including opening the season at home with the JMU/Days Inn Invitational. The tournament features an incredibly competitive field with three top 100 teams from last year’s final RPI. Joining JMU and Minnesota in the field will be Seton Hall and Appalachian State.

 

After opening the season at home, the Dukes are then on the road for three straight tournaments, traveling to Long Beach, Calif., Baltimore, Md., and Tampa, Fla. Another challenging field awaits the team at Long Beach State as the Dukes square off against LBSU, Wisconsin and Cal State Northridge. Both LBSU and Wisconsin were ranked in the top 57 of the final RPI.

 

JMU moves on to the UMBC Memorial Tournament to take on UMBC, Robert Morris and Howard before traveling to Tampa, Fla., for the USF Volleyball Invitational. JMU and USF will be joined by Florida International and Bethune-Cookman.

 

Other non-conference action includes a trip to Liberty on Sept. 25 while Radford (Sept. 11) and Virginia (Oct. 16) will make the trip to Harrisonburg.

 

“Radford and Liberty have been exciting mid-week matches for us in the past two seasons and I am excited to add a mid-week match at home against Virginia this year,” Steinbrecher said. “It will be exciting season for our program as we work hard to continue to compete at a higher level.”

 

CAA play starts Sept. 21 at home against VCU. JMU will play home conference matches against VCU (Sept. 21), William & Mary (Sept. 22), George Mason (Sept. 29), Towson (Oct. 12), Delaware (Oct. 13), Northeastern (Nov. 9) and Hofstra (Nov. 10). Madison will make the trip to (Hofstra (Oct. 5), Northeastern (Oct. 7), William & Mary (Oct. 19), VCU (Oct. 20), Georgia State (Oct. 26), UNCW (Oct. 28) and George Mason (Nov. 2).

 

The Dukes return five starters and their libero from a team that went 20-11 overall in 2011. Leading the way in 2012 will be First Team All-CAA selection Natalie Abel (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and three-time All-CAA honoree Danielle Erb (Tampa, Fla./Plant). Also back for JMU are middle blockers Kelly Maguire (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) and Lizzy Briones (Siloam Springs, Ark./Siloam Springs), setters Wiechmann and Kristi Richardson (Glen Allen, Va./Hermitage) and libero Katie Daorai (Tampa, Fla./Plant).

 

VCU Adds Morrisroe to Volleyball Staff

 

 

VCU Adds Morrisroe to Volleyball Staff

 

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University Volleyball Coach James Finley announced the addition of Assistant Kelly Morrisroe to the Rams’ staff Wednesday.

Morrisroe joins the Rams from Syracuse University, where she served as interim head coach for the Orange the final month of the 2011 season and led the team to a 6-4 record.

“We’re very excited to welcome Kelly Morrisroe,” Finley said. “She has a really good rapport with student-athletes and she’s a strong court coach a very good motivator. She did a wonderful job at Syracuse and accomplished some great things there and was really able to get the girls to excel.”

Under Morrisroe’s direction, Syracuse placed fifth in the Big East, its best finish since 2005. She also led the Orange to their first victory over national power Notre Dame since 1981.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to be here,” Morrisroe said. “I really love the family atmosphere here, and I think that it’s something I’m really going to enjoy. I’m looking forward to a great future and the opportunity to win championships.”

Morrisroe joined Syracuse prior to the 2011 season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before she was elevated to lead the program on Oct. 18.

A native of Jensen Beach, Fla., Morrisroe served as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Division II Eckerd College from 2007-2010. Her work at Eckerd did not go unnoticed, as she was named one of the top 30 coaches under 30 years of age by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) in 2009 and 2010.

During her four seasons on the Eckerd coaching staff, Morrisroe helped lead the Tritons to a 72-55 overall record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. She mentored six all-conference players, three all-region honorees and Lydee Benoit, the first All-American in Eckerd women’s volleyball history.
 
Morrisroe’s coaching experience also includes four seasons as an assistant coach with the Team Florida High Performance Pipeline.
 
Morrisroe earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from Eckerd in 2007, where she played three seasons as a libero under head coach Courtney Draper. A two-time captain, Morrisroe led the Tritons to a 21-14 record as a senior and the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth. That spring, she was named the female recipient of Eckerd’s James R. Harley Award for leadership, excellence in the classroom, excellence on the field of competition and community service. It’s the highest honor bestowed upon an Eckerd student-athlete.
 
Prior to transferring Eckerd, Morrisroe played for Draper as a freshman at Jacksonville University in 2003.