Volleyball Voices

Four Sycamores To Compete For Spot On USA Volleyball Roster

 

 

Four Sycamores To Compete For Spot On USA Volleyball Roster

 

Open Tryouts scheduled Feb. 10-12 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado 

 

TERRE HAUTE, IND.  – Four members of the Indiana State volleyball team will compete for a spot on the USA Women’s National Team and the USA Women’s Senior A2 Teams during Open Tryouts Feb. 10-12 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

 

Junior outside hitter Morgan Dall will make her second trip to the Open Tryouts and will be joined by junior middle blocker Shea Doran, sophomore outside hitter/libero Monique Morris, and sophomore setter Loni Mackinson.

 

“This is going to really be a great experience for these young ladies,” Traci Dahl, Indiana State volleyball coach, said. “They are more prepared than ever to really contend for a spot on the roster.”

 

Dall participated in the tryouts a year ago along with Stacey Qualizza and Kiya James. The Sycamore missed almost half of the 2011 Indiana State season with an injury but still finished the season with 299 kills (4.46 per set) and 21 service aces. The outside hitter currently ranks 13th in career kills (923), second in career kills per set (3.50), and 11th in attack attempts (2,659).

 

Doran was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Tournament team as the Sycamores made their first trip to the MVC post-season tournament since 1984. The outside hitter had 128 kills (1.86 per set) and 45 blocks last season.

 

Morris has the unique ability to play any position required by the team and will be competing for a spot o the USA roster as a libero. The current sophomore had 277 kills (2.61 per set), 33 service aces, 328 digs, and 25 blocks last season.

 

Mackinson has been a growing force as a setter for the Sycamores despite splitting time at that position last year with Shelbi Fouty. Mackinson had 303 assists (2.91 per set) in 2011 with 17 service aces, 1247 digs, and 18 blocks.

 

“It is a great opportunity to be able to send players to such a prestigious event,” Dahl said of the tryouts.

USA Volleyball has a projected record of 208 athletes signed up to participate in open tryouts for the U.S. Women’s National Team, U.S. Women’s National A2 Program and U.S. Women’s Junior National Team. The tryouts will take place Feb. 10-12, 2012, in Sports Center II at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Among the 208 tryout participants representing 69 different colleges are 54 outside hitters, 52 middle blockers, 43 liberos, 36 setters and 23 opposites. The 2012 tryouts are open to current college-age athletes and older.

The 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts attracted a record 204 participants. Barring athletes dropping from the tryouts due to injury at the last moment, the 2012 tryout will be the largest ever.

“The annual U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryout is an extremely important part of our program,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “It gives us the opportunity to coach and evaluate these talented athletes and allows us to identify and possibly integrate them into our team in 2012.”

The U.S. Women’s National Team program is open to selected tryout athletes who have concluded their college eligibility and who wish to be invited to be a member of the U.S. Women’s Volleyball National Team on a full-time basis. This program could begin as early as the spring of 2012, or when an athlete’s scholastic or professional club season has concluded. Also considered for training with the U.S. Women’s National Team will be athletes who have remaining college eligibility; however, their participation will begin in mid-May or when their scholastic calendar ends for 2012.

Athletes in college and with collegiate eligibility remaining for the 2012 collegiate season not selected to join the U.S. Women’s National Team may be invited to participate with the U.S. Women’s Senior A2 program. This program is scheduled to take place in Columbus, Ohio, from June 26 through July 5. A projected 48 athletes will be invited to participate in the program, which will include training and competing at the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships (GJNC) from July 1-4.

“The format of the U.S. Women’s National A2 program will be different in 2012 than in past years,” USA Volleyball Senior Director Tom Pingel said. “Instead of the A2 teams competing in the Open Division at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships, the A2 teams will compete in their own four-team tournament held in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships (GJNC) held in Columbus this year. We feel this will allow eligible athletes from across the country to participate and increase the level of experience for the athletes and USA Volleyball. In addition, this mini-tournament will provide youth participants, coaches and fans attending the GJNC an opportunity to watch higher level volleyball to enjoy in their down time.”

 

 

Indiana State Volleyball Team: Sycamore Volleyball To Compete In Three Spring Tournaments

 

 

 

Indiana State Volleyball Team: Sycamore Volleyball To Compete In Three Spring Tournaments

 

Indiana State to be tested at three venues during 2012 Spring Season 

 

TERRE HAUTE, IND.  – The Indiana State volleyball team will compete in three tournaments during the Spring Season with stops in Plainfield, Ind., Normal, Ill., and Bloomington, Ind., Sycamore volleyball coach Traci Dahl announced Monday.

 

The action begins on March 31 when ISU participates in the Indianapolis Collegiate Invite at the Capitol Sports Center in Plainfield, Ind. Joining the Sycamores will be Ball State, Notre Dame, Indiana, IUPUI, Kentucky, Purdue, Indianapolis, Louisville, Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, and Xavier.

 

The Sycamores will also compete in the Illinois State Invitational on April 14 with the tournament field and schedule to be announced later. The spring season wraps up at Indiana on April 21 against the Hoosier and the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds.

 

“The team is stronger than ever right now and I am really looking forward to watching them compete this spring,” Dahl said.

 

The 2011 Sycamores lost three players to graduation including middle blocker Stacey Qualizza, libero Kiya James, and setter Shelbi Fouty. However, the rest of the squad remains intact as they begin to prepare for the 2012 season.

 

Outside hitters Morgan Dall and Christie Fullenkamp along with middle blocker Shea Doran are the rising seniors for the 2012 squad. They trio is joined by current sophomores Loni Mackinson, Monique Morris, Molly Murphy, and Ashley Owen along with current freshmen Lindsey Barber, Jessica Bushong, Samantha Kersting, Katie Moon, and Kyla Thomas.

 

“We are working extremely hard in the gym and in the weight room,” Dahl said. “We are looking to continue the progress that has already been made in the ISU program.”

 

Indiana State finished the 2011 season with a 14-17 record and a 6-13 mark in the Valley. The Sycamores did advance to the post-season tournament for the first time since 2004 with Doran named to the All-Tournament team.

 

 

UNM Volleyball Banquet Set for March 30 at Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel

 

 

UNM Volleyball Banquet Set for March 30 at Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel

 

Lobo Legend Pauline Manser will be guest speaker

Feb. 21, 2012

Albuquerque, N.M. - University of New Mexico head volleyball coach Jeff Nelson has announced that the Lobos annual banquet will be held on Friday, March 30th, at the Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel. Fans can purchase tickets for $40 per person, or an 8-person table for $300 and join in to help celebrate the 2011 season.

The evening will begin at the Sheraton with a social from 5-5:30 p.m., with dinner and the banquet following at 6:00 p.m. Nelson will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Former Lobo alum and Australian Olympian, Pauline Manser, will be joining the Lobos for the evening as the guest speaker. Manser is currently the head coach for the Australian national team.

Manser was recruited to UNM from Perth, Australia, and lettered in volleyball from 1987-91. She was a setter and outside hitter and one of the Lobos' most distinguished players in school history.

Manser, UNM’s only two-time First-Team All-American, led the 1990 Lobo team to a perfect 12-0 Western Athletic Conference record and a WAC title. As a senior in 1991, Manser was the WAC Player of the Year. She graduated cum laude in 1991 with a degree in recreation.

After her playing days at UNM were over, Manser played in the German Professional League, and was also a member of the World Beach Volleyball Australian Team for 10 years (1986-96).

She won a silver medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games and finished fifth at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney as part of the Australian beach volleyball team.

“Pauline Manser is the premier UNM volleyball player and I just think she is someone that is great for us to showcase,” head coach Jeff Nelson said. “If you are a volleyball person or a UNM person, I think it is a fantastic opportunity to see one of the greatest athletes ever from the University of New Mexico.”

Along with recapping the season and presenting awards, the Lobos will also honor their three departing seniors:Allison Buck, Ashley Rhoades and Kelly Williamson. Buck and Rhoades were both named AVCA All-Americans in 2011. Williamson also became the first Lobo volleyball player to ever earn First-Team Academic All-America honors. All three were also named to the All-Mountain West team.

Lobo volleyball fans are encouraged to join the team on March 30th at the Sheraton Albuquerque Airport hotel, located at 2910 Yale Blvd. SE, for the banquet. For more information of purchasing tickets or a table, contact Jordie Hadfield at 505-277-0102 or jordie@unm.edu.

LMU Adds Sand Volleyball Program for 2012 Season

 

 

LMU Adds Sand Volleyball Program for 2012 Season

 

The LMU athletic department has announced the addition of a women's sand volleyball program, which will begin competition in the spring of 2012.  Tom Black, the current coach of the Lions’ indoor women's volleyball team, will also coach the new sport this spring.  The addition of sand volleyball increases LMU’s intercollegiate-sport count to 22.

“LMU is in one of the richest, if not the richest, areas in the country that offers opportunities in sand volleyball,” LMU Athletic Director Dr. William Husak said.  “Our location, less than a mile from the ocean, is one where literally no more than five to 10 institutions nationally can compete.”

Joining Black on staff will be his indoor assistant coaches, Jon Newman-Gonchar and Meagan Schmitt. In addition to the existing support staff, Black has also named JohnMayer as his newest volunteer coach for both sand and indoor volleyball.  A 2005 graduate of Pepperdine University, Mayer helped guide Pepperdine to a National Championship in his senior year.  Before transferring to Pepperdine, Mayer won a pair of State Championships playing at Pierce College.  On the beach, Mayer was named AVP Most Improved Player in 2009 after earning his first career title in San Diego with teammate Jeff Nygaard.  Most recently, he has served as Head Coach of the men’s volleyball program at Santa Monica College.

Sand volleyball is an emerging sport, and Division I competition became effective in August 2011.  According to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), there are nearly 20 programs around the country that sponsor sand volleyball, and more are scheduled to be added in the future.  Fellow WCC-member Pepperdine sponsors sand volleyball, in addition to Southern California schools USC and Long Beach State.

“Adding sand volleyball is a major recruiting advantage for us at LMU because it has the potential to lure top recruits who want to play both sand and indoor volleyball to our campus,” Husak said.  “In addition to recruiting, adding sand volleyball benefits our indoor program in that it allows our team to train throughout the year with minimal financial outlay and workload additions toexisting staff.  With just two players on a team, the game demands proficiency in all areas, and forces our student-athletes to fine-tune each and every skill, which should lead to well-rounded players on the court and in the sand.”

The Lions will field five doubles teams that will compete in best-of-three matches to 21, with the tie-breaker being played to 15.   All sets are rally-scoring and must be won by two points.  Teams are required to play at least eight dates with three of the competitions being dual matches.

“We are beyond excited to be adding sand volleyball,” Black said.  “The training benefits of adding the program are immense as our student-athletes are able to play more, and the format of the sand game will allow more contacts for each player and force them to read the play as it develops.  Finally, adding sand volleyball will greatly improve the student-athlete experience at LMU, which teamed with elevating our abilities, are two main objectives for our program.”

LMU sophomore Betsi Metter is expected to be one of the more promising players in the sand after showing high levels of success on the beach prior to attending LMU.  Metter was a member of the USA Beach Youth National Training Team, and took first place at the AAU National Beach Championships in 2009 for the U18 division.  She also earned a first-place finish at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Beach Championships for the U14 division in 2006.

In other sand volleyball news related to LMU, the U.S. team of former Lions Emily Day and Heather Hughes has been named the USA Volleyball Beach Team of the Year for 2011.  Day and Hughes spent the summer of 2011 barnstorming beach volleyball events around the United States and the world.

In total, the team played in 11 domestic tournaments – including a USA Volleyball International Development Qualifier, which it won – and five international.  All the efforts of the young team were focused on making up the USAV Beach pipeline to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.  The highlight of their season came when they claimed a silver medal at the World University Games in China.

Internationally, Day and Hughes finished second at theNORCECA Beach Circuit event in Puerto Vallarta.  They also came very close to a bronze medal at the Pan American Games, falling to Puerto Rico’s Yarleen Santiago and Yamileska Yantin, 21-16, 16-21, 15-7 in the third-place match.

The 2012 LMU sand volleyball schedule is currently in the works, and should be posted at LMULions.com in the coming weeks.  Competition is slated to begin during the weekend of March 2.