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Alabama Women’s Volleyball Season Tickets On Sale Now
Crimson Tide season gets underway at home on August 26
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Season tickets for the 2011 Alabama women’s volleyball team are on sale now. The Crimson Tide returns to newly renovated Foster Auditorium for the 2011 campaign, which begins with the Hampton Inn Bama Bash on Aug. 26-27. Full season ticket packages are $35 and can be purchased online through RollTide.com/tickets or by calling the Alabama ticket office at 205-348-2262 or toll free at 1-877-TIDETIX (843-3849).
UA fans will have the opportunity to enjoy 17 women’s volleyball matches in Foster Auditorium this season, which includes the six games of the Hampton Inn Bama Bash. Alabama opens the tournament, and the season, against Alabama State at noon on Friday, Aug. 26. The tournament also features Texas State and Austin Peay.
The Crimson Tide will play 14 home matches this season and open Southeastern Conference play against Arkansas on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. Other key SEC matches include Sunday contests against Florida (Oct. 16) and Auburn (Oct. 30). The final home weekend of the season has the Tide hosting Kentucky on Nov. 11 and Tennessee on Nov. 13.
Single game tickets will go on sale Monday, Aug. 22. Single game prices are $5 for adults, $3 for youths (18 and under) and free for UA students with their ACTion card.
Log on to RollTide.com for the full 2011 women’s volleyball schedule.
LMU Jasmine Rankins Named COBRA Magazine All-Preseason
After a breakout season that resulted in a first team All-West Coast Conference selection and a spot on the 2010 COBRA Magazine All-Region team, senior Jasmine Rankins has been tabbed to COBRA’s All-Preseason Third Team this year.
COBRA Magazine begins its third season of volleyball coverage in 2011. Founded by Gezus Zaire, COBRA’s goal is to tell inspiring stories of black volleyball players that show young African American players that they too have opportunities to thrive in the sport despite cultural differences and economic disadvantages.
“It seems, this day and age, that the wrong types of black women are on the television screen and on covers of magazines,” Zaire said. “COBRA showcases black women who are not only beautiful and athletic but are also pursuing higher education. These are some of the best role models that young black girls can have and it’s COBRA’s duty to make sure they are not only noticed but celebrated.”
As part of the 14th issue of COBRA Magazine, the periodical selects 45 players to its All-Preseason Teams and eight players to its Preseason National Player of the Year Candidates list. When the season concludes, COBRA will release its third annual COBRA Magazine All-National Team and the National Player of the Year winner.
Rankins led the Lions last year in attacks (1,202), kills (425), service aces (50), block solos (12) and points (510). Her aces and kills marks also led all players in the West Coast Conference. The conference-best 50 service aces placed Rankins tied for fifth in the LMU single-season record books, matched with Cindy Weglarz (1997). Her .45 service aces per set, which ranked 16th in the nation, also placed in the Top-10 in the LMU single-season books, ranking sixth. The outside hitter averaged 3.79 kills per set, good for 67th in the nation and second in the conference. Rankins took home three All-Tournament selections over the course of the 2010 campaign, earning the honor at the Luxe City Center Trojan Invite, Varney’s Kansas State Invitational and BYU Molten Classic. The native of Oceanside, Calif., who led the Lions with nine double-doubles, finished second in the WCC in terms of kills in conference matches alone with 203. As she did over the entire 2010 season, Rankins led all players in service aces in WCC play with 20 (.40 per set).
Preseason National Player of the Year Candidates
Rachael Adams (Texas), Falyn Fonoimoana (USC), Tyler Henderson (Tulsa), Kayla Jeter (Tennesee), Alex Jupiter (USC), Deja McClendon (Penn State), Tarah Murrey (Cal), Bianca Rowland (Washington)
All-Preseason Selections
First Team
Rachael Adams (Texas), Kanani Danielson (Hawaii), Falyn Fonoimoana (USC), Altrese Hawkins (Memphis), Tyler Henderson (Tulsa), Kayla Jeter (Tennessee), Alex Jupiter (USC), Deja Mclendon (Pen State), Monique Mead (Georgia Tech), Tarah Murrey (Cal), Lena Oliver (Western Michigan), BiancaRowland (Washington), Brittany Stewart (Kentucky State), Regina Thomas (Ole Miss), Vineece Verdun (Georgia State)
Second Team
Cassandra Anderson (Florida), Jessica Brown (Western Michigan), Lane Carico (Miami), Stephanie Ferrell (Florida), Isis Gardner (Houston Baptist), Luarie Gonzalez (Albany), Gabby Jolly (Saint Mary’s), Ciara Jones (Marquette), Lauren Laquerre (New Hampshire), Cory McGowan (Wingate), Sha’Dare McNeal (Texas), Amber Roberson (Texas), Gwen Rucker (Louisville), Bethany Sanford (Georgia Southern), Jordanne Scott (Cincinnati)
Third Team
Maureen Bamiro (Butler), Lauren Barfield (Washington), Karensa Beckford (Alabama A&M), Brittney Brimmage (Missouri), Desiree Elliot (LSU), Cursty Jackson (Arizona), Haley Jacob (Oregon), Clarissa Moore (Alabama A&M), Stacy Oladinni (Middle Tennessee State), Dana Powell (SMU), Jasmine Rankins (Loyola Marymount), Maline Vaitai (Maryland Eastern Shore), Jalesty Washington (Methodist), Tangerine Wiggs (Florida), Rachel Williams (Stanford)
UCLA Women's Volleyball: 16th-Ranked Bruins Drop Weekend Finale to #5 Hawai'i
HONOLULU, Hawaii - Senior Dicey McGraw and sophomore Rachael Kidder led the Bruins with 13 kills apiece, while junior Lainey Gera recorded 23 digs, but the 16th-ranked Bruins dropped the championship match of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational on Sunday to #5 Hawai’i in four sets. Scores were 22-25, 19-25, 25-18, 21-25.
McGraw added 11 digs for her first double-double of the season, while freshman Kelly Reeves was also in double figures in kills with 12. Junior Katie Camp had eight kills and seven blocks, while junior Lauren Van Orden produced 42 assists and five blocks. Freshman Madie Smith posted 10 digs. Kidder and McGraw were named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Rainbow Wahine (3-0) never trailed in the first set, scoring six of the first nine points. The Bruins (2-1) tied the set at six following back-to-back kills by McGraw and a service ace by junior Sara Sage. Hawai’i came back with the next two though and were able to maintain the lead for the rest of the set. The home team’s largest advantage was four at 21-17 and 23-19, as they went on to win the set 25-22. McGraw paced the Bruins with four kills in the opener, as the Bruins were out-hit the Rainbow Wahine .361 to .171.
The Bruins had a brief lead in the second set at 5-3, but the Rainbow Wahine came back with three in a row and led the rest of the way to take a 2-0 advantage. UCLA stayed within reach, but ran out of points, as Hawai’i took the set 25-19. McGraw had four more kills in the second, with Kidder adding four. The Bruins hit better at .290, but the Rainbow Wahine were also better at .459.
After eight straight sideouts to start the third set, a kill by Camp gave the Bruins a 5-4 advantage, which they would not relinquish for the rest of the set. Leading 13-12, the Bruins scored four straight on a kill by McGraw, back-to-back spikes by Reeves and a combo block by Camp and Van Orden to make it 17-12.
UCLA’s lead never dropped below three, reaching as many as seven. On top 20-17, the Bruins scored five of the final six points of the set. Kidder had three of the points on two kills and an ace, while a McGraw kill on UCLA’s second set point gave the visitors a 25-18 triumph. Reeves had eight of her 12 kills in the third, while Kidder added five, as the Bruins out-hit the Rainbow Wahine .327 to .269.
The Bruins fell behind early in the fourth, rallied to take a lead, but eventually dropped the set and match. Hawai’i raced out with six of the first seven points, but UCLA made a stand to even the score at 10. During the 8-4 run, the Bruins got two kills from Reeves, a kill by McGraw, an ace from Gera and combo blocks from Camp and Van Orden and Camp and Reeves to go along with two errors. Four sideouts later, the Bruins took their first lead at 13-12 following a Kidder/Sage combo block.
But Hawai’i got the next three and didn’t look back. The home team’s lead was anywhere from two to four in the final moments, as they went on to win the clincher 25-21. Camp, McGraw and Reeves each had three kills in the fourth. The Bruins were out-hit .159 to .114.
The Bruins head to the San Jose Tournament next weekend, facing three matches in less than 48 hours. UCLA will play host San Jose State on Thursday at 7 p.m., #25 Saint Mary’s on Friday at 5 p.m. and UC Riverside on Saturday at 10 a.m.
NO. 21 DAYTON VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH, FLYER CLASSIC Flyers Cap-Off Undefeated Weekend With Sweep Of Rams
Aug. 28, 2010
DAYTON, Ohio. – No. 21 Dayton volleyball defeated Virginia Commonwealth in three sets (25-10, 25-8, 25-15) to complete a sweep of the 2010 Dayton Flyer Classic field on Saturday night at the Frericks Center.
“For the first weekend of the season, I thought we did some things well but there are some things that we have got to get better at,” Head Coach Kelly Sheffield said. “Playing three matches in 24 hours against three teams that will win a lot of matches this year is not easy. Tonight we came out and with a fast turnaround we played pretty well. We will not see three matches within this time span again this season, so it was good to see us go out and answer the bell.”
Dayton (3-0) used a well-rounded approach to cruise past VCU (0-3) with a .389 hitting percentage, 36 kills, 41 digs, nine blocks and a sideout rate of 82 percent. The Flyers held the Rams to a .023 hitting percentage, 22 kills, 24 digs, and one block.
“We have got a lot of depth and we were able to use it tonight,” Head Coach Kelly Sheffield said. “I was happy that when we were going with different lineups our level of play didn’t drop. When you have a bench with quality like that it’s great for our team.”
On Saturday night, balance came in the form of sophomore Rachel Krabacher, senior Becky Novacek, and senior Lindsay Fletemier recording seven or more kills each with just one combined attacking error.
A pair of Flyers recorded career-firsts as redshirt-freshman Shayne Brown notched her first kill, and sophomore transfer Samantha Selsky assisted her first kill as a Flyer.
VCU’s Mariel Frey carried the Ram offense with 11 kills and a .308 hitting percentage.
The Flyers look forward to the Diet Coke Classic next weekend in Minneapolis, Minn., hosted by the University of Minnesota, and two other challenging tournaments at Nebraska and Notre Dame following.
“It’s one week, one match – that’s all we have in front of us,” Sheffield said. “When you have a schedule like this you had better not look at it any other way. We are looking forward to it and will learn real fast how good we really are against some of the best teams in the country.”
UD begins the Diet Coke Classic with No. 24 Northern Iowa on Friday at 6:30 ET.
Note: Because the Dayton Flyer Classic schedule and teams were intertwined with Ohio State’s Sports Imports Classic, there is no named tournament champion or all-tournament team.
University of Central Arkansas Volleyball Team Falls To Wyoming
LARAMIE, Wyo.- The University of Central Arkansas volleyball team fell to the University of Wyoming in three sets at the UniWyo Wyoming Invite on Friday night. The Cowgirls (2-0) swept the Sugar Bears (1-1) 25-18, 27-25, 25-18.
In front of a crowd of 706 fans, the host Cowgirls outhit the Sugar Bears .216 to .087 and held a 34-30 kills advantage. UCA struggled offensively, making 21 attack errors, compared to 13 for Wyoming.
The Cowgirls defense came up with nine blocks, while the Sugar Bears only managed one.
Freshman middle blocker Jessica Nagy was UCA's top offensive weapon, connecting on eight kills while making just one error for a .538 attack percentage. Junior outside hitter Jessica Hays served a career-high six aces and led the team with nine kills to go with eight digs. Junior libero Cristin Curl led all players with 11 digs and senior Chloe Smith had 11 digs and seven kills. Senior Chloe Evavns came up with seven digs.
Jodi Purdy led the Cowgirls with 10 kills and 10 digs and Lauren Whitney also had 10 kills. JennaRae Jester recorded seven blocks.
The Sugar Bears will be back in action on Saturday, taking on Murray State at noon and Southern Utah at 6 p.m.
Senior captain Jade Michaelsen named to MWC Preseason Team
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- The University of New Mexico volleyball team has been picked fourth in the 2010 Mountain West Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll.Senior team captain Jade Michaelsen was named to the MWC Preseason Team for the second season in a row.Colorado State and MWC Preseason Player of the Year Danielle Minch were picked to win the league title in 2010.The Rams earned 134 points and 15 of the 16 first-place votes.
UNM also received votes in the 2010 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Preseason Poll released this afternoon.The Lobos picked up 15 points.
UNM earned 96 points from the voting panel of coaches, SIDs and selected media, just eight points from second place.Utah, in their final season in the MWC, was picked second with 104 points, followed by TCU in third with 99 points.BYU was picked fifth with 85 points and one first-place vote while San Diego State was selected sixth.Wyoming, UNLV and Air Force round out the poll in seventh, eighth and ninth.
Michaelsen, a two-time All-MWC setter, joins six others on the preseason team.Michaelsen is closing in on the UNM all-time career assists record.In three seasons as the Lobos’ starting setter, Michaelsen has accumulated 3,087 assists and needs 708 assists to pass up Janelle Torres (3,794; 1996-99).
The Lobos will host an Alumni match on Saturday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Johnson Center.Lobo head coach Jeff Nelson will host a courtside season preview chat following the match between the alumni and the 2010 Lobos.Regular season action begins on Friday, Aug. 27 against Pepperdine at 7:30 p.m. in the first round of the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic.UNM will host Tulane on Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. in the second round and No. 4-ranked Stanford on Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. in the final match of the tournament.
2010 MWC Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
Rank – Team – Points (1st place votes)
1.Colorado State – 134 (15)
2.Utah – 104
3.TCU – 99
4.New Mexico – 96
5.BYU – 85 (1)
6.San Diego State – 62
7.Wyoming – 43
8.UNLV – 36
9.Air Force – 16
2010 MWC Preseason Team
Player – Position – Class – Team
Danielle Minch, OH, Sr., Colorado State
Jade Michaelsen, S, Sr., New Mexico
Lauren Salisbury, MB, Sr., San Diego State
Karolina Bartkowiak, OPP, Sr., Utah
Jodi Purdy, OH, So., Wyoming
Setter:Evan Sanders, Jr., Colorado State
Libero:Keisha Fisher, Sr., Utah
Preseason Player of the Year: Danielle Minch, Colorado State
Iowa State Volleyball Team Opens 2010 Ranked No. 9 In Coaches Poll
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team is ranked No. 9 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll. The Cyclones are one of three Big 12 teams ranked in the top-10 of the poll, coming in behind No. 2 Nebraska and No. 3 Texas.
Iowa State will play seven matches against teams ranked in the top-25. The Cyclones open the season Saturday, Aug. 28 against No. 13 Florida, before facing No. 14 Kentucky the following day at the Runza/AVCA Showcase in Omaha, Neb.
On Wednesday, Sept. 8 Iowa State hosts No. 24 Northern Iowa. The Cyclones also play two matches against Nebraska and Texas during the Big 12 schedule.
The Cyclones return all but one starter from last year’s Sweet 16 team, including AVCA All-Americans Victoria Henson and Ashley Mass.
Henson, Mass and Rachel Hockaday were named to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Iowa State also welcomes the nation’s 16th-ranked recruiting class.
AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll
1. Penn State (40)
2. Nebraska (16)
3. Texas (4)
4. Stanford
5. Hawai’i
6. Illinois
Minnesota
8. Washington
9. Iowa State
10. Southern California
11. California
12. Michigan
13. Florida
14. Kentucky
15. Florida State
16. UCLA
17. Colorado State
18. Arizona
19. Tennessee
20. Oregon
21. Dayton
22. San Diego
23. LSU
24. Northern Iowa
25. St. Mary’s (Calif.)
Others receiving votes and appearing on two or more ballots: Long Beach State, Baylor, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Duke, Cincinnati, UC Santa Barbara, Utah, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, Notre Dame, Ohio, Saint Louis, New Mexico, New Mexico State, San Diego State, Georgia Tech, Rice, Michigan State, Santa Clara, Wisconsin, Wichita State, Florida International, Missouri State.
Pepperdine Women's Volleyball Team Picked Third in WCC Preseason Poll
PEPPERDINE WOMENS VOLLEYBALL TEAM PICKED THIRD IN WCC PRESEASON POLL Waves predicted to finish third in league standings; Kim Hill named to preseason all-conference team.
MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine women’s volleyball team was predicted to record its 21st top-three finish in the West Coast Conference standings today in a preseason vote by the league’s coaches. 2009 AVCA All-American honorable mention selection and All-WCC first teamer Kim Hill was named to the preseason all-conference squad.
The Waves, who received one first-place vote and tallied 36 points overall, return five starters, three of which appeared on last season’s all-conference team, including Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS). As a sophomore, Hill led the WCC with a .425 hitting percentage and ranked fifth nationally.
Also returning to the Pepperdine lineup is Victoria Adelhelm (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Santa Fe Christian HS), who earned All-WCC honorable mention accolades and was named to the WCC All-Freshman team after finishing fifth in the conference with a .330 clip.
The Wave’s offensive threat continues with the return of junior outside hitter Lilla Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Connelly HS). As a sophomore, Frederick ranked third on the team in both kills (266) and digs (242).
In the backcourt, two-time All-WCC honorable mention awardee Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) enters the 2010 campaign with a Pepperdine all-time best 4.74 digs-per-set average. Her 4.67 average from the 2009 season ranked third in the league.
San Diego edged Saint Mary’s for the top spot on the preseason poll, receiving six first-place votes and 48 points overall. Santa Clara was picked to finish fourth behind the Waves, followed by San Francisco, Gonzaga, Portland and Loyola Marymount.
San Diego and Saint Mary’s collected three preseason all-conference selections apiece, while Pepperdine, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Portland each tallied one.
The Waves open the 2010 season on Friday, Aug. 27 when they travel to Albuquerque, N.M. for the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. All three opponents, New Mexico, Stanford and Tulane, made the NCAA Tournament in 2009. Pepperdine, who went 16-11 and 9-5 in the WCC last season, has its first home matches on Sept. 3-4, when the Waves host the Asics Classic at the Firestone Fieldhouse.
BRIEFLY LMU will begin the 2010 season this weekend when it visits USC for the Luxe City Center Trojan Invitational. The two-day tournament will see the Lions open play against host No. 10 USC on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before squaring-off against Cal State Fullerton and Bucknell on Saturday at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. The 2010 campaign will be the first played under head coach Tom Black <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/black_tom00.html> .
QUICK HITS * LMU opens the 2010 season at No. 10 USC on Friday * The Lions have won 12 of their last 13 season-openers * LMU has not defeated a ranked opponent in each of its last 22 contests * LMU will play only nine of its 30 regular-season matches at home this year * LMU is 187-76 (.711) at home since 1990 * Senior Becky Stehling <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/stehling_becky00.html> sits third all-time in career hitting percentage at .339 * This week's weekly release video is at: Weekly Release Video <http://www.lmulions.com/allaccess/?media=189036>
LION TRACKS LMU finished the 2009 season with a 12-17 overall record and a 3-11 mark in the West Coast Conference, placing seventh in the conference. The sub-.500 record marked the second in as many years for the Lions, and ultimately brought forth a coaching change within the program. The year began as well as anyone could have hoped, as the Lions opened 2009 with three straight victories, winning the 2009 Nike/Molten Invitational Championship. The Lions swept Grambling State in the opener on Friday night before earning a second consecutive sweep against Arkansas on Saturday morning. Playing host TCU for the Tournament Championship on Saturday night, the Lions took the match in four sets. After dropping back-to-back decisions at the UNLV tournament, LMU salvaged the trip with a win over host UNLV in the final match to run its record to 4-2. A pair of victories over Houston and Boise State preceded a loss to then-No. 20 UC Irvine as the Lions continued to play well early. With its record at 6-3 through the first nine matches, LMU went on yet another winning streak, defeating Cal State Northridge, Nevada and Cal State Bakersfield to improve to 9-3. Unfortunately for the Lions, the season took a turn for the worst, as they dropped eight straight matches after the strong start. LMU started the conference season with a 0-6 record before defeating San Francisco at home in four sets on October 24. After dropping two more matches the following weekend, the Lions defeated Gonzaga and Portland for their final two victories of the season. LMU lost each of the final four matches of the year.
TROJAN TIDBITS USC begins the season with a No. 10 ranking according to the 2010 AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll. The Trojans, who finished 22-10 overall last year, welcome a recruiting class for the 2010 season that was ranked No. 1 in the nation by Prep Volleyball. Returning nine players, including four starters, USC is 52-7 all-time at the Galen Center, and has made 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Kendall Bateman, who led the nation in assists per set last year, and Alex Jupiter, a 2009 AVCA third-team All-American who averaged 4.54 kills per set a year ago, highlight the group of returners for USC. The Trojans are led by 10th-year head coach Mick Haley, who needs just one win for his 1,000th women's collegiate victory as a head coach. Haley has 748 combined wins at the NCAA level with USC and Texas (1980-1996) and 251 wins as the women's head coach at Kellogg Community College (1973-79). The Lions are 0-7 against USC in program history, having never won a set against the Trojans. The two teams last met on August 25, 2007 at USC.
TITAN TALK Cal State Fullerton returns 10 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 18-12 overall. The 18 wins tied a school record set by the 1981 team, while the .600 winning percentage set a new program benchmark. Sophomore Kayla Neto highlights the group of returners, earning 2009 AVCA All-American honorable mention accolades and Big West Freshman of the Year after posting 305 kills, a .319 hitting percentage, 21 service aces and 97 blocks a year ago. Seniors Erin Saddler and Cami Croteau also return after earning a spot on the All-Big West Conference first team in 2009. Ninth-year head coach Carolyn Zimmerman is 108-131 over her time at Fullerton. LMU leads the all-time series between the two teams, 20-4. Despite the lopsided head-to-head record, Cal State Fullerton managed to best LMU in their last meeting, a 3-1 Titan victory on November 25, 2008 at LMU.
BISON BANTER Bucknell, which finished 8-18 overall last season, will be facing the Lions for the first time in program history on Saturday in USC's Galen Center. Bucknell was picked fifth with 49 points in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. Three of the teams go-to players last year will return to the squad in 2010, as Heidi Kamp, Ragin Jackson and Emily Sawanobori will all likely be called upon for guidance again this year. Head coach Cindy Opalski is 287-293 in her 21st season at Bucknell.
TEAM LMU Friday's women's soccer home-opener against Denver will be this year's first TEAM LMU Game of the Week. The purpose of TEAM LMU is to bring Lion fans together as one, creating an atmosphere that helps build the Lions into champions, while allowing all to enjoy the benefits of our corporate partners. For more information about TEAM LMU, log on to: www.LMULions.com/teamlmu <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/www.LMULions.com/teamlmu>
ROAD WARRIORS The Lions open the 2010 season close to home, but home matches will be hard to come by this year. The Lions will play 30 regular-season matches in 2010, but only nine home matches, including seven in West Coast Conference play. Out-of-state voyages include a visit to Kansas (September 3-4), back-to-back weekend trips to the state of Utah (September 10-11 and September 17-18), and of course the annual trek up to Gonzaga and Portland in conference play (November 11 and 13).
HOME SWEET HOME One of Southern California's premier athletic facilities, Albert Gersten Pavilion begins its 29th year as home of the Loyola Marymount Lions. Since opening night, the Pavilion has become one of toughest places to play in the West Coast Conference. The Lions first moved into the facility in 1982, and recorded 14 wins in Gersten's inaugural season. Since 1990, the Lions have posted an overall record of 187-76 (.711) in the friendly confines of the Pavilion. In conference play, the record is equally impressive with a 99-42 (.702) home record in WCC action. In 28 years, the 1996 (WCC volleyball championship team and Sweet Sixteen participant) and 2003 (NCAA second round appearance) squads have been the most successful with 14-1 marks, for .933 winning percentages.
NEW INTERACTIVE GUIDE AVAILABLE ONLINE LMU Athletics, in conjunction with zmags.com, is proud to offer fans a new interactive publication viewing experience. All LMU media guides in 2010-11 will incorporate zmags' Flash-enabled technology to bring fans clickable content featuring videos and live updated weblinks. Despite the transition from printed guides to online content, LMU interactive guides will continue to feature player and coach biographies, team histories, and information about Loyola Marymount University and its athletics programs. The publications will work in tandem with LMU's official athletics website, www.LMULions.com, to offer up-to-date statistics and news. Additionally, the publications are easily downloadable and printable, allowing fans to take the documents with them. All historical information is available in a second PDF publication, also on www.LMULions.com. To view the volleyball online publication, please visit: 2010 LMU Media Guide <http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/79b87a22#/79b87a22/1>
DiG PiNK For the fourth consecutive year, LMU volleyball will help raise awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer through the DiG PiNK campaign. LMU's DiG PiNK event is scheduled for October 30 versus Santa Clara at 1 p.m. To view LMU's team page, and to make a donation, please visit: LMU's DiG PiNK Page <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/www.side-out.org/application/teams/team_page/1213>
PCH CHALLENGE Separated by 19.1 miles of scenic coastline, longtime cross-town adversaries Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine have come together in an effort to boost their decades-long rivalry with the creation of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Challenge. The series, which is in its second year, serves as an annual scorecard for the NCAA-sponsored athletic contests between the Lions and Waves, and challenges each institution to rise above the other within the West Coast Conference. LMU and Pepperdine will be represented by over 12 of their intercollegiate athletic teams through both regular and post-season competitions over the course of the academic calendar. Any head-to-head competition, including matches in the post-season and tournaments throughout the year, will be counted toward the scoring and added to the scorecard as they occur. For the sports in which the two teams do not meet head-to-head, the teams will battle for points that will be awarded on the basis of overall finish at their respective post-season championships. The Waves locked-up last year's PCH Cup with a 14.5-8.5 victory over the course of the year. To learn more about the PCH Challenge and view the current scorecard, please visit: PCH Cup Homepage <http://www.lmulions.com/trads/PCH-Cup.html>
WELCOME TO THE BLUFF Coach Black and his staff have both inherited and built a newcomer class featuring five new options in freshmen Paige Craine <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/craine_paige00.html> , Alyse Hensley <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/hensley_alyse00.html> , Betsi Metter <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/metter_betsi00.html> and Taylor Scioscia <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/scioscia_taylor00.html> , in addition to junior transfer Alex Ferraco <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/ferraco_alex00.html> . Craine, a 2010 graduate of Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, Calif., was a three-year varsity letterwinner playing for Todd Garrett. She served as team captain in her final season, while also garnering All-City recognition as a junior and senior. Craine was also named All-CIF as a senior after claiming All-League honors in each of her final two campaigns as a Charger. Hensley, a 2010 graduate of Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, Calif., earned a total of three varsity letters in volleyball, one from Maria Carrillo High School and the final two from Torrey Pines. Named All-League in all three seasons playing high school volleyball, Hensley helped Torrey Pines to the 2009 Avocado League Championship. Metter, a 2010 graduate of Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz., was a four-year varsity letterwinner playing for Molly West. A team captain as a junior and senior, Metter was named All-City and All-State after both of those campaigns. She left high school owning five Desert Vista school records, including that for career kills at 1,317. Selected 2008 Southeast Valley Player of the Year and Desert Vista Female Athlete of the Year, she led the state of Arizona and was second in the nation in digs with 708 as a junior. A two-time All-Central Region selection, she twice garnered a spot on the Arizona Republic All-Arizona Top-Six Team, a list of Arizona's top-six players regardless of school size. Scioscia, a 2010 graduate of Louisville High School in Woodland Hills, Calif., was a four-year varsity letterwinner in high school. Scioscia served as team captain in her final season, and was named Team MVP as a junior and senior. After garnering second team All-Mission League honors in 2009, she was named honorable mention All-Area by the LA Daily News following her final campaign. Ferraco, who carries junior eligibility after transferring into the program from Fairfield University, had a solid sophomore campaign, appearing in 79 sets, forging 73 kills and 50 total blocks. Ferraco tallied six kills, three blocks and three assists in the MAAC Championship semifinal against Marist on November 22. As a freshman, Ferraco appeared in 14 sets with 13 kills, six blocks, and five digs.
LIONS IN THE RECORD BOOKS Senior Becky Stehling <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/stehling_becky00.html> has already made a name for herself in the record books as she enters her final year as a Lion. Stehling's .369 hitting percentage in 2008 placed her fourth in the books for a single season, and also set the sophomore record in that category. Entering this year, her .339 career hitting percentage places third in LMU history amongst players with at least 350 attacks. Only Kelli Nerison <http://www.lmulions.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/nerison_kelli00.html> (2001-04) and Mardell Wrensch (1992-95) have posted better marks in a career, finishing with percentages of .357 and .355, respectively. Stehling is also in position to enter the career books for all four blocking categories, as she sits 13th in block assists and blocks per sets, and 15th in total block and block solos.
REMEMBER...IT'S JUST A NUMBER The Lions are scheduled to play 13 matches this year against teams that at least received votes in the 2010 AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll. The ranked foes waste no time making their presence known this year, as the Lions open the 2010 season against No. 10 USC on Friday. Non-conference adversaries Georgia Tech, Long Beach State, UC Irvine and Wichita State all received votes, while WCC-foes San Diego (No. 22) and Saint Mary's (No. 25) both found a spot in the top-25. Pepperdine and Santa Clara are the final two WCC teams on the list, earning votes to start the year. LMU played four matches against ranked foes last year, finishing 0-4 in those contests. Rankings have been nothing short of perfect in the recent past when predicting LMU's fate against ranked opponents, as the Lions have dropped 22 consecutive matches against those teams. The last Lion victory against a ranked opponent came on October 5, 2006 at Santa Clara, as the Lions earned a sweep of the then-No. 12 Broncos.
GET OFF ON THE RIGHT PAW The Lions have had a knack for coming out of the gates strong in recent memory, having won 12 of their last 13 season-openers, including a three-set sweep of Grambling State last year. The only loss over that span came in 2007 to St. John's. In addition, LMU has recorded seven sweeps and won in four sets on four occasions.
LIONS IN THE PRESEASON POLL According to the 2010 Coaches Preseason Poll, the LMU volleyball team is picked to finish eighth this year in the competitive West Coast Conference. After finishing in second place last season, the San Diego Toreros have been selected to regain the top-spot and earn their fourth WCC title in six years. The Toreros received six first-place votes and a total of 48 points from the conference coaches, as they return 2009 WCC Player of the Year and All-American Ali Troost. Reigning WCC Champion Saint Mary's took the second-place spot with one first-place vote and a total of 43 points. Pepperdine, which received the remaining first-place vote, tallied 36 points to earn the third-place spot. Rounding out the top half of the poll for the second year in a row was Santa Clara with 33 points. San Francisco landed in the fifth-spot with 23 points. Gonzaga tallied 18 points for a sixth-place finish, while Portland edged LMU for the seventh-place spot.
Western Michigan Releases Volleyball Interactive Guide
The Western Michigan University office of athletic media relations has launched the third of 15 interactive sport guides. The volleyball interactive guide replaces the online static PDF media guide that was used during the 2009-10 season.
This living document is an interactive fan experience that incorporates video and eye-popping color graphics. With a click of a button, fans can now learn about Western Michigan University, the city of Kalamazoo, the WMU athletic department, its facilities and everything else that specifically relates to the volleyball program and its history.
The guide can easily be accessed from the volleyball page by clicking on the icon on the right-hand side. Once loaded the viewer has access to videos showcasing everything from WMU to the Mike Gary Fund or highlights from the previous season. The videos are controlled by the fan and each will play when a page is turned but the fans have total control and can pause, replay, expand or mute any video by just moving the cursor over the video to access the controls.
The pages turn simply by mousing over the lower corner clicking and dragging to the left. You can also turn the pages simply by clicking on a corner or clicking the arrow buttons found on either side of the spread.
Each guide will also have its own vanity URL so fans can easily type it into their web browser and be directed to the front page. The address for the volleyball guide is http://www.wmubroncos.com/interactivevolleyball. In order to properly view the guides, fans must have Adobe Flash Player installed on their computers.
As everyone knows, when you received a printed media guide it was something you could hold in your hands, keep on your coffee table or take with you to the game. It was also something that became outdated as soon as the first game was played. These guides are living documents. Since the links for bios, rosters, schedules, records, etc. go back to the web site, information will be updated as our teams move through their respective season.
There will be a link on each guide's main team page as well as the team's page at www.wmubroncos.com that will direct fans to a PDF document for all bios and records if you wish to print to a PDF or a printer. These PDF bio/record books will also be made available to media upon request. These guides can also be printed or downloaded to your computer as well. Just choose from graphics along the top of the Bronco logo'd viewer screen. Downloaded versions of these guides will remain complete with the exception of the videos. Those can only be viewed online. While on the viewer screen, fans will be able to choose from any of the published interactive sport guides available from WMU.
As everyone has seen over the past months, the landscape of college athletics is evolving at a rapid pace. WMU is looking forward to moving forward and keeping the Broncos on the cutting edge, while still keeping our fans informed and educated on every one of our athletic programs. As always, we thank you for your continued support of Bronco Athletics.
The UMKC volleyball team (0-0) will get its 2010 season underway when it heads to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Arkansas Invitational on Aug. 27-28. The ‘Roos will open the tournament with the host Razorbacks on Friday at 7 p.m., while squaring-off against Samford at 10 a.m. and Grambling at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Follow The ‘Roos Online All UMKC volleyball matches can be heard online at www.umkckangaroos.com during the 2010 season with all home matches being video streamed. The “Voice of UMKC Volleyball” T.J. Jackson, who is in his fifth season with the program, will provide all the play-by-play commentary for the Kangaroos. Check out Roo Vision for more details. You can also follow live stats for the ‘Roos online at www.umkckangaroos.com.
The Opponents Arkansas enters the tournament after finishing the 2009 season with a 13-18 record overall, while finishing seventh in the SEC with a 7-13 mark. The Razorbacks return four starters and their libero, including sophomore Jasmine Norton, who registered a team-high 487 kills in 2009. Libero Phoebe Bautista returns for her junior season after tallying a team-high 477 digs last season, while sophomore Amanda Anderson will be back in the middle for the Razorbacks after recording 265 kills and a team-high 90 blocks last year. Samford, meanwhile, returns five starters and its libero from a team that finished 17-14 overall and 11-4 in the SoCon, good for first in the North Division. Leading the Bulldogs attack will be Allie Bettinger, as the sophomore returns after tallying a team-high 361 kills in 2009. Setter Hillary Fountain, meanwhile, will be back for her senior season after registering a team-high 940 assists last season. Sophomore Alexis Bauer also returns after notching a team-high 403 digs a season ago, while middles Rachel Gadberry and Elizabeth Neisler will each be back after recording 211 and 220 kills, respectively, in 2009. Grambling will welcome back two starters and its libero from its squad that finished 20-13 overall and 8-0 in the Western Division of the SWAC. Shawonna Davis leads the Tigers, as the 5-11 middle blocker registered team-highs of 123 blocks and a .266 hitting percentage. Setter Davarika Johnson will be back for her third season with Grambling after tallying 878 assists in 2009. Chelsee Goins, meanwhile, returns to the libero spot for her sophomore season after notching 417 digs a season ago.
Series Records Friday’s match will be the third meeting against Arkansas, with the Razorbacks winning both previous matches in Fayetteville. It will be the first meeting between the two squads since 2001. Samford, meanwhile, holds a 1-0 advantage in the series after beating the ‘Roos 3-0 two seasons ago in the Kangaroo Classic, before going on to win the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record. Saturday’s meeting with Grambling will be the first between the two schools.
Last Season The UMKC volleyball team had one of its best seasons in 2009, finishing the year with a 15-16 overall record and a 10-8 mark and fourth place finish in The Summit League. The 15-16 record was the second highest winning percentage in school history, while also being only the third time in school history that the team has reached the 15 win mark. The fourth place finish was good enough to put the ‘Roos in The Summit League Tournament for the first time since 2003. The 10 league wins tied the school record for the most league wins in a season, while the squad’s 7-3 mark in home matches was the best in school history. During the season, UMKC also swept Oral Roberts for the first time ever, snapping a 34-match losing streak and giving the ‘Roos only their third and fourth wins over the Golden Eagles, while also taking their first set from Kansas State since 1993.
‘Roos Picked Third In Summit League Preseason Poll The ‘Roos were picked to finish third in The Summit League preseason poll. UMKC, who returns five starters from its 2009 squad, finished with 54 points in a voting of a league’s 10 head coaches. North Dakota State was the unanimous vote as the preseason favorite for the second straight season, earning nine first place votes and finishing with 81 points. 2009 Summit League Tournament champion IPFW earned the final first place tally and finished second with 64 points. Oakland was fourth, behind UMKC, with 53 points, followed by South Dakota State (49), IUPUI (47), Oral Roberts (39), Southern Utah (35), Western Illinois (19) and Centenary (9).
Captains Schmidt and Knoche Senior Holly Schmidt and junior Kelsey Knoche were chosen as captains for the 2010 squad. Schmidt, who is entering her fourth season in the Blue and Gold, has played all over the court in her three seasons, including serving as one of the team’s two setters in 2009, amassing 446 assists. Knoche, meanwhile, enters her second season at UMKC after transferring from the University of Memphis. Last year, the junior registered a team-high 312 kills, while finishing second on the team with 355 digs.
‘Roo Newcomers This season, the ‘Roos will welcome two newcomers to the squad in junior Demetria Williams and freshman Chloe Jarema. Williams joins the squad out of Butler Community College where she was an NJCAA all-American honoree last season after registering 231 kills, while also tying her own school record of a .304 hitting percentage. Williams was also named to the all-Jayhawk Conference team in both of her seasons as a Grizzly, while finishing her career at BCC as the record holder in career blocks with 316 and hitting percentage at .304. Jarema, meanwhile, was a two-time all-state honoree at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, where she helped lead her team to the 5A State Championship and Region IV title in 2007 and 2008 and runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2009.
Senior Leaders Three seniors will look to lead the way on this year’s squad in their final season at UMKC. Holly Schmidt, Kayla Riggs and Christina McCarthy are each entering their final seasons with the Blue and Gold after combining for 464 assists, 279 digs, 87 kills, 57 blocks and 12 aces in 2009. Schmidt and McCarthy, who are both three year members of the squad, have been part of 32 wins in their three seasons at UMKC. Last season, Schmidt split the setting duties, posting a career-high 28 assists vs. South Dakota State, while leading the team in assists in six matches. Riggs, registered the third most digs on the team with 241 as the team’s top defensive specialist, finishing with 10 or more digs in 10 matches. McCarthy, meanwhile, recorded the best game of her career against Big 12 foe Kansas, finishing with team and career-high in kills (7) and hitting percentage (.375).
Junior Power The junior class at UMKC is by far the biggest, featuring six returning letterwinners, including four starters and the libero, and one newcomer for a total of seven players in the class. Last season as sophomores, the group featured the team leader in most major categories, including kills, attacks, assists, service aces, digs and blocks. As a group, the junior class combined for 60% of the team’s kills, 56% of the assists, 80% of the aces, 61% of the blocks and 67% of the digs. Individually, Kelsey Knoche topped the team with 312 kills in her first season, while Erin Wellwood’s 617 assists and 33 aces were both team-highs. Nicole Kerkman finished 2009 with a team-high 460 digs, while Christiana McQuin’s 119 blocks were the most on the team. Brittany Fossier and Elizabeth Beck round out the returning juniors, as the duo combined for 301 kills, 133 digs and 126 blocks last season.
Looking To Take The Next Step in Year Two The UMKC roster will feature three sophomores who will be looking to take a big step forward in year 2 of their careers at UMKC. Ella Meier, Emily Lucas and Brittney Robers combined for 20 starts a season ago and will be heavily relied on again this season as all three will see significant playing time and at least one will be in the starting lineup during this weekend’s action. In 2009, Meier registered her first career double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs against Iona en route to being named to Sacred Heart Invitational all-Tournament team, while picking up her second against Oakland with 12 kills and 16 digs. Lucas and Robers, meanwhile, each notched their best games against Holy Cross where Lucas finished with a career-high 10 kills and Robers a career-high 12 assists.
Diggin’ It In 2009, the UMKC volleyball team finished 24th in the nation in digs, averaging 17.06 digs per game. Leading the squad was libero Nicole Kerkman, as the junior recorded a team-high 460 digs during her sophomore season. Kelsey Knoche finished second on the team with 355 digs, good for a 3.26 digs per game average. Also topping the 200 digs mark were defensive specialist Kayla Riggs with 241 digs and a 2.46 digs per set average and setter Erin Wellwood with 240 digs and a 2.11 digs per set average. Ella Meier, meanwhile, tallied 198 digs, while Jamie Hagerman (120 digs) and Elizabeth Beck (115 digs) each added to the back row defense.
Changes in the Coaching Staff Heather Adams joined the UMKC volleyball program as an assistant coach after serving as an assistant coach at Brush Middle School in Brush, Colo. Before her time at Brush, Adams worked as the junior varsity head coach and assistant varsity coach at Clear Creek High School in Idaho Springs, Colo. Adams played collegiate volleyball at Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison, Colo., for five seasons, where she served as the team captain during her senior year. The middle hitter closed out her career as a Mountaineer by being named First Team all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Second Team all-Region honors. This came on the heels of earning second team all-conference honors as a junior. Additionally, assistant coach Joan Rickert was promoted to associate head coach after helping guide the ‘Roos to The Summit League Tournament for the first time since 2003.
Second Team All-League Honorees 2009 marked the first time since Vanessa Portela earned First Team all-Summit League honors in 2005, that the ‘Roos put a player on either the first or second all-league teams, as last year both Jamie Hagerman and Christiana McQuin were selected as Second Team all-Summit League honorees. Last season also marked the first time since 2003 that two ‘Roos were honored in the same season, as Lindsey Zerr was named First Team all-Mid-Con and Sara Foster was named Second Team all-Mid-Con that year. Hagerman, meanwhile, was also named to The Summit League all-Tournament team, marking the first time UMKC has had a representative since Noe Perreira was honored in 2002.
Returning POWs This season, the UMKC line-up will feature three players who were named Summit League Player of the Week during the 2009 campaign. Last season, junior Kelsey Knoche received Offensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 26 after recording a double-double against Southern Utah with 18 kills, a .500 hitting percentage and 12 digs. Christiana McQuin earned her award on Nov. 9 for her defensive efforts in matches against Centenary and Oral Roberts, where she combined for 17 blocks, 20 kills and seven digs. Elizabeth Beck, meanwhile, received the award on Nov. 16 after posting 39 total kills against Oakland, IPFW and SIU Edwardsville.
UMKC Single Season Records Sophomore Nicole Kerkman’s 460 digs last season were good for the fourth most all-time in a singles season, while her 4.04 digs per set put her sixth all-time. Sophomore Christiana McQuin currently sits seventh in the Kangaroo record books with a .263 hitting percentage posted during the 2008 season, while her 101 block assists from last season and her 89 block assists from 2008, rank fourth and ninth, respectively. Kelsey Knoche, meanwhile, registered the seventh most attacks all-time with 1,051, while her 9.64 attacks per set last season rank ninth all-time.
UMKC Career Records Christiana McQuin leads a quartet of UMKC juniors who have already etched their names into the UMKC career record books with two more years of eligibility left, as the junior ranks fifth all-time with a .255 hitting percentage, and ninth all-time with 190 block assists. Nicole Kerkman and Kelsey Knoche each rank among the top-five in digs per set, with Kerkman sitting third with a mark of 3.34 digs per set and Knoche fifth at 3.26 digs per set. Knoche also sits fourth all-time at 9.64 attacks per set and seventh all-time with 2.86 kills per set. Erin Wellwood, meanwhile, ranks eighth all-time in assists, as the setter as registered 1,177 in her two seasons in the Blue and Gold.
NCAA Public Recognition Award The UMKC volleyball team was one of 841 Division I sports teams to receive NCAA Public Recognition Awards for their exceptional work in the classroom as part of the organization’s Academic Performance Program. The awards are handed out annually to teams scoring in the top-10 percent in each sport with their APRs. High-performing teams receiving public recognition awards this year posted APR scores ranging from 978 to a perfect 1,000. The number of teams in some sports may exceed 10 percent depending on how many achieved perfect scores. The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic year.
‘Roos in The Classroom Last season, 11 ‘Roos were named to The Summit League Academic all-Conference team, including current ‘Roos Elizabeth Beck, Brittany Fossier, Nicole Kerkman, Kelsey Knoche, Christina McCarthy, Christiana McQuin, Ella Meier and Erin Wellwood. In order to be named to academic all-League team, each student-athlete must post a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the semester in which they compete. Additionally, three ‘Roos were named distinguished scholars for posting a GPA above 3.6, including Beck. Meanwhile, five current player and six total were named to the Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence, including McCarthy, Beck, Fossier, Kerkman and Wellwood, for posting a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
HOUSTON – The University of Houston volleyball team will kick off the 2010 season this weekend, Aug. 27-28, when they travel to Austin, Texas for the Burnt Orange Classic.
The Cougars take to the court for the first time this season on Friday against TCU at noon, followed by a 4 p.m. match against McNeese State. The tournament concludes on Saturday when UH faces off against tournament host, Texas, at 6:30 p.m.
Fans can follow all games of the tournament by clicking on the Gametracker link on the volleyball schedule page. A complete wrap-up of each day’s events will also be available at UHCougars.com.
Houston’s opening match of the tournament is against the Horned Frogs. UH is 7-1 in the all-time series, including a 3-0 win at the Athletics/Alumni Center in 2008 in the programs’ last meeting.
The afternoon contest against McNeese State on Friday will mark just the fourth time that the two teams have meet on the volleyball court. Houston is 3-0 in those matches.
The Cougars close out the weekend against the Longhorns. Texas holds a 42-16 lead in the all-time series, having won the last meeting 3-0 in Austin in 2008.
The start of the season begins a new era in UH volleyball history. Head coach Molly Alvey will lead her team for the first time after being named the fifth head coach in program history on Jan. 25, 2010. In addition, there are also six newcomers that will be seeing their first action in a Cougar uniform this weekend.
Expected to lead the group are seniors Amanda Carson and Marluci Toazzi. Carson led the team last season with 481 digs. Her career total of 1,342 career digs rank fifth in the UH career record books. Toazzi finished her first season at UH in 2009, after transferring from Arizona Western College, with 144 digs and 242 digs.
Following the weekend on the road, Houston will prepare for the 2010 home opener on Sept. 3. Houston will play host to the Houston Invitational, welcoming Florida State, Oklahoma and Tennessee to the Athletics/Alumni Center.
Arkansas State Red Wolves Volleyball Team Picked Second in Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Fielder Earns Second Preseason All-SBC Honor
JONESBORO, Ark. (8/26/10) — The Arkansas State volleyball team was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference West Division preseason poll, the league announced Thursday morning, and ASU’s Cayla Fielder was named to the preseason All-SBC team, as voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
The Red Wolves received 57 points in the poll with four first place votes, while Denver topped the West Division with 68 points. Middle Tennessee totaled 66 points to land as the favorite in the East Division just three points ahead of Florida International.
Fielder’s selection to the preseason All-SBC team marks the second of her career. She was named to the All-SBC First Team following the 2009 season, after leading the Red Wolves in kills (373), hitting percentage (.341) and total blocks (128), including a team-high 33 unassisted. Fielder was named the 2008 Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-SBC honors that same season.
“We feel honored to have received some first place votes and to have a player recognized on the preseason All-Sun Belt team,” said ASU head coach Justin Ingram. “A lot of that recognition has to do with what we did last season, and we’ll have to work extremely hard to repeat as Division Champions. Great things are happening at practice, and we are anxious to get started.”
A-State opens the 2010 season Friday, Aug. 27 when they host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at noon and Northwestern State at 7:00 p.m. in the ASU Invitational at the HPESS facility on the ASU campus. Louisiana Tech will face Northwestern State in the opening match of the tournament at 10:00 a.m., while UAPB and Louisiana Tech will meet on the hardwood at 5:00 p.m.
PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL
EAST
1. Middle Tennessee - 66 points (6 first place votes)
2. FIU - 63 points (5 first place votes)
3. WKU - 51 points (1 first place vote)
4. Troy - 28 points
5. Florida Atlantic, South Alabama - 22 points
WEST
1. Denver - 68 points (8 first place votes)
2. Arkansas State - 57 points (4 first place votes)
3. UALR - 47 points
4. North Texas - 43 points
5. Louisiana-Lafayette - 24 points
6. Louisiana-Monroe - 13 points
PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Natalia Valentin, FIU
Izabela Kozon, Middle Tennessee
Cayla Fielder, Arkansas State
Jovana Bjelica, FIU
Stacy Oladinni, Middle Tennessee
Maria Szivos, Middle Tennessee
Tiffany Elmore, WKU
Kacie Wikierak, Denver
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year > Kacie Wikierak, Denver
Preseason Player of the Year > Natalia Valentin, FIU
Ball State Women's Volleyball Opens 2010 Season Friday vs. The Citadel
►CARDINALS OPEN SEASON FRIDAY: The Ball State women’s volleyball team opens its 39th season of play Friday, when it travels to Edwardsville, Ill., for the SIUE Cougar Classic . . . The Cardinals open the tournament with a 4 p.m. (CT) showdown with Southern Conference member The Citadel . . . Saturday, BSU battles Missouri Valley Conference member Indiana State at 10 a.m. (CT), before playing host school and future Ohio Valley Conference member SIU-Edwardsville at 7 p.m. (CT).
►CARDINALS ALL-TIME: Ball State enters its 39th season of competition with a 739-489-2 (.602) overall record . . . The Cardinals are 17-21 all-time in season-opening matches, including a 4-7 record in neutral site contests . . . Last season, BSU suffered a 3-0 setback at then-No. 19 Purdue in its season-opener.
►BALL STATE VS. TOURNAMENT FIELD: Ball State is a combined 41-5-1 versus the SIUE Cougar Classic field, with all but one of those matches coming versus Indiana State . . . Friday’s match will be BSU’s first-ever versus The Citadel, while the Cardinals posted a 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-21, 25-20) win over SIUE last season (Sept. 5) in the Active Ankle Challenge . . . Ball State is 40-5-1 all-time versus Indiana State, including a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-20) victory last year (Sept. 12) on its way to the Best Western ISU Classic title. ►NEW FACES: A new-look Ball State women’s volleyball team will take the court Friday versus The Citadel, starting at the top with first-year head coach Steve Shondell . . . Also new to the coaching staff are assistant coaches Corey Carlin and Kelli Miller, along with volunteer assistant coach Jim Palilonis . . . On the roster, the Cardinals welcome in six freshmen (Kylee Baker, Claire Farkas, Mindy Marx, Jacqui Seidel, Whitney Heeres and Catie Fredrich), along with redshirt junior Alexis Shonkwiler who was a 2007 letterwinner for the Cardinals before leaving the team for the 2008 & 2009 seasons.
►WELCOME BACK: In addition to the 11 new faces, the Cardinals return nine letterwinners from the 2009 season . . . Leading the way are a trio of juniors in 2009 First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection middle blocker Kelsey Brandl, two-year starting setter Brittany McGinnis and 2008 Second Team All-MAC honoree middle blocker Jennifer Boyd . . . BSU’s four-member senior class includes starting libero Alyssa Rio, right side hitter Charde’ Phillips, outside hitter Hannah Sullivan and defensive specialist Karin Caudill . . . Junior defensive specialist Kaylee Schembra and sophomore defensive specialist Lauren Schlaker round out BSU roster.
►SCOUTING THE CITADEL: The Citadel returns 13 letterwinners, including five starters and its libero, from its team which posted an 8-25 overall record last season . . . All three of the Bulldogs’ top attackers return for the 2010 season, paced by senior outside hitter Tatum Jestila at 2.91 kills-per-set . . . The only hole to fill in The Citadel’s starting lineup looks to be at setter, where the team graduated Alyssa Holum.
►SCOUTING INDIANA STATE: Indiana State returns just one starter and the libero from its 2009 squad which posted a 7-25 overall record . . . Junior middle blocker Stacy Qualizza led the Sycamores with a .238 hitting percentage last season, while racking up 233 kills as the team’s lone returning starter . . . Junior Kiya James collected 527 digs as ISU’s libero last season.
►SCOUTING SIU-EDWARDSVILLE: The Cougars return five starters and the libero from a team which posted a 2-27 overall record in its second season reclassifying from Division II to Division I . . . Senior right side Sydney Winslow paced SIUE with a 2.75 kills-per-set average last season . . . Senior outside hitter Karie Downing led the team with 768 attempts while posting a 2.16 kills-per-set average . . . The Cougars only starter lost was outside hitter Brittni Birkey who collected 1.79 kills per set last season.
►MAKING THE FIRST TEAM: Kelsey Brandl was named to 2009 All-MAC First Team after ranking third in the league with a .338 attack percentage . . . The mark was the 10th-best single-season percentage in program history . . . Brandl also ranked sixth among all league players with a 0.98 blocks-per-set average, while averaging 2.53 kills per set.
►CLIMBING THE DEFENSIVE CHARTS: Despite missing a majority of BSU’s non-conference schedule last season due to injury, senior libero Alyssa Rio enters the 2010 season ranked fourth in program history with 1,450 career digs . . . While she would need 824 digs (which would be the second-highest single-season total in program history) this season to take over the top spot in program history, Rio is well within striking distance of the No. 2 slot held by Sarah Obras (2002-05) at 1,652 . . . Rio also ranks third in program history in digs-per-set average (4.74), matches with double-figure digs (69) and matches with 20-or-more digs (69).
►SCHEMBRA CLOSING IN ON TOP 20: Junior defensive specialist Kaylee Schembra is also climbing the defensive charts with 626 career digs . . . She needs just 183 more digs to break into the top 20 past Becky Inman’s (1995-98) career total of 808.
►DISHING THE ROCK: With two seasons as the program’s starting setter under her belt, junior Brittany McGinnis enters her junior year ranked eighth in program history with 2,276 career assists . . . McGinnis is on pace to climb into the top five in program annals this season, needing just 389 more to pass Lorie Vandenberg (1989-92) for the spot . . . McGinnis also enters the year ranked sixth on BSU’s career charts with a 9.64 assists-per-set average.
►DOMINATING DEFENSE: One area where the Cardinals will look to continue to shine from last season is on defense, where Ball State limited its opponents to a .177 hitting percentage, which was the lowest in the Mid-American Conference . . . Led by Brandl, BSU also ranked fourth in the league with a 1.99 blocks-per-set average.
►MAC PRESEASON POLL: Ball State was picked fifth in the MAC West Division as voted on by the league’s 12 coaches . . . Central Michigan earned the top spot, followed by Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, BSU and Eastern Michigan . . . Ohio was picked to win the East Division and tournament.
