Women's Volleyball Weekly Release #1
Aug. 21, 2006
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News From Around the League
UW-Milwaukee Panthers
(2005: 20-9 overall, 12-2 Horizon League)
UW-Milwaukee finished 12-2 in the League and 20-9 overall during the regular season, but was upset by Loyola in the semifinals of the League Championship. Veteran coach Kathy Litzau---who stands three victories short of 250 in her career---directs a group of ten returning letterwinners including four starters.
Senior middle blocker Sarah Moore ranked third in the League with her .285 hitting percentage and also with 1.24 blocks per game to anchor the Panthers' presence at the net. UWM's attack also includes senior middle hitter Cheryl Hegemann (3.23 kpg. with 103 blocks), with junior Leanne Felsing (2.86 kpg, 3.32 apg.) expected to become the team's full-time setter in 2006. Sophomore Becky Peters shared the League's Newcomer of the Year award last fall and her 4.79 digs-per-game norm is the highest among all returning Horizon League performers.
Opening Match: vs. Winthrop
The Panthers open their season against Winthrop at the Illini Classic in Chicago. Winthrop is the defending champion of the Big South Conference.
Cleveland State Vikings
(2005: 19-10 overall, 11-3 Horizon League)
Cleveland State was one match behind the Panthers in the League standings in 2005, going 11-3 in the circuit as part of a 19-10 overall record. The Vikings will look dramatically different this fall, though, with the loss of the League's top hitter in Nickole Kennedy (.318, with 3.83 kpg. in 2005) as well as Jenna Maddocks (2.92 kpg.)
CSU will rely heavily on senior middle hitter Danielle Siefker (.294, 2.72 kpg. last fall), who led the League with a 1.26 blocks-per-game average a year ago. Siefker, along with sophomore middle hitter Jenni Ramminger (.282, 1.14 bpg. as the League's Co-Newcomer of the Year) lead the way at the net for Cleveland State, with junior setter Mel Snyder (11.94 apg.) playing the role of floor general.
Opening Match: at Temple
Cleveland State will take on Atlantic 10 Conference foe, Temple in an invitational hosted by the Owls. Temple is looking to defend its regular-season conference title in 2006.
UIC Flames
(2005:12-19 overall, 8-6 Horizon League)
UIC has all six starters back in 2006, including junior right side Katarina Nedeljkovic who was second on the 2005 loop charts with 4.32 kills per game to earn All-League recognition. Nedeljkovic's 48 service aces also led the League in 2005.
UIC is the only team returning a pair of All-League competitors, giving the Flames hopes of improving upon a 12-19 overall ledger in 2005 (8-6 in the League). Senior middle hitter Ambria Springer---an All-League honoree with a .272 hitting percentage plus per-game rates of 3.32 kills and 0.95 blocks---and senior outside hitter Maura McCarthy (3.22 kpg.) provide plenty of support at the net. Senior setter Katie Kozak directs the Flame attack, averaging 11.93 assists per game (third-best in the League) a year ago.
Opening Match: vs. Valparaiso
The Flames will open their season at home as they take on 2007 Horizon League member Valparaiso as part of the Chicagoland Challenge. The Crusaders are looking for their fourth consecutive Mid-Continent Conference championship.
Loyola Ramblers
(2005: 13-18 overall, 8-6 Horizon League)
Loyola entered the 2005 League Championship as the fourth seed, but Tournament MVP Sarah Elmer guided the Ramblers to the title and a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. It was the fourth time in seven years Loyola captured the tourney title.
Elmer is one of five returning starters for Loyola coach Marcie Bomhack, who made her debut as the Rambler coach a year ago. Elmer's 10.56 assists-per-game rate was fifth-best in the League last fall, while senior libero Ann Deelo was sixth at 3.87 digs per game. Bomhack replaces Hilary Stromath (3.00 kills per game), but outside hitter Keily Zins (2.43 kpg.), junior middle blocker Shelby Henriksen (2.07 kpg., 0.77 bpg.) and incoming freshman Dana VanDiggelen will attempt to duplicate that production at the net.
Opening Match vs. DePaul
Loyola will also open its season in the Chicagoland Classic, taking on DePaul. The Blue Demons are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 4-23 (1-13 in the Big East Conference) campaign in 2005.
UW-Green Bay Phoenix
(2005: 15-15 overall, 6-8 Horizon League)
All-League pick Betty Slinger leads UW-Green Bay into the 2006 season after topping the charts with her 12.04 assists-per-game average last fall. She was one of only two sophomores on the 2005 All-League rolls, Slinger also registered 1.60 kills and 2.39 digs per game to help the Phoenix to a 15-15 overall mark (6-8 in the League).
UWGB must overcome the loss of Jackie Rosen, who paced the League at 4.61 kills per game in 2005. To fill that role, Phoenix coach Debbie Kirch will likely look to junior outside hitter Liesl Tesch (2.60 kpg.) and sophomore middle blocker Abby Bergsma (1.64 kpg., 0.92 bpg.). Defensively, libero/outside hitter Sarah Rauen averaged a school-record 4.62 digs per game a year ago.
Opening Match: vs. Idaho State
The UW-Green Bay will face Big Sky Conference opponent, Idaho State at the Super 8 Chippewa Classic to open its season. The Bengals finished with an 11-18 overall record in 2005.
Butler Bulldogs
(2005: 11-16 overall, 6-8 Horizon League)
Butler returns four starters, trying to improve on last year's 11-16 mark (6-8 in the League). The two losses are big ones, however, with the graduation of League Defensive Player of the Year Megan Knightly (the loop's all-time digs leader who paced the League at 5.51 dpg. in 2005) and Candice Washington (second with 1.24 bpg. last fall).
Outside hitter Susana Henri (3.17 kpg., 2.78 dpg.) leads the Bulldog attack at the net, supported by junior outside hitter Michelle DeGeeter (2.40 kpg., 0.92 bpg.). Sophomore Dana Daprile (8.07 apg.) and senior Laura White (5.25 apg.) split setting duties.
Opening Match: at Marian
The Bulldogs will face Indianapolis rival Marian to start things off this season. As an NAIA member, the Knights are coming off a 12-15 finish in 2005.
Wright State Raiders
(2005: 12-20 overall, 5-9 Horizon League)
Wright State wrote its own Cinderella story at the League Championship last fall, entering as the seventh seed and reaching the final match for the first time before falling in five games to Loyola. The Raiders have five starters returning in 2006.
Senior outside hitter Sarah Poling is the focal point for WSU, earning All-League recognition for her 3.68 kills per game (fourth in the League) and 4.11 digs per game (fifth-best on the circuit charts). She posted 19 kill-dig double-doubles a year ago, with 11 of those coming in the final 13 matches of the season. Junior outside hitter Alisha Kimbro (3.30 kpg., 0.79 bpg.) and senior outside hitter Jenny Schultz (3.25 kpg) join junior Lindsey Frank (10.21 apg., 2.21 dpg.) on the Raider roster.
Opening Match: vs. Western Kentucky
Wright State opens its season with tournament play in Toledo, Ohio, taking on the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky to get things underway. Western Kentucky's successful 31-3 campaign in 2005 was recognized in this year's CSTV/AVCA preseason poll, with WKU receiving two votes.
Youngstown State Penguins
(2005: 7-22 overall, 0-14 Horizon League)
Youngstown State opened the season at 7-3 before junior opposite Jessica Fraley went down with a sports hernia which sidelined her for the rest of the campaign. Without Fraley in the line-up, YSU dropped its final 19 matches of the year, including all 14 League contests.
Fraley (2.97 kpg.) re-joins senior outside hitter Cari Leslie at the net in 2006, trying to replace the 3.06 kills per game registered by now-departed Abby Ettenhofer a year ago. Leslie topped the Penguins with her average of 2.95 kills per game, while senior defensive specialist Amanda Cindric finished seventh in the League at 3.87 digs per game last fall.
Opening Match: at Dayton
The Penguins will play tournament host Dayton to begin their season. Dayton also received votes in the CSTV/AVCA preseason poll.
Coming in 2007-Valparaiso Crusaders
(2005: 27-8 overall)
The League roster grows in 2007 when Valparaiso enters the mix. The Crusaders are NCAA veterans in volleyball, going for a fourth consecutive Mid-Continent Conference title this fall. That won't be easy, however, with five starters from last year's group lost to graduation. Middle blocker Jessie Fox---a Second-Team All-Mid-Con selection in 2005---is the lone exception, bringing her per-game rates of 2.51 kills and 1.28 blocks into 2006. Junior defensive specialist Heidi Hammond (3.51 dpg.) and sophomore middle blocker Allison Sears (.266, 2.21 kpg.) also will play key roles in continuing Valpo's run of success.
2006 Horizon League Championship
Wright State hosts this year's League Championship, which reverts to a traditional eight-team, three-round format for the first time since 2002. Of course, that setting might not be much of an advantage, considering UW-Milwaukee (2001) was the last team---and only the second since 1989---to win the League title on its home court.
This year's summit opens on Friday, Nov. 17, with quarterfinal matches at WSU's McLin Gymnasium. Semifinals are set for Saturday, Nov. 18, with the League's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament on the line in Sunday's (Nov. 19) title match.
