Murray State University Athletics
Volleyball heads to James Madison/Days Inn Invitational to open 2008 campaign
8/27/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team opens up the 2008 campaign at the James Madison/Days Inn Invitational this Friday and Saturday. The Racers play their first match of the season against Virginia, Friday, Aug. 29 at 4 p.m. in Sinclair Gym. Murray State then plays two matches Saturday, Aug. 30 starting at 11 a.m. against the host Dukes. The final match of the tournament is set to begin at 4 p.m. against New Hampshire.
About Virginia
The Cavaliers are coming off an 18-13 record in 2007, including a 13-9 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia returns four starters from a season ago, and a total of 10 members of the 2007 roster. The returners are joined by four newcomers and first year head coach Lee Maes.
In 2007 the Cavaliers were a defensive team, recording 17.3 digs per set and 2.4 blocks per outing. The team needed the defensive advantage as they tallied only a .198 hitting percentage for the season.
Against Virginia
This will be the first meeting between the Cavaliers and the Racers in the 26 year history of Murray State volleyball. Virginia is among five schools that the Racers will meet on the court for the first time in program history during the 2008 campaign.
About James Madison
The Dukes are coming off a fifth-place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association and an overall record of 17-3 in 2007. James Madison fell short of advancing to the NCAA postseason after falling in the CAA tournament semifinals. The Dukes are returning nine members of the 2007 roster, including five starters.
James Madison had similar numbers in most statistical categories as the Racers, except in blocks. The Dukes averaged 2.5 blocks per set to Murray State's 1.4.
James Madison is led by ninth-year head coach Disa Garner. Garner has compiled a 133-92 mark in eight seasons with the Dukes and a 187-229 career record in 14 years of coaching.
Against James Madison
Like Virginia, this will be the first meeting on the court with the Racers.
About New Hampshire
The Wildcats are coming off a strong season in 2007, with a 19-9 overall record and a second-place finish in the America East Conference. Ten members of the 2007 squad are returning for New Hampshire, including three all-conference selections.
The returning Wildcats helped the team to have strong serving, hitting, and blocking in 2007. As a team, New Hampshire had a .229 hitting percentage and averaged 2.0 services aces and 2.2 blocks per set.
The Wildcats are led by Hill Hirschinger, who has been at the helm of the program for 12 seasons. She has amassed a 210-167 mark during her time at New Hampshire and a 619-408-1 mark in 29 years as a head coach.
Against New Hampshire
The meeting Saturday will be just the second between Murray State and the Wildcats. In the first meeting in 2002, the Racers earned a 3-2 (22-30, 30-24, 30-21, 18-30, 15-7) victory at the Utah Classic in Salt Lake City Utah.
Rule Changes
Following the completion of the 2007 volleyball campaign the NCAA decided to make some changes to the rule book. Starting in 2008 each match will now be the best of five sets instead of games.
The changes also reflect a change in the number of points needed to win a match. Like international matches, each set will now be played to 25, with teams still needing to win by two points. The final set will still be played to 15. The final change will allow only 12 substitutes per set.
Preseason Expectations
After finishing fifth in the OVC standings in 2007, Murray State was picked to finish fourth in the 2008 OVC Preseason Poll, as voted on by the leagues head coaches and sports information directors.
Senior Heather Norris was the lone Racer player to be named to the preseason teams, earning a spot on the first team.
Climbing Career Charts
Two members of the 2008 Racer roster have positioned themselves on the Murray State all-time leader boards and are poised to move up on those lists this season.
Senior Heather Norris finished the 2007 campaign in the No. 2 spot on the all-time digs list. The Naperville, Ill., native needs just 243 to claim the No. 1 spot from Kim Koehler (1,994). Koehler has owned the record since 1990, prior to the institution of the libero position in 2004.
Fellow senior Alison Mugler is also on the all-time digs list at Murray State, in the 7th spot. Mugler has tallied 1,259 digs, and was the 11th member of the 1,000 Dig Club.
Mugler Approaching Elite Club
Besides her membership in the 1,000 Dig Club, senior Alison Mugler is approaching membership in the 1,000 Kill Club. The Maumee, Ohio, native is currently 83 kills away from becoming just the eighth member of the club. Mugler will be the first to reach the milestone since 1999 when Krista Shumard ended her career with 1,023 kills. The outside hitter has averaged 305 kills a season and is currently No. 9 on the all-time kill list with 917.
New Look for Racer Squad
After having just nine members on the 2007 roster the Racers will have more options to chose from in 2008 as head coach David Schwepker has been busy in the offseason adding seven faces to the list of six returners.
Schwepker has added one junior in Kelli Johnson, and six freshman. The freshman squad includes Xiao Yu "Jade” Guo and Long ga “Logan” Su from the No. 1 team in China that won two National High School Student Championships of China.
The Racers will also benefit from tough competition experience from Mary Cunningham, Teresa Krog, Kayleah Sauer, and Cassy Woolverton; who all have played in their respective state tournaments. Sauer was a four-year standout on the Mercy Academy squad that earned four-straight trips to the state tournament, finishing as high as state runners-up in 2004.
About Virginia
The Cavaliers are coming off an 18-13 record in 2007, including a 13-9 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia returns four starters from a season ago, and a total of 10 members of the 2007 roster. The returners are joined by four newcomers and first year head coach Lee Maes.
In 2007 the Cavaliers were a defensive team, recording 17.3 digs per set and 2.4 blocks per outing. The team needed the defensive advantage as they tallied only a .198 hitting percentage for the season.
Against Virginia
This will be the first meeting between the Cavaliers and the Racers in the 26 year history of Murray State volleyball. Virginia is among five schools that the Racers will meet on the court for the first time in program history during the 2008 campaign.
About James Madison
The Dukes are coming off a fifth-place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association and an overall record of 17-3 in 2007. James Madison fell short of advancing to the NCAA postseason after falling in the CAA tournament semifinals. The Dukes are returning nine members of the 2007 roster, including five starters.
James Madison had similar numbers in most statistical categories as the Racers, except in blocks. The Dukes averaged 2.5 blocks per set to Murray State's 1.4.
James Madison is led by ninth-year head coach Disa Garner. Garner has compiled a 133-92 mark in eight seasons with the Dukes and a 187-229 career record in 14 years of coaching.
Against James Madison
Like Virginia, this will be the first meeting on the court with the Racers.
About New Hampshire
The Wildcats are coming off a strong season in 2007, with a 19-9 overall record and a second-place finish in the America East Conference. Ten members of the 2007 squad are returning for New Hampshire, including three all-conference selections.
The returning Wildcats helped the team to have strong serving, hitting, and blocking in 2007. As a team, New Hampshire had a .229 hitting percentage and averaged 2.0 services aces and 2.2 blocks per set.
The Wildcats are led by Hill Hirschinger, who has been at the helm of the program for 12 seasons. She has amassed a 210-167 mark during her time at New Hampshire and a 619-408-1 mark in 29 years as a head coach.
Against New Hampshire
The meeting Saturday will be just the second between Murray State and the Wildcats. In the first meeting in 2002, the Racers earned a 3-2 (22-30, 30-24, 30-21, 18-30, 15-7) victory at the Utah Classic in Salt Lake City Utah.
Rule Changes
Following the completion of the 2007 volleyball campaign the NCAA decided to make some changes to the rule book. Starting in 2008 each match will now be the best of five sets instead of games.
The changes also reflect a change in the number of points needed to win a match. Like international matches, each set will now be played to 25, with teams still needing to win by two points. The final set will still be played to 15. The final change will allow only 12 substitutes per set.
Preseason Expectations
After finishing fifth in the OVC standings in 2007, Murray State was picked to finish fourth in the 2008 OVC Preseason Poll, as voted on by the leagues head coaches and sports information directors.
Senior Heather Norris was the lone Racer player to be named to the preseason teams, earning a spot on the first team.
Climbing Career Charts
Two members of the 2008 Racer roster have positioned themselves on the Murray State all-time leader boards and are poised to move up on those lists this season.
Senior Heather Norris finished the 2007 campaign in the No. 2 spot on the all-time digs list. The Naperville, Ill., native needs just 243 to claim the No. 1 spot from Kim Koehler (1,994). Koehler has owned the record since 1990, prior to the institution of the libero position in 2004.
Fellow senior Alison Mugler is also on the all-time digs list at Murray State, in the 7th spot. Mugler has tallied 1,259 digs, and was the 11th member of the 1,000 Dig Club.
Mugler Approaching Elite Club
Besides her membership in the 1,000 Dig Club, senior Alison Mugler is approaching membership in the 1,000 Kill Club. The Maumee, Ohio, native is currently 83 kills away from becoming just the eighth member of the club. Mugler will be the first to reach the milestone since 1999 when Krista Shumard ended her career with 1,023 kills. The outside hitter has averaged 305 kills a season and is currently No. 9 on the all-time kill list with 917.
New Look for Racer Squad
After having just nine members on the 2007 roster the Racers will have more options to chose from in 2008 as head coach David Schwepker has been busy in the offseason adding seven faces to the list of six returners.
Schwepker has added one junior in Kelli Johnson, and six freshman. The freshman squad includes Xiao Yu "Jade” Guo and Long ga “Logan” Su from the No. 1 team in China that won two National High School Student Championships of China.
The Racers will also benefit from tough competition experience from Mary Cunningham, Teresa Krog, Kayleah Sauer, and Cassy Woolverton; who all have played in their respective state tournaments. Sauer was a four-year standout on the Mercy Academy squad that earned four-straight trips to the state tournament, finishing as high as state runners-up in 2004.
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