Murray State University Athletics
Friday, August 27
Laramie, Wyo.
10:00 AM
Murray State
vs
Southern Utah
2010 Volleyball Team
Volleyball Set to Start Season at Wyoming Invite
8/25/2010 11:38:56 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team will open the 2010 season on the road in Laramie, Wyo., to participate in the Wyoming Invite. The Racers first opponent will be Southern Utah, Friday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. (CST). MSU will also face Northern Arizona Friday at 6 p.m. The Racers will conclude the tournament Saturday, with matches against Central Arkansas (noon) and the host Cowgirls (8 p.m.).
Scouting Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds will be competing in just their second season of volleyball after starting the team in 2009. SUU went 9-20 in its first season, including a 7-12 mark in The Summit League. From that first team, the Thunderbirds return nine players and add nine to the 2010 roster.
Cashaano Renfro returns with the highest hitting percentage on the team at .283 (163K-60E-364TA). The team's setter, Brittney Clark is next on the list with a .236 (84K-27E-242TA) attack percentage and 9.53 assists per set.
Scouting Northern Arizona
The Lumberjacks open the 2010 season after finishing 2009 with an 8-17 record and a 5-11 mark in the Big Sky Conference. NAU returns five starters plus its libero from a season ago.
Kelli Dallmann, an outside hitter and setter is the top returner on offense, with a .203 hitting percentage and 3.74 assists per set. Jen Wilson is also a key return, with a .202 hitting percentage and 2.43 kills per set. Anna Gott is a top defensive returner, with 4.60 digs per set.
The Series
The match will be the second in the all-time series with the Lumberjacks. NAU earned a victory in the first meeting (Sep. 8, 2000) on its home court.
Scouting Central Arkansas
The Sugar Bears are coming off a 27-3 campaign in 2009, including a 16-0 mark in the Southland Conference. CAU returns four of its seven starters from the championship team.
Choloe Smith is a key returner for the Sugar Bears, with a .280 hitting percentage and 4.46 kills per set. Linsey Barron and Taylor Hammonds were also strong as reserves, with hitting percentages of .342 and .310, respectively. Lauren dear is the returning setter for CAU, with 7.89 assists per set.
The Series
The Racers and the Sugar Bears have met on one pervious occasion, with MSU earning a 3-0 victory Sep. 16, 2006 on a neutral court.
Scouting Wyoming
The Cowgirls finished the 2009 campaign with a 13-18 overall record and 3-13 mark in the Mountain West. Wyoming returns all six starters, but lost its libero from last season.
Jodi Purdy is the top offensive returner for the Cowgirls, with a .208 hitting percentage and 3.43 kills per set. Lauren Whitney averaged 2.62 kills per set as a junior, while adding 1.30 digs per set. Wyoming also returns their setter, who netted 9.61 assists per set.
Picking Up Where They Left Off
The Murray State volleyball team finished the 2009 season in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship and ended the regular season in fourth place. To start the 2010 season, the league's coaches and sports information directors have chosen the Racers to finish third in the conference.
MSU also had three members on the 2009 All-OVC Second Team - Jade Guo, Becca Lamb and Kayleah Sauer. Sauer also earned the distinction as the 2009 OVC Defensive Player of the Year. All three have again been recognized by their peers as members of the 2010 Preseason All-OVC Team.
Returning Core Nucleus
Part of the reason that the Racers have been picked to finish in the top three of the OVC is that they will have a familiar look in 2010. The team returns all but two members from a year ago and will lose only one player from the main rotation. 2009 senior Cassie Chesney is the only starter lost from a season ago as a defensive specialist. Fellow senior Kelli Johnson was the only other loss to the roster. However, their rolls will be taken over by a incoming freshman libero - Katlyn Hudson.
Hudson was a four-year player at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind., and also played club for Hoosierland for the past two seasons. She was a key defensive threat that helped her prep squad earn three-straight sectional titles and allowed her club team to advance to the 18-and-under National Championships.
“Having just about everyone back is a great position to be in as a coach and for the program,” said head coach David Schwepker. “Last season we struggled with a few injuries so I think it is great that this group will have a chance to improve on last year's performance.”
“The team left last season not feeling good about their performance and they worked really hard in the spring. They are really hungry to do better this fall,” added Schwepker.
Same Home New Look
Racer Arena has been the home for Racer volleyball since 1954 and has been a volleyball only facility since the basketball teams moved into the Regional Special Events Center in 1998. Over the past two years the athletic department has made it a priority to give Racer Arena an upgrade. In 2009 the old scoreboard in the center of the gym was removed and replaced with new scoreboards on each end of the gym. Banners representing all OVC teams were also hung from the rafters and the press box area was repainted. This season fans will see even more improvements as the Sport Court has been replaced with a new wooden floor.
“We are very excited about the new look for Racer Arena,” Schwepker said. “You can really tell that it is Murray State's volleyball facility and I think that it is going to add excitement to our home matches.”
“Now the goal is to keep it an undefeated floor for as long as possible,” added Schwepker.
Notes in PDF Form
Scouting Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds will be competing in just their second season of volleyball after starting the team in 2009. SUU went 9-20 in its first season, including a 7-12 mark in The Summit League. From that first team, the Thunderbirds return nine players and add nine to the 2010 roster.
Cashaano Renfro returns with the highest hitting percentage on the team at .283 (163K-60E-364TA). The team's setter, Brittney Clark is next on the list with a .236 (84K-27E-242TA) attack percentage and 9.53 assists per set.
Scouting Northern Arizona
The Lumberjacks open the 2010 season after finishing 2009 with an 8-17 record and a 5-11 mark in the Big Sky Conference. NAU returns five starters plus its libero from a season ago.
Kelli Dallmann, an outside hitter and setter is the top returner on offense, with a .203 hitting percentage and 3.74 assists per set. Jen Wilson is also a key return, with a .202 hitting percentage and 2.43 kills per set. Anna Gott is a top defensive returner, with 4.60 digs per set.
The Series
The match will be the second in the all-time series with the Lumberjacks. NAU earned a victory in the first meeting (Sep. 8, 2000) on its home court.
Scouting Central Arkansas
The Sugar Bears are coming off a 27-3 campaign in 2009, including a 16-0 mark in the Southland Conference. CAU returns four of its seven starters from the championship team.
Choloe Smith is a key returner for the Sugar Bears, with a .280 hitting percentage and 4.46 kills per set. Linsey Barron and Taylor Hammonds were also strong as reserves, with hitting percentages of .342 and .310, respectively. Lauren dear is the returning setter for CAU, with 7.89 assists per set.
The Series
The Racers and the Sugar Bears have met on one pervious occasion, with MSU earning a 3-0 victory Sep. 16, 2006 on a neutral court.
Scouting Wyoming
The Cowgirls finished the 2009 campaign with a 13-18 overall record and 3-13 mark in the Mountain West. Wyoming returns all six starters, but lost its libero from last season.
Jodi Purdy is the top offensive returner for the Cowgirls, with a .208 hitting percentage and 3.43 kills per set. Lauren Whitney averaged 2.62 kills per set as a junior, while adding 1.30 digs per set. Wyoming also returns their setter, who netted 9.61 assists per set.
Picking Up Where They Left Off
The Murray State volleyball team finished the 2009 season in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship and ended the regular season in fourth place. To start the 2010 season, the league's coaches and sports information directors have chosen the Racers to finish third in the conference.
MSU also had three members on the 2009 All-OVC Second Team - Jade Guo, Becca Lamb and Kayleah Sauer. Sauer also earned the distinction as the 2009 OVC Defensive Player of the Year. All three have again been recognized by their peers as members of the 2010 Preseason All-OVC Team.
Returning Core Nucleus
Part of the reason that the Racers have been picked to finish in the top three of the OVC is that they will have a familiar look in 2010. The team returns all but two members from a year ago and will lose only one player from the main rotation. 2009 senior Cassie Chesney is the only starter lost from a season ago as a defensive specialist. Fellow senior Kelli Johnson was the only other loss to the roster. However, their rolls will be taken over by a incoming freshman libero - Katlyn Hudson.
Hudson was a four-year player at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind., and also played club for Hoosierland for the past two seasons. She was a key defensive threat that helped her prep squad earn three-straight sectional titles and allowed her club team to advance to the 18-and-under National Championships.
“Having just about everyone back is a great position to be in as a coach and for the program,” said head coach David Schwepker. “Last season we struggled with a few injuries so I think it is great that this group will have a chance to improve on last year's performance.”
“The team left last season not feeling good about their performance and they worked really hard in the spring. They are really hungry to do better this fall,” added Schwepker.
Same Home New Look
Racer Arena has been the home for Racer volleyball since 1954 and has been a volleyball only facility since the basketball teams moved into the Regional Special Events Center in 1998. Over the past two years the athletic department has made it a priority to give Racer Arena an upgrade. In 2009 the old scoreboard in the center of the gym was removed and replaced with new scoreboards on each end of the gym. Banners representing all OVC teams were also hung from the rafters and the press box area was repainted. This season fans will see even more improvements as the Sport Court has been replaced with a new wooden floor.
“We are very excited about the new look for Racer Arena,” Schwepker said. “You can really tell that it is Murray State's volleyball facility and I think that it is going to add excitement to our home matches.”
“Now the goal is to keep it an undefeated floor for as long as possible,” added Schwepker.
Notes in PDF Form
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