November 19, 2003
2003 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Volleyball Championship Action Gearing Up
 Competition Begins With the Regional Quarterfinals on Thursday

   
  (Lock Haven, Pa.) - Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania will serve as host of the 2003 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Volleyball Championships this Thursday through Saturday, November 20-22.  Six teams will converge on Thomas Fieldhouse to vie for the regional title and the opportunity to advance to the Elite Eight.
                Teams in this year’s Atlantic regional championship come from three conferences, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC) and the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA).  Four PSAC teams are among the tournament field, with Lock Haven (29-5) securing the top seed in the tournament.  Lock Haven is followed by No. 2-seed and defending champion Edinboro University (25-11).  Indiana (Pa.) University (23-11) and Clarion University (26-9) will be the third and fourth seeds, respectively.  The No. 5-seed Lees-McRae College (30-11) comes from the CVAC, while the CIAA’s St. Augustine’s College (25-4) rounds out the tournament field as the sixth seed.

 Tournament Schedule: The quarterfinals get underway on Thurs., Nov. 20, with #3 Indiana playing #6 St. Augustine ’s at 5 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. , #4 Clarion will face #5 Lees-McRae. On Fri., Nov. 21, #2 Edinboro will play the winner of the Indiana/St. Augustine’s match at 5 p.m.   At 7:30 p.m. , #1 Lock Haven will play the Clarion/Lees-McRae winner.  The championship match is slated for 6:30 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 22.
                The winner of the Atlantic Region championship advances to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, to be held on the campus of one of the remaining teams, from December 4-6.  The Atlantic Region champion will face the winner of the South Central Region in the quarterfinals.  


Click here to view National Championship Bracket

NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championship Schedule

Thurs., Nov. 20 - QUARTERFINALS
 5 p.m. – (3) Indiana (Pa.) vs. (6) St. Augustine’s
7:30 p.m. – (4) Clarion vs. (5) Lees-McRae

Fri., Nov. 21 – SEMIFINALS
 5 p.m. – (2) Edinboro vs. Winner of Indiana/St. Augustine’s
7:30 p.m. – (1) Lock Haven vs. Winner of Clarion/Lees-McRae

Sat., Nov. 22 – FINAL
 6:30 p.m. – Semifinal Winners
 

Tickets: Tickets are available for purchase at the front gate, and are priced $7 for adults, $3 for students and $2 for children.

The Tournament Field: Five of the six teams in this year’s field were at the 2002 regional championships, Lock Haven University being the only team that was not vying for the title one year ago. Clarion and Lees-McRae meet in the first round for the second-straight season, the Golden Eagles of Clarion looking to even the score after the Bobcats eliminated them in 2002. St. Augustine’s and Indiana met in the semifinals last season with Indiana winning, 3-1, but this time around they will face off in the opening round.

The 2002 Atlantic Region Championship: Hosted by Indiana ( Pa.), the 2002 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championship went to Edinboro University . The Fighting Scots defeated Lees-McRae in four games in the semifinals before winning the title with a 3-1 win over Indiana in the championship match.

 

 

 

 
Lock Haven University (29-5) Lady Eagles
#1 Lock Haven: Lock Haven University is 29-5 overall and enters the weekend’s tournament as the region’s top seed.  The Lady Eagles are fresh off of winning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament championship after entering the tournament as the second-seeded squad.
                It is the seventh appearance in the regional championships by the Lady Eagles under 11th -year head coach Tom Justice, and marks their return to the national playoffs after not advancing last season.  Lock Haven has captured the regional crown on three occasions, most recently in the 2001 season. 
                The Lady Eagles have seven hitters with 100 or more kills but are paced by freshman middle and PSAC West Rookie of the Year Cherry Li (Shanghai, China).  Li is the current national leader with a .468 hitting percentage, totaling 498 kills for 4.29 per game.  She also leads the Haven with 436 digs (3.76/gm) and 124 blocks (1.07/gm). 
                Junior middle Lillian Bortoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Campos Salles) adds 201 kills (2.31/gm) and is second on the team with 113 blocks (1.30/gm). 
                Outside hitters Allison Wade (Duncansville/Hollidaysburg) and Kristi Kauffman (York/Central York) have both been key players in the all-around game, Wade adding 212 kills (2.38/gm) and 215 digs (2.42/gm) and Kauffman totaling 198 kills (2.13/gm) along with 286 digs (3.08/gm). Right-side hitter Amanda Snyder (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) has 197 kills (2.05/gm) and 254 digs (2.65/gm).
                Defensive specialist Kelly Wengerter (Emerson, N.J./Emerson) has 230 digs to her credit, while sophomore setter Allison Furry (Guys Mills/Maplewood) averages 10.26 assists per game (964 assists) and has also added 141 digs.
 
Edinboro University (25-11) Fighting Scots
#2 Edinboro: The Fighting Scots of Edinboro University are 25-11 overall and are the defending Atlantic Region champions. This is Edinboro’s ninth appearance since 1994 and its’ eighth straight at the regional tournament, the Scots boasting four Atlantic Region titles in the ten-year stint of head coach and 2003 PSAC West Coach of the Year Lynn Theehs .
                Senior middle Ashley Walton (Manchester, Pa./Northeastern), the PSAC West Player of the Year, leads Edinboro and is fifth in the nation with a .432 attack percentage. Walton also ranks 15th nationally with 4.72 kills per game (595 kills), and leads Edinboro with 135 blocks (1.08/gm). 
                Junior setter Renee’ Kam (Eden, N.Y./Eden) earned All-PSAC honors and was fifth in the most current national statistical rankings with 13.63 assists per game for a 1,554 season total.  She has also added 335 digs (2.94/gm) to the defensive efforts.
                In addition to Walton, another three Scot attackers check in with 350 or more kills to give Edinboro continuity in its rotation, with junior outside Jen Shaw (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) (381; 3.23/gm), senior middle Katie Hummel (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) (362; 2.94/gm) and senior outside hitter Amy Medicus (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch) (361; 2.93/gm) all contributing.
                Hummel, one of four Fighting Scots to earn all-conference honors, is second to Walton with 115 blocks (0.93/gm) and leads the squad with 63 service aces.  Shaw is the Edinboro digs leader, averaging 3.74 per game with 441 total. Junior libero Marissa DeLiberato (Parma, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) adds 3.40 digs per game (428 digs), while Medicus has totaled 422 for a 3.43 per game average.
 
Indiana (Pa.) University (25-11) Indians
#3 Indiana (Pa.): Indiana (Pa.) University (23-11) returns to regional action for the fourth consecutive season.  The Indians have advanced to the championship match the past two seasons.  In 2002, Indiana won the PSAC tournament championship and hosted the regional tournament, but fell to Edinboro University in the final match.   
                Indiana has won at least 23 matches in each of the past four seasons, posting a record of 106-38 over that span while under the guidance of sixth-year head coach Carmine Cortazzo. 
                First team All-PSAC middle Brittany Gates (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) is second in the PSAC and 29th in the nation in blocks per game, averaging 1.29 for a total of 128 including 63 solos blocks. Gates has also recorded 337 kills (3.40/gm). 
                All-conference outside hitter Marcy Stutzman (Friedens, Pa./Shanksville-Stony Creek) leads IUP with 481 kills (3.98/gm) and adds 249 digs along with 60 blocks. Freshman outside hitter Michelle Jones (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) and sophomore middle Amy Badorf (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) post 362 kills (3.45/gm) and 208 kills (1.75/gm), respectively.
                Junior and all-conference setter Lacey George (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) rated second in the PSAC and is 24th in the nation with 1,516 assists for a 12.43 per game average. Defensive specialist Sarah Rosenberry (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) leads the Indiana defense with 476 digs (3.97/gm).
 

 
 
Clarion University (25-11) Golden Eagles
#4 Clarion:  The Golden Eagles of Clarion University (26-9) make their second consecutive trip to the NCAA playoffs and also the second under head coach Tracey Fluharty.  Last season, the Golden Eagles fell to Lees-McRae, 3-2, in the quarterfinals in their first-ever appearance. 
                Clarion’s senior outside hitter Melanie Bull (York/Susquehannock) leads an offense stacked with four hitters with 200 or more kills and owns the school season record with 577 kills (4.85/gm). Bull, who earned First Team All-PSAC West honors this season, also leads Clarion with 515 digs (4.33/gm) and has added 46 service aces and 58 blocks.
                Senior setter Jackie Hill (York/Susquehannock), a first team All-PSAC pick, has distributed 11.97 assists per game for 1,388 total, and adds 45 aces and 84 blocks to the mix.
                Junior all-conference middle Colleen Sherk (Wilmington, Del./Concord) owns a .379 attack percentage, registering 424 kills (3.56/gm).  Sherk is second on the team in blocking with 156, including 50 solos. 
                Middle Karen Stoklosa (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) (231 kills;1.94/gm) and junior outside hitter Sara Heyl (Midlothian,Va. /Clover Hill) (244 kills; 2.05/gm) add to the offense and are first and third on the team, respectively, in blocking with 168 (1.41/gm) and 98 (0.82/gm) total stuffs.  Sophomore libero Ashley Kreiner (London, Ohio/London) adds 513 digs (4.31/gm) to aid the defensive efforts.
 

 
 
Lees-McRae College (30-11) Bobcats

#5 Lees-McRae: The Lees-McRae Bobcats bring a 30-11 record into their third-straight and fourth overall appearance in the regional playoffs.  The six-time defending Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference champion, Lees-McRae defeated St. Andrews Presbyterian College in five games to secure the 2003 title last weekend.
                Operating under the guidance of head coach Tony Fontanelle, the Bobcats are paced by CVAC tournament Most Valuable Player and junior setter Lenka Jamrichova (Los Angeles, Calif./Santa Monica).  Jamrichova has 1,744 assists this season and averages 12.03 per game.
                Two other Bobcats received All-Tournament team recognition, junior middle Tatiana Moore (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) and senior outside hitter A.D. Hunt (Desoto, Texas/Cedar Valley CC).  Moore was voted the CVAC Player of the Year and has 465 kills on the season, averaging 3.25 kills per game with a .270 attack percentage.  
                Rookie outside hitter Lacie Smith (Knoxville, Tenn/Farraguta) is second on the team in kills with 431 (3.17/gm).  Smith, an all-conference pick, leads Lees-McRae with 532 digs (3.91/gm), followed by Tatiana Moore with 506 (3.53/gm) and Lenka Jamrichova with 462 (3.19/gm).  Freshman middle Amanda Huffaker (Maryville, Tenn./Maryville ) has 187 kills and a .287 attack percentage.
 

 
 
St. Augustine's College (25-4) Lady Falcons
#6 St. Augustine’s: The Lady Falcons of St. Augustine’s College have built a 25-4 overall record, winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship with a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over North Carolina Central University.
                Directed by head coach Edric Poitier, the Lady Falcons rank first in Division II in service aces per game, averaging 4.48 per game as a team.  The squad is also rated fifth among all Division II schools in hitting percentage (0.31) and 14th in match win-loss percentage (0.864). 
                The CIAA Player of the Year and tournament Most Valuable Player is junior middle Magaly Gomez (Lima, Peru), who is currently first in Division II with 1.22 aces per game and ninth in the nation with a .416 hitting percentage.  
                Junior outside hitter Katrina Johnson (Nassau, Bahamas) is second to Gomez in the national standings with 0.96 aces per game, and was also voted to the CIAA All-Tournament team.

 

   
 

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