| |
(Lock
Haven, Pa.) – For the third straight season, the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Atlantic Region
Volleyball Championships will return to Thomas Field House, as Lock Haven
University of Pennsylvania hosts the 2001 edition of regional championship
competition from Thursday, November 15, through Saturday, November 17. Six teams in each of eight regions have the opportunity to
challenge for their respective regional crown and the right to advance to the
Elite Eight from November 29-December 1 (site to be determined).
This year's Atlantic Region participants are:
California (Pa.) University, Edinboro University, Indiana (Pa.)
University, Lees-McRae College, Lock Haven University, and St. Augustine’s
College.
Below
are capsules on each participating team in alphabetical order:
California
(Pa.) University: The Vulcans of California University, the
defending Atlantic Region champions, mark their second-straight appearance in
the regional tournament. Sporting
an overall mark of 18-14 under the guidance of fourth-year Head Coach Limin
Jin, California will look to make the return trip to the Elite Eight after
becoming the first team ever from the Atlantic Region to advance to the Final
Four last season.
The California offense is paced by all-conference sophomore middle Dingding
Lu (Beijing, China), who hits at a .382 clip with a total of 442 kills. Lu
also leads the Vulcans with 120 total blocks, including 51 solo stops.
Outside hitters Yujun Du (Tianjing, China) and Tifani Ribblett
(Johnstown, Pa.) add to the offensive firepower, with Du averaging 2.35
kills per game (221 kills) and Ribblett posting 2.65 per game (284 kills).
Senior setter Ying Xu (Nanjing, China), also an All-PSAC
selection, pilots the floor unit with 10.83 assists per game. Junior middle Julie
Wallace (Guelph, Ontario) is the Vulcan digs leader with 253 (2.64 per
game).
|
NCAA
Division II Atlantic Region
Volleyball Tournament Schedule:
Thursday,
November 15
5
p.m. – Game 1
Indiana (Pa.) University vs. St. Augustine’s College
7:30 p.m. – Game 2
California (Pa.) University vs. Lees-McRae College
Friday,
November 16
5
p.m. – Game 3
Edinboro University vs. Game 1 winner
7:30 p.m. – Game 4
Lock Haven University vs. Game 2 winner
Saturday,
November 17
2
p.m. – Championship
Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
|
| |
Edinboro
University: This marks the Edinboro University Fighting Scots’
sixth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Atlantic Region tournament, and they will
look to add onto their five championship match appearances.
Under the direction of eighth-year Head Coach Lynn Theehs,
Edinboro has built a 19-12 overall mark this season.
Most recently, the Fighting Scots captured their ninth Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title with a 3-2 win in the championship match
against Lock Haven.
Junior outside hitter Stephanie Burner
(Pittsburgh/Upper St. Clair), the PSAC Championships MVP, leads the team
and the PSAC in digs with 4.77 per game (568 digs), and also adds 252 kills to
the offensive effort. All-PSAC
sophomores Amy Medicus (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Finch) and Ashley
Walton (Mt. Wolf/Northeastern) have paced the Edinboro attack.
Medicus averages 3.77 kills per game (422 kills) and leads EUP with 98
blocks. She is also second on the
squad with 460 digs (4.11 per game). Walton
leads EUP with a .359 hitting percentage with 399 kills, and is also among the
top Scots on the blocking charts with 92 total stuffs.
Freshman setter and PSAC West Rookie of the Year Renee Kam
(Eden, N.Y./Eden) helps run the offense, currently sitting at fourth in the
nation in assists average with 13.41 per game (1,502 assists).
Indiana (Pa.) University: Indiana
(Pa.) University returns to the Atlantic Regional tournament after making its
inaugural appearance last season. IUP
is guided by fourth-year Head Coach Carmine Cortazzo, who has helped
lead the team to a 23-11 overall mark including wins in its last eight matches
and 21 of its last 25.
Junior outside hitter and two-time PSAC Player of the Year Laura Hall
(Rural Valley/Shannock Valley) ranks among national leaders with a .384
hitting percentage and 5.28 kills per game (628 kills). Hall also leads IUP
with 64 service aces. Aiding the
offense is all-conference middle Tracy Pangallo (Jeannette/Penn Trafford)
with 376 kills (3.84 per game) and 104 blocks.
Fellow middle Karla Raczkowski (Greensburg/Greensburg Salem) adds
280 kills (2.33 per game) along with a team-best 134 total blocks.
Rookie setter Lacey George
(Greensburg/Greensburg Salem) has made a big impact in her inaugural
season, posting 12.66 assists per game (1,507 assists) and 149 digs.
Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Kerr (Vandergrift/Kiski Area)
has collected 250 digs to pace the Indiana back row lineup.
Lees-McRae College: Four-time
defending Carolinas-Virginia Conference (CVAC) champion Lees-McRae College
enters this weekend’s competition with a 25-16 overall record. Second-year Head Coach Jim Lodes will lead the Bobcats in
their second appearance in the Atlantic Region championships.
Lees-McRae also made the trip north in 1999, falling to Edinboro, 2-3,
in the semifinal round.
Junior outside hitter and CVAC Championship MVP Courtney Martin
(Mesa, Ariz./Chandler-Gilbert CC) paces the LMC offense with 582 kills
(4.25 per game) and 103 service aces. Another
junior outside hitter, Jill Morrison (Bartow, Fla./Pacso-Hernando CC),
leads the Bobcats with 444 digs (3.17 per game) and is second on the team with
479 kills (3.42 per game) and 86 service aces.
Freshman
middle Tatiana Moore (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) has exploded onto the
scene, registering a team-best 113 blocks along with 343 kills (2.40 per game)
and 409 digs (2.86 per game). Another
rookie, setter Lenka Jamrichova (Santa Monica, Calif./Santa Monica), is
the LMC assists leader with 11.43 per game and a total of 1440 assists.
Lock
Haven University: The
Lady Eagles of Lock Haven University, currently 26-12, make their
sixth-straight appearance in the regional tournament, earning the title and
advancing to the Elite Eight in 1999 and 1997.
Under the direction of 11th year mentor Tom Justice,
the Lock Haven program has accumulated an overall record of 234-156 and has had
seven straight seasons with 25-or-more wins.
Leading the LHU offensive attack is a pair of senior outside hitters in Kelli
Crouch (Lancaster/Conestoga Valley) and Lauren Nuzum
(Manchester/Northeastern). Crouch,
a First Team All-PSAC selection, is the Lady Eagle leader in both kills
(471/3.41 per game) and digs (470/3.41 per game).
Nuzum is second on the team in both categories, putting down an average
3.31 kills per game for a total of 457 along with 394 digs (2.86 per game).
Other weapons in the Haven arsenal include four-time all-conference and senior
setter Shana Fessette (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown Central), who
distributes the ball for an average of 12.0 assists per game with 1,651 total
this season. Sophomore
middles Kara Warnke (Aurora, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), an All-PSAC player, and
Beth Hackenberg (Maumee, Ohio/Springfield) along with freshman opposite Amanda
Snyder (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) have also been key competitors in the
LHU lineup. Warnke adds strength
at the net, posting 334 kills (2.85 per game) along with a team best 140 blocks
(1.20 per game). Hackenberg is
LHU’s top server, recording 60 service aces, and is among Lady Eagle leaders
with 2.09 kills per game (288 kills) and 116 blocks (0.84 per game).
Snyder has made a big impact in her inaugural season, tallying 296 kills
(2.26 per game) along with 210 digs and 68 blocks.
St. Augustine’s College: The
Lady Falcons of St. Augustine’s College earned their second-consecutive
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship title this
past weekend, defeating Shaw University in four games.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Edric Poitier, St. Augustine’s
has built a 22-6 overall mark this season, including an undefeated 10-0 record
in conference play.
Sophomore outside hitter Karina Soto (Lima, Peru) was named the
CIAA Tournamnet MVP, and leads the Lady Falcons with 334 kills (3.84 per game),
51 service aces, and 296 digs (3.40 per game).
Sophomore setter Shennell Beckles (St. Michaels, VI) also earned
All-Tournament team honors, and leads the squad with 748 assists in addition to
235 digs.
A pair of sophomore outside hitters Katrina Johnson (Nassau, Bahamas)
and Sophia Minott (Kingston, Jamaica) are also key players in the St.
Augustine’s lineup. Johnson has
284 kills and 73 blocks, while Minott adds 278 kills along with a team-best 99
blocks.
|
