Aug. 27, 2008

MILWAUKEE - Marquette volleyball's first game of the season will come this weekend when the Golden Eagles welcome Chattanooga, Houston and Tennessee to the Al McGuire Center for the Marquette Kickoff Tournament. Games will start at 4:30 p.m. when Tennessee plays Chattanooga prior to the Houston-Marquette game, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Marquette Kickoff Tournament Schedule

Fri., Aug. 29

Tennessee vs Chattanooga (4:30 p.m.)

Houston vs MARQUETTE (7 p.m.)

Sat., Aug. 30

Houston vs Tennessee (10:30 a.m.)

Chattanooga vs MARQUETTE (12:30 p.m.)

Houston vs Chattanooga (4:30 p.m.)

Tennessee vs MARQUETTE (7 p.m.)

2008 MU Season Preview

Marquette women's volleyball looks to rebound from a frustrating 2007 with a roster rejuvenated with seven newcomers and a more defensive mindset.

Losing four seniors in Kim Todd, Katie Weidner, Jenn Brown and Tiffany Helmbrecht, who played such a vital role in the last four campaigns will not be an easy transition.

"It was a very strong group," said head coach Pati Rolf. "I've had that group of seniors starting for us for the last two years. It will be a tough but exciting transition."

Todd, the 2007-08 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Award winner, Marquette's first ever volleyball All-American and a three-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection, leaves Marquette in second place with 1,719 career kills, only 14 shy of the record. Weidner's 1,123 assists last season took her Marquette total to 2,308, earning her fourth place on the all-time list, while Jenn Brown's 345 career assisted blocks puts her second in that category.

"Its a passing of the torch, which I think is important," Rolf said. "We are going to miss the seniors but the bottom line is that new leadership is ready to take over."

Leadership on the court is expected to come from seniors Terri Angst and Ashlee Fisher as the two return as the most experienced players.

"I expect them to step up and I know they both want to do so," Rolf said. "They have been in the background here the last few years and are ready to take that next step."

Coach Rolf noticed that Angst started to embrace that role during the spring season.

"You can really see it with Terri," Rolf said of Angst's leadership ability. "I watched and listened to her this spring and I have never heard that much out of her. She really wants to lead this team."

The two individuals elected as captains for 2008 are Fisher and Katie Vancura. Fisher enters her second year with the program while Vancura enters her fourth.

"They are the leaders off the floor," said Rolf. "I'm really hoping it will work in motivating the young players to do the things they need to do in the classroom and be on top of their game when they come out onto the court."

With the loss of a talented senior class, Rolf and her staff set out to find top notch talent as their replacements. That search netted them seven of the top prep volleyball players in the country to add to the 2008 squad.

"Recruiting can be pretty methodical where you bring in three to four kids consistently," explained Rolf. "We really felt like due to the loss of the seniors and a couple of players potentially being unavailable in the fall, it was important to bring a strong group in, especially in the area of defense and passing."

Of the seven newcomers, the Golden Eagles have brought in three defensive players in Alexandra Coello, Amy Deelo, and Samantha Hertaus, one outside hitter in Ciara Jones, two middle blockers in Holly Mertens and Tiara Russell and a setter in Laira Akin.

Coach Rolf insists that all spots are open for competition but among the freshmen it looks as if Akin, Coello, Jones and Russell have the best shot at immediate playing time.

Roster

Returning to the starting lineup this season is outside hitters Ashlee Fisher and middle blocker Rabbecka Gonyo. Although both were newcomers to the squad a year ago, Fisher and Gonyo both played in all 26 matches, starting 22 and 24, respectively.

Fisher, a transfer from Kentucky, proved to be a potent pairing with Todd, finishing second on the team with 327 kills while also recording 56 blocks.

Gonyo recorded 94 blocks in the middle, second on the team to Brown, while also nailing home 170 kills.

Beyond Fisher and Gonyo, Rolf is not sure how the starting lineup will shake out. Katie Vancura did not see playing time last season, but could see more playing time if she can stay injury-free. Also returning is Leslie Bielski, who redshirted during 2007. She could be in the mix on the outside as well.

Up front, freshmen Jones and Russell arrived during the summer and should benefit from workouts and time spent in classes. Coach Rolf thinks that all of them will have an opportunity to earn playing time once fall camp starts.

Jones is a close friend of former Marquette basketball player "Doc" Rivers' family and will join the Golden Eagles from Orlando, Fla., becoming the first Floridian and first athlete from the South to suit up for the program during Rolf's tenure.

"Ciara should be on the floor," said Rolf. "She is a frighteningly powerful athlete."

Mertens was around during the summer as well and was very impressive in fall workouts. Unfortunately for a team looking for roster stability, she suffered a knee injury during the first week of fall practice that will prevent her from seeing action this year.

Entering the season, the biggest question appears to be the defensive unit. The team struggled during conference play as the team finished the season ranked eighth out of the 15 BIG EAST teams in digs per game, after entering conference play ranked second in that category.

Angst returns and will most likely start after placing tenth in the BIG EAST last seaon with 3.73 digs per game. Her 373 digs led the team in that category.

Also returning are Jessica Kieser and Hailey Viola. Kieser played in 94 games last year and recorded 189 digs, while Viola played in all 101 games and finished third on the team with 272.

To challenge the returning defensive unit, Rolf has brought in three freshman who she believes could challenge for playing time themselves.

"I think this is the first time in my 20 years that I have not known who will be starting at the defensive spots," said Rolf. "But that's a good thing and it just shows how good the freshmen are."

Akin, the first early enrollee in the program's history, will compete for playing time at setter with Caryn Mastandrea. Akin tore her patella tendon during the spring season, although she will be ready to go for the season. Even with the injury, Rolf sees nothing but positives for Akin having over a semester of college completed by the start of the season.

"With Laira potentially running the team in the fall, it was good that she could be here in the spring," Rolf said. "Having over a semester of school under her belt is really going to help. Marquette is different. The academic load is harder and heavier."