BATESVILLE, Ark. - Defending TranSouth Conference champion Freed-Hardeman is expected repeat in 2008, according to the official TranSouth Conference Preseason coaches' poll. The Lady Lions received five out of six first place votes.
Freed-Hardeman won both the TranSouth Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2007, ending Martin Methodist's two-year run atop the standings.
Martin Methodist was a close second in the 2008 preseason poll and had the remaining first-place vote. Union was third in the voting with 47 points, followed by Trevecca Nazarene (38), Lyon College (31), Cumberland (29), Bethel (22) and Mid Continent (12).
No TranSouth Conference team was ranked in the NAIA's Preseason Top 25, but Freed-Hardeman and Martin Methodist both received votes for the poll.
The NAIA Preseason National Rankings can be found by
clicking here.
2008 VOLLEYBALL PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL(rank-team-total points, first place votes in parentheses)
1.
| Freed-Hardeman (5)
| 59
|
2.
| Martin Methodist (1)
| 53
|
3.
| Union University
| 47
|
4.
| Trevecca Nazarene
| 38
|
5.
| Lyon College
| 31
|
6.
| Cumberland University
| 29
|
7.
| Bethel College
| 22
|
8.
| Mid-Continent
| 12
|
TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWSlisted in order of predicted finish in coaches poll
FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY LIONSThe 2007 Freed-Hardeman University volleyball team made school history by capturing its first-ever regular season and tournament conference volleyball championships. As the 2008 season approaches, the Lady Lions will be in the position of the hunted rather than the hunter, as the TranSouth coaches voted them as the pre-season favorite.
Three starters are gone from last year's 30-win team, including two-time All-American Karina Souza. However, plenty of talent returns to the floor for the Lady Lions. Last year's conference newcomer of the year, Crissandra Perez, gives FHU a strong force in the middle. Perez, a senior middle blocker/outside hitter from the Dominican Republic, led the team in kills (4.28 per game) and attack percentage (47.4 percent) in 2007.
Also returning is Martha Ray, a senior setter from Mount Dora, Fla. Ray was among the national leaders last season in assists, averaging 11.9 per game. She'll be setting for Claire Pennington and Karim Raymond in addition to Perez, giving FHU a strong and balanced attack. Senior Brooke Childers will add depth in the front row.
For the first time in head coach Todd Humphry's nine years at FHU, the team will welcome five incoming freshmen, a recruiting class that has the potential to be one of Humphry's best.
Sydney Rice, an outside hitter/middle blocker from Johnson City, Tenn., will look to help replace four-year starter and all-conference player Randal Prince, who was among the team leaders in several categories. Morgan Faulkner (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Carissa Foshee (Paragould, Ark.) will be options for picking up the production left behind by Souza.
Rachelle Prince will work as libero this year, replacing two-year starter Julia Macormic. Bartlett, Tenn., native Amber Turner will add depth to the setter position.
MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE REDHAWKSThe RedHawks have some big shoes to fill with the loss of two key starters, LaKenya Wrightsil and Sofia Zuluaga to graduation but Coach Rose Powell feels confidant that her returning players and new recruits can step up to the challenge.
Martin Methodist has seven returning players from the 2007 squad and nine new faces that will be putting on the red and black for the 2008 season. The lone senior Trachell George from New Orleans, Louisiana a middle/right side hitter will return for her fourth and final season with the RedHawks. She led the team in digs and blocks and was second on the team in kills and set assists last season. Also returning is junior outside hitter Lauren Ruffner from Huntsville, Alabama. She has been a starter for the RedHawks for the last two seasons. MMC has Lacy Neuenschwander an outside hitter from Ashland City, Tenn., Kasey Kile a middle hitter from Greenbrier, Tenn., Mallory Jones an outside hitter from Oak Ridge, Tenn., Liz Garner an outside hitter from Hazel Green, Ala., and Heather Meshell a defensive specialist from LaVergne, Tenn. All of the returnees saw time on the court for the RedHawks in 2007.
In the new recruits the RedHawks have Brittany Blenkinsopp a defensive specialist from Killen, Ala., Alaina Fitzgerald a setter from Danville, Ala., Karla Glass an outside/middle hitter from Miles, Tex., Ann-Kathrin Kuehhorn an outside hitter from Bamberg, Germany, Marilyn McDaniel an outside/right side hitter from LaVergne, Tenn., Clarissa Pittman an outside hitter from Birmingham, Ala., Kayla Spencer an outside hitter/defensive specialist from Huntsville, Ala., Analissa Standridge a right side hitter from Carrollton, Tex., and Kayleigh Szott a setter from Calgary, Canada.
Martin Methodist looks forward to another competitive year in the tough TranSouth Athletic Conference.
UNION UNIVERSITY BULLDOGSThe 2008 season begins the second decade of varsity volleyball for the Union University Lady Bulldogs. In the first 10 years (1998-2007), Union posted a 314-101 (.757) record, with 31.4 wins per year, three conference titles, two conference tournament titles, one region title, and one NAIA National Tournament appearance. Now, Union head coach Steven Gream will enter his fourth season, leading his Lady Bulldogs as they work to continue the success of the program.
This year's team returns four players from last season, all of which are seniors. Six newcomers, including two juniors, one sophomore, and three freshman, will have the opportunity to step in immediately to complete Union's starting lineup for 2008.
The senior class includes two four-year players. Amanda Hutchison Coyle and Lindsey Wallach each return for their senior seasons. Hutchison Coyle has been All-Conference and All-Region in each of her first three seasons. She reached the 1,000 kill plateau for her career as the end of her sophomore season. She only played about 75-percent of the 2007 season due to injury. Wallach has played the libero position, and also has been a back row defensive specialist during her career. CJ Neathamer and Emilie Ogas return for their second year at Union after transferring in last year as juniors. Neathamer lead Union last season with 419 kills. Ogas returns from her second team All-Conference performance of 391 kills.
Two juniors have transferred in to Union this season including Katie Adams and Ashley Young. Adams will start for Union this season as the setter and will bring experience and intelligence to the position. Young adds good blocking and attacking abilities on the front row.
The lone sophomore is Heather Lieberman who also transferred in this season. Lieberman was an All-American as a freshman and now brings her solid attacking and passing to the Union program.
Three freshman begin their college volleyball careers for the Union Lady Bulldogs. Lindsey Wilson adds athleticism to the squad at several positions. Anna Sims brings blocking and attacking at the middle position. Katie Givens adds talent to the defensive aspect of the squad.
TREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY TROJANSThe 2008 edition of the Trevecca Trojans are coming off of their most successful season since the 2003 campaign when the team posted a 34-8 record. Six players are returning to the mix, and five newcomers will join the team.
Jayme Crowley replaces Scott Jones, who passed away unexpectedly in June, as the 14th head coach of the Trevecca volleyball program, coming to the Trojans from the High School ranks of Arizona. The Trojans return eight players from the 2007-2008 squad, a team which posted the program's second consecutive 20 win season. Senior Kelly Huff, Ward and fellow Junior Kimi Coffey will be the highest seniority members of the team. Five sophomores also return from last year's class. Brooke Cannon is the lone returning Setter, Jessie Wellette joins Coffey as a returning Libero, Angelyn Stanton returns as a middle blocker, and Jennifer Peterson and Eden Watts come back as outside hitters.
Five new players enter the mix for the Trojans in 2008-2009. Three juniors enter the fold, as Rachel Spotten (6'0" - Templeton, Calif.), Ashton O'Halloran (5'8" - San Diego, Calif.), and Jessica Hood (5'9" - Paso Robles, Calif.) all transfer in for the season, which should significantly deepen the Trojans' outside hitting corps. Two freshmen, Haley Wiggins (5'9" - Franklin, Tenn.) and Kristen Evans (6-1, Arlington, Tenn.) also join the squad.
LYON COLLEGE PIPERSLyon College sports a new head coach, yet some very familiar on-the-floor faces in 2008.
Head Coach Ray Green takes over the Lyon College reins from Justin Dee, who left the Pipers to take a job at an Alabama prep school. Green's previous stop was as the head coach at NCAA Division I school Manhattan College.
The Pipers compiled a record of 19-13 overall and finished tied for fourth in the conference standings with a record of 12-6. Lyon loses Daria Paunovic - the school's career kills leader and a two-time all-conference performer - and setter Jessica Sylvester to graduation. Lyon lost two more players to transfer, but Green's club does, however, return five starters to the lineup.
Six-foot-two-inch junior middle hitter Katie Beineke (Jonesboro, Ark.) leads the group of returnees. Beineke, a 2007 first-team all-conference selection, led the team in blocks (67) and attack percentage (.362) last season. The junior from Jonesboro, Ark., was also second on the team in kills (386).
Sophomore Meghann Laborn (6-2 middle hitter from Fort Smith, Ark.) and junior Lauren Castleberry (5-10 outside hittter from Bono, Ark.) were both All-TranSouth Conference Honorable Mentions from 2007 and both return in 2008. Castleberry was third on the team in kills with 381. Laborn notched 247 kills as a freshman last season and was second on the team with a .331 attack percentage.
Senior libero Ann Sullivan and junior setter Julie Arnold round out the returning five starters. Sullivan led Lyon in digs (621) and Arnold notched 649 in a time-share at setter with Sylvester in 2007.
Sophomore hitter Ashley Daniel and senior defensive specialist Leah Eifling both saw significant playing time last season and could have an expanded role this year.
Two freshman newcomers jump into the fray for the Pipers: Crystal Bain, a 5-5 setter/libero from Springdale, Ark, and Chelsea Hinton, a 5'11" outside hitter from Jonesboro, Ark.
CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY BULLDOGSCumberland University returns TSAC first team Middle Hitter Katie Ball. Katie received Team MVP and MVP honors at the Lady Volleydawg Tournament at Cumberland.
Also returning are senior 6'1" middle hitter Kailen Harris (6-1) and junior hitter Tracy Smallwood (5-10). Smallwood should make an immediate impact after missing last season due to injury.
Sophomore setter Taylor Denney returns for her sophomore season after starting as a Freshman in 2007. Five-foot-ten sophomore middle Hitter Joni Simpson returns after a stellar freshman season and Laurel Conrey, who is now working on her masters' degree at Cumberland, rounds out the top returners.
Top newcomers include Casper College (Wyoming) transfer Bridget Neal (outside hitter). Neal was named Most Outstanding Athlete at Casper, led her team to the Region IX Championship and was named Academic All-Region. Other newcomers include three freshmen: Katherine Cothron of Hartsville, Tenn.; Kristen Staback of Habstadt, Ind. and Kate Coomes of Owensboro, Ky.
BETHEL COLLEGE WILDCATS
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MID-CONTINENT UNIVERSITY WILDCATSTwo starters return from MCU's 2-22 team which posted both of its wins against former TSAC member Crichton College. Yet second-year head coach Lilly Zhan remains upbeat during preseason practices, happily noting, "I have seen a much improved team camaraderie and team spirit, and we are working well as a unit." With so little height and lack of collegiate experience among her squad, the Cougars will rely on defensive scrappiness and team versatility, meaning that "everyone does all the skills," according to Zhan.
The tasks of providing much of the on-court skills and the necessary leadership by example, teamwork, competitiveness fall on a trio of returning Cougars, senior outside hitters Nicole French (5-8; Connersville, IN) and Brittany Butler (5-4; Carrollton, TX) and junior setter Hayli Burgess (5-3; Bardwell, KY). MCU's "finest outsider hitter and most experienced player," according to Zhan, French possesses considerable volleyball talent, a result of playing the sports year around. Butler, who began last season at the libero position is the Cougars' most improved hitter and gives the team versatility and work ethic. Burgess in her third season at MCU, is the main setter, distributing nearly offensive play, and according to Zhan is "the team's leader both on and off the court, an intense player, and an excellent server."
Freshman Kelsey Burchett (5-7; Paducah, KY) makes an adjustment from outside hitter in high school to middle hitter for the Cougars, and freshman Megan Bus (5-4; Cleveland, Ohio), hitting from the right side position, provides experience and skills and is Coach Zhan's "bundle of energy." The team's tallest player at 5-11, freshman Kellie Johnston (Beaver Dam, KY) provides solid blocking, and freshman Renee Smith (5-6; Shepherdsville, KY) brings her defensive prowess, positive attitude and work ethic to MCU's back row and is working also as an outside hitter. Freshman Brooke Hohlbauch (5'4; Clay City, IL) gives MCU another experienced defensive specialist who exudes competitiveness and communication skills.
