Monday, August 20, 2007

 

TUSCULUM VOLLEYBALL TIPS OFF SEASON ON FRIDAY

 

                GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College volleyball team hopes to build upon last season’s success as the Pioneers prepare for the start of the 2007 campaign.  Tusculum opens the season this weekend at the University of North Alabama Classic, beginning with Friday’s clash with ninth-ranked North Alabama.

 

The Pioneers went 23-10 last season, while posting a 14-win improvement.  Tusculum also finished fourth in the South Atlantic Conference with a 9-5 league record, the most SAC wins since TC joined the conference in 1998.

 

                Tusculum head coach Nathan Baker, who is entering his second season in Greeneville, returns four starters from last year’s squad, including All-SAC standouts Vivian Lacy and Alexis Rowles.

 

                Lacy, a 5-9 senior outside hitter from Palm Bay, Fla., led the Pioneers in hitting percentage (.305) and kills (5.14 kpg) in her first Tusculum season.  Lacy was an All-SAC First Team pick as she averaged 5.6 kills per game in her last four outings.  She also garnered SAC Player of the Week honors in her inaugural Tusculum season.

 

                Rowles, a 5-4 senior from Simpsonville, S.C., has been the “Minister of Defense” for Tusculum in her three previous collegiate seasons.  She enters her final Tusculum campaign with the best digs per game average in school history (4.707 dpg).   Her 1,572 career digs are second all-time at Tusculum, and is just 76 shy of a new school record.  Last year, she led the team averaging 4.62 digs per game, which was fifth in the league, earning her All-SAC Second Team recognition.

 

                Holli Cadenhead is also back for her junior campaign.  The 5-11 outside hitter from Van Vleck, Texas, posted a .174 hitting percentage while finished second on the team, averaging 3.30 kills per game (10th in SAC).  She accounted for 2.69 digs per game while posting 35 service aces.

 

                Junior outside hitter Heather MacArthur (Salt Lake City, Utah) also returns to the Tusculum line-up.  MacArthur averaged 2.31 kills and 0.59 blocks per game, while posting a .206 hitting percentage.  She also garnered SAC Player of the Week accolades once.

 

                Also returning from last year’s roster are sophomores Sonya Hunt (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Gina Coffaro (Cincinnati, Ohio).  Hunt appeared in 113 games in 2006 where she averaged 2.75 digs per game and 0.41 service aces per game.  Her 46 aces were tops on the team and ninth in the league.  Coffaro saw action in 79 games where she averaged 2.08 kills and a .206 hitting percentage.

 

                Along with six letter-winners, the Pioneers have seven newcomers on this year’s roster.  Junior middle blocker Kelsey Hayden (Colorado Springs, Colo.) isn’t new to the program, but will hit the TC volleyball court for the first time this season.  Hayden was an All-Conference standout at Otero Junior College in 2005.

 

                Mariana Rezende (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) comes to Tusculum after transferring from Tennessee State University.  Rezende, a 5-7 setter posted a .278 hitting percentage at TSU last season, while averaging 1.72 assists and 1.39 digs per game.  Rezende, who also played at Frank Phillips College, was a 2005 NJCAA All-American as she averaged 12.52 assists per game in 2004 (6th in nation) and 10.97 apg in 2005 (10th in nation).

 

                Junior setter Brittney Oblinger (Belvidere, Ill.), also brings NCAA Division I experience with her to Tusculum.  Oblinger played the last two seasons at Campbell University, including 2006 as she averaged 1.38 digs per game.  In 2005, she posted 3.59 assists for the Fighting Camels.

 

                Another transfer joining the Pioneer fold is former East Tennessee State University member Kelly Bristow.  Bristow, a 5-11 red-shirt freshman outside hitter from Fort Worth, Texas, graduated from Paschal High School where she was a two-time All-District First Team pick and 2005 All-Tournament selection.

 

                Three true freshmen will be competing for playing time this season for the Pioneers, including Alicia Light, Caroline Winstel and Katie Luebke.  Light, a 5-4 native of Kingsport, Tenn. comes to Tusculum from Sullivan South High School where she was a four-time All-Conference selection and an All-East Tennessee standout.  Winstel, a 5-6 outside hitter from Knoxville, Tenn., was a 2006 All-State Second Team honoree at Bearden High School.  Winstel also garnered All-District accolades on two occasions.  Luebke, a 6-2 right-side hitter from Bellefontaine, Ohio earned All-District 9 First Team recognition three times and was twice tabbed to the All-State squad at Bellefontaine High School. 

 

                Tusculum will also face No. 8 Ashland University, Northern Kentucky University and the University of North Dakota at this weekend’s UNA Classic in Florence, Ala.  Tusculum will open at home, Sep. 7-8 when it hosts the Pioneer Classic.

 

- TC -