NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Sooners find themselves with volleyball's elite
Perennial powers USC, UCLA and Hawaii -- and OU -- make up this NCAA Regional field
Three Goliaths and one David. That's the makeup of the NCAA volleyball tournament's Honolulu Regional field at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Only 10 schools have won a Division I volleyball championship, and three of them will be playing at the Stan Sheriff Center tomorrow. No. 4 UCLA, No. 6 USC and No. 11 Hawaii, with three NCAA titles each, have combined to win nine of the previous 25 championships.
NCAA VOLLEYBALL
Honolulu Regional, at Stan Sheriff Center
Tomorrow: UCLA (31-3) vs. Oklahoma (28-5), 4:30 p.m.; USC (27-4) at Hawaii (28-5), 7 p.m.
Saturday: Friday's winners, 6:30 p.m.
TV: Friday's UH match, KFVE; Saturday, ESPNU
Radio: Hawaii matches, KKEA, 1420-AM
Tickets: Two-day packages $30 & $36. Single-session available tomorrow.
|
The host Rainbow Wahine and the Bruins, making their second trip to Honolulu in three months, have missed just one tournament each, the Women of Troy two. The trio have made a combined 25 appearances in final fours since 1981 and are led by three of the most respected coaches in the sport: Dave Shoji, Andy Banachowski and Mick Haley, who have more than 2,600 victories among them.
And then there's Oklahoma, with its highest-ever ranking (12) and the first postseason appearance since 1989, in the NCAAs for the fourth time. But the Sooners' outlook is not a "just happy to be here" one, despite the excitement of playing in Hawaii for the first time.
Oklahoma (28-5) is combining business and pleasure, arriving Tuesday to acclimatize as well as enjoy the entire experience. Beach and luau yesterday, Pearl Harbor today and the Bruins (31-3) tomorrow.
"It's going to be a very, very tough match against UCLA," third-year Sooners coach Santiago Restrepo said. "But just like in (NCAA) basketball, anything can happen.
"We are the George Mason (last year's Cinderella Final Four team) of the tournament.
We have nothing to lose and that mentality has worked for us all year. All season it's been, 'One point, one game, one match.' We are working in the now, not looking at the past or the future."
The present is a daunting one for the Sooners, who'll be undersized when trying to match up with the Bruins, who are practically kamaaina, with annual trips dating back to 1976. Hawaii had a problem during Labor Day weekend, and was swept by UCLA in what would be junior hitter Tara Hittle's last match of the season (leg and foot injuries), the second of three Wahine to be lost for the year.
USC also had its problems with UCLA, losing twice during Pac-10 play. Haley said he was happy to see the Bruins in this regional and hopes for a third shot at them in an all-Pac-10 regional final Saturday.
It's a business trip for the Women of Troy, who didn't arrive here until today. Haley made the decision to stay home in order for the players to get finals out of the way before the regional and not be distracted by what the islands have to offer.
"I think this was the best draw we could get. The only one better -- for me personally -- would have been Austin," said the former Texas coach. "We always play well in Honolulu, and it's good to play in front of knowledgeable fans.
"We'd like to be in Omaha (the final-four site), and it will be interesting to see who makes it. You wonder what's going to happen at Florida."
The regional at Gainesville has top seed Nebraska, eighth-seeded Minnesota, host Florida, the ninth seed, and 16th seed San Diego. Only one of the 16 seeded teams -- No. 15 Cal Poly -- did not advance to a regional.
"I think everybody has a chance to win in the regional," Shoji said. "If anybody's assuming they're going to be in the final four, they're going to be going home. Fifteen of the seeds made it and, right now, it's pretty much true to form.
"I can almost guarantee it won't be (seeds) 1, 2, 3, 4 in Omaha next week. We have a chance. I can't tell you how much it means to us to be playing at home and not somewhere cold like the past few years."
All-Region:
For the first time, Hawaii had four players named to the all-region team, the last step before next week's All-America selection.
Selected for her fourth straight year was setter Kanoe Kamana'o, the UH and WAC assist leader. Joining her were junior middle Juliana Sanders, an all-region pick last season, and left-side hitters Sarah Mason, a senior, and sophomore Jamie Houston, the latter two for the first time.
UCLA
NCAA history: 25th appearance (66-21), three titles (1984, 1990-91)
Last week: Defeated UAB 3-0; defeated Utah 3-0
Hail to the Hills: No. 4 UCLA, seeded fourth, is led by senior middle blocker Nana Meriwether (4.08 kpg, 1.96 bpg, .458) and sophomore setter Nellie Spicer (13.63 apg, 2.38 digs). The well-balanced offense also includes senior hitter Katie Carter (3.38 kpg) and sophomore hitters Kaitlin Sather (2.86 kpg) and Ali Daley (2.86 kpg). The Bruins have two players averaging more than three digs per game in senior hitter/libero Colby Lyman (3.18) and sophomore libero Jordan Smith (3.58).
UCLA won the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic in September. Carter and Spicer were all-tournament picks and Meriwether was the Most Outstanding Player. Meriwether and Spicer were named All-Pacific Region yesterday.
Did you know: Andy Banachowski was named the Pacific Region Coach of the Year yesterday. He was the first Division I women's volleyball coach to win 1,000 career matches and, at 1,035, is the only D-I coach ahead of Hawaii's Dave Shoji (925).
Bruins (31-3)
| NO. |
NAME |
POS. |
HT. |
CL.
|
| 1 |
Nellie Spicer |
S |
5-10 |
So.
|
| 2 |
Ali Daley |
OH |
6-0 |
So.
|
| 3 |
Kaitlin Sather |
OH |
6-1 |
So.
|
| 4 |
Nikki Jagd |
S |
5-11 |
So.
|
| 5 |
Elise Carstensen |
MB |
6-3 |
So.
|
| 7 |
Nana Meriwether |
MB |
6-1 |
Sr.
|
| 8 |
Rachell Johnson |
OH/MB |
5-11 |
Jr.
|
| 9 |
Katie Carter |
OH |
6-3 |
Sr.
|
| 10 |
Meghan Schoen |
MB |
6-1 |
Jr.
|
| 11 |
Colby Lyman |
OH |
6-0 |
Sr.
|
| 12 |
Emily Clements |
OPP |
6-0 |
Fr.
|
| 13 |
Becky Mehring |
OH |
6-1 |
Jr.
|
| 14 |
Jordan Smith |
DS/L |
6-0 |
So.
|
| 15 |
Jade Machado |
S |
5-6 |
So.
|
| 24 |
Laura Kroneberger |
DS/L |
5-8 |
Sr.
|
Head coach: Andy Banachowski (40th year, 1,035-269)
UH
NCAA history: 25th appearance (60-21), three titles (1982-83, 1987)
Last week: Beat Oregon 3-0; beat Long Beach State 3-1
In green Manoa Valley: Hawaii is led by three-time All-America setter Kanoe Kamana'o, the school and Western Athletic Conference assist leader (6,340). The three-time WAC Player of the Year is tied for ninth on the NCAA career list with Colorado State's Cindy Cox and needs 40 assists tomorrow to move to No. 8. The 1-2 punch are left-side hitters Jamie Houston (5.46 kpg, 2.55 dpg), a sophomore, and senior Sarah Mason (4.04 kpg, 0.59 aces per game), who has had 18 double-doubles. The Hawaii block, averaging 5.18 bpg, is fifth in the country. Leading the Wahine in the middle are juniors Kari Gregory (1.63) and Juliana Sanders (1.43).
Did you know: Tomorrow will be the first time that Hawaii and USC have met in the NCAA tournament since 1982, when the Rainbow Wahine rallied from an 0-2 deficit to defeat the defending national champions 3-2. Hawaii, 32-3 in NCAA play at home, has won 10 straight NCAA matches at the Sheriff Center, dating to the 1999 regional semifinal loss to Texas A&M.
Rainbow Wahine (28-5)
| NO. |
NAME |
POS. |
HT. |
CL.
|
| 1 |
Juliana Sanders |
M |
6-2 |
Jr.
|
| 2 |
Amber Kaufman |
M/RS |
6-0 |
Fr.
|
| 4 |
Kari Gregory |
M |
6-2 |
Jr.
|
| 5 |
Caroline Blood |
M |
6-0 |
Jr.
|
| 8 |
Jamie Houston |
LS |
6-1 |
So.
|
| 10 |
Kanoe Kamana'o |
S |
5-8 |
Sr.
|
| 12 |
Rayna Kitaguchi |
L/DS |
5-8 |
Fr.
|
| 13 |
Cayley Thurlby |
S/RS |
5-11 |
Sr.
|
| 14 |
Kelly Ong |
L/DS |
5-5 |
Jr.
|
| 15 |
Raeceen Woolford |
L/DS |
5-7 |
Jr.
|
| 16 |
Elise Duggins |
L/DS |
6-7 |
So.
|
| 17 |
Sarah Mason |
LS |
6-3 |
Sr.
|
| 18 |
Jayme Lee |
L/DS |
5-2 |
Fr.
|
| 19 |
Makana Recca |
L/DS |
5-9 |
So.
|
Head coach: Dave Shoji (32nd year, 925-162-1)
SC
NCAA history: 24th appearance (54-20), three titles (1981, 2002-03).
Last week: Defeated Mississippi 3-0; defeated BYU 3-0.
Fight On: The Women of Troy, ranked No. 6 and seeded fifth, are led by junior hitter Asia Kaczor, one of three transfers from Southern Idaho in this regional, who averages 4.96, 1.75 digs and 0.72 blocks per game. Junior hitter Diane Copenhagen averages 4.02 kills, while setter Taylor Calico, the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, averages 12.76 assists. Senior libero Debora Seilhamer holds the USC single-season dig record (699) and needs 15 digs tomorrow to tie the Pac-10 Conference career digs mark.
Yesterday, Carico was named the Pacific Region's freshman of the year. Joining her on the all-region team were Seilhamer and Kaczor.
Did you know: Coach Mick Haley and former All-American Sue Woodstra will be inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Dec. 13 in Omaha, Neb. Woodstra, the coach at Humboldt State, led USC to the 1977 AIAW title, defeating Hawaii 12-15, 15-6, 15-7, 15-6.
Women of Troy (27-4)
| NO. |
NAME |
POS. |
HT. |
CL.
|
| 1 |
Kimi Freeburg |
S |
5-8 |
Sr.
|
| 2 |
Debora Seilhamer |
L |
5-5 |
Sr.
|
| 3 |
Alli Hillgren |
DS |
5-8 |
Fr.
|
| 4 |
Annie Montgomery |
DS |
5-7 |
Sr.
|
| 5 |
Jessica Gysin |
OH |
6-1 |
So.
|
| 6 |
Katelyn Bishop |
OH/MB |
6-2 |
Jr.
|
| 7 |
Asia Kaczor |
OPP/OH |
6-4 |
Jr.
|
| 9 |
Taylor Carico |
S |
5-11 |
Fr.
|
| 10 |
Bethany Johansen |
OPP/MB |
6-3 |
Jr.
|
| 11 |
Marta Siemiatkowska |
MB |
6-1 |
Jr.
|
| 12 |
Diane Copenhagen |
OH |
6-2 |
Jr.
|
| 24 |
Chelsea Wilson |
DS/S |
5-7 |
Fr.
|
| 26 |
Kellie Tennant |
MB/OPP |
6-2 |
So.
|
| 32 |
Alli Dillon |
S |
5-7 |
Sr.
|
Head coach: Mick Haley (6th year, 158-26; Div. I career, 22nd year, 680-164)
OU
NCAA history: 4th appearance (5-3), no titles
Last week: Beat Oral Roberts 3-0; beat Missouri State 3-0.
Boomer Sooner: No. 12 Oklahoma, seeded 13th, is the turnaround team of the Big 12, going from 2-18 last season to 17-3 this year. The Sooners are led by senior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt (4.32 kpg, 3.06 dpg) and senior setter Rachel Jackson (13.67 apg, 1.93 dpg).
Oklahoma earned three of the six individual postseason Big 12 awards. Senior middle blocker Eliane Santos was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year, senior Anna Monsen was selected Co-Libero of the Year and third-year coach Santiago Restrepo was named Coach of the Year. Yesterday, Restrepo was named the Central Region coach of the year while Santos and Schmitt were named to the all-region first team.
Did you know: The Sooners achieved several milestones this year, from being ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1988 to their best Big 12 record and finish (second) ever. Oklahoma's 28 wins is the most in its NCAA history, and the most since the 1980 AIAW team (36-23).
Sooners (28-5)
| NO. |
NAME |
POS. |
HT. |
CL.
|
| 1 |
Julie Chester |
S |
5-10 |
Jr. |
|
| 2 |
Rachel Jackson |
S |
5-9 |
Sr.
|
| 3 |
Anna Stadel |
MB |
6-1 |
Jr.
|
| 4 |
Laura Tomes |
MB/RS |
6-2 |
Sr.
|
| 5 |
Lacy Barnes |
OH |
5-8 |
So.
|
| 6 |
Sarah Weiland |
OH |
6-0 |
Jr.
|
| 8 |
Joanna Schmitt |
Oh |
5-10 |
Sr.
|
| 9 |
Bridget Laplante |
OH |
6-0 |
Fr.
|
| 10 |
Anna Monsen |
DS/L |
5-9 |
Sr.
|
| 11 |
Francie Ekwerekwu |
MB |
5-11 |
Fr.
|
| 12 |
Eliane Santos |
MB |
6-2 |
Sr.
|
| 13 |
Mariana Blum |
OH |
5-10 |
Jr.
|
| 14 |
Hannah Sharp |
DS/RS |
5-10 |
Jr.
|
Head coach: Santiago Restrepo (3rd year, 47-44)
