Aug. 25, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
LET THE SEASON BEGIN
San Diego State will begin its 2009 volleyball season on Friday, Aug. 28, when it visits Seattle, Wash., to compete in The Invitational in Seattle, Washington. The Aztecs' first match in the tournament will take place at 7:00 p.m. that evening when they face the University of Seattle. On Saturday (Aug. 29), SDSU will play San Jose State at 1:00 p.m. and conclude tourney action at 7:00 p.m. that night Washington. SDSU's first two matches will be played at University of Seattle's Connolly Center with the contest against UW to be held at the Huskies' Bank of America Arena. The complete tourney schedule is as follows:
Friday, August 28 San Diego State at Seattle..........Connolly Center.........7:00 p.m. San Jose State at Washington........Bank of America Arena...7:00 p.m.Saturday, August 29 Washington at Seattle...............Connolly Center........11:00 a.m. San Jose State vs. San Diego State..Connolly Center.........1:00 p.m. San Jose State at Seattle...........Connolly Center.........7:00 p.m. San Diego State at Washington.......Bank of America Arena...7:00 p.m.FOR OPENERS
San Diego State's record in season openers stands at 16-17 since the sport began at SDSU in 1976. This will mark the Aztecs' first season opener on the road since the 1999 season. SDSU has a record of 5-6 when it begins the season away from its home court.
SERIES RECORDS
San Diego State will be facing off against Seattle in volleyball for the first time this weekend. The Aztecs' all-time record vs. San Jose State stands at 14-7 in a series that began during the 1977 season. The teams have not met since 1998 when both teams were in the Western Athletic Conference. The Spartans won both matches that season to end a run of eight straight wins in the series by SDSU. San Diego State holds a 5-2 edge in its series vs. Washington that dates back to the 1981 season. After SDSU captured the first five meetings between the teams the Huskies have won the last two matches vs. San Diego State, most recently during the 2002 season in a tournament in Hawaii.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Seattle is coming off a 10-23 season as the school is in the process of reclassifying to NCAA Division I. Top returning players include outside hitters Cristin Richards (2.94 kills/set, 1.53 digs/set) and Kaytlyn Dill (2.85 kps, 1.63 dps, 39 aces). Middle hitter Jordan Keller averaged 1.13 blocks per set in 2008. A relatively young squad, the Redhawks have only one senior on their roster along with two freshmen, seven sophomores and three juniors.
San Jose State returns two starters plus the libero from a team that compiled a 13-18 record (7-9, 5th place Western Athletic Conference) a year ago. Outside hitter Brianna Amian earned second-team all-WAC honors after averaging 2.45 kps, 1.57 dps and 0.51 blocks per set. Senior libero Kristal Tsukano compiled 3.26 digs/set and hit .354 with 23 kills from the back row.
Washington, ranked fourth in the nation in the AVCA preseason poll, went 27-5 last season and advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. Libero Tamari Miyashiro was named a second-team All-American after averaging 5.14 digs/set while setter Jenna Hagglund (.341, 12.17 assists/set, 2.81 digs/set) earned third-team honors. Outside hitters Becky Perry and Kindra Carlson averaged 3.77 and 3.23 kills/set respectively.
COACH Deitre Collins-Parker
San Diego State head coach Deitre Collins-Parker is in her first season with the Aztecs after being named the fourth head coach in program history earlier this year. She previously served as head coach at UNLV for eight seasons (1996-2003) and at Cornell the past five years (2004-2008). Her 13-year career record stands at 162-191 (.459). A three-time All-American as a player at Hawai'i, she led the Rainbow Wahine to consecutive national titles (1983-84) and was named the national player of the year twice. She was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team and competed at the Goodwill Games and Pan Am Games prior to playing professionally in Europe for four years. She is one of six players named to the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball 25th Anniversary Team in October 2005 and was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in the fall of 2008.
AZTEC VETERANS
San Diego State returns four starters from last year's team that compiled a mark of 9-17. Of the 18 players on this year's roster, 15 were members of the SDSU program last season. That number includes 11 letterwinners and three redshirts. The Aztecs' returning starters include setter Lauren Van Orden (4.73 assists/game, 1.90 kills/set), 1.54 digs/set) and outside hitter Kyley Sexton (2.53 kpg, 0.86 dpg, 0.36 bps) along with middle blockers Lauren Salisbury (2.88 kills/set, 1.04 bpg. .344 hitting percentage) and Bailee Hellwig (1.04 bps). Other top returnees include senior Caitlin McMillan (1.00 kps, 1.67 dps) and junior Kelsey Manasco (1.69 kps, 076 bps).
NEWCOMERS
SDSU has added only three new players for the 2009 season: middle blockers Andrea Hannasch and Brooke Schlachter along with defensive specialist Stacey Hallam. Hannasch is a two-time all-state honoree from Texas who also won a state high school title as a discus thrower for her prep track team. Schlachter was a league MVP and all-CIF selection at Palm Desert (Calif.) High School where she was the school's athlete of the year as well. Hallam earned all-league honors on three occasions as a libero/defensive specialist at Capistrano High in Mission Viejo, Calif.
STARTERS LOST
The Aztecs lost only three players from the 2008 squad each of whom saw extensive playing time at their positions. Leah Lathrop was a setter who played alongside Lauren Van Orden in a 6-2 formation. She finished her senior year ranked seventh on the school's career assist list. Michelle Ferrer was SDSU's libero last season and averaged 3.41 digs/set. Outside hitter Stephanie Darnall, who transferred to Concordia for her final season of eligibility to be closer to home, averaged 2.57 kills and 1.98 digs, second on the team in both categories.
PRESEASON ALL-MWC
Junior middle blocker Lauren Salisbury has been named to the preseason all-Mountain West Conference team. Salisbury was named to the all-MWC squad at the conclusion of the 2008 season after a season that included a .344 hitting percentage with averages of 2.88 kills and 1.04 blocks per set.
VAN ORDEN AT SETTER
Lauren Van Orden is expected to be the Aztec's starting setter this fall, a role she assumed as a freshman in 2008. As one of two setters in a 6-2 formation last season, she averaged 4.73 assists, but she also finished with 1.90 kills/set and a .253 hitting percentage with the fourth-highest kill total (181) on the squad. Van Orden also ranked among the top 10 in the MWC in service aces with an average of 0.25 per set.
PRESEASON PROGNOSTICIANS
The Mountain West conference coaches and media poll has predicted the Aztecs to finish seventh in the nine-team league. In the 10 years of the MWC's existence, SDSU has finished second (2002), fourth (2000, 2001, 2003), fifth (2005), sixth (1999, 2004, 2006), seventh (2008) and eighth (2007) in the final league standings. Utah has been chosen to defend its MWC title from a year ago with Colorado State picked to finish second. The results of the preseason poll are as follows:
Team (1st-place votes) Pts.1. Utah (8).............1382. Colorado State (4)...1353. New Mexico (3).......1124. Brigham Young (2).....965. TCU...................896. UNLV..................877. San Diego State.......538. Wyoming...............389. Air Force.............17AZTEC NOTES
Eleven of the 18 athletes on the team are freshmen or sophomores. The Aztecs have only two seniors: outside hitter Caitlin McMillan and libero/defensive specialist Courtney Lamphier ... Five members of the 2009 SDSU squad hail from Texas: Andrea Hannasch (New Braunfels), Lauren Salisbury (Southlake), Courtney Miller (San Antonio), Hanna Evans (Kingwood) and Kelsey Manasco (Arlington) ... Eleven returning team members earned Aztec scholar-athlete recognition (3.0 gpa or higher) during he spring semester ... Returnees Kelsey Manasco (2008 Aztec Invitational) and Lauren Van Orden (2008 Gonzaga Invitational) were named to all-tournament teams during last season.