Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball hosts Bradley, UNI this weekend
10/22/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 22, 2009
www.SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): October 23-24
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site(s): Davies Gym (1,200)
The Series: SIU leads BU, 32-14; SIU trails UNI, 7-43
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (149-141 overall, 67-69 at SIU); Sean Burdette (15-40 overall and at BU); Bobbi Petersen (246-72 overall and at UNI)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Katie Carrier; Jimmy White (Student Assistant)
Gametracker: www.SIUSalukis.com
Video Stream: http://www.stretchinternet.com/siuvideo.html
Click here for complete notes
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois Volleyball team is in its 52nd year of existence... Head Coach Brenda Winkeler is in her fifth season with the team and holds a 67-69 (.493) record... Last season the Salukis finished with a 17-12 record and were 7-11 in MVC play, finishing in seventh... The Salukis started the 2009 season 10-0 in non-conference play, the best start in school history.
ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Salukis snapped a four-match losing streak with a win at SEMO Tuesday. SIU hosts Bradley and UNI Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in Missouri Valley Conference play.
SCOUTING BRADLEY
The Braves entered the 2009 season with five returning starters and 10 returning letterwinners. BU, led by Sean Burdette in his second season, recorded a 6-26 record overall last year and a ninth-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference (2-16). This season, the Braves are 9-14 overall and 0-9 in the MVC, currently on a four-match losing streak. BU is led by Alise Tupuritis with 3.13 kills and 1.94 digs per set. Amy Reichel adds 2.54 kills and 0.78 digs per set.
SERIES WITH BU
SIU leads the series with BU, 32-14. The Salukis have taken the last eight meetings with the Braves dating back to 2005.
SCOUTING NORTHERN IOWA
The Panthers entered the 2009 season with four returning starters plus their libero and seven returning letterwinners. UNI, led by Bobbi Petersen in her 10th season, recorded a 25-9 record overall last year and a third-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference (13-5). This season the Panthers are 18-2 overall and 9-0 in the MVC, currently on a 16-match win streak. UNI has four players averaging over 2.5 kills per set led by Shannon Ashoff with 2.96 kills and 1.27 digs per set. Michelle Burow averages 2.92 kills, Amy Braun 2.74 kills and 2.79 digs and Beth Discher 2.61 kills per set. Ellie Blankenship averages 6.01 digs per set.
SERIES WITH UNI
SIU trails UNI 7-43. The Panthers have taken the last 33 contests with the Salukis dating back to 1993 when SIU won in Davies Gym.
PERFECT IN NON-CONFERENCE
With a win Tuesday, Oct. 20, over SEMO, the Southern Illinois volleyball team wrapped up non-conference play a perfect, 11-0. The Salukis started the season 10-0, the best season start in program history.
SALUKIS END SKID
The Southern Illinois volleyball team beat Southeast Missouri State on the road Tuesday, Oct. 20, to end a four-match losing streak, the longest of the season.
ROBERSON CRACKS CENTURY MARK
With three solo blocks in two matches Oct. 16-17, Chandra Roberson hit the century mark, posting her 99th, 100th and 101st block solo of her career. She currently ranks fifth all-time at SIU, 28 solo blocks away from fourth.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Salukis dot the top-60 national rankings the fifth week of release in two categories. The team ranks 40th in the nation in blocks per set (2.47) and Rachael Brown ranks 60th in assists per set (10.49).
SALUKI RPI
The Southern Illinois volleyball team holds the 103rd-best RPI in the country and sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Twelve of SIU's 19 opponents are ranked in the top-200
BERWANGER RETURNS
Junior outside hitter Jen Berwanger returns after landing on the first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference last season. As a sophomore, she put up impressive numbers that landed her in the top-10 in SIU single-season history in digs (434, 7th), kills per set (3.64, 10th), attempts per set (10.31, 2nd) and attempts (1103, 5th). This season, Jen averages 3.51 kills and 3.53 digs per set this season.
JOHNSON CONTRIBUTES
Right side Alicia Johnson paid her dues last season as a practice player and is ready to contribute in 2009. The junior sat out last season due to NCAA regulations after transferring from Northwest Missouri State (2007). As a freshman, she played at the University of Iowa (2006). This season she averages 2.60 kills, 2.67 digs, 0.60 assists and 0.55 blocks per set, hitting .234 on the year.
AMONG THE ELITE
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team started the season 11-0 through the first four weeks of the season. So had 14 other teams in NCAA Division I volleyball including No. 1 Penn St. (12-0), No. 16 Michigan St. (12-0), No. 19 Arizona (11-0), Washington St. (11-0), No. 3 Washington (10-0), No. 7 Oregon (10-0) and No. 2 Texas (7-0).
WE'RE GOING STREAKING!!!
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team started the season on an 11-match win streak, setting a new school record, before falling to UNI Sept. 25. The previous record of 10 was set Oct. 26 through Nov. 23, 1985. The team also has a 12-match win streak dating back to last season after a victory over Indiana State to end last season Nov. 22, 2008.
ROBERSON OWNS RECORD
After posting three block assists in the Salukis' four-set match over Evansville Sept. 19, senior middle blocker Chandra Roberson has 49 block assists this season, bringing her career total to 347, and a new block assist record at SIU. She passed Sonya Locke (331) and Dana Olden (333) with her total for the milestone.
SALUKIS ENTER BOOKS
With 26 block assists in a four-set match against Northern Illinois Friday, Aug. 28, the Salukis rank 11th all-time at SIU for team block assists in a match.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Saluki freshman Rachael Brown had a career weekend Oct. 2-3 recording a personal-best 54 assists in a four-set victory over Indiana State Saturday. She also tied a career-best with four block assists in the win.
LEAGUE OPENERS
Since taking over the Saluki program in 2005, head coach Brenda Winkeler is 3-2 in Missouri Valley Conference openers, sweeping Indiana State a year ago and taking down Evansville this season 3-1. In the last 11 seasons, the Salukis are 4-6 in Valley openers.
PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON VALLEY COACHES POLL
The Southern Illinois volleyball team was picked sixth in the 2009 MVC preseason coaches poll for the first time since Winkeler took over the program five years ago. The Salukis finished with 49 points. Southern finished seventh a year ago, missing the tournament by one spot. Defending Champion Wichita State was picked to repeat with 99 points and nine first-place votes.
ROBERSON PEPPERS THE BOOKS
Senior Chandra Roberson has made an impact in the record books after three and a half seasons at SIU. The middle blocker just broke the record for career block assists at SIU. She is also fifth in solo blocks in a career with 102, and is ninth in career hitting percentage at .271 in over three seasons. If she remains healthy, she should enter the record books in matches played, sets played, career attempts and career kills by the end of the 2009 season.
BROWN EARNS THE TRI-FECTA
Southern Illinois volleyball player Rachael Brown was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week for the third time this season Sept. 21. She averaged 10.51 assists, 0.60 blocks and 1.53 digs per set this season. She also earned the award Aug. 31 and Sept. 14.
BERWANGER EARNS WEEKLY SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS, TWICE
Jennifer Berwanger of Southern Illinois University has been selected the Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week Sept. 1 and Sept. 8. Berwanger, who has a 3.86 cumulative grade-point average in therapeutic recreation and physical therapy, earned all-tournament honors including an MVP nod two weeks in a row.
SALUKIS STRIVE IN THE CLASSROOM
For the fourth-straight season, the Saluki volleyball team was awarded the GamePlan/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2008-09 season. The team held a 3.56 cumulative grade point average for the 2008-09 school year. They were one of eight Valley teams to be recognized and held the top GPA in the Missouri Valley Conference.
SIU 3.56 • WSU 3.51 • DU 3.50 • INS 3.40 • ILS 3.40 • UE 3.36 • CU 3.35 • BU 3.32
SALUKIS STAY FRESH
The 2009 Saluki freshmen are ready to step in and contribute. The freshmen class is the largest on the team with five newcomers, including high school and club teammates setter Rachael Brown and defensive specialist Bailey Yeager from Brownsburg, Ind. Outside hitter Laura Thole (Breese, Ill.) and middle blocker Alysia Mayes (Ashkum, Ill.) will be expected to contribute to the Saluki offense.
BERWANGER, BROWN EARN WEEKLY HONORS
Saluki volleyball players Jen Berwanger and Rachael Brown were named the Missouri Valley Conference Player and Freshman of the Week respectively August 31 for their efforts at the NIU Invitational in DeKalb, Ill. Berwanger posted two double-doubles, leading the team in kills in all four matches. The junior averaged 4.29 kills, 3.36 digs and 0.64 service aces per set, hitting .248 over the weekend. Brown recorded her first career double-double, averaging 10.21 assists, 1.50 digs and 0.43 blocks per set in four matches.
