Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball hosts Illinois State and Indiana State this weekend
09/30/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 30, 2009
www.SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): October 2-3
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site(s): Davies Gym (1200)
The Series: SIU trails ILS (5-60-1); SIU leads ILS (37-15-1)
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (147-136 overall, 65-64 at SIU); Melissa Myers (183-73 overall, 22-24 at ILS); Traci Dahl (13-34 overall and at INS)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Katie Carrier; Jimmy White (Student Assistant)
Gametracker: www.siusalukis.com
Video Stream: www.stretchinternet.com/siuvideo.html
Click for full match 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 65-64 (.504) 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 returns home in Missouri Valley Conference action to host Illinois State Friday (7 p.m.) for Pack the Gym night and Indiana State Saturday (7 p.m.).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
The Redbirds entered the 2009 season with five returning starters and nine returning letterwinners. ILS, led by Melissa Myers in her second season, recorded a 16-15 record overall last year and a fifth-place finish in the MVC (9-9). This season the Redbirds are 6-9 overall and 1-3 in The Valley, dropping three of their last four matches. The Redbirds are led by Mallory Leggett with 3.39 kills and 2.46 digs per set. Kristin Stauter leads the team with 8.15 assists and 2.03 digs, while Jessica Pratapas adds 7.13 assists and 1.50 digs per set. Tabitha Visk and Angelo Rego add 2.54 and 2.10 kills per set respectively.
SERIES WITH ILS
SIU trails ILS 5-60-1. The Redbirds have taken the last 35 regular-season contests with the Salukis dating back to 1990 when SIU won at Illinois State. The Salukis have not beaten the Redbirds in Davies Gym since 1981, falling in 22 straight matches on SIU's campus.
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE
The Sycamores entered the 2009 season with five returning starters and eight returning letterwinners. ILS, led by Traci Dahl in her second season, recorded an 8-23 record overall last year and a 10th-place finish in the MVC (2-16). This season the Sycamores are 5-11 overall and 1-3 in The Valley, falling in four of their last five matches. INS is led by Ana Maira Charun and Jodilynne Stoker at 2.59 and 2.57 kills per set respectively. Kiya James leads the team at 4.54 digs per set and Whitney Fromm, 8.02 assists per set.
SERIES WITH INS
Last season, SIU swept INS, and are currently on an eight-match win streak against the Sycamores. SIU leads the series against INS, 37-15-1.
LEAGUE LEADER
Freshman middle blocker Alysia Mayes is leading the league in hitting percentage with a .398 clip. The rookie has just eight errors in 98 attacks at the net, converting 47 for kills.
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.
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).
SALUKIS PERFECT IN NON-CONFERENCE
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team started non-conference play, 10-0, the best season start in program history. The 2008 team started the season 4-1 and back in 1976, 1981, 1985, 2000 and 2002, the Salukis opened 6-1.
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 36 block assists this season, bringing her career total to 334, and a new block assist record at SIU. She passed Sonya Locke (331) and Dana Olden (333) with her total for the milestone.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Salukis dot the top-50 national rankings the third week of release in three categories. The team ranks 23rd in the nation in blocks per set (2.63), 29th in hitting percentage (.260) and seventh in wins (12-1).
BROWN EARNS THE TRIFECTA
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.
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.
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.
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
ROBERSON PEPPERS THE BOOKS
Senior Chandra Roberson has made an impact in the record books after three full seasons at SIU. The middle blocker just broke the record for career block assists at SIU. She also is sixth in solo blocks in a career with 93, and eighth in career hitting percentage at .274 in just 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.
SALUKI DEPTH
Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler wasn't kidding when she said the 2009 SIU volleyball team had depth. In one match, Winkeler has used as many as all 14 student-athletes on the court during one match, usually averaging 11 in any match during the first 10 matches of the season. She uses as many as four middle blockers or defensive specialists during a match and three right sides or outside hitters.
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). Berwanger currently ranks sixth in career attempts per set (7.63).
SALUKIS FILL THE VOID
The 2009 Southern Illinois volleyball team will look to fill the void left by two mainstays in the lineup from a year ago. The Salukis lost four-year libero Kristy Elswick and two-year starting setter Brooklyn Robbins. Elswick is the all-time leader in digs at SIU and Robbins was a second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick a year ago.
JOHNSON READY TO CONTRIBUTE
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).
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.
