Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball opens 2010 season at University of Iowa Tournament
08/25/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 25, 2010
By Dana Ingraham
SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): August 27-29
Location: Iowa City, Iowa - University of Iowa Hawkeye Challenge
Site: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (6,857)
The Series: SIU leads Green Bay, 4-0; Iowa leads SIU, 2-6-1; SIU tied with Alabama, 1-1
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (153-147 overall, 71-75 at SIU); Debbie Kirch (277-535 overall and at Green Bay); Sharon Digman (363-249 overall, 27-37 at Iowa); Judy Green (614-267 overall, 218-193 at Alabama)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Evan Hook (Assistant Coach)
Gametracker: select matches at www.hawkeyesports.com
Match Notes: click here
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois volleyball team is in its 53rd year of existence... Head Coach Brenda Winkeler is in her sixth season with the team and holds a 71-75 (.486) record... Last season the Salukis finished with an 18-12 record and were 7-11 in Missouri Valley Conference play, making their second appearance in the conference tournament in three years... SIU started the 2009 season 11-0, the best start in school history.
FIRST UP FOR THE SALUKIS
Southern heads to Iowa City to participate in the University of Iowa Hawkeye Challenge to kick off the 2010 season. The Salukis will face Wisconsin-Green Bay on Friday, Aug. 27 at 4:30 p.m., Iowa on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. and Alabama on Sunday, Aug. 29 at 11:30 a.m.
SCOUTING GREEN BAY
The Phoenix enter the 2010 season with three returning starters plust their libero and eight returning letterwinners. Green Bay, led by Debbie Kirch in her 14th season, recorded a 10-20 overall record last year, finishing seventh in the Horizon League with a 5-11 record. This will be the fifth meeting between the two teams, with SIU leading the series, 4-0. The last meeting with Green Bay was in 1992.
OVER THE HORIZON
The last time SIU matched up against a Horizon League opponent was Sept. 12, 2009, when the Salukis defeated Valparaiso in a five-set thriller to win their own Saluki Invitational and maintain a perfect 10-0 record.
SCOUTING IOWA
The Hawkeyes enter the 2010 season with three returning starters and 10 returning letterwinners. UI, led by Sharon Dingman in her third season, recorded a 13-19 overall record last year, finishing 10th in the Big Ten Conference with a 5-15 record. The Hawkeyes lead the series between the two programs, 2-6-1. This will be the 10th meeting, the first since 2003.
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME?
Saluki senior Alicia Johnson, a Tripoli, Iowa native, will be returning to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since she transferred from UI after her freshman season in 2006. She played in all but one match, starting 14 as a true freshman for the Hawkeyes. The right side hitter made a stop at Northwest Missouri State before spending the past two years in Carbondale.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
The Crimson Tide enters the 2010 season with three returning starters plus its libero and eight returning letterwinners. Alabama, led by Judy Green in her 15th season, recorded an 8-22 overall record last year, finishing fourth in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference with a 6-14 record. This will be just the third meeting between the two teams, each program holding a victory in the series. The last time the Salukis met the Tide was 1990.
PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON MVC COACHES POLL
SIU was picked to finish sixth in the Valley in the preseason MVC Coaches poll, one spot behind where it was slated to finish a year ago. In 2009, the Salukis finished the regular season in sixth place in the MVC, falling to Wichita State, 3-1, in the opening round of the tournament. Defending champion UNI was unanimously picked to repeat this year, receiving all 10 first-place votes.
SALUKIS STRIVE IN THE CLASSROOM
For the fifth-straight season, the Southern Illinois volleyball team was awarded the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, recognizing their efforts in the classroom during the 2009-10 season. The award is given to teams that maintain at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA throughout the season. SIU was one of seven Valley teams to receive the honor.
NCAA PUBLIC RECOGNITION AWARD
Saluki Volleyball was honored by the NCAA at the end of last season with the Public Recognition Award, an annual award that is given to teams finishing in the top-10 percent in Academic Progress Rates (APR) for their sport. SIU recorded a perfect 1,000 APR score.
HOOK, LINE AND SINKER
SIU welcomes new assistant volleyball coach Evan Hook for the 2010 season. Hook (Long Beach State, 2003) was a collegiate libero and brings more than 10 years of coaching experience across all age levels. His expertise will be evident in the Salukis' strengthened defensive mindset this year.
STARTING OFF RIGHT
With only three newcomers on the roster, the Salukis return all but one starter plus the libero from last year's team. Four more letterwinners are also back for the 2010 campaign. The experience of the veteran squad has made for one of the best preseasons Coach Winkeler said she has ever seen, and a smooth transition into the non-conference schedule.
