Ladyjacks To Open Season At Baylor Classic
8/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 26, 2010
Baylor Classic Tournament Central
Join Ben and Greg in the Live Chat
Baylor Classic Game Notes
FOR STARTERS
The first weekend of the 2010 season has arrived and SFA will open things up not far from home when it travels to Waco over the weekend for three matches at the Baylor Classic. It is the first of four consecutive weekends away from home to start the year for the Ladyjacks, with only two pre-conference home matches on the slate.
SFA VS THE FIELD
vs Baylor, BAY leads 8-3
The last time: BAY 3, SFA 0 • Sept. 8 • Nacogdoches
---
vs Butler, BUT leads 1-0
The last time: BUT 3, SFA 2 • Oct. 5
---
vs SMU, SFA leads 8-2
The last time: SFA 3, SMU 2 • Sept. 6 • Dallas
FOLLOW THE LADYJACKS
LIVE CHAT: Fans can join in for a live in-game chat at www.sfajacks.com directed by Asst. Director of Media Relations Ben Rikard. He will be joined by Greg Miller of www.sfavolleyblog.net. The chat will begin 15 minutes befor the start of each match.
LIVE STATS: Gametracker will be available for all games at www.sfajacks.com.
AT THE TOP OF TEXAS: Since 2004, only one Division I school in the state of Texas has had more wins and/or a better wining percentage than the SFA Ladyjacks, the perennially powerful Texas Longhorns. SFA has picked up 156 wins in the last six seasons, just one win less than the University of Texas.
LOW FIVE: The Ladyjacks pieced together its sixth 20-win season last year, but did most of its damage early rather than late. SFA was 23-7 in matches that went only three or four sets, while going just 1-6 in five-set matches. Oddly enough, the only five-set win came at home over UTSA in what was Debbie Humhreys' 500th career victory.
BOTTLES & OWENS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SLC: The Southland Conference released its preseason all-conference teams last week with two Ladyjacks - junior MC Bottles and senior Kelsey Owens - being selected to the preseason all-conference team. Bottles has earned all-conference honors each of the last two seasons, including a second team seletion in 2009 after averaging 2.62 kills and 1.00 blocks per set. Owens rebounded from an early-season knee injury to lead the Ladyjack offensive attack with 2.78 kills per set, inclding the two top single-match kills totals by a Ladyjack in 2009.
AS A MADDER OF FACT: As a freshman, Madison Hanlan wasted no time putting her name toward the forefront of the discussion among Southland Conference liberos. In her first season she set a new mark for total digs by a Ladyjack freshman with 584, eclipsing former all-American Stephanie Figgers'total from her freshman season of 2003. Hanlan finished third in the league with an average of 4.24 digs per set and earned honorable mention all-conference honors at the end of 2009.
LOOKING FOR A FRESHMAN REPEAT: SFA will enter 2010 with a redshirt-freshman setter, the first time that Debbie Humphreys has had a freshman run the offense as the primary setter since JJ Jones in 2004. That season Jones was named the league's freshman of the year and led the Ladyjacks to the first of four consecutive Southland Conference titles. This season freshman Allison Gideon will be looking to imitate that feat when she takes over after watching last season from the sidelines.
FRESH WAVE OF NEWBIES: Every year a new wave of players make their way onto the roster, but some seasons bring more newcomers than others. This season the Ladyjacks will have six new faces on the roster, including five true freshmen. Debbie Humphreys brought in three freshman outside hitters in Leslie Jackson, Monica Pannone and Lauren McDaniel who will each compete for immediate playing time, while 5-2 Meagan Veach gives Humphreys an option at both setter and as a defensive specialist on the back line. The other point of emphasis came at depth at the middle blocker spot, and the coaches found answers in freshman Lindsay Hill and current Ladyjack high jumper Carrie Hahn.
STRIVING FOR SEVEN: SFA posted a 24-13 record in 2010 for its sixth consecutive 20-win season, but the team is still years behind the all-time record for consecutive 20-win seasons. From 1992-99 SFA put together eight straight 20-win seasons, which also ties UT-Arlington's run of eight staight from 1982-89 for the Southland Conference record.
-SFA-
