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Utah Volleyball To Participate In Banker's Classic
11/19/2001 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 19, 2001
SALT LAKE CITY -
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COMING UP: Utah will compete in the Banker's Classic on Nov. 23-24, in Stockton, Calif. The Utes will face Hawaii at 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Nov. 23 and either Fairfield or Pacific on Nov. 24.
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH: The Utes are currently 22-5 overall, and finished with an 11-3 Mountain West Conference record. Utah finished the regular-season in second-place in the MWC. The second-place finish is the highest finish ever in the Launiere era. Utah recorded its sixth-consecutive and 12th overall 20-win season. The Utes' 22-5 overall record marks the best win-loss percentage (.815) in school history. Head coach Beth Launiere hit the 225 career win mark in the MWC tournament championship, with a 3-2 win over No. 8 ranked Colorado State.
Possible starters for the Utes in the match-up against Hawaii are: McKelle Stilson (Sr., MB), Kelsie Kartchner (Fr., S) or Jackie Morrill (So., S/DS), Lenka Urbanov? (Sr., OH), Sylva Strzinkov? (Jr., OH), Katrena Ellett (Jr., OH/MB), Alisa Geddes (Sr., OH), Kim Turner (So., MB) and Adrianne Bradley-Drake (Sr., MB/OH).
The Utes return four starters, 10 letterwinners and add three true freshmen, along with two transfers to this year's roster. Utah moved into the No. 13 spot in the Nov. 19 USA Today/AVCA Top-25 poll. The Utes have been ranked for 13 consecutive weeks. The No. 13 ranking in the Nov. 19th poll is the highest-ever ranking for the Utah volleyball program.
MWC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS: No. 2 seed Utah won the 2001 Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship, upsetting regular season conference champions and No. 1 seed Colorado State in a thrilling five game victory, 32-34, 19-30, 30-23, 30-27, 15-8, on Sat., Nov. 17 in Provo, Utah.
Utah, who has handed CSU its only two losses of the 2001 season, was led by the MWC Tournament's Most Valuable Player Kim Turner. Turner had 15 kills and a match-high 13 blocks while leading the Utes to their first conference title in the history of the school. Utah defeated No. 3 seed BYU in four games, 30-27, 25-30, 32-30, 30-25, Fri., Nov. 16, in the second semifinal match of the MWC Tournament. Utah out-blocked BYU 13-10 in only its second win all-time at the Smith Fieldhouse. The last time Utah won in Provo was Sept. 21, 1985. The Utes defeated the New Mexico Lobos in a quarterfinal match-up, 3-0 (30-15, 30-16, 30-19) at the MWC Tournament on Thurs., Nov. 15 in Provo, Utah. Utah is a perfect 13-0 at home this season and is on a 15-match overall home win streak.
The Utes entered the MWC Championship as the No. 2 seed-their highest conference tournament seed since 1986. Utah advanced to the MWC semifinals two straight years, but fell to the eventual conference champion each year (Colorado State, 1999, BYU, 2000). The Utes reached their highest national ranking in school history earlier this season at No. 14 and snapped Colorado State's 20-match win streak this year. Sylva Strzinkova was MWC statistical champion for digs with 154 (3.14 per game), while ranking in the league's top 10 for kills (4), aces (6) and points (6).
ALL-MWC TOURNAMENT TEAM: The MWC Tournament champion Utah, placed three players on the all-tournament team. They were: Adrianne Drake, Sylva Strzinkova and Kim Turner. Turner was named the 2001 MWC Tournament MVP.
SERIES SHORTS: Hawaii leads the all-time series with Utah, 8-0. In their last meeting on Dec. 1, 2000, Utah lost to the Wahine in three games, 15-12, 15-8, 15-8, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Utah is 0-3 at home, 0-2 away and 0-3 at a neutral site vs. Hawaii.
QUOTING LAUNIERE: On the upcoming Banker's Classic Tournament- "The way we are playing right now, we are excited to match-up with Hawaii. It will be nice to play them at a neutral court and I am expecting some good competition. The Banker's Classic is a very prestigious tournament and it will be a nice event. The fans will give good support and there should be a good turnout. We'll all be fighting for a better seed going into the national tournament and hopefully this tournament will help with that."
SCOUTING HAWAII: The Wahine are currently 25-4 overall, and a perfect 13-0 in the WAC.
Kim Willoughby leads Hawaii, averaging 7.03 kills per game for a .356 hitting percentage and 3.61 digs per game. Teammate Maja Gustin records 3.96 kills per game for a .301 hitting percentage and 1.01 digs per game. Margaret Vakasausau posts 12.42 assists per game and 2.44 digs per game. As a team the Wahine average 17.50 kills per game for a .312 hitting percentage. Hawaii totals 16.21 assists per game, 1.38 service aces per game, 17.29 digs per game and 2.78 blocks per game.
Dave Shoji has taken the Rainbow Wahine volleyball program to unheralded heights. Under his tenure, his teams have notched 710 victories, won four national championships and made a trip to the NCAA Tournament an annual occurrence. Shoji has compiled a 710-137-1 career record in 25 years at Hawaii.
NEXT WEEK: Utah will await the chance to participate in the NCAAs on Nov. 29-Dec. 1.
UTAH RANKINGS IN THE MWC: Utah, as a team is second in the MWC in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to just a .149 hitting percentage per match. The Utes are second in match win-loss percentage (.815) and blocks (3.36), and third with a .251 hitting percentage. Utah is third in assists (14.36), kills (15.83), digs (13.66), and fourth in service aces (1.57). Individually, Utah ranks among the top in the MWC statistical leaders. Junior Sylva Strzinkova is second in the MWC in digs (2.95), is sixth in kills (3.59) and eighth in points (4.28). Senior Alisa Geddes is fourth in service aces (0.42) and digs (2.72), sophomore Kim Turner is third in blocks (1.53) and hitting percentage (.352). Senior McKelle Stilson is fifth in hitting percentage (.331), senior Adrianne Drake is seventh in blocks (1.31), junior Katrena Ellett is ninth with a .289 hitting percentage and freshman Kelsie Kartchner is eighth in assists (6.86).
ALL-MWC TEAM: Utah, which posted its highest conference finish since 1986 at second place, landed three members on the 2001 All-Mountain West Conference Volleyball Team. Kim Turner (MB), last year's Freshman of the Year, was a repeat selection, while McKelle Stilson (MB) and Sylva Strzinkova (OH) were first-time award recipients.
MWC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Nov. 19): Utah sophomore middle blocker Kim Turner was named the Mountain West Conference Volleyball Player of the Week, marking her third award this season and fourth overall.
Turner helped Utah to the school's first-ever conference tournament crown last week. With the Utes trailing 0-2 in the title match vs. No. 1 seed Colorado State, Turner helped shift the tide in a dramatic five-game upset of the Rams by posting a Mountain West Conference Championship match record 13 total blocks. She also hit .394 with 15 kills in the championship match vs. CSU.
In the semifinals, Turner sparked the Utes to just their second win in 32 tries vs. BYU in Provo, totaling 12 kills, three blocks and a .375 attack percentage. In a first-round win over New Mexico, Turner recorded 11 kills, four blocks and a .412 hitting percentage.
For the week, Turner totaled 38 kills (3.17 per game), 19 blocks (1.67 per game) and three digs (.25 per game), earning MWC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
MWC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Nov. 5): Utah sophomore middle blocker Kim Turner was named the Mountain West Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 5. This was Turner's second award this season and third overall.
Turner helped then-No. 15 Utah upset then-No. 6 Colorado State in five games in Salt Lake City. Turner played a significant role for the Utes in the blocking category last week. In a match where the Rams and the Utes combined for a MWC season-high 42 blocks, Turner totaled a career-high 11 blocks. She recorded her first double-double of the season, adding 10 kills vs. the Rams, while posting a .375 hitting percentage (10k-1e-24a). In a three-game win over Wyoming, Turner totaled six kills, three digs and three blocks. For the week, Turner averaged 2.0 kills, 1.75 blocks, .62 digs and 2.94 points per game, while hitting .275.
Utah is on a 10-match winning streak and has a league-high 13 straight victories at home. The Utes recently moved up to No. 14 in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 poll-their highest ranking in school history.
MWC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (OCT. 22): Utah sophomore middle blocker Kim Turner was named Mountain West Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 22.
Turner helped then-No. 18 Utah sweep a pair of in-state teams last week. In a three-game victory over Weber State, Turner hit a season-high .750 with 10 kills, while playing just two of the three games in the match. Turner played one of her best matches of the year in a five-game upset of No. 13 BYU as she tallied a season-high 18 kills along with a .333 hitting percentage. She also posted nine block assists for a season-high 22.5 points in the match.
For the week, Turner averaged 4.0 kills, .43 digs, 1.43 blocks and 4.71 points per game, while hitting .444 (28k-8e-45a).
MWC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (OCT. 15): Utah junior outside hitter Sylva Strzinkova was named Mountain West Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 15, marking the first time she has earned the award.
A native of Brno, Czech Republic and a transfer from Salt Lake CC, Strzinkova helped the Utes sweep UNLV and San Diego State (Oct. 12 and 13) to extend their home win streak to eight matches. Strzinkova totaled 12 kills and hit .400 vs. UNLV, and came back the next night to post her league-leading seventh double-double of the season with 12 kills and 14 digs vs. SDSU. She also tallied five block assists and hit .455 vs. the Aztecs.
NEW ON THE STAT REPORT: The MWC is tracking individual points per game this season. Points are awarded based on the following formula: kills + aces + solo blocks + 1/2-assist blocks. Utah, as a team is seventh in the MWC in points (2034.0). On the year, Sylva Strzinkova leads the Utes with 411.0 points (4.28 ppg), followed by Kim Turner with 364.0 (3.79 ppg), Alisa Geddes with 308.5 points (3.15 ppg), McKelle Stilson with 293.0 (3.08 ppg) and Adrianne Drake with 289.5 (3.01 ppg).
NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL ATTENDANCE: Utah ranks just outside the top 30 in the nation in home match attendance. In 13 matches at home, the Utes have brought in 10,048 fans, an average of 773 fans per match. Utah's match with BYU on Oct. 19, 2001 at Crimson Court marked the second highest attendance in school history with 1,571 fans.
UTAH VS. RANKED OPPONENTS: Utah is 7-3 (.700) vs. opponents ranked in the Top 25 USA Today/AVCA Coaches' Poll. On Fri., Aug. 31, the Utes defeated then-No. 25-ranked Georgia Tech in three games at Crimson Court. On Thurs., Sept. 6, Utah lost to then-No. 5-ranked Arizona Wildcats. The Utes lost in three games in Tucson, Ariz. The Utes defeated then-No. 23 ranked Colorado in five games on Sat., Sept. 8, at Crimson Court. Utah lost to then-No. 14-ranked BYU Cougars in three games in Provo, Utah on Thurs., Sept. 20. On Fri., Oct. 5, the Utes lost to then-No. 9 ranked Colorado State in three games at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo. Utah recorded a comeback win in five games over then-No. 13-ranked BYU at Crimson Court on Fri., Oct. 19. The Utes defeated then-No. 25-ranked Utah State in four games at home on Tues., Oct. 26. On Sat., Nov. 3, Utah upset then-No. 6-ranked Colorado State in five games at Crimson Court. The Utes defeated then-No. 18-ranked BYU in four games, 30-27, 25-30, 32-30, 30-25, in a semifinal match-up at the MWC Tourney on Fri., Nov. 16 in Provo, Utah. Utah recorded an upset win over then-No. 8-ranked Colorado State in the championship match of the 2001 MWC Tournament on Sat., Nov. 17, in Provo, Utah.
HEAD COACH BETH LAUNIERE: In her 12th season, Beth Launiere has not only resurrected the Ute volleyball program and turned it into a consistent winner, she has also guided Utah to unprecedented success on the national level.
Under Launiere's leadership, Utah made its third-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2000, and for a third-straight year advanced to the second round. It is the crowning achievement of Launiere's eleven-year tenure at Utah, in which she has posted a 224-151 (.597) career record.
The winningest coach in school history, Launiere has overseen a significant transformation since her arrival in 1990. In the last seven years alone, Launiere has guided the Utes to seven 20-win seasons and Utah's second-place finish in the MWC this season marked its highest finish ever in the Launiere era. The 2001 Ute team won the 2001 Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship, upsetting regular season conference champions and No. 8 ranked Colorado State in a thrilling five game victory, 32-34, 19-30, 30-23, 30-27, 15-8, on Sat., Nov. 18 in Provo, Utah. The 2001 MWC Tournament title is the first-ever in school history.
Launiere worked hard in 2001 to maintain the level of play and expectations of the previous season. The 2001 season has been a definite breakthrough year for Utah volleyball. Starting off on a good note, the Utes with 254 points, checked in at No. 21 pre-season AVCA/USA Today Coaches' Top-25 poll. The No. 13 ranking in the Nov. 19th poll this season was the highest-ever ranking for the Utah volleyball program. With a 22-5 overall record, Utah posted its sixth consecutive, and 12th overall, 20-win season. The Utes' .815 overall winning percentage proves the best in school history. Utah also equaled the third-best conference winning percentage in school history this season (11-3, .785). The 2001 squad is the only team thus far to snap Colorado State's 20-match win streak this year and give the Rams their only two losses of the season.
UTES HIT 455 CAREER WINS: The University of Utah women's volleyball program hit the 455 career-win mark on Nov. 16 at the 2001 MWC Tournament semifinals. The 3-1 win over BYU in Provo, Utah, marked the Utes 455th career win.
LAUNIERE LANDS 225TH CAREER WIN MARK: Utah's winningest coach in school history, Beth Launiere recorded her 225th career win at the 2001 MWC Tournament in Provo, Utah. Launiere hit the 225 career win mark in the MWC tournament championship match, with a 3-2 upset win over then-No. 8-ranked Colorado State.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Utes practice from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri. in East 101 at the HPER building on the University of Utah campus. All practice times and dates are tentative and subject to change. For regular scheduled practice times, please contact Julie Lapomarda. Utah Women's Volleyball practices are closed to the media. To set up interviews before or after practice with Head Coach Beth Launiere or Ute players, please contact Julie Lapomarda women's volleyball SID at: (801) 581-3771 (office), or at (801) 468-0571 (home).
WEEKLY INTERVIEWS: Members of the media who wish to interview Head Coach Beth Launiere should contact her at her office (801-581-6843) between 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. weekdays. Interviews with the athletes should be arranged through Julie Lapomarda (801-581-3771).
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