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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Volleyball To Host The Utah Classic
8/28/2001 12:00 AM | Volleyball
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Aug. 28, 2001
SALT LAKE CITY - COMING UP: The Utes open the 2001 schedule, hosting the Utah Classic on Fri.-Sat., Aug 31-Sept. 1, at Crimson Court in Salt Lake City. Utah will open up with Rhode Island on Fri., Aug. 31, at 12:00 p.m., and Georgia Tech at 7:00 p.m. On Sat., Sept. 1, the Utes will match up with Texas Tech at 2:00 p.m.
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH: The No. 21 ranked University of Utah women's volleyball program made unprecedented strides last season. The Utes made their third-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and once again advanced to the second round. With a 23-8 overall record, Utah posted 20-wins for the fifth-consecutive year and the sixth time in its history. Possible starters for the Utes in the match-up against Rhode Island, Georgia Tech and Texas Tech are: McKelle Stilson (Sr., MB), Kelsie Kartchner (Fr., S), 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 received 254 points to rank 21st in the 2001 USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Preseason Poll released on Aug. 13th.
UTAH CLASSIC SCHEDULE:
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 (Fri.-Sat.) UTAH CLASSIC All Day (MDT)Aug. 31 (Fri.) Texas Tech vs. Georgia Tech 10:00 a.m. (MDT) UTAH vs. Rhode Island 12:00 p.m.. (MDT) Texas Tech vs. Rhode Island 5:00 p.m. (MDT) UTAH vs. Georgia Tech 7:00 p.m. (MDT)Sept. 1 (Sat.) Georgia Tech vs. Rhode Island 12:00 p.m. (MDT) UTAH vs. Texas Tech 2:00 p.m. (MDT)* All matches at Crimson Court in Salt Lake City, Utah.
SERIES SHORTS: Utah and Rhode Island will meet for the first time on Fri., Aug. 31, at 12:00 p.m. at Crimson Court in Salt Lake City. The Utes will face Georgia Tech for the first time on Fri., Aug. 31, at 7:00 p.m. at Crimson Court in Salt Lake City. Utah leads the all-time series with Texas Tech, 6-2. In their last meeting on Nov. 30, 2001, Utah defeated the Red Raiders, 3-2 (6-15, 15-8, 2-15, 15-10, 15-12) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Utes are 0-1 at home, 0-0 away and 6-1 at a neutral site vs. Texas Tech.
QUOTING LAUNIERE: On the upcoming Utah Classic-"This weekend's tournament should be a very good test for us. Opening the season with two teams that were in the NCAA tournament last year, and return most of their players is going to be a challenge. It will be a very good gauge for where we are in terms of preparing for the rest of our season's goals. It is going to be an exciting weekend of volleyball. I anticipate a lot of four and five game matches between very strong teams. I'm excited to have the Utah Classic back after a few years. It is a chance for our fans to see a lot of very good volleyball throughout the weekend.
UTAH CLASSIC TEAM CAPSULES: Georgia Tech (25-8, 13-3, Atlantic Coast, 3rd Region) 2000 Final National Ranking: NR 2000 Post-Season Finish: NCAA 1st Round 2000 Conference Finish: 1st tie Returning Starters/Letterwinners: 5/9 Top Returners: Kyleen Bell (Sr., MB, 6-0, AVCA all-region, All-ACC 1st Team), Kele Eveland (So., S, 5-10, AVCA Region Rookie of the Year, AVCA all-region, ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC all-freshman), Eida Mabry (Sr., Opp, 6-2, All-ACC 2nd Team), Maja Pachale (Sr., OH, 5-11, All-ACC 1st Team) Top Newcomers: Marisa Aston (Fr., DS, 5-8), Jayme Gergen (Fr., MB, 5-11), Laura Kuhn (Fr., MB, 6-0), Lynnette Moster (Fr., OH, 5-9), Lauren Sauer (Fr., OH, 6-4) Top Players Lost: Teryl Townsend (MB, ACC all-Tournament team)
Rhode Island (6-20, 5-11 Atlantic 10) 2000 Final National Ranking: NR 2000 Post-Season Finish: NA 2000 Conference Finish: 5th Tie Returning Starters/Letterwinners: 6/5 Top Returners: Yolanda Bogacz (Sr., MB, 6-0), Michelle Fulton (So., MB, 5-11), Amy Kauppila, (So., OH, 5-9), Mary Kate Reardon, (So., RS/Opp, 5-11) Top Newcomers: Brooke Ecklund (Fr., OH, 5-10), Kaleena Miller (Fr., OH, 5-10), Abby Thornbladh (Fr., MB, 6-0), Juliana Valencia (Jr., S, 5-9)
Texas Tech (24-9, 12-8, Big 12, 5th Region) 2000 Final National Ranking: NR 2000 Post-Season Finish: NCAA 1st Round 2000 Conference Finish: 5th tie Returning Starters/Letterwinners: 5/6 Top Returners: Skydra Orzen (Sr., S, 5-5), Melissa McGehee (Jr., OH, 5-10, All Big 12 1st Team), Heather Justice (Sr., DS, 5-10, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year), Ann Romjue (So., OH, 6-0), Kate Jury-Shannon (Jr., MB, 6-1) Top Newcomers: Samantha Harvey (Fr., MB/OH, 6-3), Jessy Herrera (Fr., DS, 5-4) Top Players Lost: Colleen Smith (OH, 6-7, AVCA All-America 2nd Team), Janelle Jones (MB, 6-3)
Utah (23-8, 10-4, Mountain West, 7th Region) 2000 Final National Ranking: 20th 2000 Post-Season Finish, NCAA 2nd Round 2000 Conference Finish: 3rd Returning Starters/Letterwinners: 4/10 Top Returners: McKelle Stilson (Sr., MB, 6-1), Lenka Urbanov? (Sr., OH, 6-1), Katrena Ellett (Jr., MB, 6-1), Kim Turner (So., MB, 6-2, All-Mountain West, Mountain West Freshman of the Year) Top Newcomers: Shelly Hundley (Fr., OH, 6-1), Kelsie Kartchner (Fr., S, 5-10), Tracy Neumeier (Fr., S/DS, 5-8), Sylva Strzinkov? (Jr., OH, 6-1), Brit Whiting (Jr., MB, 6-1) Top Players Lost: Jen Snow-Richards (OH, 6-0), Lucie Turkov? (DS/S, 5-9, All-Mountain West)
NEXT WEEK: Utah travels to Tucson, Ariz. to participate in the Arizona Tournament on Sept. 6-7, at the McKale Center. The Utes will take on the No. 6 ranked Arizona Wildcats on Thurs., Sept. 6 at 7:00 p.m. On Fri., Sept. 7, Utah will match-up with Louisville. Match-time is TBA.
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 203-146 (.582) 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 six 20-win seasons and Utah's third-place finish in the MWC in 2000 marked its eighth-consecutive upper-division finish in conference play.
Launiere worked hard in 2000 to maintain the level of play and expectations of the previous season. The 2000 season was a definite breakthrough year for Utah volleyball. Starting off on a good note, the Utes checked in with 59 votes in the preseason poll. With a 23-8 overall record, Utah posted its fifth consecutive, and sixth overall, 20-win season. The Utes' .742 overall winning percentage proved the best in school history. Utah also equaled the third-best conference winning percentage in school history last season (10-4, .714). The 2000 squad was the only team in school history to beat a No. 1 ranked opponent (a come-from-behind five-game victory over Stanford). With the win over Stanford and two more wins that next weekend, Utah earned its first-ever national ranking, coming in 18th in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 poll released Mon., Sept. 12, 2000. Launiere recorded her 200th career victory at the McLeodUSA MWC Tournament with a 3-1 (15-9, 15-3, 5-15, 15-9) win over UNLV on Thurs., Nov. 16, 2000.
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).
POST-MATCH SERVICES/INTERVIEWS: Head Coach Beth Launiere and Utah players will be available for interviews outside the Utah lockerroom following a 10 minute cooling off period. A member of the Utah sports information staff will gather interview requests immediately following the match. Box scores will be provided and faxed upon request.
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).
MWC PRE-SEASON POLL: In a survey of the Mountain West Conference coaches before the season, Utah, which ranked in at No. 21 in the preseason national poll, was picked to finish third. BYU is the favorite to win the 2001 Mountain West Conference title after earning five first-place votes and 46 points. Colorado State, which finished with three first-place votes and 45 points in the poll, is second.
AVCA PRE-SEASON POLL: Utah was one of three Mountain West Conference schools that appeared in the USA Today/AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches' Association) Preseason Poll, announced on Mon., Aug. 13, 2001. Brigham Young and Colorado State ranked 11th and 14th, while Utah, with 254 points, checked in at No. 21.
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