Volleyball To Host Inaugural Hurricane Invitational
Sept. 5, 2001
Hurricane Invitational Program in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — Women’s volleyball (1-2) returns to Coral Gables, Fla., after opening the 2001 season on the road, to hold its home-opener on Friday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m. against Long Island at the Knight Sports Complex as part of the inaugural Hurricane Invitational.
The round-robin tournament features host-team Miami, Long Island, Wofford and UAB.
The Hurricanes opened the season at the Davidson Tournament in North Carolina, facing host-school Davidson (2-1) on Aug. 31. In its first match in over 19 years, Miami took the two-time defending Southern Conference champs to five games before falling 2-3.
Head Coach Nicole Lantagne didn’t have to wait long for her first win as the Hurricanes recorded a three-game sweep of Coastal Carolina (0-3) on Sept. 1. The highlight of the match came in the second game. Down 18-23, Miami went on a 12-1 run to put the game away.
Junior outside hitter Marcela Gamarra finished the tournament with a team-high 48 total kills, 24 digs and was named to the All-Tournament team.
Athletic Director Paul Dee and the University of Miami announced the return of the volleyball program on Feb. 28, 2000. The program, which originally began in 1972, compiled an overall record of 178-127 through 10 seasons.
Among the team’s highlights were a state crown and regional runner-up finish in 1979. In 1980, the team captured a regional title and finished with a Top-20 national ranking. Despite that success, the volleyball program was discontinued as a fully-funded varsity sport after the 1981 season.
The Hurricane Invitational marks the resurgence of Miami volleyball. Prior to the 6 p.m. match between Miami and Wofford, there will be a pre-game presentation that will feature University of Miami President, Donna Shalala, Athletic Director Paul Dee and Head Volleyball Coach Nicole Lantagne in a historic “First Serve.” Former UM players from the 1972-1981 seasons have also been invited to attend the event.
Following the match, a post-game reception will take place outside the Knight Sports Complex to officially enshrine volleyball memorabilia from the evening. Pastries and refreshments will be served. The event is open to the public and Hurricane fans are encouraged to bring a friend.
Admission is free.
Schedule of Matches:
Friday, September 7th
2:00 p.m. Miami vs. Long Island
4:00 p.m. UAB vs. Long Island
6:00 p.m. Miami vs. Wofford
8:00 p.m. UAB vs. Wofford
Saturday, September 8th
10:00 a.m. Miami vs. UAB
12:00 p.m. Long Island vs. Wofford
For ticket information for home Miami volleyball matches, contact the UM Ticket Office at 1-800 GO CANES or 305-284-2263 in Miami-Dade County.
