Hurricane Volleyball Back Underway; Primed for 2004 Season
Aug. 9, 2004
CORAL GABLES, Fla. –
The <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>University of Miami volleyball team returns to the gym Wednesday, August 11 to begin practicing in preparation for their inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
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After reporting to campus Monday, the Hurricanes will hold the first official practice of the 2004 season Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Knight Sports Complex and will go through a series of one and two-a-day practices over a 14 days culminating with the annual Green and White Scrimmage, Tuesday, August 24.
“We are excited about getting back in the gym and start practicing,” fourth-year head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch said.
“We will have our most experienced team to date, returning 12 players from last year and we look forward to preparing for what should be a very tough schedule in the Atlantic Coast Conference,” Lantagne Welch added.
The Hurricanes will open the 2004 season September 1, traveling cross-town to take on inner-city rival Florida International at 7 p.m.
2004 Season Outlook
With an experienced senior class along with a solid core of underclassmen and a schedule that will challenge the team match-in and match-out, the 2004 Miami volleyball team has all the potential to be one of the most successful teams in school history.
In 2004, head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch will head her most experienced team since building the program from the ground up in 2001. The 2004 team will be the first under Lantagne Welch to feature a full year’s recruiting class from top to bottom. Included among this year’s players are members of Lantagne Welch’s first recruiting class – a contingent of five seniors who all play very significant roles in the Hurricane lineup including 2003 Preseason All-ACC selection, Valeria Tipiana and 2002 BIG EAST Setter of the Year, Mallorey James.
The Hurricanes will also break new ground in 2004, as the University of Miami makes the transition from the BIG EAST Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference – a move that will strengthen an already difficult UM schedule.
The 2004 Hurricanes have the potential to meet and surpass all expectations to be one of the most prolific teams in UM history as Lantagne Welch looks to lead the Hurricanes to their third consecutive 20-plus win season and a birth at the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
The Road to the Top
With her most experienced team to date, Lantagne Welch will lead the Hurricanes’ into their inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004 – a move that will strengthen the UM schedule as Miami makes a push toward the ACC Championship and a spot at the NCAA Tournament.
Miami’s 2004 slate will include six NCAA tournament teams, three conference champions and four teams who finished the 2003 season ranked in the top-25 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
“I think we will have a lot of experience as a team, and I feel that we will be very strong. Moving to the ACC will be a challenge so I know our schedule will be very competitive,” Lantagne Welch said. “Our non-conference schedule has also gotten harder each year, so we will be tested week in and week out, but we have a lot of experienced players coming back who should help make this year very special.
“The competition in the ACC is going to be intense from top to bottom. We will be tested in every match and as a team we look forward to that challenge and establishing rivals within the conference,” Lantagne Welch added.
The Hurricanes open the season with a trip across town to face Florida International Sept. 1 prior to hosting the annual Hurricane Invitational at the Knight Sports Complex September 3-4, which will feature Rice, Bowling Green and 2003 NCAA regional semi-finalist Illinois, who finished last season ranked 15th in the nation.
Miami then travels to the Golden State September 10-11 for what should be a tough three-match tournament in Los Angeles, Calif. with Loyola Marymount, who advanced to the NCAA second round in 2003 and finished the season ranked 17th, Washington State and Cincinnati, the 2003 Conference USA Regular Season Champions and NCAA tournament participants.
The Hurricanes conclude the early season tournament schedule in New Orleans, La. September 17-18, as UM will square off with Wisconsin-Milwaukee, SMU and host Tulane.
Miami will write a new chapter in school history September 24 as they play host to in-state rival Florida State in the Hurricanes’ first-ever ACC match followed by a match against fellow ACC newcomers, Virginia Tech September 26 in Blacksburg, Va.
“We are thrilled about playing in the ACC next year and it is almost appropriate that we are playing Florida State, a natural rival, in our first conference match,” stated Lantagne Welch.
UM will take on 2003 Atlantic-Sun Champions Central Florida, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, September 27 in Orlando, Fla. before returning to Coral Gables with matches against Wake Forest (October 1) and Duke (October 3).
Following an October 8 contest at Virginia, Coach Lantagne Welch takes the Hurricanes to College Park, Md. in a match-up with defending ACC Tournament Champions Maryland October 9.
Lantagne Welch was a four-year starting setter for the Terrapins from 1990-1993, guiding Maryland to their first-ever ACC Championship in 1990, while earning First-Team All-ACC honors in 1992 and 1993 and finished her playing career as the school’s all-time leader in assists, digs and matches played.
“I’m looking forward to our trip to Maryland and getting the chance to compete against my former coach, Janice Kruger,” Lantagne Welch said. “It will be very special and motivating to showcase our team to one of my mentors.”
The Hurricanes host in-state rival Florida Atlantic October 12 and ACC opponents North Carolina State October 15 and North Carolina October 17 at the Knight Sports Complex.
Following a visit to Tallahassee, Fla. October 20 for a rematch with the Seminoles, the Hurricanes host VT October 24 before traveling to Clemson October 29.
Miami then takes to Atlanta, Ga. October 30 to face 2003 NCAA Regional Finalist Georgia Tech, who finished the 2003 season ranked 8th in the country, followed by matches against Maryland (November 5), Virginia (November 7), at North Carolina (November 12) and at North Carolina State (November 13) to round ou the regualr season conference schedule.
Prior to hosting South Florida November 24 in the regular season finale, the Hurricanes will compete in the 2004 ACC Championships held November 18-21 in Charlottesville, Va.
Setters
In what has become a staple in the Miami lineup, the Hurricanes return an excellent group of setters in 2004 behind senior Mallorey James and sophomore Jill Robinson.
Lantagne Welch, who was an All-ACC setter during her playing days at Maryland, looks to the position as the base for success on the court.
“The setter is very important on the court – they basically run the offense. They have a lot control as to what is happening on the court. We work very closely with them as a coaching staff as to what we want to accomplish. They have to make decisions in slit seconds that are very important to our success.”
Already the school’s all-time leader in assists, James enters 2004 coming off an injury-filled 2003 season after being named the BIG EAST Setter of the Year in 2002 and looks to return to the form that made her one of the nation’s best.
“Mallorey James is coming back for her senior season and she is more than ready to take off and lead this team with a great deal of experience behind her,” Lantagne Welch said.
Sophomore Jill Robinson returns in 2004 after taking the starting reigns as a true freshman in 2003 in place of the injured James. Robinson led the Hurricanes with 9.94 assist per game and has made dramatic steps in the off-season to improve her passing and accuracy.
“Jill Robinson did an outstanding job last season, coming in as a freshman and basically being thrown into the fire. She has really progressed and made a lot of strides,” Lantagne Welch said.
Outside Hitters
The Hurricanes return a strong group of outside hitters to a team that finished the season averaging 16.24 kills per game in 2003. With the loss of Leyre Santaealla Sante, a 2003 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection and team leader in kills per game (3.97), the Hurricanes will look to seniors Elizabeth Tyson and Ashley Youngs for offensive production behind All-America candidate Valeria Tipiana.
Tyson finished the 2003 season averaging 2.55 kills per game and will be relied upon heavily to increase those numbers along with Youngs, who has consistently been an excellent defensive player in her three seasons at Miami.
The 2003 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year and a 2003 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, Tipiana enters her senior season with the Hurricanes as Miami’s all-time leader in kills and needs just 11 more to become the first player in school history to record 1,000 career kills all with a .313 career hitting percentage.
Sophomore Sara Duncan also looks to make waves in 2004, coming off an impressive spring season and is braced to make an impact for the Hurricanes this season.
Also thrown into the mix are incoming freshman Ashley Woods, a six-foot-one outside hitter from Round Rock, Texas and Michelle Bruin, a five-foot-11 swinger from Chapel Hill, N.C.
“We have a big gun returning in Valeria Tipiana and Elizabeth Tyson has been a great producer for us for three years now and we expect her to step it up for her senior season,” Lantagne Welch said.
“We do have an opening in the other spot and it should be fun and exciting to see the players battle for it. We’ve had a lot of people who have had the chance to get out there and play so I am anxious to see that competition and see who emerges as the starter.”
Middle Blockers
Miami brings back a very strong middle in 2004, primarily led by junior Karla Johnson and sophomore Frannie Savage.
Johnson leads the Miami defensive front as the school’s all-time leader in solo blocks (44) and had perhaps the most impressive spring of any Hurricane, developing her attacking prowess while improving her already impressive defensive prescience.
“Karla had an incredible spring and was our unanimous team MVP coming out of the spring. She is really coming into her own as a player both attacking and blocking and will make an impact,” Lantagne Welch said.
Savage was one of the Hurricanes’ most pleasant surprises in 2003, using her quick-strike capabilities and superb athletic abilities on her way to being named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week on Oct. 12 and took steps in the off-season to improve on the defensive side of the net.
“Frannie has made great strides as a player. When she is hot she is scary. With her and Karla both having more experience now, we should see a lot of production from our middles,” Lantagne Welch said.
Redshirt freshman Ciara Michel will fill the void in the middle left by the departure of Robin Lewullis, the school’s all-time leader in blocks. Michel, standing at six-foot-four, sat out last season, developing her game and has the potential to be a force up front for Miami.
“Ciara got her first action this spring, and she provides us with a huge block out there,” Lantagne Welch said.
Liberos and Defensive Specialists
Libero Jamie Grass, the centerpiece of the Hurricanes’ defensive unit will anchor Miami’s back row during her senior campaign. Grass, UM’s all-time leader in digs, also doubles as one of Miami’s floor generals with an in depth understanding and vision on the court.
Miami also looks to increased roles by junior Katilin Kozak and sophomore Ann Gallo in 2004.
“With our defensive players, Jamie, Kaitlin and Ann Gallo we are going to be in a very nice situation with players who can contribute with passing and defense,” Lantagne Welch said.
