@CanesVB Hosts GT and Clemson on Senior Week
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – It’s Senior Week for the University of Miami volleyball team as the Canes will host their final two home matches of the 2013 regular season.
Miami will welcome Georgia Tech on Wed., Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. Two days later, the Hurricanes will honor seniors Julia Giampaolo, Alex Johnson and Ryan Shaffer prior to the 7 p.m. match against Clemson.
The three seniors have dedicated themselves to becoming the best volleyball players they can be while at Miami and each has made contributions in their time as Hurricanes.
Giampaolo has played as a reserve in her time at Miami, but has made an impact on and off the court. As a freshman, she earned the team’s Most Improved Award. That same year, Torrington, Conn., native also earned a spot on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for her outstanding academic performance. She appeared in a career-high 25 matches as a junior and this season has helped the Hurricanes in several games. Her two service aces against Syracuse on Sept. 29 helped Miami pick up its second ACC win of the season. When she graduates in May, Giampaolo will be the first Miami student-athlete to complete a bachelor’s degree in athletic training.
Johnson is one of the most decorated volleyball players in Miami history. She is only the second player in Miami history to record at least 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, joining two-time All-American Lane Carico. Johnson has also started every match of her collegiate career, playing in 122 matches entering this week’s action. The Tallahassee, Fla., native earned All-ACC, AVCA All-Region and AVCA All-America honorable mention after a stellar 2012 season. Johnson, who is known for her all-around play, heads into her final weekend of regular season play all over Miami’s record book. The two-time Preseason All-ACC selection ranks fifth all-time in kills (1,046), ninth in assists (317), fifth in service aces (123), sixth in digs (1,186), seventh in total bocks (283), fifth in points (1318.0), fourth in sets played (452) and fourth in matches played (122). Johnson is on track to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Shaffer is another player who has earned multiple spots in the Miami volleyball record book. The San Jose, Calif., native was an All-ACC selection in 2012 and also earned AVCA All-Region honorable mention following an impressive junior campaign. Shaffer became Miami’s all-time digs leader when she surpassed Cassie’s Loessberg’s 2,008 career digs with a 17-dig performance in the Canes’ victory over Notre Dame on Nov. 15. The defensive specialist enters her final regular season week atop Miami’s career digs/set list with 4.57. Shaffer also is ninth in UM history in service aces (80), fourth in service attempts (1,759), eighth in service percentage (.942), fifth in reception percentage (.968), fifth in sets played (450) and fifth in matches played (121). The sport administration major will receive her bachelor’s degree in May.
Beyond Miami’s three seniors, the Canes have several other players who will play key roles this week against Georgia Tech and Clemson.
Junior Savanah Leaf leads Miami with 404 kills on the season. The outside hitter is one of the top attackers in the ACC, ranking third in the conference with 3.89 kills/set. Leaf, who leads Miami with 37 service aces, is second in the ACC with 0.36 service aces/set.
Junior middle blockers Emani Sims and Alexis Mourning have been active at the net for the Canes all season. Sims, who ranks third in the ACC with 1.28 blocks/set, leads the Hurricanes with 123 blocks and ranks fourth with 223 kills. Her .340 attack percentage is second only to Mourning’s .344, making the middle blockers Miami’s most efficient hitters. Mourning, who ranks second on the Canes with 106 blocks, also is among the team’s top hitters with 216 kills.
Blair Fuentez keeps Miami’s offense going, distributing 846 assists on the season. The junior setter’s 10.04 assists/set rank fourth-best in the ACC, while her 25 service aces are third-best on the 2013 Hurricanes.
Misty Ma’a rounds out Miami’s starters and the sophomore outside hitter has elevated her play recently. Ma’a recorded double-doubles against No. 22 Florida State and Notre Dame two weeks ago and led Miami in kills against No. 13 Duke. She has recorded at least six kills in five consecutive matches heading into this week’s action.
This week’s matches will be the final two at the Knight Sports Complex this season. Canes fans who purchase a women’s basketball ticket for Friday’s 1 p.m. game against St. Francis Brooklyn will be able to enter the volleyball match at 7 p.m. with their ticket stub from women’s basketball.
Single-game volleyball tickets are just $5 for adults and $3 for youth (Ages 3-17). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit CanesTix.com or call 305-284-2263. For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/UMVolleyball. The program is also on Instagram (CanesVB).
