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August 25, 2009

Coaches Pick Preseason 2009 GLIAC Volleyball Divisional Title Winners

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Grand Valley stands atop; league looks very competitive

Written by Sandy Gholston, special writer for the GLIAC

BAY CITY – In recent years, Grand Valley State University has stood atop the standings of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. But, there are a number of hungry teams chasing this fall’s preseason leader while entertaining thoughts of taking away the league championship.

Grand Valley has been more than just a GLIAC power. Regionally and nationally, the Lakers have earned the respect of their peers. GVSU begins the season ranked fourth in the nation in the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll after Coach Deanne Scanlon’s squad rolled to a 33-4 record in 2008.


 North Division

School (first-place votes) Points
1. Grand Valley State(4) 24
2. Northern Michigan (2) 20
3. Saginaw Valley 19
4. Ferris State 13
5. Michigan Tech. 9
6. Lake Superior State 5

In the preseason GLIAC Volleyball Coaches’ Poll, the Lakers were picked first in the North Division with 24 points and four of six first-place votes. In the South Division, the No. 1 spot is co-owned by Hillsdale College and Wayne State University with 22 points each (the Chargers do have three of six first-place votes while the Warriors have two).
The preseason division leaders may need eyes in the back of their heads.

Grand Valley is closely followed in the league’s North Division race by Northern Michigan University which had 20 points and two first-place votes. Saginaw Valley State University was next with 19 points, Ferris State University was fourth with 13 points, Michigan Technological University was slotted fifth with nine points and Lake Superior State University had the sixth spot with five points.


 South Division

School (first-place votes) Points
t1. Hillsdale (3) 22

Wayne State (2) 22
3. Ashland (1) 17
4. Northwood 15
5. Findlay 9
6. Tiffin 5

In the South Division, Ashland University was picked third with 17 points and one first-place vote, Northwood University was projected to finish fourth with 15 points, the University of Findlay was slotted fifth with nine points while Tiffin University claimed sixth with five points.

From start to finish, it’s shaping up to be another competitive race in the GLIAC for volleyball supremacy.

Last fall, the Lakers emerged as champions of the GLIAC after defeating Saginaw Valley State 3-1 in the 2008 GLIAC Volleyball Championship match. GVSU won the North Division during the regular season while Northwood won the South Division in regular-season competition.

 

Ranked in order picked in the 2009 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll for the North and South divisions:

 

NORTH:



1. Grand Valley State (33-4 overall, 15-1 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Grand Valley has established itself as the premier volleyball program in the GLIAC and one of the top of its kind in the nation under the leadership of head coach Deanne Scanlon. The Lakers are coming off another outstanding season as they finished 33-4 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four for the fifth time. GVSU has some skilled players returning to the lineup. Scanlon welcomes back a strong nucleus that includes 11 letterwinners from last year’s accomplished squad. Last season, the Lakers rolled to a 15-1 record to claim their fifth GLIAC North Division championship in a row.

THE PLAYERS: It’s impossible to have the success Grand Valley has experienced without a boatload of talented players. Returning 11 letterwinners from last year’s squad, the Lakers appear poised to make another run at great things on the court. Leading Grand Valley is junior middle blocker Rebeccah Rapin, who posted 331 kills on an attack percentage of .299 and was a stopper at the net with 115 blocks. For her efforts, she earned First-Team All-GLIAC honors and was a second-team all-region pick. Rapin has plenty of help from a group that includes senior outside hitter Whitney Tremain, who had a strong 2008 campaign with 240 kills, a .250 attack percentage and 85 blocks as she went on to be named Most Valuable Player of the Midwest Regional Tournament in her first year as a Laker. Tremain previously played at Michigan State University. Senior outside hitter Katey Crichton is back off a season during which she compiled 250 digs with 85 kills, 42 blocks and 25 aces. Crichton was an honorable mention All-GLIAC player during the 2008 season.

THE COACH: Head coach Deanne Scanlon enters her 15th season leading the Lakers. Scanlon has a career record of 387-102 at Grand Valley.

OF INTEREST: Scanlon ranks ninth among the winningest active coaches in NCAA Division II by winning percentage (.791) and 21st among active coaches in wins (387). Interestingly enough, with 387 wins, Scanlon is tied with Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, head coach of GVSU rival Ferris State.



2. Northern Michigan (20-12 overall, 11-5 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Northern Michigan enters the 2009 season returning a large group of players who gained experience last season and may be poised for great things this fall. In all, the Wildcats bring back nine of 12 letterwinners from a squad that earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament, last fall, for the first time since 2004. Expectations are running high in Marquette as Northern hopes to erase the memories of last fall’s season ending NCAA setback to Indianapolis in five sets.

THE PLAYERS: Returning nine letterwinners, Northern likely will be banking on its experience to lead to success in 2009. Senior Mandie Meyer is a player head coach Dominic Yoder will look to for great things coming off a season during which she was a Second-Team All-GLIAC choice (2008). Meyer totaled 405 kills and showed her defensive prowess with 36 total blocks. Also back is Emma Wolfe, who ranked fourth on the team in kills last fall with 216. Wolfe had 77 total blocks, including 14 solos. Running the offensive show, Maddie Ogden is the top setter returning after a season in which she had 821 assists. Ogden had 44 total blocks, including eight solos. Cassie Osiecki had 484 digs a season ago while Meyer was next best with 348. Osiecki also led the Northern with 45 service aces in 2008.

THE COACH: Head coach Dominic Yoder is in his third season working to return and keep the tradition-rich Northern Michigan program among the nation’s elite. In his first two seasons, Yoder had a record of 40-24.

OF INTEREST: Northern’s trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament, in 2008, was the first for the program since 2004.



3. Saginaw Valley State (25-8 overall, 11-5 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Saginaw Valley State is coming off a strong 2008 campaign, but is hardly satisfied as the Cardinals hope for bigger and better things this fall. As is the nature of intercollegiate athletics, Saginaw Valley has graduated some key players from last season, but does welcome back nine players, including seven who were key contributors, from a team that advanced to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional finals. As a part of that returning experience, the Cardinals might be banking on strong offense to lead the way as they have their setter, both middle hitters, two outsides and their starting right-side hitter back in the lineup. A solid recruiting class could also help bolster SVSU’s lineup as it goes to battle against some of the best teams in the region and the nation in the GLIAC.

THE PLAYERS: Among key returners for Saginaw Valley will be 6-foot-1 Jaclyn Carnago, a senior middle hitter from St. Clair. A year ago, Carnago totaled 242 kills to rank second on the team. Defensively, she added 90 total blocks, including 11 solos while she managed 85 digs. Setter Kaitlin Harris, a 5-foot-8 senior from Essexville, is back after a season in which she finished with 1,211 assists, to lead the Cardinals, and ranked third in digs with 302. At 6-foot-3, Katherine Fitzgerald also is back for SVSU after a strong freshman season during which she totaled 223 kills and had team bests in total blocks (115) and solo blocks (32).

THE COACH: Will Stanton was named 2008 Midwest Region Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association coaches of the Midwest.

OF INTEREST: One year after working to push the Cardinals record above .500, in 2006 (for the first time in eight years), Stanton was named GLIAC Coach of the Year in 2007 and Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2008.



4. Ferris State (16-13 overall, 8-8 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Ferris State is hoping to climb the ladder back to the upper echelon of the GLIAC this season on the strength of a nice blend of youth and experience. Head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm’s Bulldogs hope to again become a contender for the GLIAC championship and potentially to earn a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Bulldogs return a strong group of experienced hitters, a solid defensive base (on the back row and at the net) and talented young setters battling to step forward and fill a critical role for Ferris.

THE PLAYERS: Leading a strong group of returning Bulldog players is middle hitter Kristy Gilchrist, who last season totaled 233 kills with 79 blocks. Gilchrist was an all-conference player for the second consecutive season. Also patrolling the middle will be junior Arielle Goodson, a hard-hitting 6-foot-2 player who totaled 262 kills with 92 blocks. Goodson earned Second-Team All-GLIAC honors after she led the team in blocks (92), solo blocks (16) and block assists. Senior outside hitter Katie Edwards is back after leading the team in 2008 with 274 kills. The Bulldogs also have another veteran in the middle with Sarah Lark, who had 151 kills and 52 blocks. In the back row, libero Lisa Tobiczyk had 374 digs while junior libero Dana Ruttle was credited with 164 digs.

THE COACH: Head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm is entering her 14th season on the bench for the Bulldogs. Brandel-Wilhelm currently ranks 19th among the winningest active coaches in Division II at .710 and is tied for 21st among the all-time active winningest coaches with 387. Interestingly enough, she is even with Deanne Scanlon, head coach of Ferris rival Grand Valley State.

OF INTEREST: Nine of Ferris’ last 11 seasons have resulted in at least 20 wins. This fall, Ferris aims to extend its consecutive winning-seasons streak to 12.



5. Michigan Tech (19-11 overall, 12-4 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Michigan Tech is coming off a solid 2008 season, but is hopeful for bigger and better things this fall as it takes aim at the top teams in the GLIAC, the region and the nation under the direction of first-year head coach Orlando Gonzalez. While there can be an adjustment period when welcoming a new coach, the Huskies do have senior leadership returning that could help ease the transition of the new coach and allow MTU to remain strong as Gonzalez puts his stamp on the program’s future.

THE PLAYERS: Michigan Tech returns some seniors who should play a significant role in the Huskies’ plans to build on last fall’s 19-win season. Senior outside hitter Veronica Armstrong, a two-time All-GLIAC selection, is expected to set the tone for the team this fall. Armstrong should get front-row help from Kaari Nevanen. Helping facilitate that offense is being determined through preseason practice as Tech has a few players competing for the starting setter job. Among the competitors for the position are senior Alison Greene, redshirt freshman Skylar Paffenroth and true freshman Madeline Haben.

THE COACH: Orlando Gonzalez is entering his first year as head coach at Michigan Tech after serving as an assistant coach last season at Northwood, a GLIAC rival of the Huskies.

OF INTEREST: Previously, first-year head coach Orlando Gonzalez served as head coach at Division I Rutgers for three seasons and compiled a record of 19-58.

6. Lake Superior State (6-18 overall, 2-14 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Lake Superior State is hoping to finish better than its sixth-place projection in the preseason GLIAC poll. The Lakers are coming off a 6-18 campaign (including 2-14 in the conference standings) facing competition in one of the toughest Division II volleyball leagues in the nation. One of the positives for Lake Superior this season is it returns a strong cast of 10 veteran players who may make a difference on the court for the Lakers as they go to the court match after match against challenging competition.

THE PLAYERS: The Lakers are hoping the strength of their team will begin with a solid defense – a defense that begins with sophomore libero Brittany Newberry, who was the GLIAC leader in digs per game at 4.77. Leading the offense is senior Sara Hess, who a year ago totaled 162 kills while also contributing on defense with 36 blocks. Along with Hess, a versatile player in senior Jessica Ewer, who had 97 kills and 153 digs, should be another important part of the Lakers’ roster. One key spot the LSSU coaching staff will have to address, during the preseason, is the setter position.

THE COACH: Coach Mark Engle, a veteran of the sidelines in the GLIAC, is back for his 15th season in charge at Lake Superior. Engle has a career record of 123-294.

OF INTEREST: Engle, who has been at the helm of the Lake Superior program since 1995, is just the fourth head coach in the program’s history.

 

SOUTH:

 

t1.Hillsdale (19-11 overall, 8-8 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Coming off a solid season in 2008, Hillsdale hopes to bounce back into the regional and national elite this fall. But, before focusing too much on what is out there with the regional and national rankings, the Chargers hope to take care of business a little closer to home. Taking business closer to home begins with winning the GLIAC South Division. It will not be easy with strong teams in both the North and South divisions and Wayne picked in a tie with the Chargers for first place in the South. Success in Hillsdale may require some younger players to step up and begin to pay dividends sooner rather than later for the Chargers.

THE PLAYERS: Highlighting the list of returning players will be the reigning GLIAC “Freshman of the Year” Ashlee Crowder, Second-Team All-GLIAC libero Sydney Dow and honorable mention All-GLIAC middle hitter Emily Bennett. But, this is a Hillsdale team with substance behind stats as Bennett and second-year player Clara Leutheuser finished first and second in the GLIAC in hitting percentage in 2008. Crowder totaled 333 kills in 2008 and that was the most by a freshman in school history. Youth also could be served this season for Hillsdale with some younger players who could make a name for themselves. Included among these players are: sophomore defensive specialist Morgan Podkul, sophomore setter Apryl Schmucker and junior outside hitter Amanda Bigney, an athletic offensive player capable of some big things on the court. Hillsdale also has a good group of freshmen that includes Kaleigh Shuster, an outside hitter, and Lauren Grover, a middle hitter.

THE COACH: Head coach Chris Gravel owns a coaching record of 256-163 through 13 seasons on the sidelines at Hillsdale.

OF INTEREST: In March 2009, the Hillsdale College volleyball team took a weeklong trip to Puerto Rico for some action on the court and to learn about culture from a different part of the world.



t1. Wayne State (17-12 overall, 9-7 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Wayne State is bringing back a good group of experienced players this season to lead the program. In all, the Warriors welcome back nine letterwinners from a team that finished 17-12 overall and qualified for the GLIAC Tournament for the first time since the 2005 season and made it past the first round for the first time since the 1997 campaign. After finishing second in the South Division last season, Wayne hopes for a better finish this season. Based on the preseason poll, coaches expect Wayne to be in a hotly-contested battle for the top spot in the division.

THE PLAYERS: Returning nine letterwinners from last season puts the Warriors among the more experienced squads in the GLIAC. Leading a veteran crew is senior outside hitter Sarha Gosselin, who led the GLIAC (and ranked 28th in Division II) with a 3.68 kills/set average last fall. For those impressive numbers, Gosselin became the third All-American in Wayne volleyball history. There is some returning strength in the middle for the Warriors with the return of senior middle blocker and 2008 Second-Team All-GLIAC selection Lauren Mallast. As a junior, Mallast, led the nation in blocks last year. Orchestrating the offense, the Warriors are glad to have back junior setter Katy Westenberg, who last season became the first in nine years to register 1,000 or more assists with 1,072.

THE COACHES: Phil Nickel is entering his second season as head coach. He is the 12th head coach in the history of the Wayne State women’s volleyball program.

OF INTEREST: Nickel has significant Division I volleyball coaching experience having served as an assistant at Houston (2002-07), Illinois State (2000-01) and Wright State (1998-99)

 

3. Ashland (14-13 overall, 6-10 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Ashland finished an eyelash above .500 last season, but hopes to build on that for an even stronger campaign in 2009. The Eagles have worked hard to build tradition in the GLIAC, as it displayed from 2004 to 2007 when the program ranked among the elite teams in the GLIAC, region and nation. Part of the good news for the Eagles is returning all six starters from last year. The veteran group has gained experience and should be ready to go once the season starts to lift Ashland above .500 mark and back into GLIAC South Division title contention.

THE PLAYERS: Returning to the court this season is a veteran group that will be led by senior outside hitter Marina Santos, who led Ashland in 2008 with 362 kills and ranked second on the squad with 305 digs. More senior help is on the way with outside hitter Britney Jurchenko, who last year was fourth among the Eagles with 162 kills. She added 185 digs and 64 total blocks. There is some younger talent on the roster as second-year player Arian Martin is back from a strong freshman season that saw her pace the team with 388 digs as she ranked seventh in the GLIAC, in digs per set, at 3.77.

THE COACH: Connie Surowicz is in her seventh season as head women’s volleyball coach at Ashland. Surowicz has a record of 119-67 and ranks second among the all-time leaders in wins at Ashland. In her career, Surowicz owns a coaching record of 402-196 in 17 campaigns.

OF INTEREST: Ashland’s women’s volleyball program has been in existence since 1968 and has an all-time record of 702-513 with four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances (the most recent of which was in 2007).

 

4. Northwood (16-14 overall, 10-6 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: At 16-14, Northwood had a solid season after enduring a tough schedule. Northwood was able to win the South Division despite the challenging opposition, and earn a bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Coming back off that NCAA Tournament season, Northwood blends some experience returning from that group with some talented younger players who are ready to make their mark on the program in the season to come. Six of Northwood’s returning players have played in at least 28 matches during their careers. That experience will be balanced against the 10 newcomers who join Northwood’s roster.

THE PLAYERS: Leading Northwood is senior Ashley Carr, a three-time team captain who is a Second-Team All-GLIAC performer a year ago. Among others returning to the lineup, with impressive credentials, is All-GLIAC Honorable Mention setter Lauren Chapman, who will be a junior this fall. Chapman could be looking to a number of different directions with the volleyball, including outside hitter Sladjana Mitrovic. Defensively, senior Samantha Matheson is the leading candidate to take the libero position this fall as the team assembled for preseason training camp.

THE COACH: Head coach Tim Koth is entering his sixth season at Northwood and owns a record of 94-58 for the Timberwolves. Before coming to Northwood, Koth spent eight seasons as head coach of the Quincy men’s and women’s volleyball teams.

OF INTEREST: Six of Northwood’s returning players have played in at least 28 matches during their careers.

 

5. Findlay (12-22 overall, 2-14 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: Findlay enters this season coming off of a 12-22 record overall that included a 2-14 finish in the GLIAC. Picked to finish fifth in the South Division in the preseason GLIAC Coaches Poll, the Oilers are hoping the experience it has returning with 13 players coming back with experience, will pay some dividends as they enter the fall 2009 season. Having that many experienced players back in the orange and black sounds like good news for the Findlay coaching staff.

THE PLAYERS: With 13 players returning, the Oilers expect to be led by junior Courtney Niemeyer, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker who was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection last fall. She earned that recognition by finishing with 282 kills and 91 blocks. Niemeyer will have plenty of help as 5-foot-11 sophomore Jessica VonIns, a versatile All-GLIAC Honorable Mention choice returns off a season during which she had 220 kills, 717 assists and 233 digs. Look for additional contributions from junior Jenny Slone, a 5-foot-11 right-side hitter who finished 2008 as the team leader with 287 kills.

THE COACH: The Oilers are coached by Wick Colchagoff, who has a record of 254-135 during his 11 seasons with the Ohio-based program.

OF INTEREST: Findlay begins its 2009 season pretty far away from Ohio. Findlay will compete in Seaside California at the Sea Otter Classic. The team will take on California-Monterey Bay and Dixie State Aug. 28 and 29.

 

6. Tiffin (14-19 overall, 2-14 GLIAC)

OVERVIEW: The first season in the GLIAC was a tough one for Tiffin as it went to battle against some of the best teams in the region and nation. The Dragons ended the 2008 campaign with a record of 14-19 overall and 2-14 in the GLIAC standings. Even though last year’s season was a tough one, the start of a new campaign creates optimism for the Dragons who have some experienced players returning with a year of quality experience to their credit.

THE PLAYERS: Tiffin has just one senior, 5-foot-10 outside hitter Nikki Cranick, who has appeared in more than 100 matches during her career. Brittany Teaford, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter, returns to the mix for her junior season coming off an all-conference campaign. She led the team in blocks and attack percentage. A junior outside hitter, the 5-foot-9 Brooke Bernabei, has led Tiffin in kills the last two seasons. She totaled more than 300 kills for the second straight season while she ranked second on the squad in digs. Junior Jessica Adams and sophomore Lindsay Heller are back from productive seasons last fall, as they led the Dragons in assists and digs, respectively.

THE COACH: T.J. Shouse enters his fourth season with a record of 60-54. He coached the Dragons to a record of 35-10 during his first season in 2006. The 35 wins set a school record.

OF INTEREST: Tiffin’s women’s volleyball program donated more than 50 jerseys to the PASSBACK organization for young athletes worldwide. PASSBACK works in partnership with Eurosport to provide equipment to disadvantaged youth in order to participate in youth sports.