UW-Whitewater Tabbed Women’s Volleyball Preseason Favorite

UW-Whitewater Tabbed Women’s Volleyball Preseason Favorite

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MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been selected to win the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s volleyball title based on a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
The Warhawks have claimed a conference-high 16 regular-season championships and 16 tournament crowns and have five starters returning from last year’s squad. Senior defensive specialist Brittany Robinson is the reigning WIAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 5.79 digs per set. Her 40 digs against UW-Stevens Point on Sept. 20, marked the second-highest single-match mark in program history. Robinson has amassed 1,940 career digs – a total that ranks fifth in program listings.
 
Senior setter Elizabeth Niestrom topped the league with 1,164 assists, including a WIAC-best 67 against UW-Stout on Oct. 13. Head coach Stacy Boudreau is 13 victories from reaching 400 at UW-Whitewater and becoming the sixth coach in conference archives to achieve the milestone.
 
UW-Whitewater is followed in the conference predictions by:  UW-Eau Claire; UW-Oshkosh; UW-La Crosse; UW-Stevens Point; UW-Stout; UW-Platteville; and UW-River Falls.
 
For the ninth time in the last 13 seasons, UW-Eau Claire posted at least six WIAC victories in 2017. Senior middle hitter Madelyn Pashibin led the conference with a .309 hitting percentage, while finishing second with 395 kills and 420 points. Her .773 hitting percentage (18 kills – 1 error – 22 attempts) against Edgewood College (Wis.) on Sept. 11, was the best mark in the league a year ago. Senior setter Madison Surprise recorded 1,081 assists and was second on the team with 249 digs.
 
UW-Oshkosh’s 20 wins a season ago marked the 18th time in the last 19 years that the Titans have achieved at least 20 victories. In 2017, senior outside hitter Tina Elstner led the team with 391 kills and 47 service aces, while ranking second with 285 digs. Junior rightside hitter Samantha Jaeke topped the squad with 547 assists, while ranking second with 275 kills and third with 271 digs and 85 blocks.
 
UW-La Crosse, the defending regular-season and tournament champion, has posted 45 wins the last two seasons for the program’s best two-year stretch since 52 victories from 2007-08. The Eagles also made the program’s 15th NCAA appearance in 2017. Senior outside hitter Marisa Johnson was second on the team with 229 kills and 29 service aces, while adding 214 digs and 26 blocks. Sophomore rightside hitter Laine Hoeffel provided 207 kills and 45 blocks, while junior middle blocker Kathryn Maas led the squad with 85 blocks and added 187 kills.
 
UW-Stevens Point will be led by interim head coach Lyndsay Kooi during the 2018 campaign. She was an assistant coach at Millikin University (Ill.) in 2017 after serving as an assistant coach at UW-Stevens Point in 2015 and 2016. Junior rightside hitter April Gehl topped the conference with 495 kills and 555 points in 2017, while ranking third on the squad with 279 digs and 71 blocks. Junior defensive specialist/libero Lisa Bedessem contributed 265 digs, while senior defensive specialist/libero Shannah Carter added 156 digs.
 
UW-Stout welcomes Mandy Trautmann as its new head coach in 2018. She was an assistant coach with the program during the 2017 campaign and a student-athlete at UW-Oshkosh from 2012-15, earning WIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015, along with All-Region and All-America recognition. A season ago, senior middle hitter Kennedy Strain had a team-best 302 kills and 72 blocks, while adding 44 digs and 18 service aces. Junior libero Steph Cannon recorded 548 digs, while junior setter Jessica DuVal had 923 assists.
 
UW-Platteville finished above .500 (15-14) in 2017 for the first time since compiling a 21-12 record in 2012. A season ago, junior middle blocker Katie Jones had a team-high 96 blocks and added 140 kills.
 
UW-River Falls’ 19 wins during the 2017 campaign were the most since 2012 when it had 22 victories. The Falcons welcome back junior libero Hannah Robb, who was second in the WIAC during the 2017 campaign with 645 digs and 46 service aces. Junior middle hitter Karli Nielsen led the team with 116 blocks and was second with 262 kills, while junior outside hitter Dakotah Poitra was second with 362 digs and third with 254 kills.
 
 
2018 Preseason Predictions--Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
2017 Record
1. UW-Whitewater (22-8 overall, 5-2 WIAC)
2. UW-Eau Claire (17-11, 6-1)
3. UW-Oshkosh (20-15, 3-4)
4. UW-La Crosse (22-7, 7-0)
5. UW-Stevens Point (24-10, 4-3)
6. UW-Stout (9-20, 2-5)
7. UW-Platteville (15-14, 1-6)
8. UW-River Falls (19-15, 0-7)

 
Team Tidbits
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Kim Wudi; 12th season at UWEC; 254-129
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  10/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Jessica Coyne, Sr., OH (2017-Honorable); Madelyn Pashibin, Sr., MH (2017-First); Madison Surprise, Sr., S (2017-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Makenzie Bachmann, So., OH; Kendra Baierl, So., MH; Amber Karn, Sr., DS; Krista Meyer, So., MH
 
 
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Amber Dunn; 4th season (2nd at UWL); 55-40 (overall) / 22-7 (UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  7/8
Starters Returning/Lost:  3/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Marisa Johnson, Sr., OH (2017-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Rachel Barthel, Jr., OH; Laine Hoeffel, So., RSH; Kathryn Maas, Jr., MB
 
 
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Jon Ellmann; 2nd season at UWO; 20-15
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/4
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Tina Elstner, Sr., OH (2016-First, 2017-First); Samantha Jaeke, Jr., RSH/OH (2016-First, 2017-First); Carly Lemke, Sr., MB (2016-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Shelby Coron, So., MB/RSH; Rachel Gardner, Jr., L/DS; Katie Hodges, Sr., L/DS; Renee Rush, Sr., RSH/OH
 
 
UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Samantha Birkicht; 2nd season at UWP; 15-14
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  8/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/5
Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Players:  Katie Jones, Jr., MB; Hailey Youngren, So., OH


UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Patti Ford; 27th season at UWRF; 572-364
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  13/4
Starters Returning/Lost:  6/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Hannah Robb, Jr., L (2016-Defensive)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Mallory Griffin, Jr., S/RSH; Karli Nielsen, Jr., MH; Dakotah Poitra, Jr., OH
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach (Interim):  Lyndsay Kooi; 1st season at UWSP; 0-0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  7/10
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/5
Returning All-WIAC:  April Gehl, Jr., RSH (2017-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Ellie Adams, So., S; Lisa Bedessem, Jr., DS/L; Shannah Carter, Sr., DS/L; Tara Emme, Jr., OH
 
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Mandy Trautmann; 1st season at UWST; 0-0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  13/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  6/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Steph Cannon, Jr., L (2017-Honorable); Kennedy Strain, Sr., MH (2016-Honorable, 2017-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Emily Bialka, Sr., OH; Emili Cain, So., MH; Jessica DuVal, Jr., S; Amber Ripley, So., OH
 
 
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  Stacy Boudreau; 17th season (14th at UWW); 457-140 (overall) / 387-103 (UWW)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  18/3
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Elizabeth Niestrom, Sr., S (2017-Honorable); Brittany Robinson, Sr., DS (2015-Defensive, 2016-Honorable, 2016-Defensive, 2017-First, 2017-Defensive/Defensive Player of the Year)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Kelley Berk, Sr., MH; Rachel Butterfield, Jr., OH; Amanda Spera, Sr., MH; Elizabeth Tworek, Jr., DS
 
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