RELEASED:  Monday, August 24, 2009

UW-Oshkosh Receives Women’s Volleyball Preseason Nod

MADISON, Wis.--For the second straight season, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is the favorite to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s volleyball championship in a preseason poll conducted by the league’s sports information directors.

The Titans secured eight first-place votes in the conference poll after claiming a share of last year’s title - the ninth in program history.  UW-Oshkosh is ranked No. 4 nationally in the NCAA Division III American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Preseason Poll.

The Titans, who return all seven starters from 2008, are seeking their fifth straight 32-plus win season and have won 140 of their last 160 matches.  The returnees are led by junior libero Christina Cahoon and senior middle blocker Jacque Ray.  Cahoon set a WIAC single-season mark a year ago with 860 digs.  Head coach Brian Schaefer enters the 2009 campaign as the sixth-winningest active coach in the NCAA (Division I, II and III).  He owns a five-year record of 150-26 for a winning percentage of .852.  His winning percentage ranks third among all active NCAA Division III coaches.

UW-Eau Claire shared last year’s championship with UW-Oshkosh and picked up the remaining first-place nod in this year’s league survey.  The Blugolds are expected to place third in the nine-team conference race.  UW-Eau Claire begins its 40th volleyball season ranked No. 20 nationally and has won 20-plus matches 10 consecutive years.  Head coach Kim Wudi has directed the squad to NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in each of her first two seasons.

UW-Whitewater, ranked No. 15 nationally, is expected to place second in the league standings.  The Warhawks own a WIAC-best 13 championships and have competed in the NCAA Division III Tournament 16 straight years.  UW-Whitewater has not had a losing season since 1979 and has finished in the top 15 of the NCAA Division III AVCA final poll every year since 1992.  Head coach Stacy Boudreau has directed the squad to 30-plus wins in each of her four seasons.

UW-La Crosse will play two of its first 22 matches of the 2009 campaign on the road, including 11 straight to start the year, but have its final eight contests at home.  The 28 victories compiled by the 2008 squad were the most since a 31-win season in 2004.  Senior outside hitter Brianne Stankus enters the season ranked fourth in school history with 1,185 kills, fifth with 3,242 attempts, eighth with a .274 hitting percentage and ninth with 1,189 digs.  Stankus is the second individual in program history to earn two career All-America honors.  Junior libero Melannie Tate was the only player to appear in all 148 games last season and accumulated 631 digs - the second-highest total in Eagle chronicles.

UW-Platteville has won 20 or more matches 15 times in the past 21 years.  Senior Lisa Bell is sixth on the Pioneer career list with 1,114 kills.  Head coach Deb Schulman became the 25th coach in NCAA Division III history to win 500 matches in 2008.

UW-River Falls returns all seven starters, including senior outside hitter Kelsey Scheele who led the squad in kills, service aces and digs.  She reached the 1,000-career kill milestone last season, becoming the 11th individual in program history to accomplish the feat, and enters the 2009 campaign with 1,064 career kills.  The Falcons have achieved 20-plus wins in 13 of 17 seasons under head coach Patti Ford.

UW-Superior’s 2009 roster features five seniors, including outside hitter Chelsie Christofferson. Senior libero Samantha Blake is currently fourth on the Yellowjacket list with 1,174 career digs. Head coach Lynne Deadrick needs 10 victories to reach 100 in her career and 15 to become the program’s all-time winningest coach.

UW-Stevens Point’s Pam Nora, the lone senior on this year’s squad, is 249 kills and 39 service aces away from breaking into the top five in the school record book.  The Pointers will play 16 of their first 19 matches away from Berg Gymnasium this season.

UW-Stout’s roster features four seniors, but only two with varsity experience and two are first-year seniors.  Senior middle hitter Kendra Pagel returns to the squad after a year away.  In her 17th season in charge of the Blue Devils, head coach Jill Jolliff is the longest tenured coach in program history.

2009 Preseason Predictions--Voted on by WIAC Sports Information Directors
                                       2008 Record
1. UW-Oshkosh (8)           7-1, 40-3
2. UW-Whitewater            6-2, 30-10
3. UW-Eau Claire (1)         7-1, 24-12
4. UW-La Crosse              6-2, 28-12
5. UW-Platteville               4-4, 16-18
6. UW-River Falls              2-6, 15-22
7. UW-Superior                 2-6, 13-19
8. UW-Stevens Point         1-7, 12-23
9. UW-Stout                     1-7, 5-25
(  )-First-place votes

Team Tidbits

UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Kim Wudi; 3rd season at UWEC; 46-23
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/4
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Lindsey Smith, Sr., Libero (2008-Defensive)

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Sheila Perkins; 22nd season (16th at UWL); 469-264 (overall) / 367-153 (UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  3/5
Starters Returning/Lost:  3/4
Returning All-WIAC:   Brianne Stankus, Sr., OH (2006-Honorable, 2007-First, 2008-First); Melannie Tate, Jr., Libero (2008-Defensive)

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Brian Schaefer; 6th season at UWO; 150-26
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  7/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Christina Cahoon, Jr., Libero (2008-First, 2008-Defensive); Jacque Ray, Sr., MB (2008-First); Katie Beining, Sr., OH (2005-Honorable, 2006-Honorable); Andrea Smith, Jr., OH (2008-Honorable)

UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Deb Schulman; 22nd season at UWP; 501-277
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  6/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Lisa Bell, Sr., MH (2007-Honorable, 2008-Honorable); Melissa Hillebrand, Jr., OH (2008-Honorable)

UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Patti Ford; 18th season at UWRF; 417-219
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  9/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  7/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Kelsey Scheele, Sr., OH (2007-First, 2008-First); Gina DeRosa, Sr., MH (2008-Honorable)

UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Stacey White; 9th season at UWSP; 123-148
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  10/8
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Pam Nora, Sr., OH/MH (2008-Honorable); Jennifer Rueter, So., OH (2008-Honorable)

UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Jill Jolliff; 17th season at UWS; 308-224
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  5/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  3/4
Returning All-WIAC:  None

UW-Superior
Head Coach:  Lynne Deadrick; 7th season at UWS; 90-111
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/3
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Chelsie Christofferson, Sr., OH (2007-Honorable)

UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  Stacy Boudreau; 8th season (5th at UWW); 211-63 (overall) / 141-26 (UWW)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/6
Starters Returning/Lost:  6/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Caitlin Hogan, Jr., OH (2008-First); Keri Klotzbuecher, So., OH (2008-First); Christina DeGroot, So., Setter (2008-Honorable); Alyssa Bauer, So., Libero (2008-Defensive)