Indiana University Athletics
HOOSIER VOLLEYBALL REMAINS UNDEFEATED
9/15/1997 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
10-0 Mark Best in Program's History
THIS WEEK -- Indiana?s volleyball team wraps up the nonconference portion of its schedule this weekend, hosting the Indiana Classic Friday and Saturday, Sept. 19-20. Tournament participants include Indiana, Arkansas State, Auburn and Illinois-Chicago. All six tourney matches will be held at University Gym, 10th Street and Highway 46 Bypass. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children. IU students are admitted free of charge with a valid student ID. For match dates and times, see the online schedule.
BEST START -- With Indiana?s three wins this past weekend, the Hoosiers improved there record to 10-0 and in the process, set a new school record for best season starts and most consecutive victories. The previous record was in 1977 when IU jumped out to an undefeated 9-0 start.
HOOSIERS WIN TOURNEY -- Indiana captured its third-straight tournament title this past weekend, winning the Marshall/Radisson Classic in Huntington, W. Va. The Hoosiers won the tournament title with three victories over the course of two days, defeating Cincinnati 15-6, 15-12, 13-15, 15-3, Virginia 18-16, 15-7, 15-8 and Marshall 15-2, 15-9, 15-6. Sophomore setter Kristina Sanderson earned MVP honors while teammate Jen Magelssen was named to the all-tournament team.
HOOSIERS COACH -- Katie Weismiller is in her fifth season as Indiana?s head coach with a 67-70 (.487) school record and a seven-year career mark of 117-94 (.550). Prior to coming to Indiana, Weismiller spent two years as the assistant coach at Florida where she helped lead the Gators to the school?s first Final Four appearances in 1992. She began her coaching career at St. Louis University, where she was head coach from 1989-91. There, she guided the Billikens to a 50-24 record, and in 1989, the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Championship.
ON ARKANSAS STATE -- Arkansas State enters this weekend?s tournament with a 6-4 record. The Lady Indians return three starters and four letterwinners from last year?s team which went 24-9 overall and 9-0 in the Sun Belt Conference. Middle blockers Beth Cochran and Lindsay White lead the way for ASU, averaging 4.10 and 3.05 kills per game, respectively. Head Coach Craig Cummings begins his second season with the program.
ON AUBURN -- The Tigers are off to a 6-3 start this season and are led by a pair of redshirt freshmen. Middle blocker Brooke McCarley averages 5.0 kills per game while teammate Jaunelle Hamilton is averaging 4.61 kills per game. Head coach Liz Bitzer is in her fifth season at Auburn.
ON ILLINOIS-CHICAGO -- The Flames are currently 1-8 this season with their lone win coming against Florida International. Senior outside hitter Allison Phillips lead UIC?s attack, averaging 3.6 kills and 2.0 digs per game. Illinois-Chicago is coached by Don August who is in his 17th season.
BACK IN FORM -- After struggling with injuries throughout last season, it looks as if senior Julie Flatley is back healthy and ready to deliver the same performance that earned her All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore. Through 10 matches, Flatley?s play has been nothing less but impressive. As team captain, she currently is second in kills for the Hoosiers, averaging 4.20 per game. The right side hitter has also stepped up her all-around play, averaging 2.52 digs and .77 blocks per game. Flatley is also quickly closing on the 1,000 career-kills mark, needing just 19 more kills to become just the fifth player in the program?s history to tally 1,000 kills.
EQUAL DISTRIBUTION -- Spreading the wealth seems to be the key for the Hoosiers this season. So far, Indiana has had four different match kill leaders and currently boasts three players with 100-plus kills. Julie Flatley leads the Hoosier arsenal with 124 kills (4.00 kpg), while teammate Jen Magelssen follows close behind with 122 (3.49 kpg) and sophomore Ryann Connors with 105 (4.20 kpg). Most impressive is the fact that the trio are all attacking above .200.
ACCURACY COUNTS -- Junior middle blocker Melissa Rooney once again leads the Hoosiers in hitting efficiency. Currently, she boasts a .380 attack percentage while averaging 2.35 kills per game. Rooney has already made her way into the IU record books, ranking second all-time with a .274 career attack percentage.
THE SETTER STANDS ALONE -- Taking on the responsibility as the team?s lone setter this season, sophomore Kristina Sanderson has responded well, averaging a league-high 13.66 assists per game. Sanderson currently ranks fourth all-time for career assists (1,295).
IU?S TERMINATOR -- Outside hitter Ryann Connors has used little time in becoming the Hoosiers? terminator. With limited playing time due to a stress fracture in her tibia, Connors has still managed to lead the Hoosiers in kills in three matches. Connors currently averages a team-best 4.20 kills per game with a .329 attack percentage.
GAL FRIDAY -- For the third-straight year, Jen Magelssen has proven that she is Indiana?s all-around player. The junior outside hitter currently averages 3.49 kills, 3.6 digs and an incredible .69 service aces per game. Magelssen, the only IU player to ever record 300-plus kills and digs in back-to-back seasons, currently ranks seventh all-time for digs (807), 10th for kills (834) and third in service aces (137).
NUCLEUS RETURNS -- The Hoosiers will have a blend of youth and experience this fall with a combined eight freshmen and sophomores and just four upperclassmen. However, all six starters return along with nine letterwinners. Indiana?s arsenal includes both the sophomore and junior classes which accounted for 71 percent of the Hoosiers? kills last year. Leading the way is outside hitters Julie Flatley and Jen Magelssen. Last season Flatley averaged 3.21 kills per game while attacking at a .215 rate on the rightside. Teammate Jen Magelssen led the team in kills and digs a year ago, averaging 3.39 kills and 2.95 digs per game, respectively. She also finished the year first in the league with 51 service aces. Also returning for the Hoosiers is setter Kristina Sanderson, outside hitter Ryann Connors and middle blockers Melissa Rooney and Cydryce Carter.
NEW FACES -- Indiana?s freshmen class will add height to the Hoosier lineup as all three newcomers stand 6-0 or taller. Jill Mudge, Lombard, Ill., competed for the past five years for Sports Performance Club Team which won the National 18s championship title this past summer. As a senior at Glenbard East she averaged 4.0 kills and 2.8 digs per game. Outside hitter Amanda Welter, Cincinnati, Ohio, collected 226 kills and 115 blocks playing for McAuley High School. The 6-2 freshman holds her school record for most kills and blocks in a game, season and career. Most recently, she was named to the all-tournament team at the 1997 National 18s Championship. She was also a Volleyball Monthly?s ?Fab 50? selection. Newcomer Laura Dewitz, Maumee,Ohio, will add height and depth at middle blocker. At 6-0, Dewitz tallied 264 kills, 156 digs, 21 service aces and 108 blocks as a senior at Springfield High School. A first-team all-Ohio selection, Dewitz was named 1996 Gatorade Circle of Champions Ohio High School Volleyball Player of the Year.
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