Indiana University Athletics
INDIANA HOSTS US PRO VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE
9/13/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
THIS WEEK -- Indiana hosts both the United State Professional Volleyball League and the HoosierTimes.com Invitational this week. The Hoosiers take on the USPV in an exhibition match Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m., before facing Boston College, Cleveland State and Marshall in the HoosierTimes.com Invitational Friday and Saturday, Sept. 17-18 . This week's play will serve as a final tuneup for the Hoosiers before they head into Big Ten play Wednesday, Oct. 22 at Illinois.
HoosierTimes.com Invitational, Bloomington, Ind.
Sept. 17 Cleveland State vs. Boston College 5 p.m.
Indiana vs. Marshall 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 Marshall vs. Boston College 10 a.m.
Indiana vs. Cleveland State noon
Marshall vs. Cleveland State 5 p.m.
Indiana vs. Boston College 7:30 p.m.
University Gym, Bloomington, Ind.
ABOUT THE HOOSIERS -- The Hoosiers improved their season record to
6-0 this past weekend, defeating Connecticut 3-1 and Duke 3-0 at the Duke
Invitational in Durham, N.C. Junior Amanda Welter continued a week of outstanding
play, leading the Hoosiers with a career-high 27 kills against the Huskies
and then with 15 kills against the Blue Devils, earning tournament MVP honors.
She was joined on the all-tourney team by teammates Ryann Connors and Kristina
Sanderson. Connors delivered 38 kills in the two matches while Sanderson
averaged 17.14 assists per game for the tourney.
WHAT IS THE USPV? -- The United States Professional Volleyball League (USPV) is a newly formed women's pro indoor volleyball league that is set to begin play in January 2001. The league founders have formed a 20-member USPV "Dream Team" that is currently in the middle of a 15-month exhibition tour. Former Olympic coach Arie Selinger coaches the Dream Team, which includes former IU stand out player Anne Eastman .
FAMILIAR FACE -- Hoosier fans attending tonight's match will get a chance to watch former Hoosier and current USPV League member Anne Eastman showcase her talents at University Gym. Eastman, a 6-0 middle blocker from Chicago, Ill., played for Indiana from 1991-94, earning All-Big Ten honors both in 1993 and 1994 and Second-team All-Mideast Region accolades in 1994. While at IU, Eastman set the school record for kills in a single season, a mark that still stands at 539. Eastman currently ranks fifth all-time at IU for career kills (1,158), fourth for career block assists (287), third for total blocks (389) and is sixth in hitting percentage (.250).
SHE'S BACK! -- Having watched from the sidelines since her Aug. 20 orthoscopic knee surgery, preseason All-Big Ten selection Ryann Connors returned to the Hoosier lineup Sept. 7 against Indiana State. Since then, the 5-11 outside hitter has posted some pretty impressive stats, averaging 7.33 kills per game. At the Duke Invitational this past weekend, she was named to the all-tournament team after registering 38 kills and a .300 attack percentage. Welcome back terminator!
COACH KATIE WEISMILLER -- Katie Weismiller begins her seventh season as Indiana's head coach with an 98-99 (.497) school record and an eight-year career mark of 148-123 (.544). Since coming to IU, Weismiller has led the Hoosiers to two postseason NCAA Tournament appearances, the program's first-ever NCAA tournament win and the school's first Top 25 ranking. 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 appearance 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 BOSTON COLLEGE -- Prior to their Wednesday night match against Hartford, the Eagles record stood at 4-4. Middle blocker Kristin Sprinkel leads her Boston College squad, averaging 3.09 kills per game. Head Coach Jackie Hadel is in her second season with the program and carries a 16-23 school record. The Series: This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
CLEVELAND STATE INFO -- The Vikings head to Bloomington with a 2-7 season mark. Outside hitter Molly Hoying is averaging 3.50 kills per game to lead her team while teammate Michele Smith follows with 3.34 kills per game. Debbie Borsz is in her sixth season at CSU and holds a 63-106 school and career record. The Series: Indiana leads the all-time series 5-1-1. The two schools last met in 1981.
ABOUT MARSHALL -- The Thundering Heard are off to a 4-4 start in 1999. Teammates Wendy Williams and Heidi Kuethe lead the Marshall attack, averaging 3.95 and 3.42 kills per game, respectively. Head Marshall Coach, and former Hoosiers Assistant Coach, Steffi Legall is in her third season with the program a holds a 36-36 school and career record. The Series: Indiana leads the series 3-1.
THE BIG HURT -- Last week's Co-Big Ten Player of the Week, Amanda Welter, earned her second-straight tournament MVP honor after averaging 6.0 kills per game at the Duke Invitational. She also hit .471 for the weekend and totaled a career-high 27 kills against UConn. For the season, she is averaging 4.80 kills per game with a .433 attack percentage.
ASSISTING YOU -- Senior setter Kristina Sanderson's 13.75 assists per game average this season is tops in the Big Ten. As a team, the Hoosiers rank second, averaging 16.00 assists per game.
NICE TO HAVE YA BACK -- Sophomore Jill Mudge's return to the Hoosier lineup this season has been a good one as the sophomore outside hitter is averaging 3.47 kills per game. This past weekend, she collected 20 kills with just four errors. Mudge redshirted last season after knee surgery.
THE ROOKIES -- Freshmen outside hitters Kristen Daly and Hillary
Toivonen have been impressive in their first six matches as Hoosiers. Daly
has 30 kills and 26 digs while Toivonen has 24 kills and 30 digs.
Players Mentioned
