Indiana University Athletics
NCAA Press Release
12/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
December 4, 2002
Indiana to Open NCAA Tournament Play vs. Texas: For the first time since 1999, Indiana has been invited to participate in the NCAA Tournament. The 11th-seeded Hoosiers (20-12 overall, 10-10 Big Ten) will face sixth-seeded Texas (22-8, 13-7 Big Twelve) in a sub-bracket of the Pacific Regional , which will be played at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday, December 5. Also on Thursday at the same venue, Arizona will host the University of Texas-Arlington. The winners of the two first-round matches will meet at 7:00 p.m. Friday, also at the McKale Center.Indiana enters tournament play having won two of its last three matches and five of its last nine. On December 2, junior middle blocker Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) was named to the 12-person All-Big Ten squad, while sophomores Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West) and Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) were two of eight players who earned honorable mention. With 1,711 assists in 2002, sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./ Barrington) set Indiana's single-season mark in that category. With 539 kills, Archibald tied for the top spot on Indiana's single-season list (Anne Eastman, 539 kills in 1994). Brewer, a two-time Verizon Academic All-Region selection, leads the Hoosiers with a .312 hitting percentage.
The Longhorns are led by sophomores Kathy Hahn and Mira Topic, the latter of whom leads the squad with 475 kills. Texas is coached by Jerritt Elliott, who is in his second year in Austin. Prior to his appointment as head coach in 2001, he was interim head coach at the University of Southern California, where he compiled a record of 50-12. In 2000, he led the program to its first Final Four appearance in 15 years.
Indiana's NCAA First- and Second-Round Itinerary: Indiana will depart Bloomington at 2:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 3, and will travel from Indianapolis to Tucson on America West Airlines. The trip will include a short layover in Phoenix. The Indiana volleyball team will be staying at the Doubletree Hotel Tucson at Reid Park. The phone number at the Doubletree is (520) 323-5244. Indiana is expected to arrive back in Bloomington at 6:00 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Indiana in the NCAA Tournament: Indiana has made three previous appearances in the NCAA Tournament, all under the direction of current head coach Katie Weismiller. Indiana's NCAA Tournament results are as follows:
Indiana vs. the Longhorns: The Hoosiers and Longhorns last met on September 7, 1990, with Texas defeating Indiana, 3-0. Texas leads the all-time series, 2-0.
Texas vs. Indiana (Longhorns lead 2-0)
Date W/L H/A Score
11/1/85 L N 11-15, 8-15, 5-15
9/7/90 L A 4-15, 12-15, 4-15
Indiana vs. Teams currently in Big Twelve Conference: Versus teams who are currently members of the Big Twelve Conference, Indiana has compiled an all-time record of 11-11.
Scouting the Texas Longhorns: A perennial power in college volleyball, the University of Texas enters Thursday's match vs. Indiana with a 22-8 overall record, including a 13-7 mark in the Big Twelve Conference.
While Indiana's roster includes only one senior in libero Hillary Toivonen (Muncie, Ind./Burris), the Longhorns' squad, which includes four juniors, five sophomores, and three freshmen, is even younger. Texas' freshman setter, Caron Blotch, prepped at Franklin High School in Franklin, Indiana.
During the regular season, Texas earned victories over NCAA Tournament participants Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Kansas State (twice).
The Longhorns are led by sophomores Kathy Hahn and Mira Topic, the latter of whom leads the squad with 475 kills. Blotch leads Texas with 12.51 assists per contest.
A Brief Synopsis of Arizona and Texas-Arlington: Rounding out the Tucson sub-regional will be Pac-10 power Arizona and Southland Conference champion Texas-Arlington, who received its league's automatic bid. The Wildcats (17-11 overall, 11-7 Pac-10), who earned the 10th overall seed out of the 64 tournament teams, have made seven consecutive NCAA tournament berths under head coach David Rubio. Coming off a Final Four appearance last season, Arizona is 7-0 all-time in tournament play at the McKale Center.
Texas-Arlington, under the direction of head coach Janine Smith, recorded a 26-6 overall record in 2002, including an 18-2 mark in the Southland Conference. UTA heads to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year after winning the Southland Conference Tournament and earning the automatic berth. Senior Amber Pack was recognized as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. The Mavericks will look to avenge a loss to Arizona they suffered earlier this year. The Wildcats defeated UTA, 3-1 (30-21, 27-30, 30-18, 30-28) on August 30 at the University of Louisville Tournament.
Interesting Potential Storylines: As written earlier, Texas freshman setter Caron Blotch, played high school volleyball at Franklin High School in Franklin, Indiana.
She isn't the only setter from Indiana that is participating in this week's sub-regional. Arizona setter Laurie Gardner played at Indiana from 1999-01 prior to transferring to play for the Wildcats prior to the 2002 season. She averages 12.27 assists per game.
Indiana sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) had had a tremendous season, averaging 13.69 assists per game, which ranks her among the top 10 in that category among all Division I setters. Her total of 1,711 assists this season would have led all Division I setters in 2001.
If both Indiana and Texas-Arlington record first-round upsets, a potential second-round match between the two teams would feature Indiana head coach Katie Weismiller against her alma mater. Weismiller was a starting setter for UTA from 1983-86 and was the Southland Conference Most Valuable Player in 1985 and 1986. She was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2001.
In addition to Weismiller's connections to the state of Texas, Indiana assistant coach Cydryce Carter is a native of Houston.
Weismiller Breaks Mark: With a 3-0 victory over Purdue on November 29, head coach Katie Weismiller became the winningest coach in IU volleyball history in terms of victories. With a 159-153 overall record, Weismiller broke a record which was held by Ann Lawver (158 wins from 1975-82).
A 20-Win Season: With a win over Purdue on November 29, Indiana recorded its 20th victory in a single season for the first time since 1999. That season, Indiana finished with a 21-10 overall record (11-9 Big Ten) and defeated Clemson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to 17th-ranked Northern Iowa. One of the wins in 1999 was by forfeit. Indiana has also recorded 20-win seasons in 1995 (20-14), 1987 (20-13), 1980 (22-24), 1979 (26-20-3), 1977 (28-14-2), and 1976 (28-15).
Brewer Earns Verizon Academic All-Region Honors: Junior middle blocker Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) was one of six players to be named to the first-team Verizon District V Academic All-Region squad. It is the second consecutive year she has been recognized with this honor. She currently maintains a 3.91 cumulative grade point average in biology. She also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.
The 6-foot-1 Brewer has played tremendous volleyball throughout the season for the Hoosiers. She has played in 125 games and leads the Hoosiers in hitting percentage (.312). In addition, she is second on the squad in kills (470), block assists (127) and total blocks (137). Her block assists total of 127 ranks third on Indiana's single-season list.
She is currently in eighth place on Indiana's career kills list with 1,127 and third on the school's block assists list with 336.
For a good portion of the Big Ten campaign, Brewer was one of the most consistent players in the nation. In a 13-match stretch from October 5 to November 16, she recorded a .500-or-better hitting percentage twice, tallied over a .400 percentage on seven occasions, and exceeded the .300 barrier 10 times.
The Lone Senior: Indiana's only senior, libero Hillary Toivonen's (Muncie, Ind./Burris) career is nearing completion. A tremendous leader and competitor, Toivonen has selflessly moved from an attacking position to libero and back again during her career and could see action at both positions in the NCAA Tournament. She is currently second on Indiana's career digs list. Toivonen has played in 120 career matches. Also an excellent student, she has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors on multiple occasions.
Archibald's Assaults: Arguably Indiana's most gifted athlete, sophomore outside hitter Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West) has moved into a first-place tie on Indiana's single-season kills list with 539 (Anne Eastman, 539 in 1994). Archibald averages 4.31 kills per game. She is also second on the team in digs (310).
On September 23, Archibald was organized as the Big Ten's Player-of-the-Week, becoming only the 11th Indiana volleyball player (on 15 previous occasions) to earn the honor.
Spreading the Wealth: Five Indiana volleyball players earned all-tournament team honors in 2002.
Northern Illinois Invitational (8/30-31)
Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West)
Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral)
Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) - MVP
TIS/Taylor Imprinted Sportswear IU Classic
Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West)
Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral)
Terrapin Invitational - College Park, Md.
Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West)
Hillary Toivonen (Muncie, Ind./Burris)
IU Credit Union Classic
Nikki Hill (Muncie, Ind./Burris)
Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West)
Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North)
The Two Freshmen: Indiana's roster features two freshmen -- 6-foot-1 middle blocker Mandy Eberle (Sussex, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) and 6-foot-1 outside hitter Ashley White (St. Charles, Ill./East). Eberle helped lead her high school team to a No. 2 state ranking as a senior, while White led her team to a No. 7 national ranking and a state title.
Hill Receives National Recognition: Nikki Hill, a 5-foot-11 junior outside hitter from Muncie, Ind. (Central) received national recognition this past spring when she was named as a recipient of the Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholar Award, which is sponsored by Black Issues in Higher Education. The award is presented to student-athletes of color who have maintained a grade point average of 3.2 or higher and have demonstrated a record of service to the campus or community. Hill has played very well throughout the season and through 24 matches is averaging 2.82 kills, 2.29 digs, and 0.36 blocks per game. She was named to the all-tournament team at the IU Credit Union Classic.
Pollom's Points: Junior/sophomore Katie Pollom, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral High School) is serving as Indiana's team captain in 2002. What makes this rare is that Pollom, another potential Academic All-America candidate as her career continues, saw the first action of her career last fall, appearing in 71 games over the course of 23 matches, and is only a sophomore in eligibility, despite having junior academic status.
In 2001, Pollom finished second on the team with 68 total blocks and finished fifth on the team with 129 kills. In 2002, she was named to the all-tournament team at the NIU Best Western Invitational. In a 3-0 victory over IUPUI, Pollom recorded a hitting percentage of .875. Pollom was again recognized the next week as she was named to the all-tournament team at Indiana's TIS/Taylor Imprinted Sportswear Invitational. Through 24 matches, she is second on the team with a .298 hitting percentage and is third with a 3.41 kills per game average. She tied her career-high 19 kills in a 3-1 victory over Iowa on 10/25/02, and tied her career-high in block assists with seven against Northwestern on 11/2/02.
In Indiana's 3-2 victory over Michigan on November 9, Pollom set a career-high with 23 kills.
The Libero Position - Tailor Made for Toivonen: Collegiate volleyball has undergone a major rules change in 2002 with the institution of the libero. The libero is a designated back-row player, intended to be used as a ball-control specialist. The libero is allowed to replace any player in the back row without counting as a substitution. There is no limit to the number of libero replacements a team is allowed. The pronunciation is "LEE-bah-ro." The color of the libero's uniform must contrast from the color of her teammates' uniforms. The libero's shorts must be the same as her teammates'. The style and trip of the designated libero's uniform may differ from her teammates'. The referees will ultimately decide if the contrast is sufficient. Head coach Katie Weismiller strongly believes that the position will benefit senior Hillary Toivonen more than anyone else on the Hoosier roster.
"Playing the libero position will only highlight her best assets, which are passing and defense. She'll also provide great leadership."
As a junior in 2001, Toivonen played in all 28 matches and in 103 of 106 possible games in 2001. An excellent defender, she recorded a team-high 235 digs, joining Melissa Brewer (212) and Christina Archibald (203) as the only other Hoosiers to record 200-or-more. She was third on the team with 194 kills and also recorded five double-doubles.
This fall, Toivonen was named to the all-tournament team at the Terrapin Invitational (Sept. 13-14). She recorded the 1,000th dig of her career in a 3-2 victory over Butler (9/21/02). Through 26 matches, she leads the Hoosiers with 3.17 digs per game.
Zimmerman Handling Setting Duties: Sophomore Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) is the lone setter on Indiana's roster in 2002 and has handled those duties throughout the season.
"Victoria comes in with an attitude that I love," said head coach Katie Weismiller. "She wants it so badly and she wants to work hard. We've had players in the past who are gamers, and she is truly one of those. Her setting locations are some of the best that we've ever had in the program."
In 2001, Zimmerman appeared in 23 games over the course of 12 matches. In this year's season opening tournament at Northern Illinois, Zimmerman recorded 135 assists (13.5 apg), four service aces, and recorded a .250 hitting percentage. She also played very well at the Indiana TIS/Taylor Imprinted Sportswear Classic (Sept. 6-7) as she recorded 138 assists in a total of 11 games (12.5 assists per game). In the 3-2 victory over Purdue on Oct. 19, Zimmerman recorded a career high 73 assists. She recorded 71 assists in a 3-2 win over Michigan on November 9.
Heimann Fills a Need: Indiana received an unexpected boost in late August when Beth Heimann (Decatur, Ind./Bellmont) returned to the program after a one-year hiatus. A defensive specialist, Heimann played for the Hoosiers as a true freshman but did not participate last year. The return of Heimann was a pleasant surprise for head coach Katie Weismiller, who believes the addition of an experienced defensive specialist should immediately improve her team.
"We are very excited to get her back on the court and back in our program," said Weismiller. "She is a great passer and a great defensive player. Now, she's been off a year. There are plenty of reps and conditioning that has to be done."
Heimann, whose sister Erin lettered in volleyball for the Hoosiers from 1996-99, appeared in 25 matches in 2001 and is excited to be back on the floor after a year's absence.
"I just missed playing volleyball," said Heimann, who is currently the roommate of sophomore Katie Pollom and junior Melissa Brewer, and lives next door to junior Monique Pritz and sophomore Christina Archibald. "I live with three of the girls so I am kind of in the middle of it. The opportunity came up so I decided to give it a chance again."
At the Terrapin Invitational (Sept. 13-14), Heimann recorded 26 digs and one service ace in three matches. She played very well at the IU Credit Union Classic as she recorded 34 digs and one service ace in three matches. She is averaging 1.82 digs per game in Big Ten play.
Two-Sport Athlete: Sophomore Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West) participated on the IU Track and Field team during the spring of 2002 and finished second in the Indoor Big Ten Championships and a fourth-place tie at the Outdoor Big Ten Championships with a leap of 5'7 3/4", tying her for the best finish in the event by a freshman. She boasts a career high jump of 5'10".
