Volleyball Begins '07 Campaign On Friday

8/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Aug. 20, 2007

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University volleyball team begins not only their season this weekend, but also the IU Athletics season with the first regular season contest for any Hoosier squad in the 2007-08 school year. The Crimson and Cream will depart for DeKalb, Illinois on Thursday in preparation for a weekend tournament at Northern Illinois which will see them play three matches.

The Hoosiers will take on Western Kentucky, NIU and Western Illinois over the first weekend. IU is 12-7 combined all-time against those three opponents. The opposition is coming off solid `06 seasons:
Friday, 5 p.m.- Western Kentucky (26-10, 14-3 Sun Belt in 2006)
Saturday, 1 p.m.- Northern Illinois (20-9, 13-3 MAC in 2006)
Saturday, 5 p.m.- Western Illinois- (14-15, 9-3 Mid-Con/Summit in 2006)

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GOOD START
Fourteen up, 14 down. The Hoosiers have won 14 consecutive season-openers, including a 3-0 sweep over Akron last season. The run dates back to 1992 when IU fell to Kentucky in the first match of the season. In 32 seasons, Indiana has compiled a 25-7 record in season-openers.

LET THE DUNBAR ERA BEGIN
Sherry Dunbar was named the fifth head coach in Indiana University's history on Dec. 17, 2006 after holding the same position at the College of Charleston for the previous four seasons. The Ball State University graduate compiled an overall record of 113-22 (.837) with the Cougars en route to a SoCon regular season championship in each of her four seasons and three trips to the NCAA tournament.

Joining Dunbar on the all-new IU coaching staff are assistant coaches Sarah Gustin and David Jack. Gustin was a four-year letterwinner at Michigan State and spent three of the past four seasons as an assistant under Dunbar at College of Charleston. Jack is a former Jamaican National Team captain, provides head coaching experience and is married to IU Women's Basketball Head Coach, Felisha Leggette-Jack. A former player of Dunbar's at College of Charleston, Amanda Timmers, will serve as the Director of Volleyball Operations.

LEADER OF THE PACK
Senior Lauren Ditteon will be looked upon to lead the young Hoosier squad this season with her team-high 94 career matches worth of experience. Ditteon's vast playing experience is evidenced by her ranking either first or second in every career statistical category among active players. The Terre Haute, Indiana native has racked up 755 kills, 92 assists, 56 service aces, 486 digs and 192 total blocks over the past three years.

CRACKING THE TOP TEN
Several Hoosiers are likely to crack the top ten in various all-time career statistical categories this season. Senior Annie Moddrell's 226 career block assists are already just six shy of the top ten and the 12th highest total in IU history. She also needs only 16 total blocks and 15 block solos to establish her name in the Hoosier top ten record books. Most impressive, however, is her .265 career hitting efficiency which is currently the fourth-best percentage all-time.

Seniors Lauren Ditteon (14 service aces shy) and Juli Pierce (188 digs shy) are also closing in on the career ranking lists. Junior Erica Short's impressive 856 kills during her first two seasons donning the Crimson and Cream puts her on pace to easily break into the top ten this season and eventually rank as high as #2 all-time in career kills before the end of her senior season.

THE BIG TEN NETWORK
In June 2006, the Big Ten announced the creation of the Big Ten Network, a national network devoted to the Big Ten athletic and academic programs. Available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide, with most programs offered in high-definition television (HDTV), the network allows fans to see Big Ten action across the country.

Hoosier volleyball is slated to have two contests broadcasted nationally on the Big Ten Network with the possibility of having additional matches added to the schedule in the future. Fans interested in the AT&T Crimson and Gold Cup standings will be able to catch all the Indiana vs. Purdue volleyball action this season as both contests between the state rivals will be shown LIVE on the Big Ten Network. First up, is a home match versus the Boilermakers on Oct. 17 with a road contest in West Lafayette later in the year on Nov. 14. Both matches are scheduled for 8 p.m. start times.

STIFF COMPETITION
A pair of highly-respected national preseason polls were released the week of Aug. 14 and they are both filled with teams slated on Indiana's 2007 schedule. Five different IU opponents are ranked in the Top 25 of both the CSTV/AVCA Coaches Poll and RichKern.com Poll. Those teams include Penn State (#3/3), Minnesota (#9/9), Wisconsin (#11/10), Purdue (#13/14) and Ohio State (#16/16).

FRESH FACES
Hoosier fans may want to take a look at the spotting chart located on the last page of the game notes as there are six new faces for Indiana this year. Coach Sherry Dunbar's first IU recruiting class includes five freshmen and a transfer from UCLA.

Mara Hilgenberg is expected to handle much of the setting duties this year and arrived on campus early in order to establish chemistry with her teammates. Her father, Jay, played football at the University of Iowa before a 13-year career in the NFL that included seven Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl ring with the '85 Chicago Bears. Ashley Benson also comes from an athletic family as her father, Kent, is an IU Hall of Fame basketball player (1974-77). Sophomore transfer, Kelsey Hall, played 40 games for the Bruins of UCLA in 2005. Martyna Popik from Poland is the first international volleyball player at IU. Taylor Wittmer and Morgan Miller complete the '07 class.

SEVEN'S HEAVEN
The Indiana volleyball team earned the prestigious Game Plan/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2006-07 season. It was the seventh time that IU has been awarded the honor and the third season in a row. The Hoosiers displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining a team GPA above the 3.30 requirement to receive the award.