Indiana University Athletics
Let's Get This Party Started ... Volleyball Season Opener Friday
8/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 25, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University volleyball team embarks into the 2010 season on Friday, Aug. 27 with their season opener at Georgia Tech (7 p.m.). It will be the first of three matches down in Atlanta as the Hoosiers are also facing UAB and Alabama in the weekend tournament.
IUHoosiers.com is providing live audio broadcasts (also free) for all Hoosier Volleyball matches this season. CLICK HERE to listen to Dave Leno call the action as he returns for his second season as the voice of IU Volleyball.
Indiana has never faced neither Georgia Tech nor UAB on the volleyball court in the program's history. The Hoosiers lone meeting with Alabama A&M came last season when IU topped the Bulldogs, 3-0, in Bloomington.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Indiana jump starts the 2010 campaign with a challengeing non-conference event featuring a trifecta of opponents with recent NCAA Tourney experience. Georgia Tech and Alabama A&M qualified for the posteason tournament last year while the Blazers of UAB with tourney-bound in 2008.
GA Tech returns much of their talent and were voted to finish third in the ACC preseason coaches poll. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are the defending SWAC champions.
To make it even more challenging, Georgia Tech is expecting a sell-out crowd Friday night inside the 2,000-seat O'Keefe Gymnasium for the match against Indiana. The Yellow Jackets are also getting respect nationally, receiving 13 votes in the AVCA preseason poll, slotting them 43rd nationally.
BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE
Head Coach Sherry Dunbar has led her Hoosiers to at least one non-conferenc tournament title in each of her first three seasons in Bloomington:
2007: Valparaiso Popcorn Classic
2008: IU adidas Classic
2009: Flo Hyman Invitational (U. of Houston) and Hamption Inn Invitational (Ohio University)
RECORD BOOK ONSLAUGHT
With two single-season school records (hitting percentage, total blocks) already on her resume, senior middle blocker Ashley Benson now has the career record books in her sights.
Benson's first three seasons at IU have nearly guaranteed her the No. 1 slot for hitting efficiency as her .315 career clip is 25 percentage points higher than the next closest Hoosier. Benson is nearly assured to set the all-time blocks record as well, needing just 65 rejections to reach the top slot. Offensively, she has racked up 1,055 kills, 197 shy of the top-five.
Caitlin Cox is also climbing up the career rankings. With two more seasons left in Bloomington, Cox already owns the single-season digs mark and needs only 173 more to crack the top-five before her junior season comes to and end.
BIG TEN DOING BIG THINGS
Any doubt that the Big Ten is the nation's toughest volleyball conference was erased upon the release of the AVCA's preseason poll in which four conference schools are slotted in the top 12 and three cracked the top-seven. In total, seven of 11 Big Ten schools are either ranked or receiving votes.
Topping the rankings is the three-time defending national champion Penn State, followed closely by 2011 Big Ten member Nebraska at No. 2 (complete rankings can be found on page 3).
ALWAYS IN THE KNOW
Hoosier fans can follow their volleyball team like never before by logging on to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube all season long. Indiana can be followed on Twitter (@IUVolleyball) and Facebook (Indiana Volleyball). In addition, a live audio broadcast of all matches can be found at IUHoosiers.com. Dave Leno returns for his second season as the voice of IU Volleyball.
HERE'S SOMETHING FROM MARY
Junior setter Mary Chaudoin is back at it again for Season Two of the "Here's Something From Mary" weekly video blog. Hoosier fans can get an inside look at the world of IU Volleyball as Mary lugs around her camera all season long. A new episode will air each Monday throughout the season. Last year's "Here's Something From Mary" series totaled more than 12,000 views.
WEEKLY COACHES SHOW
Need more IU Volleyball in your life? Check out "Inside IU Volleyball with Head Coach Sherry Dunbar," a weekly show aired every Tuesday throughout the season. Dave Leno will serve as host and catch up with Coach Dunbar and players each week to get a closer look at exactly what's going on in the world of Hoosier Volleyball.
