Weekly UNO Volleyball Release #3 -- Sept. 14, 2010

The UNO volleyball team (7-1, 0-0 MIAA) returns home to Sapp Fieldhouse for its first MIAA match of the season, hosting Missouri Southern on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. Live stats, video and audio are available at OMavs.com. The Mavs then take on a two-match road challenge at Pittsburg State on Friday, Sept. 17 and at Southwest Baptist on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The Mavericks are a combined 18-5 against this week's opponents -- 5-2 against Missouri Southern, 7-3 against Pitt State and 6-0 against Southwest Baptist. In 2009, they swept SBU in a 3-0 win on Oct. 24.

UNO won the Angelo State Invitational in San Angelo, Texas, last weekend, posting a perfect 4-0 record and extending its win streak to six matches.

Myers, Ebke Named to ASU Invitational All-Tournament Team
Junior setter Emily Myers and sophomore outside hitter Natalie Ebke were named to the eight-member All-Tournament Team for the Angelo Retina/ASU Invitational in San Angelo, Texas, last weekend. Myers had 159 set assists over four matches, averaging 9.35 per set. Ebke averaged 2.88 kills (49 total) and 2.71 digs (46 total) per set and also achieved a career best with 17 kills against Colorado School of Mines.

Senior Uhing is Double Trouble
Senior outside hitter Kayla Uhing tallied her fourth double-double of the season at the Angelo State Invitational last weekend, recording 12 kills and 14 digs against ASU and 14 kills and 14 digs against Central Oklahoma. Uhing, who has five double-doubles in her career, also tallied a career-high 18 kills against Colorado School of Mines in a comeback 3-2 win on Saturday.

Mach Shines Early in Tournament Play
Junior middle blocker Lizzy Mach starred for the Mavericks at the season-opening UNO Showcase, tallying a team-best 54 kills on a .511 hitting performance over four matches. The Wahoo, Neb., native averaged 3.60 kills per set and finished with a career-high 17 kills on .696 hitting against Arkansas-Fort Smith on Sept. 4. Mach was also third on the squad with 0.47 blocks per set and had six service aces for the weekend, including four against Northern State, which topped her previous career total over two seasons.

Last weekend at the Angelo State Invitational, Mach totaled 53 kills, which ranked second on the team. She also led the way with a .352 hitting percentage and had seven service aces and eight blocks. Mach tops her squad with 99 kills on .433 hitting for the year.

Scouting the Competition: Missouri Southern Lions
Head Coach: Chris Willis (Baylor, 1991)
2010 Record: 6-2 (0-0 MIAA)
Career Record: 92-114 (7th Year)
Last Match: W, 3-2 vs. Dallas Baptist (9/11/10, Austin, Texas)
Record at MSSU: Same
Website: MSSULions.com

Missouri Southern was tabbed seventh -- just behind No. 6 UNO -- in the MIAA's preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 13-21 (6-14 HC). MSSU began 2010 with a five-game win streak from Sept. 3 to Sept. 10. The Lions are led by senior Ashlee Russell, who averages 2.79 kills per game. Defensively, MSSU relies heavily on junior middle blocker Rachel Olinyk's 0.90 blocks per game and junior libero Shakila Balkhi, who has 3.79 digs per game. Missouri Southern also returns to All-MIAA selections in sophomore outside hitter Renee Rheinecker (third team) and senior outside hitter Jeanna Feldmann (honorable mention).

Scouting the Competition: Pittsburg State Gorillas
Head Coach: Ibraheem Suberu (Park, 1993)
2010 Record: 3-5 (0-1 MIAA)
Career Record: 238-201 (14th Year)
Last Match: L, 1-3 vs. Edinboro (9/11/10 in Warrensburg, Mo.)
Record at PSU: 208-166 (12th Year)
Website: PittStateGorillas.com

Pittsburg State was picked fourth in the MIAA preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 25-11 (14-6 MIAA). The Gorillas enter this week with a four-game losing streak from their appearance in last weekend's Peggy Martin Classic in Warrensburg, Mo. PSU opened the season at the St. Leo Tournament in St. Leo, Fla., grabbing a 3-1 win over Upper Iowa. Pitt State leads the MIAA in team digs with an average of 17.07 a set, and senior libero Cassie Wilson tops the individual league chart in that category.

The Gorillas are led by junior outside hitter Corrinne Stringer, who averages 3.06 kills per set with a .234 hitting percentage. Defensively, Wilson has put up 5.33 digs per set, which tops the MIAA. In addition, freshman middle blocker Lauren Brentlinger has made an immediate impact at the net with 0.83 blocks per set.

Pitt State was ranked 19th nationally in the AVCA Top 25 preseason poll, having returned four All-MIAA honorees: Stringer (second team), Wilson (third team), senior middle hitter Molly Bergkamp (honorable mention) and sophomore middle hitter Brooke Fay (honorable mention).

Scouting the Competition: Southwest Baptist Bearcats
Head Coach: Kelly Richardson (Evangel)
2010 Record: 5-3 (0-0 MIAA)
Career Record: 38-71 (4th Year)
Last Match: L, 3-2 vs. Tarleton State (9/11/10)
Record at SBU: Same
Website: SBUBearcats.com

Southwest Baptist was slated ninth in the MIAA preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 12-24 (5-15 MIAA). The Bearcats went 3-1 in last weekend's TexAnn Invitational in Stephenville, Texas, including sweeps of Cameron and Texas A&M-Commerce.

SBU is led by junior middle hitter Ashley Jurgensmeyer, who was a second-team All-MIAA selection last year. Jurgensmeyer leads the league with 3.73 kills per set, as well as 0.82 blocks and a .391 hitting percentage. Defensively, junior libero Alyx Glover has 2.64 digs per set, while freshman outside hitter Britni Reed is just slightly behind with an average of 2.61.

UNO Schedule Features Seven NCAA Postseason Teams
UNO's schedule for the 2010 season will serve as a challenge for the Mavs in preparation for postseason competition in November. The slate includes games with seven postseason-qualifying teams from last season -- Central Missouri, Colorado School of Mines, Dallas Baptist, Emporia State, Pittsburg State, Truman and Washburn.

PSU and WU played through second-round action in the tournament, while UCM qualified for the regional finals before falling 3-1 to West Texas A&M.

In addition, five squads -- UCM, WU, ESU, PSU and TSU, all of whom are members of the MIAA -- were included in the AVCA Division II Preseason Poll released on Aug. 18.

The Mavericks faced their first NCAA Tournament team last weekend with Colorado School of Mines at the Angelo State Invitational, topping the Orediggers 3-2 in a comeback win.

Mavs Chosen Sixth in MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
Nebraska-Omaha was picked to finish sixth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association's 2010 preseason poll, the league office announced Wednesday. The preseason conference standings are chosen in a survey of MIAA head coaches.

The Mavericks earned 59 points, behind preseason favorite Central Missouri (100), Washburn (91), Emporia State (80), Pittsburg State (69) and Truman (64). Missouri Southern (44) came in at seventh, followed by Northwest Missouri State (41), Southwest Baptist (23), Missouri Western (21) and Fort Hays State (13).

UCM received 10 of 11 first-place votes to earn the top spot and is one of six schools along with UNO, WU, ESU, PSU and TSU to have competed in the 2009 NCAA South Central Regional.

All-MIAA Trio Mach, Myers, Reicks Lead Mavericks
UNO returns to its 2010 roster three players who earned all-conference honors last season in junior middle blocker Lizzy Mach, junior setter Emily Myers and junior defensive specialist Angie Reicks. Reicks garnered second-team All-MIAA status in 2009, while Mach and Myers were selected to the third team.

Reicks set a school record with 46 digs against Central Missouri and reached double figures in digs in 28 of 34 matches over the year, including 13 straight from Oct. 10 to Nov. 19.

Mach averaged 2.11 kills and 0.60 blocks per set, hitting double figures in kills on 11 occasions. Myers ranked fifth in the league with 10.85 assists per set and totaled 30 or more assists in all but two matches last season. She also had 13 double-doubles, combining double-figure assists with double-figure digs.

Since joining MIAA competition in 2008, the Mavericks have had eight all-conference honorees, and UNO has had 44 players combine for 76 All-MIAA or All-NCC accolades.

2009-10 Squad Named to AVCA Team Academic Award List
UNO was one of 450 teams -- and just 55 Division II programs -- named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Team Academic Award list released July 20th. With 15 student-athletes making the UNO Dean's List and five on the Chancellor's List, the Mavericks tallied a team GPA of 3.78 (with a 3.65 cumulative average) last season, the highest mark of any UNO team in 2009-10.

The annual AVCA award honors collegiate and high school volleyball programs that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Next Up for the Mavs...
UNO takes on Washburn in Topeka, Kan., on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. The Mavs then return to Sapp Fieldhouse for a two-game homestand with Fort Hays State on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. and Emporia State on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m.