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Mavericks Chosen Sixth in MIAA Volleyball Preseaso - Omaha Athletics

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Mavericks Open 2010 Season with UNO Showcase

2010 UNO Showcase Notes
2010 UNO Showcase Tournament Central

OMAHA, Neb. -- The UNO volleyball team opens regular-season competition for 2010 on Friday, Sept. 3, playing host to the UNO Showcase at Sapp Fieldhouse. The annual 10-team tournament, which runs all day Friday and Saturday, features a variety of opponents stretching from the South to the Midwest, including preseason No. 12 Emporia State. Matches will run simultaneously on two courts with five time slots on both days, guaranteeing each squad four matches in the tournament. One-day passes are available for $10 each.

Live stats are available for all four of the Mavericks' matches, as they face Newman (12:15 p.m.) and Northern State (7 p.m.) on Friday, followed by Midwestern State (11:45 a.m.) and Arkansas-Fort Smith (6:30 p.m.) on Saturday.

UNO began exhibition play two weeks ago with the annual alumni match, as well as an exemption scrimmage with nationally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney in Grand Island, Neb.

Pairings for 2010 UNO Showcase Released
The schedule for the season-opening 2010 UNO Showcase has been completed, head coach Rose Shires has announced. All matches are slated for Sept. 3-4 at UNO's Sapp Fieldhouse and will run simultaneously on two courts.

Friday, Sept. 3
Time Court 1 Court 2
10 a.m. Adams State vs. Northwest Missouri State Chadron State vs. Midwestern State
12:15 p.m. UNO vs. Newman Arkansas-Fort Smith vs. Minnesota-Duluth
2:30 p.m. Emporia State vs. Northern State Midwestern State vs. Northwest Missouri State
4:45 p.m. Adams State vs. Minnesota-Duluth Chadron State vs. Newman
7 p.m. UNO vs. Northern State Emporia State vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith

Saturday, Sept. 4
Time Court 1 Court 2
10 a.m. Emporia State vs. Minnesota-Duluth Chadron State vs. Northern State
12:15 p.m. UNO vs. Midwestern State Newman vs. Northwest Missouri State
2:30 p.m. Adams State vs. Northern State Chadron State vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith
4:45 p.m. Northwest Missouri State vs. Minnesota-Duluth Emporia State vs. Midwestern State
7 p.m. UNO vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith Adams State vs. Newman

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.

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.

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.

UNO Returns Three Team Statistical Leaders From 2009
Despite losing All-American Ellen Thommes to graduation, UNO returns three key statistical leaders from last year's squad in junior libero Angie Reicks, junior setter Emily Myers and sophomore outside hitter Natalie Ebke. Reicks averaged 4.62 digs per game, while Myers had 10.85 set assists per set, which ranked 18th nationally in Division II. Ebke, who totaled 59 service aces, led the MIAA in the statistical category at 0.45 aces per game.

Category               Overall                                        MIAA Matches Only
Kills/Game             Ellen Thommes -- 3.16 kpg             Ellen Thommes -- 3.27 kpg
Hitting Pct.             Ellen Thommes -- .388                   Ellen Thommes -- .392
Assists/Game        Emily Myers* -- 10.85 apg               Emily Myers* -- 10.84 apg
Digs/Game             Angie Reicks* -- 4.62 dpg               Angie Reicks* -- 4.68 dpg
Blocks/Game         Ellen Thommes -- 1.02 bpg              Ellen Thommes -- 0.96 bpg
Aces/Game            Natalie Ebke* -- 0.45 sapg               Natalie Ebke* -- 0.47 sapg
*Denotes returning player to 2010 squad

Scouting the Competition: Newman Jets
Head Coach: Joanna Pryor (Wichita State, 2001)
2010 Record: 0-0 (0-0 Heartland)
Career Record: 11-21 (2nd Year)
Last Match: ---
Record at NU: Same
Website: NewmanJets.com
Newman was tabbed fourth in the Heartland Conference's preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 11-21 (6-8 HC). The Jets return three starters from last year's squad, including senior outside hitter Chelsey Potter, an All-Heartland selection who topped the charts with 291 kills.

Scouting the Competition: Northern State Wolves
Head Coach: Lisa Schriver (Black Hills State, 1985)
2010 Record: 0-0 (0-0 Northern Sun)
Career Record: 211-222 (15th Year)
Last Match: ---
Record at NSU: Same
Website: NSUWolvesAthletics.com
Northern State was picked 10th in the Northern Sun Conference preseason coaches poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 12-17 (7-13 NSIC). The Wolves are led by junior outside hitter Jordan Schaffer, who was first in kills (296) and second in digs (341) last year, earning honorable mention All-NSIC distinction.

Scouting the Competition: Midwestern State Mustangs
Head Coach: Venera Flores-Stafford (Dallas, 1995)
2010 Record: 0-0 (0-0 Lone Star)
Career Record: 127-93 (8th Year)
Last Match: ---
Record at MSU: 116-85 (7th Year)
Website: MSUMustangs.com
Midwestern State was slated seventh in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 10-25 (6-7 Lone Star). The Mustangs look to returning all-conference libero Kiara Jordan, who set a school record with 599 digs last year, as well as junior outside hitter Miranda Byrd, an all-LSC honorable mention pick with a team-leading 2.67 kills per set.

Scouting the Competition: Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions
Head Coach: Jane Sargent (Oklahoma Panhandle State, 1985)
2010 Record: 0-0 (0-0 Heartland)
Career Record: 432-89 (13th Year)
Last Match: ---
Record at UAFS: Same
Website: UAFortSmithLions.com
Arkansas-Fort Smith enters 2010 for its second season of NCAA Division II competition after reclassifying from a NJCAA institution. The Lions return their entire starting lineup from 2009, when the team finished with a 32-4 record. Senior setter Lucia Najselova led her squad with 1,192 assists and 66 service aces, while junior middle hitter Heidi Luks totaled 342 kills and 141 blocks.

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...
Following the UNO Showcase, the Mavericks travel to San Angelo, Texas, for the Angelo State Tournament. They face Incarnate Word (Noon) and host Angelo State (6 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 10, as well as Colorado School of Mines (Noon) and Central Oklahoma (3 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 11.
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Players Mentioned

Ellen Thommes

#8 Ellen Thommes

MB
6' 0"
Senior
Natalie Ebke

#15 Natalie Ebke

OH
5' 10"
Sophomore
Lizzy Mach

#6 Lizzy Mach

MB
6' 2"
Junior
Emily Myers

#4 Emily Myers

S
5' 10"
Junior
Angie Reicks

#5 Angie Reicks

DS
5' 7"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Ellen Thommes

#8 Ellen Thommes

6' 0"
Senior
MB
Natalie Ebke

#15 Natalie Ebke

5' 10"
Sophomore
OH
Lizzy Mach

#6 Lizzy Mach

6' 2"
Junior
MB
Emily Myers

#4 Emily Myers

5' 10"
Junior
S
Angie Reicks

#5 Angie Reicks

5' 7"
Junior
DS