Weekly Release -- Sept. 29

The UNO volleyball team (9-5, 2-4 MIAA) travels to Topeka, Kan., for the Washburn Lady Blues Classic, Oct. 1 and 2. Nebraska-Omaha is a combined 3-1 all-time against this week's opponents. TSU, ACU and DBU were all participants in the 2009 UNO Showcase, where the Mavs swept Tarteton State and Abilene Christian and took a 3-1 win against Dallas Baptist.

UNO went 1-2 in conference play last week, grabbing a 3-0 sweep of Fort Hays State at Sapp Fieldhouse on Sept. 21. They dropped a close match at Washburn, 3-2, and most recently hosted Emporia State on Sept. 25, falling 3-0.

Scouting the Competition: Tarleton State TexAnns   
Head Coach: Mary Schindler (Tarleton State, 2002)
2010 Record: 12-2 (2-2 LSC)
Career Record: 87-81 (6th Year)
Last Match: W, 3-0 vs. SE Oklahoma St. (9/28/10, Stephenville, Texas)
Record at TSU: Same
Website: TarletonSports.com

Tarleton State was tabbed 12th in the Lone Star Conference's preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 10-21 (4-7 LSC). TSU began 2010 with a nine-game win streak from Sept. 3 to Sept. 14.

The TexAnns are led by senior outside hitter Rachel Wolf, who averages 3.38 kills per game. Defensively, TSU relies on senior outside hitter Catherine Cutbirth's 0.85 blocks per game and Wolf and junior setter Jessie Hartman, who each have 1.98 digs per game.

Tarleton State returns two honorable mention all-conference selections in Wolf and senior libero Shea McBrearty.

Scouting the Competition: Abilene Christian Wildcats
Head Coach: Kellen Mock (Abilene Christian, 2005)
2010 Record: 10-2 (4-0 LSC)
Career Record: 88-40 (5th Year)
Last Match: W, 3-0 at TAMU-Commerce (9/25/10, Commerce, Texas)
Record at ACU: Same
Website: ACUSports.com

Abilene Christian was picked second in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 29-6 (12-1 LSC). The Tigers enter this week with a nine-game win streak, including two sweeps last week against Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Commerce.

The Wildcats are led by Shawna Hines, the defending Lone Star  Conference Defensive Player of the Year, who ranks first in the league with a .348 hitting percentage and averages 2.88 kills per set. Jennie Hutt sits just behind Hines with .287 kills per set, and Ijeoma Moronu has 9.68 assists per set. Defensively, Kelsie Edwards has put up 3.70 digs per set, while the top two performers at the net are Hines (1.50 blocks per set) and Neely Borger (0.98).

Abilene Christian boasts four returning all-league honorees in Hines (first team), Moronu (first team), Hutt (second team) and Jordan Schilling (second team).

Scouting the Competition: Dallas Baptist Patriots
Head Coach: Cathy Ray (Dallas Baptist, 2002)
2010 Record: 7-8 (2-1 LSC)
Career Record: 94-134 (9th Year)
Last Match: L, 3-1 at Newman (9/25/10)
Record at DBU: Same
Website: DBUPatriots.com

Dallas Baptist was slated second in the Heartland Conference preseason poll after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 20-17 (10-4 HC). The Patriots went 1-2 last week, winning 3-1 against Midwestern State, then dropping two matches to Arkansas-Fort Smith (3-0) and Newman (3-1).

DBU is led by junior outside hitter Kaylyn Frink, who has 3.02 kills and 3.44 digs per set. Defensively, sophomore middle blocker Kara Kemp averages 1.17 blocks per set.

The Patriots return All-Heartland Conference selections in Frink and junior middle blocker Kristin Secord.

Scouting the Competition: St. Edward's Hilltoppers
Head Coach: Sean Donahue (Texas, 1997)
2010 Record: 7-5 (3-0 MIAA)
Career Record: 166-119 (9th Year)
Last Match: W, 3-0 at Northwest Missouri State (9/18/10)
Record at St. Edward's: Same
Website: StEdwards.edu/athletics

St. Edward's was slated as the preseason favorite by the Heartland Conference coaches after finishing the 2009 season with a record of 23-11 and a regular-season league title.

The Hilltoppers are led by junior right-side hitter Courtney Trevino's 3.06 kills per game, while sophomore libero Michelle Hundt averages 4.84 digs per set. St. Edward's top blocker is sophomore middle blocker Ale'tra Ware, who has 0.70 per game. Senior setter Chelsea Barasamian was named Heartland Conference Setter of the Week on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21.

Hundt, Trevino and junior outside hitter Ashley Vander Hey were all chosen for All-Heartland Conference accolades a year ago. In addition, Hundt was named freshman of the year, and head coach Sean Donahue was selected as conference coach of the year.

Senior Uhing is Double Trouble
Senior outside hitter Kayla Uhing tallied her eighth double-double of the season at Washburn on Sept. 21, recording 12 kills and 13 digs. She had five consecutive double-doubles from Sept. 11 to Sept. 21 and matched her career high of 18 kills at Pittsburg State on Sept. 17. Uhing has nine double-doubles in her career.

In addition, Uhing ranks among the top hitters in the MIAA with 3.13 kills per game, good for fifth in the league.

Myers Continues Climb Up Career Assists List
Junior setter Emily Myers continues to advance up the UNO career assists chart, and with 104 set assists over three matches last week, she now has 2,878 over two-plus seasons. Myers passed former Maverick Darla Melcher, who had 2,628 assists from 1986 to 1987. Her next target on the career list is Christie Johnson (2002-05) with 3,019.

Player                      Years            Assists
1. Amy Steffel           1993-96         5,482
2. Pam Largen          1988-91         3,984
3. Kylie Lebeda         2000-03         3,951
4. Bethany Tygert      1997-00         3,380
5. Wendy Melcher     1980-83         3,343
6. Christie Johnson    2002-05         3,019
7. Emily Myers          2008-            2,878
8. Darla Melcher        1986-87         2,628
9. Katie Agnew          2004-07         2,359
10. Cheri Pribyl         1995-98          1,768

Myers also ranks among the best in the nation in assists. She is 39th in the NCAA Division II rankings through matches of Sept. 26, averaging 10.0 per game.

Two Mavericks Included in NCAA's Top 50 Nationally
Junior setter Emily Myers and junior middle blocker Lizzy Mach both rank among NCAA Division II's best in two categories, according to statistics from the NCAA through matches of Sept. 26. Mach is 24th in the country in hitting percentage (.379), while Myers is 39th in assists (10.0 per game).

As a sophomore in 2009, Myers finished the year ranked 18th in the nation with 10.85 assists per set.

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 with Colorado School of Mines at the Angelo State Invitational, topping the Orediggers 3-2 in a comeback win.

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. 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.

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 in August. 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 returned three players to its 2010 roster who earned all-conference honors last season with 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 returns home to Sapp Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Oct. 5, hosting Northwest Missouri State at 7 p.m. Live stats and streaming video are available at OMavs.com, while live audio is available at UNOMavRadio.com with Jon Schriner and Dustin Koca on the call.