WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK Fresno State outside hitter Kristen Fenton has been named the Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 29. This is the junior's third player of the week honor. She earned the award last week and once during the 2002 season.
The junior from Marysville, Mich., guided Fresno State to a 2-0 record in the opening weekend of WAC action. She averaged 6.57 kills per game in wins against Tulsa and Rice. Fenton had 20+ kills in both matches against Rice and Tulsa, including one double-double. She has had 11 20-kill matches this season.
Fenton opened the week with 24 kills against Rice before following that up with 22 against Tulsa. She tallied a match-high 24 kills and a match and career-high four service aces, while hitting .295. She added eight digs and four blocks against Rice.
The outside hitter leads the league in kills per game in WAC matches, averaging 6.57 kpg. In all matches, Fenton is third in the league, averaging 5.24 kpg. She is also fifth in the league in hitting percentage (.360).
Other nominees included: Cristine Sant'Anna, Louisiana Tech; Christine Harms, Nevada and Jacky Neiderstadt, SMU.
WAC PLAY CONTINUES (WEEK SIX) The 2003 WAC season enters its second week with four undefeated teams, three in the West Division and one in the East. Fresno State, Nevada and SMU are all 2-0, while Hawaii is 1-0. This week, that will change as the Bulldogs and the Rainbow Wahine will meet in Honolulu. The Wolf Pack will also take on the defending WAC Champions this week. SMU looks to keep its five-match winning streak alive at home against North Texas and Louisiana Tech.
There are four teams in search of their first WAC wins this week. UTEP takes on two teams without its first WAC win this week when the Miners take on Tulsa on Oct. 2 and Rice on Oct. 4 on the road.
FRESNO STATE OPENS SAVE MART CENTER The Fresno State volleyball team will get a bigger stage in November when the Bulldogs host Hawai'i at the brand-new Save Mart Center (16,116) on Sun., Nov. 9, 12:00 p.m.
After turning away fans last year as nearly 1,400 packed the standing-room only North Gym last November, the Fresno State Athletics Department announced a new venue and a new date as the Bulldogs push for another postseason appearance. The Bulldog volleyball team was scheduled to play the Rainbow Wahine on Sat., Nov. 8, 7:00 p.m.
Being the first true athletic competition in the Save Mart Center, the volleyball team will follow the lead of the Bulldog Basketball Extravaganza (Nov. 5) and a concert by Andrea Bocelli ( Nov. 7) as the first week of Grand Opening activities.
SPREADING THE WEALTH In the WAC's main six individual statistic categories three different schools lead the way. Hawaii leads four categories, including hitting percentage (Kim Willoughby, .428), kills (Willoughby, 6.87 kpg), service aces (Willoughby, 0.69) and assists (Kamana`o Kanoe, 13.33 apg). Fresno State's Tiffany Bishop leads the league in blocks, averaging 1.21 bpg. SMU's Beth Karasek is first in digs with 4.18 dpg.
LOUISIANA TECH WINS FIRST EVER WAC ROAD MATCH The Lady Techsters overcame its injury problems to win two matches, including its first ever road win in WAC play. After two seasons and one match in the WAC, the Lady Techsters were 0-14 on the road in league games. This streak was broken with the, 3-2, win over UTEP. The win over North Texas was the first home match of the season and moved Techs home court winning streak to six.
HAWAII AND NEVADA INCLUDED IN 2003 CSTV VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE College Sports Television (www.cstv.com), the first 24-hour college sports network, and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) will present a national volleyball match of the week package, Sunday Night Spike 2003, this fall that will boast 15 teams who competed in the 2002 NCAA Championships, including national semifinalists Florida, Stanford and Hawaii. The schedule commences Sunday, Sept. 7 with Florida at Stanford and will include an October 26 doubleheader featuring Santa Clara-Pepperdine and Utah-Colorado State.
The WAC will have at least two teams featured. Hawaii defeated Santa Clara on Sept. 28 in California. This week, the Rainbow Wahine and Nevada will be featured on Oct. 5 in Honolulu. Finally, the WAC Tournament Championship match will be televised on Nov. 23 in Reno, Nev.
Five teams featured within the Sunday Night Spike 2003 schedule have won volleyball national championships (Hawaii in 1982, 1983, 1987; Nebraska in 1995, 2000; Pacific in 1985, 1986; Stanford in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001; Texas in 1988) and seven won conference titles in 2002 (Florida, Hawaii, Northern Iowa, Notre Dame, Pepperdine, Sacramento St., Utah). In addition, Colorado State and Eastern Washington won regular season conference titles.
NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS So far this season, the WAC is 74-58 (.561) against non-conference opponents. The WAC is 7-7 against ranked teams. Hawaii is 7-1 with wins over Louisville, UCLA, Kansas State, Stanford, Minnesota, LMU and Santa Clara. San Jose State fell to No. 20 Santa Clara, and Nevada fell to No. 15 Long Beach State. Boise State and Louisiana Tech also have losses to ranked teams. Rice has lost to formerly ranked Ohio State, and Fresno State lost to No. 23 Long Beach State.
AROUND THE COURT News and notes from around the league:
Boise State won three matches in a row once so far this season (Gardner-Webb and High Point on Sept. 20 and then Louisiana Tech on Sept. 26). That event marks the first time the Broncos have put together a string of three wins in five years (since November of 1998). The streak was broken by SMU on Sept. 27.
Fresno State opened its 12th season of WAC action last week and recorded its 100th and 101st WAC victory after coming into the year with a 99-75 (.570) mark. Fresno State improved to 6-2 overall in conference home openers, 4-2 in WAC home openers and 6-6 in WAC openers, period. Under 13th-year head coach Lindy Vivas, the Bulldogs are 4-2 in WAC home openers and 5-2 overall in conference home openers since her arrival in 1991. Fresno State is coming off Eastern Division league victories over Rice (3-1) and Tulsa (3-0). Vivas has now earned her 300th career and 100th WAC wins this season.
Hawaii played its first road matches last week, defeating San Jose State for its first WAC win. The Rainbow Wahine also beat No. 16 Santa Clara last week. No. 2 Hawaii defeated No. 16 Santa Clara, 3-0, in front of a crowd of 1,562 in a nationally televised match on CSTV's Sunday Night Spike telecast. Nine of the Rainbow Wahine's first 14 opponents were ranked in last week's top 25 poll. The Rainbow Wahine will now head back to the islands, where they return to conference action on Oct. 2, against Fresno State. Hawaii will also take on the Nevada on Oct. 4 in another CSTV match that will be shown to a nationally televised audience on a delayed basis.
Louisiana Tech setter Lia Mora became just the third person in Louisiana Tech history with 3,000 or more assists. She has 3,084 and is in third place all-time at Tech. Cristine SantAnna has now posted five matches with 20 or more kills with 22 kills against UTEP, despite being injured. Junior Heather Anderson recorded 23 digs at UTEP, while Joy Okpa posted two double doubles last week. Head Coach Heather Mazeitis is one win away from 200 in her career (JC and NCAA), 199-162.
Nevada sophomore Christine Harms has a team high six double-doubles on the season. Salaia Salave`a made another move up the Nevada solo blocks chart this time moving into ninth place after totaling 40 in her career. Salave`a also ranks ninth in total blocks (187) and 10th in block assists (147). Nevada is 2-0 in WAC play for the second time in school history with the first time coming last season. This week, the Wolf Pack play at San Jose State on Oct. 2. Nevada is 2-4 against the Spartans in WAC regular season play. On Oct. 4 The Wolf Pack will be seeking their first conference win at second ranked Hawaii. Nevada is 0-6 versus the Rainbow Wahine in conference play. Nevada has posted a 29-15 mark in WAC action.
Rice opened WAC play with an 0-2 record or the first time since the 1999 season when they fell to Tulsa and UTEP, respectively, to start the WAC season. Junior Rebeca Pazo led the Blue and Gray in each match, tallying a match-high 27 kills against Fresno State, including 10 in the first game. She also added a match-best 21 kills against Nevada. She had 11 digs against the Wolf Pack for her fifth double-double this season. Pazo now has 1,271 career kills, seventh-best at Rice. Senior libero Rebekah Neal hit the court for 32 digs in the two matches, bringing her career total to 978, eighth on the all-time digs list. Rice out-blocked Nevada 16-8, courtesy of six solo blocks, marking the ninth time this season the Owls have out-blocked their opponent.
San Jose State is in the midst of its second four-match losing streak. The Spartans two wins this season have come against Sam Houston State and Duquense. San Jose State looks to break its losing streak and win its first WAC match this week at home. The Spartans will take on Nevada on Sept. 2 and Fresno State on Oct. 4. The Wolf Pack and the Bulldogs currently have the best record in the WAC's Western Division and are two of three teams in the WAC to have won their first two league matches along with SMU.
SMU looks to extend its WAC winning streak to three this week at home against Louisiana Tech. First the Mustangs will take on instate rival North Texas on Oct. 1. SMU has won a season-high five-straight matches. SMU junior Beth Karasek leads the league in digs. She averages 4.18 dpg just ahead of San Jose State's Jessie Shull (4.14 dpg).
In dropping both its matches over the weekend,
UTEP has now lost five consecutive matches for the first time since 2000. Against SMU, senior Jennifer Abbruzzese recorded 13 digs making her UTEPs all-time leader passing Christie Cranks (1993-96) previous mark of 1,166. The League City, Texas, native is now the schools all-time kills and digs leader. The Miners made history on Sept. 27 in its 3-2 loss to Louisiana Tech, becoming the first team the Lady Techsters have defeated on the road since joining the WAC. Abbruzzese recorded a double-double in both of last weekends matches and now has a team-high 10 on the year. Against Louisiana Tech, Nina Reeves (15 kills, 21 digs) and Krystal Gabriel (54 assists, 19 digs) each recorded double-doubles.
Tulsa returns to the friendly confines of the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Oct. 2, as the Golden Hurricane host UTEP at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 4, Tulsa will host Boise State at 3 p.m. The two-match losing streak is the Golden Hurricane's second of the season and the longest. Sam Rutherford is third in the league in hitting percentage (.379). Rutherford is also among the WAC's leaders in blocks. She is fourth in the league, averaging 1.07 bpg.
TERRIFIC TOURNAMENTS Last week, the WAC added more tournament titles to its mantle. Fresno State traveled to the Northern Arizona Invitational and went 3-0 en route to the tournament win. SMU capture another title, winning the Loyola-Chicago Invitational. Last week, the WAC had a very good week at tournaments, Hawaii and Tulsa both won tournaments that they hosted. Louisiana Tech won its second tournament title of the season, capturing the Drake Tournament. The following players have also been named to all-tournament teams:
Cameron Flunder, BS Montana Invitational
Boise State Invitational
Gonzaga Invitational
Davidson Invitational
Tiffany Bishop, FS Northern Arizona Invitational
Kristen Fenton, FS Fresno State Invitational
Sac. St. Invitational*
San Diego Invitational
No. Arizona Invitational*
Carrie Hartt, FS No. Arizona Invitational
Robyn Keune, FS Sac. St.Invitational
Lily Kahumoku, UH State Farm Classic
HAL Volleyball Classic
Aston Imua Challenge
Sprint Invitational
Kanoe Kamana`o, UH HAL Volleyball Classic
Lauren Duggins, UH Aston Imua Challenge
Sprint Invitational
Kim Willoughby, UH State Farm Classic
HAL Volleyball Classic*
Aston Imua Challenge*
Sprint Invitational*
Lia Mora, LT UL-Lafayette Tournament
Texas State Tournament
Drake Tournament*
Tulane Tournament
Joy Okpa, LT Drake Tournament*
Cristine Sant'Anna, LT UL-Lafayette Tournament*
Drake Tournament*
Tulane Tournament
Tristin Adams , UN CS-Fullerton Tournament
SBC/Sand Regency Tourney
Lauren Galler, UN SBC/Sand Regency Tourney
Christine Harms, UN Cal Golden Bear Tournament
Salaia Salave`a, UN CS-Fullerton Tournament
Lindsey Carter, RU Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational
Rebeca Pazo, RU Crowne Plaza/Rice Invite*
BYU Mizuno Classic
Kimberly Noble, SJSU Cowgirl Classic
SJSU Invitational
Jessie Shull, SJSU SJSU Invitational
Beth Karasek, SMU SMU Invitational
Loyola-Chicago Invite
Kelly Larkan, SMU SMU Invitational
Jessica Mihm, SMU Loyola-Chicago Invite*
Jennifer Abbruzzese, UTEPFiesta Bowl Tournament
Nina Reeves, UTEP Borderland Invitational
Fiesta Bowl Tournament
UMKC Kangaroo Classic
Ashley Ripple, UTEP Mean Green Classic
Kari Stacy, UTEP Borderland Invitational
UMKC Kangaroo Classic
Natalia Araujo, TU Dayton Flyer Classic
Kristin Bailey, TU Stephen F. Austin Tourney*
Lindsay Eaves, TU Stephen F. Austin Tourney
Ewing-Grover Olds/GMC Truck Invite*
Sam Rutherford, TU Ewing-Grover Olds/GMC Truck Invite
Brie Penaluna, TU Stephen F. Austin Tourney
Vanessa Thon, TU Ewing-Grover Olds/GMC Truck Invite
*Most Outstanding/Valuable Player
PACKING THE STANDS Once again Hawaii is leading the nation in attendance. The Rainbow Wahine have drawn 85,9793 in 12 home matches so far this season for an average of 7,165. Hawaii also holds the top 10 single-match highs this season, including the nation-leading 9,345 fans that saw No. 1 USC defeat No. 2 Hawaii. The attendance for UH's win over Stanford was 8,740 on Sept. 13. Last week, 7,419 fans saw the Rainbow Wahine sweep the UNLV Rebels.
2003 Division I Volleyball Attendance
School Avg. Total Matches
1. Hawaii 7,165 85,979 12
2. Nebraska 4,134 20,669 5
3. Wisconsin 4,071 28,494 7
4. Florida 2,712 18,984 7
5. Penn State 2,481 7,444 3
6. Minnesota 1,981 11,884 6
7. Illinois State 1,874 9,370 5
8. Northern Iowa 1,721 5,162 3
9. Stanford 1,679 8,397 5
10. Texas A&M 1,638 8,192 5