Volleyball Preview
August 19, 2004 10:30 AM | General
August 19, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Despite a disappointing 2003 campaign, West Virginia’s combination of seasoned veterans and talented freshmen are set to make 2004 a pivotal year for the WVU volleyball program.
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| Junior Kelly Mullins is coming off a 189-kill, 191-dig season in 2003
(All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
Head coach Veronica Hammersmith, who recently became the second coach in West Virginia University history to reach 500 career victories, begins her 30th year hoping it is much better than her 29th. Eleven returning letterwinners should help.
West Virginia enters the 2004 season with five of its six returning starters from 2003. The Mountaineers will count on leadership from seniors Brandice Studnicka and Alison Zemanski along with juniors Julie Hockenson, Kelly Mullins and Stephanie Zolna.
“We’ve got quite a few returning players -- kids that played a lot last year,” Hammersmith says. “We look on that as our strength.”
Studnicka, a native of Clay Center, Neb., will lead the Mountaineer setters this season after pacing West Virginia in assists (890) and digs (237) last year. Zemanski, a Perrysburg, Ohio, native looks to continue her success at the middle blocker position after finishing second on the squad in kills in 2003.
As a middle blocker, Hockenson will be counted on to contribute both offensively and defensively. The Garden Valley, Calif., native was third on the squad in kills (254) and also compiled 99 digs in 2003.
“We’re going to be a relentless defensive team,” Hammersmith says. “That’s our goal. We also have a variety of offensive threats that are going to be able to score for us in key situations.”
Mullins, an outside hitter out of Scottsdale, Ariz., looks to rebuild on her success from the right side after registering 189 kills and 191 digs a year ago.
Despite suffering an ankle injury that prematurely ended her sophomore season, Zolna once again proved herself as West Virginia’s most explosive athlete. The outside hitter, reigning from Mission Viejo, Calif., led the Mountaineers in kills (275) and aces (27) while placing second in digs (217).
“This is a hardworking group,” says Hammersmith about her returning players. “They stick together and have a lot of team chemistry. By using our new kids we are only going to reinforce what we already have.”
Outside hitter Aurora Ebert-Santos and setter Gina Cusanelli are expected to be major contributors to West Virginia in 2004 after posting solid freshmen campaigns a year ago.
Ebert-Santos, a native of Frisco, Colo., registered 117 digs a year ago while Cusanelli, a Collinsville, Ill., native, finished second on the squad with 231 assists. Redshirt freshman setter Kailee Goold will also see action for the Mountaineers this season.
West Virginia welcomes five newcomers to the 2004 roster replacing three graduating seniors. Outside hitters Ashley Pappas, Abby Tevis and Cara Wilbur, defensive specialist Megan Carroll, and middle blocker Kimberly Hales highlight Hammersmith’s 2004 recruiting class.
“I’m excited about the freshmen,” Hammersmith says. “Fundamentally there are some good players who have positive assets to bring to the team, and they certainly have the work ethic.”
After posting a 6-21 record and a 2-10 mark in the BIG EAST last year, the Mountaineers finished last in the conference and ranked no higher than 11th in the league in any of the major statistical categories. That gives the Mountaineers plenty of motivation for 2004.
“We’re coming from a hard place,” Hammersmith says. “But our goal is to climb out of the bottom of the BIG EAST and move up the ladder. We need to beat some more conference teams, and I think if we win some of the matches in our non-conference schedule that will give us some confidence we need so that we are competitive.”
West Virginia’s 31-match regular season schedule begins on Friday, Sept. 3, when the Mountaineers face Tennessee Tech at Dayton, Ohio. WVU will also meet Coastal Carolina and Dayton during the three-team tournament.
Other non-conference matches against High Point, Delaware State, Bowling Green, Robert Morris, Yale, UMBC, Penn State, Columbia, Marist, Hartford, Duquesne, Binghamton, Canisius, St. Francis, Marshall and St. Peter’s will get WVU ready for its conference opener at St. John’s on Sunday, Oct. 10.
WVU’s first Big East home match is Sunday, Oct. 17, against Pitt.
West Virginia will play 11 home matches in all beginning with the home opener against High Point on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 3 pm. WVU will also take on Bowling Green and Robert Morris during the weekend.
Though West Virginia is coming from a difficult place, the Mountaineers have the potential for a successful season by using team chemistry, experienced veterans and a hard-working recruiting class.
