Weekly Match Notes (.pdf)
2011 Season Preview
2011 Quick Facts (.pdf)
2011 Information Guide (.pdf)
MACOMB - After two solid weeks of preseason practice, the Western Illinois volleyball team will play its first matches of the 2011 season this weekend when the Fighting Leathernecks travel to Edwardsville, Ill. to play in the SIU-Edwardsville Invitational.
Western starts the five-team tournament Friday (Aug. 26) with a 2 p.m. match against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Later that night, the Fighting Leathernecks play host SIU-Edwardsville at 7 p.m. and conclude action at the tournament Saturday (Aug. 27) with matchups against Kent State (9 a.m.) and Wofford (4:30 p.m.).
THE MATCHUPS
Who: Western Illinois vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
When: Friday, Aug. 26 • 2 p.m. CST
Location: Edwardsville, Ill. • Vadalabene Center (4,000)
Series History: First meeting
Live Stats: HERE
Live Video: HERE
Twitter: HERE
Who: Western Illinois at SIU-Edwardsville
When: Friday, Aug. 26 • 7 p.m. CST
Location: Edwardsville, Ill. • Vadalabene Center (4,000)
Series History: Western leads 3-1
Last Meeting: Nov. 10, 2010 (SIUE 3, @WIU 1)
Live Stats: HERE
Live Video: HERE
Twitter: HERE
Who: Western Illinois vs. Kent State
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 • 9 a.m. CST
Location: Edwardsville, Ill. • Vadalabene Center (4,000)
Series History: Western leads 2-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 3, 2005 (KSU 3, WIU 0 at Barker GMC Classic)
Live Stats: HERE
Live Video: HERE
Twitter: HERE
Who: Western Illinois vs. Wofford
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 • 4:30 p.m. CST
Location: Edwardsville, Ill. • Vadalabene Center (4,000)
Series History: First meeting
Live Stats: HERE
Live Video: HERE
Twitter: HERE
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Arkansas Pine-Bluff finished 2010 with a 7-24 overall record and the Lady Lions return sophomore all-SWAC selection outside Britta Wilmers (327 kills in 2010) and senior libero Lorin Johnson (398 digs in 2010).
SIU-Edwardsville is under the guidance of first-year head coach Leah Johnson and went 14-15 last season. The Cougars, picked to finish last in the OVC this season, return sophomore outside hitter Julia Whitfield (270 kills in 2010) and junior setter Sammi Minton (1,060 assists in 2010).
Kent State went 13-19 overall and 6-10 in Mid-American Conference play last season. The Golden Flashes, who have eight newcomers on the roster, return senior outside hitter Maigan Larsen (226 kills in 2010) and sophomore setter Aleksandra Nowak (597 assists in 2010).
Wofford, who went 13-21 overall and 3-13 in Southern Conference play last season, returns sophomore outside hitter Amanda Liguori (252 kills and All-Freshman Team selection in 2010) and junior libero Reagan Styles (499 digs in 2010).
EGAN'S POTENTIAL MILESTONE
Senior middle hitter Cait Egan needs just 94 more kills to crack the program's top ten and 212 kills to become just the ninth player in school history to amass 1,000 career kills. She is already tied for the sixth most solo blocks in program history (67) and eighth all-time in total blocks (276). She also ranks ninth all-time in block assists (209) and attack percentage (.243).
MCKAY'S POTENTIAL MILESTONE
Head coach Kym McKay, the longest tenured head coach in program history, needs just four wins to reach the 100-win plateau. She will join Western Illinois legend Juli Kartel (111) as the only coaches in program history to collect 100 career wins. The Fighting Leathernecks sixth victory this season will also be McKay's 200th career victory according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She tallied 98 victories at Joliet Junior College from 1999-2002 prior to her start in Macomb.
NEW SCOREBOARDS IN BROPHY HALL
Western Illinois' 2011 volleyball schedule calls for the Fighting Leathernecks to play seven games inside Brophy Hall and new scoreboards were installed over the off-season. The installation of the two scoreboards began over the University's 2010 Thanksgiving Break and was completed in mid-December. The addition of a second scoreboard puts Brophy Hall in accordance with the majority of Division I volleyball arenas. The project, similar to the wall cling project last fall, was self-funded by the volleyball program. By hosting annual summer volleyball camps, the program was able to raise the $10,000 needed to install the scoreboards.
TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD
For the third straight year, Western Illinois received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for maintaining a team grade point average of at least 3.30 for the entire 2010-11 academic year. Coach McKay's squad is one of only 92 Division I women's teams to earn the honor. Western Illinois is one of two Summit League teams to receive the award (South Dakota State) and has now captured the team honor five times in the last six years.
NEW ASSISTANT COACHES
Mallory Clements, a former SIU-Edwardsville volleyball standout and assistant coach, was named assistant volleyball coach in mid-July. Clements comes to Macomb from SIU-Edwardsville, where she spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach under former Cougar head coach Todd Gober. Clements also served as interim head coach for a short time before the Cougars named Leah Johnson head coach in April.
Additionally, Bryndon Paulsen joined the Fighting Leatherneck staff as an assistant coach in early August. Paulsen comes to Western Illinois after graduating from Clarke University (Dubuque, Iowa) in December 2010. While at Clarke, Paulsen was a four-year player on the Crusader volleyball team.
NEW TRANSFER SETTER
Back in late May, coach McKay announced that sophomore Sarah Fetter, a Moline, Ill. native who spent the 2010 season with Illinois State, will join the Fighting Leathernecks for the 2011 campaign. A 5-foot-9 physical blocking setter who graduated from Moline Senior High School in 2010, Fetter appeared in eight matches and made two starts as a freshman last season with Illinois State.
