KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. – The Indiana State Sycamore volleyball team concluded their pre-season workouts with the annual Blue-White scrimmage last Sunday and is now focused on their season opening tournament this weekend in the ISU Arena.
“We will see how ready they are for the season,” Traci Dahl, Indiana State volleyball coach, said. “The girls have been working hard during the pre-season and it is now just a matter of turning that practice into actual game experience. There will be four very good teams coming to Terre Haute this weekend and we have to be ready mentally and physically for each game.”
The Best Western Sycamore Classic will begin at 9:30 a.m. (ET) Friday with SIU Edwardsville taking on UMKC. The Sycamores will get their first test of the regular season starting at 12 noon (ET) when they square off against North Dakota with Akron and SIU Edwardsville squaring off at 2:30 p.m. (ET). The final two games on Friday feature UMKC and North Dakota at 5 p.m. (ET) with Indiana State taking on Akron at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
The final day of the tournament will be on Saturday with action beginning at 9 a.m. (ET) as SIU Edwardsville going up against North Dakota. Indiana State plays UMKC at 11:30 a.m. (ET) with North Dakota and Akron mixing it up at 2 p.m. (ET). Akron stays to take on UMKC at 4:30 p.m. (ET) and then the final game of the tournament will pit the Sycamores against SIU Edwardsville at 7 p.m.
The Sycamores are led by senior setter Whitney Fromm (Snohomish, Wash.), who recorded 1,100 set assists in the 2008 campaign which is the eighth best on the ISU all-time list. The senior currently ranks seventh on the all-time set assist list with 2,067. Senior Jodilynne Stoker (Ames, Iowa) led ISU in kills a year ago while senior Stephanie Volden (McFarland, Wis.) topped the Sycamores in blocks.
“We have a veteran group of five seniors who I expect to lead this team as we take what we learned last year and keep moving forward,” Dahl said. “We also have three sophomores who saw a lot of playing time a year ago and seven new players who will make their presence known this season.”
The University of Akron Zips, a member of the Mid-American Conference, has four starters returning from a team that finished 11-17 to go along with five newcomers. Senior outside hitter Brionna Patterson led the team in kills with an average of 3.38 kills per set while senior setter Kara Smith led the team in assists with an average of 10.40 per set.
The UMKC Kangaroos, a member of The Summit League, have five starters returning from a team that finished 12-20 last year. Sophomore Elizabeth Beck led the team in kills with 240 kills and a .240 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Erin Wellwood had 560 assists and 217 digs a year ago.
The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux, who are in their second year of transition into NCAA Division I, are a member of the Great West Conference. The Fighting Sioux return all six starters from a team that finished 24-8. Senior middle hitter Britta Hanson led North Dakota in kills with an average of 3.17 per set and in blocks with 114 while senior setter Megan Langseth recorded 1,134 set assists, an average of 10.31 per set.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is another school in transition to NCAA Division I and will play in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Cougars have just two starters returning from last year's team that finished 13-14 in their first season of NCAA Division I play. Junior outside hitter Sydney Winslow had 311 kills in 97 sets last season with sophomore outside hitter Noelle Franke the other returning starter with 131 kills in 74 sets.
Fans are reminded to use the Fifth Street entrance to the ISU Arena south gymnasium for the volleyball games. Tickets are $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for youth (ages 6-18 years) and $4.00 for senior citizens (ages 65 and older). A coupon book (good for 20 games) is available for $50.00.
