2010 Volleyball Preview/Recap

The Trinity University Tigers volleyball team plans to take off where it left off following the 2009 campaign.
 
Trinity won the NCAA Division III South Regional at Georgetown, Texas, and advanced to the National Quarterfinals for the fifth time in school history. The Tigers defeated  Randolph-Macon, defending national champion Emory, and host Southwestern. Top-ranked Juniata beat the Tigers in the NCAA Quarterfinals at John Carroll University in Ohio.
 
It marked the 18th straight time the Tigers advanced to the NCAA playoffs.

It was not an easy road to the regional tournament, as Trinity lost to 13th-ranked Southwestern in the SCAC semifinals in Atlanta. The Tigers bounced back and beat DePauw in the third-place match. Last season marked the first time since 1997 that Trinity didn’t win the SCAC Championship.  The Tigers had won an impressive 11 consecutive SCAC Championships, and 15 overall. Winning the South Region Championship and advancing to the Final Eight helped make up for it.  Trinity completed the year with a 30-12 record (13-5 SCAC)and a No. 8 national ranking.
 
Julie Jenkins, in her 26th season at the Tigers helm, strongly believes her nine returning players, plus some outstanding recruits, will propel Trinity into another successful season. “Our playoff success should give our players even more confidence as we start our 2010 season,” said Coach Jenkins, who earned her 700th career victory during the year. “Having beaten Emory and Southwestern (both by scores of 3-0) to win the South Region Championship helps regain Trinity’s presence in the South and in the SCAC.”
 The Tigers graduated three seniors, all team captains: All-America middle blocker Aly Hazelwood, outside hitter Amy Mittelstaedt, and middle blocker Ginger Haley.
 
Three returning seniors will provide leadership for the Tigers when they take the floor Sept. 1 at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas.
 
Setter Caiti Troyer of Atlanta (Wesleyan) was elected to the All-SCAC Third Team. Troyer registered 1,527 assist (9.73 per set), the second-most in Trinity history. She also was the Tigers leader in digs, with 472 (3.01 average). Troyer had a hitting percentage of .341 (86 kills, 15 errors, 208 total attacks), and recorded 144.5 points (.92).

Emily Hilliard, a defensive specialist from Corpus Christi, Texas (King), chalked up 265 digs (2.57), and fired in 41 service aces.
 
Adriene Busch, a defensive specialist from Tempe, Ariz. (Corona del Sol), accounted for 154 digs (1.97) and 20 aces.
 
Three members of the junior class will again step up to the mark in 2010. Right-side player Catharine Found of Iowa City, Iowa (Iowa City West), pumped in 55 kills (1.15), and 21 digs (.44). Middle blocker Maddy Hazelwood of Baytown, Texas (Barbers Hill), blocked 18 shots (.64), made 34 kills (1.21), and had a .400 hitting percentage. Desie Baker, a middle blocker from San Antonio (Smithson Valley), had 18 kills (.90) and 11 blocks.
 
The three sophomores have tasted Tiger success and will be ready for more. Madison McMahon, an outside hitter from Austin, Texas (St. Michael’s cademy), was a 2009 first-year starter, and tallied 251 kills (2.20), and 42 blocks (.37). McMahon put 274 points (2.41) on the board. Defensive specialist Meredith Erwin, another first-year starter, of Oakton, Va. (Madeira School), is the second-leading returning player in digs, with 427 (2.89). She also tallied 32 service aces. McKenzie Forbes, an outside hitter from Arlington Heights, Ill. (John Hersey), had 17 kills (1.31) and accounted for 20 points during her first season as a Tiger.
 
One of the largest recruiting classes in Trinity history, consisting of seven players, will establish new Tiger traditions over the next four years.
 
Megan Richman, an outside hitter from Highland Heights, Ohio (Mayfield), was an All-Ohio Honorable Mention recipient, and the Northeast Ohio Conference Player of the Year. Richman is Mayfield’s record-holder in kills in a season (323), and led the team to the conference championship for the first time in school history.

Three area players will bolster the Tigers lineup.
 
Maryn Swierc, a setter from Bulverde (Bracken Christian School), is a four-time all-state honoree. Swierc also made the all-district first team four times, and the San Antonio Express-News All-Area Team twice. Bracken Christian is a two-time state champion team.
 
Also coming from Bracken Christian is Kelsey Daniel, a middle blocker from Spring Branch. School). Daniel was selected for the all-district first team three times, and the Express-News All-Area Team.
 
Sara Robertson, an outside hitter from Fredericksburg (Fredericksburg), was an all-state player, an Express-News All-Area Team selection, and the district co-offensive player of the year. Leslie Green, a defensive specialist from Austin, Texas (McCallum), was the district co-defensive player of the year. Ashley Williams, a defensive specialist from Missouri City, Texas (West Side), was elected twice to the all-district team. Emily Kimmitt, a setter from Houston (St. Agnes Academy), was an all-district performer.
 
The Tigers open their home schedule Sept. 3-4 with the Trinity University River City   Classic. The Trinity Fall Classic is slated for Sept. 10-11, highlighted by 13thranked Southwestern, and 16th-ranked Christopher Newport. Texas Lutheran visits the Trinity campus Oct. 6, and the Tigers will host the Trinity National Invitational Oct. 22-23. In the lineup is 15th-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Trinity will play a total of 10 teams ranked in the Top-25 National Poll.
 
Trinity will host the SCAC Championship Tournament Nov. 5-6, with an automatic bid to  the NCAA playoffs at stake. In addition to Trinity and Southwestern’s national rankings, Colorado College was ranked seventh, and DePauw received top-25 votes.