Sept. 23, 2009
www.SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): September 25-26
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site(s): McLeod Center (7,293), Markin Center (500)
The Series: SIU trails UNI (7-42); SIU leads BU (31-14)
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (146-135 overall, 64-63 at SIU); Bobbi Petersen (239-72 overall and at UNI); Sean Burdette (14-33 overall and at BU)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Katie Carrier; Jimmy White (Student Assistant)
Gametracker: www.siusalukis.com (UNI match only)
http://www.bradleybraves.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Video Stream: unipanthers.com; bradleybraves.com
Click here for full match notes
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois Volleyball team is in its 52nd year of existence... Head Coach Brenda Winkeler is in her fifth season with the team and holds a 64-63 (.504) record... Last season the Salukis finished with a 17-12 record and were 7-11 in MVC play, finishing in seventh... The Salukis have started the 2009 season 11-0, the best start in school history.
ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Salukis open the Missouri Valley Conference schedule on the road at UNI Friday (7 p.m.) and Bradley Saturday (7 p.m.).
SCOUTING UNI
The Panthers, currently receiving votes in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, entered the 2009 season with four returning starters, plus the libero, and seven returning letterwinners. UNI, led by Bobbi Petersen in her 10th season, recorded a 25-9 record overall last year and a third-place finish in the MVC (13--5). This season the Panthers are 11-2 overall and 2-0 in The Valley, currently on an eight-match win streak. The Panthers have five players averaging over two digs per set led by Michelle Burrow at 2.87 kills and 0.91 blocks per set. Krista DeGeest leads UNI with 1.27 blocks and 1.53 kills per set. Setter Bre Payton averages 10.09 assists, 2.16 kills, 2.64 digs and 0.71 blocks per set.
SERIES WITH UNI
SIU trails UNI 7-42. The Panthers have taken the last 32 contests with the Salukis dating back to 1993 when SIU won in Davies Gym. The Salukis have not won in Cedar Falls, Iowa since 1985, falling in 22 straight matches on UNI's campus.
SCOUTING BRADLEY
The Braves entered the 2009 season with five returning starters and 10 returning letterwinners. BU, led by Sean Burdette in his second season, recorded a 6-26 record overall last year and a ninth-place finish in the MVC (2-16). This season the Braves are 8-7 overall and 0-2 in The Valley, currently on an three-match losing streak. BU has four players averaging over two digs per set led by Alise Tupuritis at 3.13 kills and 1.94 digs per set. Amy Reichel adds 2.62 kills and 0.53 blocks per set. Setter Skylar Lesan averaged 9.82 assists and 1.69 digs per set.
SERIES WITH BRADLEY
Last season, SIU swept BU, and are currently on a seven-match win streak against the Braves. SIU leads the series against BU, 31-14.
LEAGUE OPENERS
Since taking over the Saluki program in 2005, head coach Brenda Winkeler is 3-2 in Missouri Valley Conference openers, sweeping Indiana State a year ago and taking down Evansville this season 3-1. In the last 11 seasons, the Salukis are 4-6 in Valley openers.
AMONG THE ELITE
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team has started the season, 11-0. So has 14 other teams in NCAA Division I volleyball including No. 1 Penn St. (12-0), No. 16 Michigan St. (12-0), No. 19 Arizona (11-0), Washington St. (11-0), No. 3 Washington (10-0), No. 7 Oregon (10-0) and No. 2 Texas (7-0).
SALUKIS PERFECT
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team has started the season, 11-0, the best in program history. The 2008 team started the season 4-1 and back in 1976, 1981, 1985, 2000 and 2002, the Salukis opened 6-1.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING!!!
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team is riding an 11-match win streak, setting a new school record. The previous record of 10 from Oct. 26 through Nov. 23, 1985. The team also has a 12-match win streak dating back to last season after a victory over Indiana State to end last season Nov. 22, 2008.
ROBERSON OWNS RECORD
After posting three block assists in the Salukis' four-set match over Evansville Sept. 19, senior middle blocker Chandra Roberson has 36 block assists this season, bringing her career total to 334, and a new block assist record at SIU. She passed Sonya Locke (331) and Dana Olden (333) with her total over the weekend for the milestone.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Salukis dot the national rankings the second week of release in six categories. The team ranks ninth in the nation in blocks per set (2.90), 19th in hitting percentage (.279) and of course first in wins (11-0). Individually, Chandra Roberson ranks 40th in blocks per set (1.28) and Rachael Brown ranks 40th in assists per set (10.51).
BROWN EARNS THE TRIFECTA
Southern Illinois volleyball player Rachael Brown was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week for the third time this season Sept. 21. She averaged 10.51 assists, 0.60 blocks and 1.53 digs per set this season, helping lead her team to a perfect 11-0 record.
SALUKIS ENTER BOOKS
With 26 block assists in a four-set match against Northern Illinois Friday, Aug. 28, the Salukis rank 11th all-time at SIU for team block assists in a match.
PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON VALLEY COACHES POLL
The Southern Illinois volleyball team was picked sixth in the 2009 MVC preseason coaches poll for the first time since Winkeler took over the program five years ago. The Salukis finished with 49 points. Southern finished seventh a year ago, missing the tournament by one spot. Defending Champion Wichita State was picked to repeat with 99 points and nine first-place votes.
BERWANGER EARNS WEEKLY SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS, TWICE
Jennifer Berwanger of Southern Illinois University has been selected the Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week Sept. 1 and Sept. 8. Berwanger, who has a 3.86 cumulative grade-point average in therapeutic recreation and physical therapy, earned all-tournament honors including an MVP nod two weeks in a row.
SALUKIS STRIVE IN THE CLASSROOM
For the fourth-straight season, the Saluki volleyball team was awarded the GamePlan/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2008-09 season. The team held a 3.56 cumulative grade point average for the 2008-09 school year. They were one of eight Valley teams to be recognized and held the top GPA in the Missouri Valley Conference.
SIU 3.56 • WSU 3.51 • DU 3.50 • INS 3.40 • ILS 3.40 • UE 3.36 • CU 3.35 • BU 3.32
ROBERSON PEPPERS THE BOOKS
Senior Chandra Roberson has made an impact in the record books after three full seasons at SIU. The middle blocker just broke the record for career block assists at SIU. She also is sixth in solo blocks in a career with 90, and eighth in career hitting percentage at .277 in just over three seasons. If she remains healthy, she should enter the record books in matches played, sets played, career attempts and career kills by the end of the 2009 season.
SALUKI DEPTH
Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler wasn't kidding when she said the 2009 SIU volleyball team had depth. In one match, Winkeler has used as many as all 14 student-athletes on the court during one match, usually averaging 11 in any match during the first 10 matches of the season. She uses as many as four middle blockers or defensive specialists during a match and three right sides or outside hitters.
BERWANGER RETURNS
Junior outside hitter Jen Berwanger returns after landing on the first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference last season. As a sophomore, she put up impressive numbers that landed her in the top-10 in SIU single-season history in digs (434, 7th), kills per set (3.64, 10th), attempts per set (10.31, 2nd) and attempts (1103, 5th). Berwanger currently ranks sixth in career attempts per set (7.63).
SALUKIS FILL THE VOID
The 2009 Southern Illinois volleyball team will look to fill the void left by two mainstays in the lineup from a year ago. The Salukis lost four-year libero Kristy Elswick and two-year starting setter Brooklyn Robbins. Elswick is the all-time leader in digs at SIU and Robbins was a second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick a year ago.
JOHNSON READY TO CONTRIBUTE
Right side Alicia Johnson paid her dues last season as a practice player and is ready to contribute in 2009. The junior sat out last season due to NCAA regulations after transferring from Northwest Missouri State (2007). As a freshman, she played at the University of Iowa (2006).
SALUKIS STAY FRESH
The 2009 Saluki freshmen are ready to step in and contribute. The freshmen class is the largest on the team with five newcomers, including high school and club teammates setter Rachael Brown and defensive specialist Bailey Yeager from Brownsburg, Ind. Outside hitter Laura Thole (Breese, Ill.) and middle blocker Alysia Mayes (Ashkum, Ill.) will be expected to contribute to the Saluki offense.
BERWANGER, BROWN EARN WEEKLY HONORS
Saluki volleyball players Jen Berwanger and Rachael Brown were named the Missouri Valley Conference Player and Freshman of the Week respectively August 31 for their efforts at the NIU Invitational in DeKalb, Ill. Berwanger posted two double-doubles, leading the team in kills in all four matches. The junior averaged 4.29 kills, 3.36 digs and 0.64 service aces per set, hitting .248 over the weekend. Brown recorded her first career double-double, averaging 10.21 assists, 1.50 digs and 0.43 blocks per set in four matches.
