Nov. 4, 2009

www.SIUSalukis.com

MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): November 6-7
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site(s): Davies Gym (1,200)
The Series: SIU trails WSU, 18-27; SIU trails MSU, 14-34
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (152-142 overall, 70-70 at SIU); Chris Lamb (211-90 overall and at WSU); Melissa Stokes (310-142 overall and at MSU)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Katie Carrier; Jimmy White (Student Assistant)
Gametracker: www.SIUSalukis.com
Video Stream: www.stretchinternet.com/siuvideo.html
Click here for complete 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 70-70 (.500) record... Last season the Salukis finished with a 17-12 record and were 7-11 in MVC play, finishing in seventh... The Salukis started the 2009 season 10-0 in non-conference play, the best start in school history.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Salukis return home for the final weekend of the season in Davies Gym when they host Wichita State Friday (7 p.m.) and Missouri State Saturday (7 p.m.). Saturday's game is Senior Night and the final home match for Caitlin Dugger, Kelsie Laughlin, Marina Medic and Chandra Roberson.

SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
The Shockers entered the 2009 season with all six returning starters and 10 returning letterwinners. WSU, led by Chris Lamb in his 10th season, recorded an 30-2 record overall last year and a first-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference (18-0). This season, the Shockers are 18-4 overall and 9-3 in the MVC, currently on a four-match win streak. WSU is led by Emily Stockman with 3.97 kills and 3.69 digs per set. Sarah McGee adds 2.53 kills and a team-best 1.23 blocks per set. Melissa Granville adds 4.39 digs and Mary Elizabeth Hooper, 10.94 assists per set.

SERIES WITH WSU
SIU trails the series with WSU, 18-27. The Shockers have taken the last 13 meetings with the Salukis dating back to 2002.

SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE
The Bears entered the 2009 season with five returning starters and 10 returning letterwinners. MSU, led by Melissa Myers in her 14th season, recorded a 23-13 record overall last year and a fourth-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference (11-7). This season, the Bears are 17-7 overall and 10-2 in the MVC, dropping three of their last five matches. MSU is led by Calli Norman with 3.11 kills and 0.88 blocks per set. Sara Staubach is second on the team with 2.72 kills per set, while Addie Foley adds 2.65 kills and 2.49 digs per set. Cara Hackmann lead the Bears with 5.94 digs and Melissa Gmur paces the offense with 8.79 assists per set.

SERIES WITH MSU
SIU trails MSU 14-34. The Bears have taken the last nine regular-season contests with the Salukis dating back to 2004 when SIU won at home.

PERFECT IN NON-CONFERENCE
With a win Tuesday, Oct. 20, over SEMO, the Southern Illinois volleyball team wrapped up non-conference play a perfect, 11-0. The Salukis started the season 10-0, the best season start in program history.

SINGLE-MATCH ATTENDANCE RECORD BROKEN
Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 Southern set a new attendance record in Davies Gym at during a Missouri Valley Conference match against Drake. Davies was filled with 880 fans, breaking the previous record of 713 set Sept. 16, 2007 against Illinois State.

BERWANGER ENTERS TOP-10
Saluki outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger ranks ninth all-time in career attack attempts with 2,710. She is 40 attempts away from eighth all-time. The junior also ranks third all-time in career digs with 1,131 digs and fourth all-time in attempts per set at 8.34.

SALUKIS SNAP STREAK
The Southern Illinois volleyball team swept Illinois State Saturday to snap a 36-match regular-season losing streak dating back to 1990. SIU beat ILS in the opening round of the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference tournament, breaking a 12-match streak.

SIU TIES WINS
With the Salukis' win over Illinois State Saturday night, the team recorded its17th win of the season, tying last season's win-total, the most since the 2002 season when the Salukis were 23-10.

ROBERSON ENTERS BOOKS...AGAIN
Saluki senior Chandra Roberson entered the SIU career record books in two categories over the weekend. After playing in six sets over the weekend, she is tied for 10th all-time in career sets played with 404. With her 14 kills, she moved to 10th all-time in career kills with 1,016 in her career. If the Salukis make the MVC Tournament, she will enter the top-10 list in matches played as well.

ROBERSON PEPPERS THE BOOKS
Senior Chandra Roberson has made an impact in the record books after three and a half seasons at SIU. This season the middle blocker broke the record for career block assists at SIU, currently with 362. She is also fifth in solo blocks in a career with 102, and is eighth in career hitting percentage at .272 in over three seasons. If she remains healthy, she should enter the record books in matches played, sets played and career kills by the end of the 2009 season.

ROBERSON OWNS RECORD
After posting three block assists in the Salukis' four-set match over Evansville Sept. 19, senior middle blocker Chandra Roberson set a new block assist record at SIU. She has 64 block assists this season, bringing her career total to 362. She passed Sonya Locke (331) and Dana Olden (333) with her total for the milestone.

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Saluki freshman Rachael Brown had a career weekend Oct. 23-24 recording a personal-best 55 assists in a four-set victory over Bradley, Friday, Oct. 23.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Salukis dot the top-50 national rankings the sixth week of release in two categories. The team ranks 40th in the nation in blocks per set (2.46) and Rachael Brown ranks 40th in assists per set (10.83).

SALUKI RPI
The Southern Illinois volleyball team cracked the top-100 with the 95th-best RPI in the country and fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Twelve of SIU's 19 opponents are ranked in the top-200

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). This season, Jen averages 3.57 kills and 3.61 digs per set this season.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING!!!
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team started the season on an 11-match win streak, setting a new school record, before falling to UNI Sept. 25. The previous record of 10 was set 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.

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.

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.

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.

BROWN EARNS FOURTH FOW HONOR
Southern Illinois volleyball player Rachael Brown was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season Nov. 2. She averaged 12.83 assists, 1.33 digs, 1.17 kills and 0.50 blocks per set, hitting .583 with zero attack errors, in two wins over the weekend. She also earned the award Aug. 31, Sept. 14 and Sept. 21.

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