29Th ANNUAL DIVISION I WOMEN's VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Selection Information Sunday, Nov

X 2007 2009 2007 2009 C h a m p i o n s h i p X X Hosted by Hosted by Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn, NY www.northeastconference.org www.northeastconference.org Long Island University Long Island University November 21 & 22, 2009 November 21 & 22, 2009

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> NEC Academic Honor Roll Student-Athletes

2008-09 NEC Women’s Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Alaina Gibson, Robert Morris Major: Human Resources Management

A former NEC Rookie of the Year, Gibson earned second team all-NEC honors this past season - she was also a first team honoree in 2006 - as the Colonials finished a perfect 8-0 in league play to capture the regular season conference title. Gibson led the league with 4.14 digs per game and closed out her career with a school record 1,884 digs. She is the only player in Robert Morris annals to finish in the top-10 in the school’s single season record book for digs in each of her four seasons. A two-time ESPN The Magazine District II Academic All-American, she claimed first team honors in 2008 after earning second team accolades a year earlier. A Muncie, IN native, Gibson is a Human Resources Management major. Her grade point average is 3.92.

Returning NEC Women’s Volleyball Scholar-Athletes Name School Yr. Major Name School Yr. Major Robyn Gardner BU Jr. International Business Emily Hankinson QU So. Communications Julie Geonnotti* BU Sr. Marketing Kayla Lawler QU So. Communications Maria Scocca BU So. Accounting Alyssa Naylor QU So. Communications Jazmin Stoner BU So. Applied Psychology Erin Overdevest* QU RSr. Occupational Therapy Jamie Baumert* CCSU Sr. Elementary Education Alyssa Bennett RMU So. Communication Amanda Bayer CCSU Jr. English Amanda Graham* RMU Jr. Nuclear Medicine Technology Jenna Broadbent CCSU Sr. Elementary Education Jaye Hellmich RMU Jr. Communication Maite Mendizabal CCSU Jr. Physical Education Addie Jennings* RMU Jr. Biology Kaitlin Petrella CCSU Jr. Physical Education Corinne Moser* RMU Jr. Finance Tori Vaughan CCSU Jr. Elementary Education Jessica Nelko RMU Sr. Environmental Science Amanda Alayon FDU Jr. Communication Hannah Veith RMU So. Management Meghan Alger FDU So. Undeclared Annie Archer* SHU Sr. Business Ali Philbrick FDU Sr. Mathematics Alexandra Bavasi SHU Sr. Biological/Life Sciences Kelsey Semler FDU So. Communication Katelyn Morin SHU Sr. Biological/Life Sciences Sarah Willey FDU So. Spanish Detelina Dimitrova SFNY Sr. Economics Svetlana Simic LIU Sr. Business Management Melissa Manning SFNY Sr. Management Martina Racic LIU Sr. Studio Art Thalita Paladino SFNY Jr. Health Promotions Dunja Milin* LIU Sr. Sociology/Anthropology Liliana Rodriguez SFNY Jr. Management Theresa Gorella LIU Jr. Biology Christine Breisch SFPA Jr. Accounting Stephanie Biediger*QU So. Psychology Rachel Capizzi* SFPA Jr. Mathematics Kelby Carey* QU So. Health Sciences Shirley Miller SFPA Sr. Accounting Shelagh Dolan QU So. Communications Rikki Myers SFPA Sr. Chemistry/Pre-Professional

* Denotes Commissioner’s Honor Roll Award Recipient (3.75 GPA and higher)

Congratulations to the 2008 NEC Women’s Volleyball Team GPA Award Winner: Quinnipiac (3.610) Northeast Conference Fans:

Welcome to the 2009 Northeast Conference Women's Volleyball Championship! Now in its 29th season, the NEC is proud to bring its women's volleyball championship to Brooklyn and Long Island University for the fourth time in the last five years. Consisting of 12 institutions of higher learning located throughout six states, the NEC is committed to providing opportunities for student-athletes to achieve their fullest potential both in athletic competition and in the classroom, as well as becoming an NCAA Division I leader for athletic success, academic achievement and integrity, sportsmanship, equity and diversity, community partnership and national engagement. NEC member institutions include Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island, Monmouth, Mount St. Mary's, Quinnipiac, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis (NY), Saint Francis (PA) and Wagner. Bryant University will become a core member of the NEC in 2012 upon completion of the five-year NCAA Division I reclassifica- tion period. NEC institutions span a number of diverse locations, from the urban bustle of Brooklyn, NY to the rural settings of Loretto, PA and Emmitsburg, MD, to the beaches and shoreline of West Long Branch, NJ. But when it comes to intercollegiate athletics, the goal of the NEC is consistent - to provide its members the opportunity to participate in quality competition at the Division I level while operating programs that are fully integrated in the academic mission of each institution. The NEC's commitment to academic excellence has translated into national recognition for both individual student-athletes and the league's member institutions as a whole. NEC student-athletes consistently graduate at well above the national average and its athletic programs continue to be honored for their Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Academic Progress Rate (APR) figures. On a conference-wide level, more than 2,000 student-athletes qualified for the NEC Academic Honor Roll in 2008-09, nearly a 25 percent increase from the previous year. Saint Francis (PA) posted the highest GPA in the conference to claim the NEC Institutional Academic Award for the first time. On the field of play, the NEC has enjoyed many successes both regionally and nationally, competing in 21 NCAA championships each year. In volleyball, Long Island has been victorious in NCAA Tournament play, and the league has featured a number of Academic All-Americans in the sport. The future of the NEC looks even brighter with new facilities and improvements recently completed, under construction or in planning stages at a majority of the league's member institutions. We also would like to thank you, the fans, for your support and tremendous enthusiasm for the sport of women's volleyball. Enjoy the action!

Sincerely,

Ron Ratner, Interim Commissioner Message To Spectators Northeast Conference member institutions value the principles of sportsmanship and the ideal of pursuing victory with honor in intercollegiate athletics. The Conference believes that athletics should be conducted in a way that reflects positively on the individual participants and institutions. The essential elements of sportsmanship and ethics in sports are embodied in the concept of character building and seven core principles: respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, integrity, caring and civility. The highest potential of sports is achieved when competition reflects these seven principles.

The NEC has communicated this message through public service announcements that air on televised football and basketball games, public address announcements at all events and signage on each member campus. The Conference also implemented a new Team Sportsmanship Award program in 2008-09 to recognize those teams and student-athletes who adhere to the principles of sportsmanship and pursue victory with honor. Saint Francis (PA) finished the year with a league-high six sportsmanship awards, which are voted on by student-athletes and coaches following the conclusion of each athletic season.

In 2009-10, the NEC is partnering with the NCAA on a "Respect" campaign to address sportsmanship and fan behavior issues through education, communication and enforcement when problems arise. NEC Women’s Volleyball History

Individual Records (Match) Category Player Opponent Date Record Kills Lisa Cline (UMBC) Bowling Green 9/18/98 39 Julie Sector (RMU) Quinnipiac 11/20/99 39 Assists Kelly Snee (SFPA) Quinnipiac 10/22/00 80 Digs Darcy Thomas (RMU) Akron 9/3/04 45 Aces Martina Wagner (LIU) Rutgers 10/17/07 13 Blocks Shannon Dublin (QU) Iona 9/6/98 15 Karen Klein (QU) Iona 9/6/98 15 Maria Scocca (BU) Brown 9/10/09 15

Individual Records (Season) Category Player Year Record Hitting Pct. Rachel Leitch (RMU) 2004 .422 Kills Cristina Pintilie (LIU) 2002 816 Kills Per Game Cristina Pintilie (LIU) 2003 6.05 Assists Ivana Vasiljevic (LIU) 2002 1,594 Assists P/G Ivana Vasiljevic (LIU) 2003 12.26 Digs Darcy Thompson (RMU) 2004 718 Digs Per Game Darcy Thompson (RMU) 2004 6.19 Aces Sarah Willey (FDU) 2009 128 Kelsey Semler (FDU) 2009 128 Aces Per Game Martina Wagner (LIU) 2006 0.94 Blocks Heather Wollyung (QU) 2001 196 (81bs/115ba) Blocks P/G Heather Wollyung (QU) 2001 2.13

Team Records (Match) Category Team Opponent Date Record Kills Robert Morris Quinnipiac 11/20/99 101 Assists Saint Francis (PA) Quinnipiac 10/22/00 87 Digs St. Francis (NY) NY Tech 10/3/92 152 2008 NEC All-Tournament Team Aces St. Francis (NY) Wagner 9/21/92 23 LIU: Martina Racic* Blocks Quinnipiac Iona 9/6/98 57 Svetlana Simic Chelsey Stanton Team Records (Season) Category Player Year Record Hitting Pct. Rider 1994 .298 SFPA: Kristin Buter Kills Robert Morris 2004 2,226 Keshia Gibbs Kills Per Game Central Conn. St. 2004 16.14 Rikki Myers Assists Long Island 2005 2,023 Assists P/G Central Conn. St. 2005 14.33 * Tournament MVP Digs Robert Morris 2000 2,413 Digs Per Game Robert Morris 2004 19.60 Aces Long Island 2002 362 Aces Per Game Rider 1994 3.53 Blocks Rider 1994 399.5 Blocks P/G Quinnipiac 2001 4.09 NEC Women’s Volleyball History

Regular Season & Tournament Champions Year Champion Coach Record Tournament Coach Site 1987 Fairleigh Dickinson Russ Robinson Coraopolis, PA 1988 Fairleigh Dickinson Russ Robinson Teaneck, NJ 1989 Fairleigh Dickinson Russ Robinson Loretto, PA 1992 Robert Morris Alan Byers Poughkeepsie, NY 1993 Robert Morris Alan Byers Poughkeepsie, NY 1994 Rider Nancy Roberts 6-1 Rider Nancy Roberts Teaneck, NJ 1995 Rider Nancy Roberts 7-0 Rider Nancy Roberts Loretto, PA 1996 Rider Nancy Roberts 7-0 Rider Nancy Roberts Loretto, PA 1997 Saint Francis (PA) Maria Bogus 10-0 Wagner Lauris Murnieks Moon Township, PA 1998 UMBC Catherine Lavery 8-0 UMBC Catherine Lavery Baltimore, MD 1999 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon 9-0 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon Loretto, PA 2000 UMBC Felix Hou 9-0 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon Teaneck, NJ 2001 Central Conn. St. Linda Sagnelli 8-1 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon Staten Island, NY UMBC Felix Hou 8-1 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon 8-1 2002 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon 9-0 Robert Morris Tim Horsmon Baltimore, MD 2003 Robert Morris Rob Thomas 8-0 Robert Morris Rob Thomas New Britain, CT 2004 Robert Morris Rob Thomas 8-0 Long Island Toby Rens Moon Township, PA 2005 Long Island Toby Rens 8-0 Long Island Toby Rens Brooklyn, NY 2006 Long Island Toby Rens 8-0 Long Island Toby Rens Brooklyn, NY 2007 Long Island Toby Rens 8-0 Long Island Toby Rens Brooklyn, NY 2008 Robert Morris Rob Thomas 8-0 Long Island Kyle Robinson Moon Township, PA Coach of the Year Setter of the Year Play-In Results 1993 Alan Byers Robert Morris 2005 Brynn Good, CCSU 1994 Rider def. Army 1994 Nancy Roberts Rider 2006 Brynn Good, CCSU 15-11, 12-15, 15-12, 7-15, 16-14 1995 Nancy Roberts Rider 2007 Tawnya Storino, RMU 1995 Hofstra def. Rider 1996 Maria Bogus Saint Francis (PA) 2008 Alyssa Bennett, RMU 15-3, 15-11, 15-6 1997 Lauris Murnieks Wagner 1996 Colgate def. Rider 1998 Stacey Recanati Fairleigh Dickinson Libero of the Year 15-0, 15-8, 15-0 1999 Tim Horsmon Robert Morris 2007 Svetlana Simic, LIU 1997 Lehigh def. Wagner 2000 Felix Hou UMBC 2001 Linda Sagnelli Central Connecticut St. 2008 Alaina Gibson, RMU 15-7, 15-10, 15-7 2002 Tim Horsmon Robert Morris 2003 Linda Sagnelli Central Connecticut St. 2004 Rob Thomas Robert Morris 2005 Toby Rens Long Island NCAA Tournament Results 2006 Scott Gleason Saint Francis (PA) 1994 Northern Iowa def. Rider (15-0, 15-2, 15-3) 2007 Linda Sagnelli Central Conn. State 1998 USC def. UMBC (15-3, 15-5, 15-10) 2008 Rob Thomas Robert Morris 1999 Penn State def. Robert Morris (15-1, 15-1, 15-2) 2000 Minnesota def. Robert Morris (15-1, 15-6, 15-2) Player of the Year 2001 Ohio State def. Robert Morris (30-17, 30-16, 30-13) 1993 Amy Ford Rider 2002 Ohio State def. Robert Morris (30-22, 30-20, 30-16) Kristie Tuxford Robert Morris 2003 Penn State def. Robert Morris (30-10, 30-18, 30-11) 1994 Michele Guzowski Rider 2004 Minnesota def. Long Island (30-19, 30-12, 30-27) 1995 Amy Ford Rider 2005 Long Island def. Cornell (31-29, 30-24, 35-33) 1996 Tina Friel Robert Morris Penn State def. Long Island (30-11, 30-27, 30-8) 1997 Jodi Cruse Saint Francis (PA) 2006 Penn State def. Long Island (30-16, 30-27, 30-15) 1998 Lisa Cline UMBC 1999 Megan Taliaferro Saint Francis (PA) 2007 St. John’s def. Long Island (30-25, 30-25, 30-16) 2000 Kara Welniak UMBC 2008 Penn State def. Long Island (25-14, 25-15, 25-15) 2001 Katie Noble Robert Morris 2002 Katie Noble Robert Morris 2003 Cristina Pintilie Long Island 2004 Rachel Leitch Robert Morris 2005 Lizelle Jackson Long Island 2006 Martina Wagner Long Island NEC Tournament MVP 2007 Shelby Heggie Long Island 1987 Cathy Pierre-Louis Fairleigh Dickinson 2008 Lauren Boothby Fairleigh Dickinson 1988 Cathy Pierre-Louis Fairleigh Dickinson 1989 Stacey Matt-Recanati Fairleigh Dickinson Rookie of the Year 1992 Melissa Vensel Robert Morris 1993 Denitra Seals Fairleigh Dickinson 1993 Kristie Tuxford Robert Morris Erin Shaw Saint Francis (PA) 1994 Amy Ford Rider 1994 Alison Crawford Rider 1995 Amy Ford Rider 1995 Stephanie Schmidt Fairleigh Dickinson 1996 Gillian Gemming Rider 1996 Kristine Culpepper Wagner 1997 Elizabeth Hayes Wagner 1997 Elizabeth Hayes Wagner 1998 Joanne Marshall UMBC 1998 Jennifer Hitt Fairleigh Dickinson 1999 Julie Sector Robert Morris 1999 Kim Payne Fairleigh Dickinson 2000 Maryann Liska Robert Morris 2000 Rebecca Hartman Saint Francis (PA) 2001 Karla Barhorst Robert Morris 2001 Jocelyn Teoh UMBC 2002 Karla Barhorst Robert Morris 2002 Ivana Vasiljevic Long Island 2003 Dana Demayo Long Island 2003 Rachel Leitch Robert Morris 2004 Emily Wolthuis Robert Morris 2004 Cristina Pintilie Long Island 2005 Alaina Gibson Robert Morris 2005 Lizelle Jackson Long Island 2006 Jamie Baumert Central Connecticut State 2006 Martina Wagner Long Island 2007 Amanda Bayer Central Connecticut State 2007 Shelby Heggie Long Island 2008 Alyssa Bennet Robert Morris 2008 Martina Racic Long Island 2009 NEC Women’s Volleyball Tournament Bracket

#1 Long Island (19-13, 16-0 NEC)

Semifinal Match #1: Saturday, Nov. 21st 12:00 p.m.

#4 Robert Morris (14-19, 11-5 NEC) Championship Game Sunday, Nov. 22nd 1:00 p.m. 2009 NEC Tournament Champion #2 Sacred Heart (22-10, 12-4 NEC)

Seminfinal Match #2: Saturday, Nov. 21st 2:30 p.m.

#3 Central Conn. St. (18-14, 12-4 NEC)

2009: 29th ANNUAL DIVISION I WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Selection Information Sunday, Nov. 29, 3:00 p.m. ET (on ESPNews) First/Second Rounds (16) Dec. 3-4, 4-5, or 5-6, 2009 (on campus sites TBD) Regionals Schedule (4) Dec. 11 & 12 Stephen C. O'Connell Center Host: University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, 4:00 p.m. ET (on ESPNU) Sports Pavilion Host: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus Minneapolis, Minnesota, 6:30 p.m. ET (on ESPNU) Qwest Center Host: University of Nebraska, Lincoln Omaha, Nebraska, 9:00 p.m. ET (on ESPNU HD) Maples Pavilion Host: Stanford University campus Stanford, California, 11:30 p.m. ET (on ESPNU HD) Championship Schedule Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 Semifinal Game 1 - 7:00 p.m. ET (on ESPN2/ESPN360.com simulcast) Semifinal Game 2 - 9:00 p.m. ET (on ESPN2/ESPN360.com) Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009 National Championship - 8:00 p.m. ET (on ESPN2/ESPN360.com simulcast)

St. Pete Times Forum Tampa, Florida Co-Hosts: University of South Florida and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission Web site: http://www.sptimesforum.com/ #1 Long Island Blackbirds (19-13, 16-0 NEC)

BACK ROW (L to R): Head coach Kyle Robinson, Kelsey Plath, Vanessa Gemignani, Svetlana Simic, Kelsi Klikus, Chelsey Stanton, Cally Fensten, Graduate Assistant Coach Lindsey Patty, Assistant Coach Jennifer Robinson. FRONT ROW (L to R): Theresa Gorella, Martina Racic, Jessica Rice, Breanna Cullity, Ashley Rice, Dunja Milin.

# Name Pos. Year Hometown/High School 1 Dunja Milin S/OPP Sr. Pula, Croatia/School of Economics 2 Chelsey Stanton S/OH So. Macungie, PA/Emmaus 3 Cally Fensten L Fr. Aurora, CO/Smoky Hill 4 Breanna Cullity MB Fr. Colorado Springs, CO/Colorado Springs School 5 Kelsi Klikus OH Fr. Colorado Springs, CO/Pine Creek 6 Vanessa Gemignani S Fr. Colorado Springs, CO/Thomas B. Doherty 8 Martina Racic MB Sr. Pula, Croatia/School of Arts 9 Kelsey Plath DS/L Fr. Vail, CO/Battle Mountain 10 Svetlana Simic OH Sr. Klek, Serbia/Commercial School 11 Ashley Rice MB So. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee 12 Theresa Gorella OH Jr. Fresno, CA/Fowler 14 Jessica Rice OH Fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee 15 Zuzana Buchlova OH Jr. Pelhrmov, Czech Republic/Long Beach State University

Coaches Head Coach: Kyle Robinson Assistant Coach: Jennifer Robinson Graduate Assistant Coach: Lindsey Patty #2 Sacred Heart Pioneers (22-10, 12-4 NEC)

FRONT ROW (L to R): Megan Pulone, Katrina Wells, Mydori Saipale, Jessica Colberg, Aurora Appel, Nicole Morales, Nicole Riggio. BACK ROW (L to R): Courtney Kidd-Kadlubek, Maile Hetherington, Johanna Ovsenek, Annie Archer, Katelyn Morin, Elise Sage, Ashlyn Trimble, Alex Bavasi, Brittany Best.

# Name Pos. Year Hometown/High School 1 Nicole Morales OH Fr. Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford 2 Elise Sage OH Fr. Greenwood Village, CO/Cherry Creek 3 Mydori Saipale MB/OH Jr. Oxnard, CA/Oxnard 4 Brittany Best OH So. Norco, CA/Norco 5 Ashlyn Trimble OH So. Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley 6 Maile Hetherington OH So. Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks 7 Megan Pulone S Fr. Diamond Bar, CA/Diamond Bar 8 Courtney Kidd-Kadlubek S Jr. Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara 9 Nicole Riggio S Fr. Smithtown, NY/Smithtown 10 Annie Archer MB Sr. Littleton, CO/Littleton 11 Katelyn Morin M/RS Sr. Marston Mills, MA/Barnstable 13 Jessica Colberg OH So. Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic 14 Aurora Appel S Sr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham 15 Johanna Ovsenek MB Fr. London, Ontario/Saunders Secondary 17 Alex Bavasi M/RS Sr. Flagstaff, AZ/Sinagua Katrina Wells S Fr. Greenwich, CT/Greenwich

Coaches Head Coach: Rob Machan Assistant Coach: Amanda Roleder #3 Central Conn. St. Blue Devils (18-14, 12-4 NEC)

FRONT ROW (L to R): Jenna Broadbent, Blaike King, Jamie Baumert, Amanda Bayer, Danielle Gasser, Kaitlin Petrella. BACK ROW (L to R): Assistant Coach Greg Shell, Mary Kate Schmidt, Maite Mendizabal, Jamie Rademacher, Sara DeLacey, Tori Vaughan, Emily Cochran, Head Coach Linda Sagnelli.

# Name Pos. Year Hometown/High School 2 Jenna Broadbent OH/DS Sr. Beacon Falls, CT/Woodland Regional 3 Jamie Rademacher MB Fr. New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central 5 Sara DeLacey RS So. Spring Lake Park, MN/Spring Lake Park 7 Jamie Baumert MB Sr. Elkhorn, NE/Elkhorn 9 Danielle Gasser S So. New Milford, CT/New Milford 10 Mary Kate Schmidt OH/RS Fr. Evergreen Park, IL/Providence Catholic 11 Amanda Bayer S Jr. Allen, TX/Allen 12 Maite Mendizabal OH Jr. Stratford, CT/Bunnell 13 Blaike King OH Fr. Carson City, NV/Carson 14 Emily Cochran OH/DS Fr. Adel, IA/Adel-DeSoto-Minburn 15 Kaitlin Petrella L Jr. Stratford, CT/Bunnell 19 Tori Vaughan MB Jr. Salinas, CA/Salinas

Coaches Head Coach: Linda Sagnelli Assistant Coach: Greg Shell #4 Robert Morris Colonials (14-19, 11-5 NEC)

BACK ROW (L to R): Jessy Nelko, Alyssa Bennett, Hannah Veith, Addie Jennings, Jaye Hellmich, Amanda Graham. MIDDLE ROW (L to R): Andrea Catucci, Amanda Craig, Lindsey Monger, Corinne Moser. FRONT ROW (L to R): Charla Drabant, Nicole Wiechecki, Kenzie Tonn.

# Name Pos. Year Hometown/High School 2 Hannah Veith MB So. Columbus, OH/Worthington 3 Alyssa Bennett S So. Ramona, CA/Ramona 4 Amanda Graham MB Jr. Melbourne, FL/Eau Gallie 5 Amanda Craig OPP Fr. Houston, TX/St. Agnes Academy 6 Charla Drabant OH Jr. Wheaton, IL/Wheaton North 7 Andrea Catucci S/DS Fr. Davidsonville, MD/Archbishop Spalding 9 Corinne Moser DS Jr. Meyersdale, PA/Meyersdale 10 Addie Jennings OPP Jr. Santa Barbara, CA/Dos Pueblos 11 Nicole Wiechecki DS Fr. Wilmington, DE/Ursuline Academy 12 Lindsey Monger OH Fr. Rising Sun, MD/Rising Sun 15 Jaye Hellmich MB Jr. Costa Mesa, CA/Estancia 17 Mackenzie Tonn OH Jr. Fishers, IN/Hamilton Southeastern 18 Jessy Nelko OH/OPP Sr. Aliquippa, PA/Hopewell

Coaches Head Coach: Rob Thomas Assistant Coach: Kellen Patrone Student Assistant Coach: Thomas Blystone III Student Assistant Coach: Tyler Warden 2009 NEC Women’s Volleyball Standings (including matches played through 11/15/09)

School NEC Pts Overall Pct Streak Home Away Neutral 1. Long Island* 16-0 1.000 19-13 .594 W10 11-3 8-5 0-5 2. Sacred Heart* 12-4 .750 22-10 .688 L1 10-2 7-4 5-4 Central Conn. St.* 12-4 .750 18-14 .562 W1 10-4 6-7 2-3 4. Robert Morris* 11-5 .688 14-19 .424 W2 8-8 6-5 0-6 5. Bryant 6-10 .375 11-23 .324 L1 6-9 3-10 2-4 6. Fairleigh Dickinson 5-11 .312 8-24 .250 L1 3-5 3-11 2-8 7. St. Francis (PA) 4-12 .250 7-25 .219 L6 2-7 3-11 2-7 8. St. Francis (NY) 3-13 .188 4-22 .154 L2 1-12 2-9 1-1 Quinnipiac 3-13 .188 4-25 .138 W1 3-5 1-14 0-6

* Clinched NEC Tournament Berth

2009 Players of the Week 2009 Rookies of the Week Aug. 31 Amanda Graham Robert Morris Aug. 31 Amanda Craig Robert Morris Sept. 8 Brittany Best Sacred Heart Sept. 8 Lauren Wingard Saint Francis (PA) Sept. 14 Svetlana Simic Long Island Sept. 14 Macy Mitravich Bryant Sept. 21 Maria Scocca Bryant Sept. 21 Elisa Sage Sacred Heart Sept. 28 Jamie Baumert Central Conn. St. Sept. 28 Emily Cochran Central Conn. St. Oct. 5 Alyssa Bennett Robert Morris Oct. 5 Emily Cochran Central Conn. St. Oct. 12 Svetlana Simic Long Island Oct. 12 Breanna Cullity Long Island Oct. 19 Jessica Colberg Sacred Heart Oct. 19 Elise Sage Sacred Heart Oct. 26 Martina Racic Long Island Oct. 26 Breanna Cullity Long Island Nov. 2 Svetlana Simic Long Island Nov. 2 Breanna Cullity Long Island Nov. 9 Martina Racic Long Island Nov. 9 Emily Cochran Central Conn. St. Nov. 16 Hannah Veith Robert Morris Nov. 16 Breanna Cullity Long Island

NEC Statistical Leaders (through matches of November 15) KILLS SERVICE ACES Player-Team G No. Avg/G Player-Team G No. Avg/G 1. SIMIC, Svetlana - LIU 110 437 3.97 1. TRIMBLE, Ashlyn - SHU 106 59 0.56 2. WHEELER, Meaghan - FDU 127 438 3.45 2. KASHAVELOVA, Maria - SFNY 91 40 0.44 3. LILA, ANISA - SFNY 92 314 3.41 3. BAYER, Amanda - CCSU 113 44 0.39 4. RACIC, Martina - LIU 108 357 3.31 4. Kidd-Kadlubek, Courtney - SHU 107 40 0.37 5. SCOCCA, Maria - BU 126 406 3.22 5. WILLEY, Sarah - FDU 128 47 0.37 SEMLER, Kelsey - FDU 128 47 0.37 ASSISTS Player-Team GP No. Avg/G DIGS 1. Kidd-Kadlubek, Courtney - SHU 107 1158 10.82 Player-Team G No. Avg/G 2. MILIN, Dunja - LIU 81 812 10.02 1. RODRIGUEZ, Liliana - SFNY 91 447 4.91 3. BAYER, Amanda - CCSU 113 970 8.58 2. PETRELLA, Kaitlin - CCSU 120 522 4.35 4. BENNETT, Alyssa - RMU 118 1011 8.57 3. SEMLER, Kelsey - FDU 128 550 4.30 5. WILLEY, Sarah - FDU 128 1072 8.38 4. COLBERG, Jessica - SHU 106 450 4.25 5. RIKER, Logan - QU 100 406 4.06 HITTING PERCENTAGE Player-Team G Kills Errs Total Pct 1. BAUMERT, Jamie - CCSU 121 313 58 698 .365 2. GRAHAM, Amanda - RMU 87 230 55 532 .329 3. VEITH, Hannah - RMU 108 230 63 509 .328 4. RICE, Ashley - LIU 86 117 34 267 .311 5. SAGE, Elise - SHU 105 201 57 466 .309 BLOCKS Player-Team G Solo Asst. Total Avg/G 1. SCOCCA, Maria - BU 126 17 136 153.0 1.21 2. BAUMERT, Jamie - CCSU 121 26 120 146.0 1.21 3. GRAHAM, Amanda - RMU 87 19 83 102.0 1.17 4. VAUGHAN, Tori - CCSU 121 27 113 140.0 1.16 5. RICE, Ashley - LIU 86 12 81 93.0 1.08 2008 NEC Volleyball Tournament Recaps

Championship #2 Long Island def. #4 Saint Francis (PA), 3-0 Moon Township, PA -- In the title match of the 2008 NEC Women’s Volleyball Tournament, the second-seeded Long Island Blackbirds defeated #4 Saint Francis (PA) by virtue of a 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-19) count to take home their fifth straight Northeast Conference tournament crown on Sunday afternoon in Moon Township.

Leading all players was the 2008 NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player from LIU, Martina Racic (Pula, Croatia/School of Arts), with 11 kills, while freshman Quinn Williams (Palmdale, CA/Palmdale) added 10 of her own. Williams also served the most aces (two). The matches highest hitting percentage (.667) came from the Blackbirds in the form of senior outside hitter, Agatha Baliddawa (Jinja, Uganda/Makerere University), while Chelsey Stanton (Macungie, PA/Emmaus) tied SFPA’s Rikki Myers (Noblesville, IN/ Westfield) for the match-high in assists (29). Racic finished with 10 digs for the double-double, while teammate Svetlana Simic (Klek, Serbia/Commercial School) paced all players with 12 digs.

Notching the Red Flash’s most kills was the duo of Shirley Miller (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) and Kristin Buter (Bowie, MD/ Bowie) with 10 apiece. Keshia Gibbs (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) was next in line with five kills, while Myers took home a double- double by coming up with 10 digs.

In the first set, the Red Flash got on the board first with a kill from Miller, but the Blackbirds proceeded to rattle off the next six points, forcing SFPA to take a timeout. Points were traded back and forth, but LIU maintained at least a four-point margin, upping it to as much as 16-8 following a pair of kills from Simic. The Blackbirds needed just two more points to claim the set, but the Red Flash didn’t make it easy as they tallied five straight points to bring the score to 23- 19 following a block from Gibbs and Myers. A kill from Racic brought LIU within one point of the win and the Blackbirds put it away with the score at 25-21.

The second stanza began much the same way as the first with SFPA earning the first score and LIU taking the next five with the help of a pair of kills from Baliddawa. The Red Flash cut the lead to three, but the Blackbirds went on a run to bring the score to 10-3 thanks to an ace from Williams. From there, SFPA never came within more than four points as the LIU defense thwarted any Red Flash attempts at a comeback. A kill from Ashley Rice (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) brought the score to 23-15, while two SFPA errors followed to hand the Blackbirds the set, 25-15.

A tightly contested third frame featured both squads trade points, while an ace from Sarah Dougherty (Derwood, MD/Magruder) put the Red Flash within one and a kill from Miller knotted the score at nine. The Blackbirds refused to surrender the lead as they found themselves in the midst of a six-point surge due to the combination of an efficient offense and a solid unit at the net. Plagued by errors, the Red Flash struggled to find a rhythm and the Blackbirds went on to win, 25-19.

First-year head coach Kyle Robinson and his Blackbird squad received the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament against an opponent to be determined on Sunday, November 30. LIU heads into the tournament with a 19-11 overall record.

Semifinal #1 #4 Saint Francis (PA) def. #1 Robert Morris , 3-2 Moon Township, PA -- The second upset of the day came in the form of a 3-2 (15-25, 25-23, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13) victory for #4 Saint Francis (PA) over top-seeded Robert Morris. The Red Flash earned the trip to the finals for the first time since 1997 in a chance for it’s first ever NEC Tournament title.

Leading all players with a .412 hitting percentage (11 kills) was SFPA senior Keshia Gibbs (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park), while Lindsay Malloy (Gallitzin, PA/Penn Cambria) put down 11 of her own and Kristin Buter (Bowie, MD/Bowie) slammed 14 for the Red Flash. Rikki Myers (Noblesville, IN/Westfield) dished out 39 assists, while a quartet of SFPA players notched double-digit digs, including Shirley Miller (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) with a a team-best 20, Buter with 16, Myers coming away with 13 and libero Christine Breisch (Edwardsburg, MI/Edwardsburg) finishing with 12. For the Colonials, Emily Wolthius (Byron Center, MI/South Christian) and Hannah Veith (Columbus, OH/Worthington) paced the offense with 18 and 10 kills, respectively, while Alyssa Bennett (Ramona, CA/Ramona) had a match-high 50 assists. The 2008 NEC Libero of the Year, Alaina Gibson (Muncie, IN/Muncie Burris) led the match with 23 digs, as Wolthius picked up 15 and Cassie Lee (Vista, CA/Vista) totaled 12 digs. The Colonials handled the first set seemingly easily, taking constructing a 6-1 lead and not letting the Red Flash get closer than within three points, while the second frame was more intense. SFPA took its first lead of the match early in the second set and held the margin until midway through until RMU knotted the score at 13. A kill from Buter regained the Red Flash lead, but the Colonials refused to be left behind as a putdown from Veith tied the score again, this time at 15. Miller and Gibbs tacked on two points with a kill and a block, respectively, as the Red Flash used that momentum to stay ahead the rest of the set, earning the 25-23 victory.

Set three resembled the opening game as RMU came out of the gate fired up, taking a 3-2 lead and never looking back. The Colonials extended their lead to as much as 21-10, making it difficult for the Red Flash to come within reach. A kill from Wolthius ended the set at 25- 13. Entering the fourth frame, RMU appeared to be following suit from their previous performance, however, a relentless SFPA squad battled back to even the score at 10 thanks to a kill from Miller, while a block from Greenwalt put the Flash up by one. SFPA rode the transition momentum through to the end by keeping the Colonials at bay and stretching its lead to 21-15. Consecutive kills from RMU’s Wolthius and Veith brought the top seed back within one, but the Red Flash held for the 25-23 victory and a fifth set, which featured multiple lead changes and a dramatic ending for SFPA. Initially, RMU went on a four-point run thanks to points from Wolthius and Veith, but the Red Flash put together a comeback at the right time, knotting the score at 13 with a block. A kill from Gibbs gave SFPA a 14-13 lead as they ended the exciting match with an ace.

Semifinal #2 #2 Long Island def. #6 Sacred Heart, 3-1 Moon Township, PA -- The second-seeded Long Island Blackbirds defeated a tough #6 Sacred Heart squad, 3-1 (20-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-16), on Saturday evening in Moon Township in the second semifinal tilt. LIU competes for its fifth straight NEC Tournament title on Sunday at 1:00 pm against #4 Saint Francis (PA).

Pacing all players with a .346 hitting percentage (11 kills) was all-NEC first teamer Martina Racic (Pula, Croatia/School of Arts), while fellow all-league first team member Svetlana Simic (Klek, Serbia/Commercial School) was close behind with 10 kills. Freshman setter Chelsey Stanton (Macungie, PA/Emmaus) tallied 28 assists and served one ace for LIU, while Simic came away with 12 digs for the double-double. Racic and senior Jasmine Perez (Kingwood, TX/Kingwood) finished with nine apiece. Leading Sacred Heart were Brittany Best (Norco, CA/ Norco) with 10 kills and Ashlyn Trimble (Temecula, CA/Temecula) with 14. Courtney Kidd-Kadlubek (Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara) totaled a match-high 40 assists, while Trimble took home a double-double with digs. Jessica Colberg (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic) posted a match-high 19 digs.

The first set was a close one that found the Pioneers overcome an early deficit to even the score at 10 and continue to uphold the lead for the remainder, finishing on three straight points, including two kills from Trimble and an ace from Lynne Principio (Ardsley, NY/Ardsley). LIU responded in frame two, taking off to a 15-8 lead and forcing SHU to take a timeout. The Blackbirds built a bigger cushion, upping the score to 21-13 before notching the final four points and the set, 25-13.

The third and fourth frames were similar, as LIU went ahead and maintained the lead through a solid defensive effort and an efficient offense. With a 22-13 margin in the final set, the Pioneers saw some light with a kill and an ace from Trimble, but Rice secured the 25-16 victory and the bid to the championship match with a kill of her own.

Quarterfinal #1 #4 Saint Francis (PA) def. #5 Fairleigh Dickinson, 3-0 Moon Township, PA -- In the first match of the 2008 NEC Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament, #4 Saint Francis (PA) defeated #5 Fairleigh Dickinson, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-20). The tournament is being held on the campus of top-seed Robert Morris in Moon Township, PA.

Leading the way for the Red Flash were seniors Kristin Buter (Bowie, MD/Bowie) and Keshia Gibbs (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) with 10 kills apiece, as Gibbs hit a match-best .533. Aiding the offense was junior Rikki Myers (Noblesville, IN/Westfield), who led all players with 31 assists and added two service aces. Classmate Shirley Miller (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) also posted a match-high, coming away with 14 digs. For the Knights, the 2008 NEC Player of the Year Lauren Boothby (Glen Gardner, NJ/Voorhees) paced the offense with 10 kills, while Karolina Kowalski (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) led the setting unit with 21 helpers. Boothby and freshman Kelsey Semler (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) finished with eight and nine digs, respectively. The first set bounced back and forth between points, as neither team could find a rhythm to build a comfortable lead. The Knights held a slim margin for a majority of the game, but the Red Flash refused to let them run away with the set as Gibbs, an all-conference second teamer, slammed a kill to knot the score at 19. The Knights responded by regaining a two-point lead, but SFPA was relentless and evened the score at 22. From there, the Red Flash claimed the set on a kill by Buter.

The second stanza started similarly as it featured multiple lead changes early on, but after a Gibbs kill tied the score at 6, the Red Flash stole the lead and never looked back. SFPA went on a 9-point rally to stretch their lead to 22-11. After a block from senior middle hitter Kayla Greenwalt (Colorado Springs, CO/Widefield) brought the score to 24-13, a kill from Miller gave the Red Flash the set.

Another tightly contested set, the third frame was slightly reminiscent of the first with the teams seesawing back and forth in the beginning. The Knights took an early 3-2 lead, but SFPA took advantage of a few FDU errors to steal the lead and proceeded to ward off any pressure from their opponent. After a block from Gibbs and Lindsay Malloy (Gallitzin, PA/Penn Cambria) to increase the SFPA lead to 21-18, FDU took a timeout, but the Red Flash came out of the gate swinging and rattled off three consecutive points to bring the score to 24-19. A block from Gibbs ended the match and extended the Red Flash’s postseason as they face second-seeded Long Island in the semi-final round.

Quarterfinal #2 #6 Sacred Heart def. #3 Central Conn. St., 3-1 Moon Township, PA -- Continuing first-round action of the 2008 NEC Women’s Volleyball Tournament featured #6 Sacred Heart upset #3 Central Connecticut State, 3-1 (28-26, 25-20, 15-25, 25-12). Posting a match-best 13 kills was SHU freshman Ashlyn Trimble (Temecula, CA/Temecula), while classmate Maile Hetherington (Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks) and sophomore Mydori Saipale (Oxnard, CA/Oxnard) slammed nine each. Pioneer sophomore Courtney Kidd-Kadlubek (Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara) set the tone for all setters, dishing out 38 assists, while four different players picked up double-digit digs for SHU. Leading the way was rookie outside hitter Jessica Colberg (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic) with 24, followed by Trimble (14), Brittany Best (Norco, CA/Norco) with 13 and Hetherington with 11. For the Blue Devils, sophomore Lauren Snyder (Fort Mitchell, KY/Beechwood) led the offense with 11 kills as senior middle blocker Amanda Olmstead (Wilmington, DE/Padua Academy) was right behind with 10 putdowns. Freshman Sara DeLacey (Spring Lake Park, MN/Spring Lake Park) recorded a match-high hitting percentage (.455), while Amanda Bayer (Allen, TX/Allen) gave out 30 assists. Defensively, Kaitlin Petrella (Stratford, CT/Bunnell) led all players with 28 digs and Bayer contributed 12 for a double-double.

The first set was a battle that required extra points to determine a winner. The Blue Devils saw a five-point lead diminish as the Pioneers benefitted from a pair of consecutive aces from Trimble, knotting the score at 21. Five more ties would occur before SHU tallied the final two points and claimed the set, 28-26. Another closely contested frame ensued as both teams went point-for point. Down by two, the Blue Devils earned a 6-6 tie thanks to a kill and an ace from Snyder. Following a Blue Devil timeout late in the set, another kill from Snyder brought CCSU within four, but it was too late as Saipale slammed a kill to give the set to the Pioneers.

In the third stanza, a tandem of Snyder’s kills helped the Blue Devils jump out to a 6-2 lead before they continued to rattle off six straight points with the help of two kills apiece from DeLacey and Snyder, as well as an ace from Jamie Baumert (Elkhorn, NE/Elkhorn), which brought the score to 13-3 and forced SHU to call a timeout. Baumert also got a hand in match-best 11 blocks (three solo, eight assists). The Pioneers added a few more points to the board, but the lead was too great as CCSU took the set, 25-15. In the fourth and final session, the roles were reversed as SHU tallied nine unanswered points for an 11-2 lead. The Blue Devils closed the gap to five compliments of a kill from Snyder, but the Pioneers went on to handle the set and capture the berth to the semifinal round against #2 Long Island. 2008 NEC Volleyball Tournament Hosted by Robert Morris University • Moon Township, PA

Quarterfinals Saturday, Nov. 22 #4 Saint Francis (PA) 3, #5 Fairleigh Dickinson 0 #6 Sacred Heart 3, #3 Central Connecticut State 1

Semifinals Saturday, Nov. 22 #4 Saint Francis (PA) 3, #1 Robert Morris 2 #2 Long Island 3, #6 Sacred Heart 1

Championship Sunday, Nov. 23 #2 Long Islamd 3, #4 Saint Francis (PA) 0 Official Volleyball of The Northeast Conference moltenusa.com Molten is the Official Ball of the NCAA® Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Championships 1-800- 477-1994 NCAA® is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Trademarks owned by Molten Corporation or Molten USA, Inc. © 2009 Molten USA, Inc.