Northern michigan W i l d c a t v o l l e y b a l l www.nmu.edu/sports 2007 Quick Facts Table of Contents 2007 Outlook. .1 2007 Roster . 1 Head Coach Dominic Yoder. 2 Coaching Staff. .2 Player Profiles. .3-8 2006 Team Statistics. 9 he Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Twas founded in June 1972. During the two years previous to the 2006 Individual Statistics. 10 GLIAC’s founding, several attempts were made to create a new NCAA 2006 GLIAC Results, Standings. .11 College Division conference. In 1971, the Great Lakes Athletic Confer- NMU Profile. .12 ence was formed, but plans for the new conference were put on hold, 2007 Wildcat Volleyball Schedule. Back cover and several of the participating schools subsequently withdrew their support. The idea did not die, though, and since 1972-73 the GLIAC has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women. NMU Quick Facts The GLIAC features a membership of 13 schools: Ashland University, Location: Marquette, Mich. Ferris State University, Gannon University, Grand Valley State University, Founded: 1899 University of Findlay, Hillsdale College, Lake Superior State University, Enrollment: 9,700 Mercyhurst College, Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan School colors: Old gold and olive green University, Northwood University, Saginaw Valley State University and Wayne Nickname: Wildcats State University. National affiliation: NCAA II Overall the GLIAC conducts championships in 20 sports, 10 for men and 10 for women. The policy-making body is the GLIAC Executive Council, Conference: GLIAC which is comprised of three representatives from each member institution – Home arena: Vandament Arena its director of athletics, faculty representative and senior woman adminis- Arena capacity: 1,500 trator. Final approval of all GLIAC legislation is required by the Council of President: Dr. Les Wong GLIAC Presidents. Faculty athletic representative: Julie Rochester As GLIAC commissioner, Tom Brown is responsible for all conference administration. He is beginning his 15th season as the conference’s fifth Athletic director: Ken Godfrey commissioner. Office phone: 906-227-2107 E-mail: [email protected] Athletic department phone: 906-227-2105 Athletic department fax: 906-227-2492 Head volleyball coach: Dominic Yoder Alma mater: Western Michigan University, 1998 Overall record/years: 25-4/1 Year NMU record/years: First Season Office phone: 906-227-2378 E-mail: [email protected] Assistant coach: Kristin Slamer Alma mater: Albion College, 2007 Office phone: 906-227-1173 E-mail: [email protected] Sports information director: David Faiella Office phone: 906-227-1013 Home phone: 906-226-8435 Fax: 906-227-2492 E-mail: [email protected] NMU Sports Hotline: 906-227-1014 World Wide Web address: http://www.nmu.edu/sports Team information: 2006 overall record: 16-11 2006 GLIAC record/finish: 8-10/5th GLIAC North Northern Michigan University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, height, weight, marital status, familial status, handicap/disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status in employment or the provision of services and provides, upon request reasonable accommodation including auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in all programs and activities.. 2007 Outlook he Northern Michigan University volley- block solos (23), block assists (64) and total A couple of newcomers could find their Tball squad returns all but one letterwin- blocks (87). The five other starters returning way into the lineup and contribute right away. ner from last year’s team. At one point in the are Brittany McGowan, Breanne Zaremba, Me- Katie Twardzik, a freshman, could be a big 2006 season, NMU was 11-0, but went 5-11 gan Elliott, Mandie Meyer and Cassie Osiecki. contributor. She was an All-U.P. performer last the remainder of the schedule to finish with a Meyer and Elliott were second and third year at Calumet High School. Briana Usitalo, a 16-11 overall slate and an 8-10 record in the on last year’s team in kills with 249 and 235, U.P. native from Hancock, transferred in from Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Confer- respectively. McGowan had a team-high 684 as- Grand Valley State and will be a sophomore ence (GLIAC). sists while fellow letterwinner Rachel Martinez on the roster. Also vying for a spot is Maggie Dominic Yoder has taken over the had 350 helpers. Elliott tied with Schulte with Iverson from Island Lake, Ill. program. In his one season as head coach at 36 service aces. Defensively the ’Cats were Daniela Bezerra, a transfer from the Cameron University, he went 25-4 with the led last year by Osiecki with 369 digs while University of District of Columbia, won’t be Aggies and captured the Lone Star Conference teammate Elliott was next with 270. At the net, eligible until the 2008 season. Bezerra, a native North Division title. He was named the Lone Kate Olechny recorded 46 total blocks (eight of Sao Paulo, Brazil, ranked sixth in service Star Conference Coach of the Year. Yoder is no solo and 38 assisted) and Zaremba had 44 aces (.74) and 11th in the nation last year in stranger to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, total (one solo and 43 assisted). kills per game (4.83). as he was an assistant coach at Michigan Tech Letterwinner Katt Garvick also returns. The ’Cats will play in three tournaments for two seasons (2004-05). Garvick had 113 kills and 16 total blocks in before entering conference play. NMU will Samantha Schulte is the lone letterwinner 2006. Caryn Van Beckum, who lettered in 2004 open up the season at the Concordia-St. Paul not returning as she transferred after the 2006 and played briefly in 2005, has returned to the Invitational. Then the squad will play in the season. She led the ’Cats last year in kills (343), team. North Dakota Fall Tourney. It wraps up the pre-conference schedule in Pensacola, Fla., for the Argonaut Regional Crossover Tournament. The ’Cats start the season at home against arch rival Michigan Tech on Sept. 19. NMU’s goal is to challenge for the top spot in the divi- sion. The ’Cats expect their toughest battles to get there may come against Grand Valley State and Ferris State. Yoder hopes to have the ’Cats back in the title hunt in the GLIAC and a regional ranking. That is very possible for this group, as a very strong nucleus returns for the new Wildcat coach. ROSTER No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown/High School/Other 1 Katie Twardzik RS 6-0 Fr. Laurium, Mich./Calumet 3 Katt Garvick• MH 6-0 So. New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central Community 4 Aimee Mohr DS 5-6 So. Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South 5 Kate Olechny• OH 6-0 So. Northfield, Ill./New Trier 7 Brittany McGowan••• S 5-10 Sr. Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley 8 Daniella Bezerra MH 5-9 So. Sao Paulo, Brazil/University of District of Columbia 9 Breanne Zaremba•• RH/OH 5-10 Jr. Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI 10 Megan Elliott•• L 5-10 Sr. Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley 11 Callie Youngman DS 5-9 So. Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac 12 Caryn VanBeckum• MH 6-1 Jr. DePere, Wis./DePere 13 Rachel Martinez•• S 5-10 Jr. Milwaukee, Wis./Thomas More 15 Briana Usitalo S 5-7 So. Hancock, Mich./Hancock/Grand Valley State 16 Barbara Homann MH/RH 6-1 So. St. Charles, Ill./East 17 Mandie Meyer• OH 5-10 So. Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central 18 Becky Jarosch MH 6-0 So. Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove 20 Maggie Iverson DS 5-7 Fr. Island Lake, Ill./Wauconda 22 Amy Andersen-Goldsworthy RH/MH 6-0 So. Madison, Wis./James Madison Memorial 23 Cassie Osiecki• L/DS 5-7 So. Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire • Denotes letters won Head Coach: Dominic Yoder Graduate Assistant: Amy Molenaar Assistant Coach: Kristin Slamer Student Assistant: Gabe Giarmo 1 Coaches he led the Aggies to a 25-4 record and the College (2002), Ferris State University (2000) Head Coach Lone Star Conference North Division Title. and Kalamazoo Valley Community College Dominic Yoder He was named the Lone Star Conference (1997). Over his career, Yoder has served as Coach of the Year. a summer camp instructor at the University Before coaching at Cameron, Yoder was of Michigan, Michigan State, Northwood an assistant coach at Great Lakes Intercolle- University, Ferris State and Western Michigan giate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) mem- University. ber school Michigan Tech for two seasons He received both his bachelor’s and mas- (2004-05). He was responsible for on-court ter’s degrees from Western Michigan. Yoder coaching, opponent scouting, film breakdown received his bachelor’s in 1998 in mathemat- and the recruitment of student-athletes for ics. He then received his master’s in sports the Huskies. studies in 2000. Yoder and his wife, Ariane, Yoder was the girl’s volleyball coach at reside in Marquette. Battle Creek Central High School for four seasons (2000-04). He led his 2004 squad to The Yoder File: a 54-13 overall record, as well as conference 2006-07 – Head Coach, Cameron University and district championships. Yoder was named 2004-05 – Assistant Coach, Michigan Tech the Michigan High School Athletic Association 2000-04 – Head Coach, Battle Creek Central Region 12 Coach of the Year in 2004. His first High School three squads at Battle Creek Central were 2002-04 – Club Founder, Director and Head 8-32, 29-25 and 34-19. Coach, Team Deer Dominic Yoder enters his first season as Yoder founded and spent two years 2002 – Assistant Coach, Albion College the volleyball coach at Northern Michigan (2002-04) as the director and volleyball 2000 – Assistant Coach, Ferris State University.