UIC FLAMES VOLLEYBALL 2006 GAM GAME E NOTES
2006 UIC Volleyball Schedule/Results 8/25
UIC TRAVELS NORTH TO FACE NORTHWESTERN IN EVANSTON UIC Volleyball (2-1) @ Northwestern - 7:00 p.m. SCOUTING THIS WEEK’S OPPONENTS: Northwestern (0-0) Series: Northwestern leads the series, 21-5 Notes: The Wildcats are coming off one of their best seasons in history after making their first-ever NCAA Tournament second round appearance. The last time Northwestern battled UIC, the Wildcats swept the Flames, 3-0. NU returns nine letterwinners and five starters. The Wildcats finished the 2005 season 20-12 overall and sixth in the Big Ten (10-10). CHICAGOLAND CHALLENGE: With a 2-1 record last weekend at the Third Annual Chicagoland Challenge, the UIC volleyball team captured second place behind 2007 Horizon League member Valparaiso. After falling to the Crusaders in a close four-game match, the Flames topped crosstown rival Loyola in five games, followed by a sweep over DePaul to wrap up the event. Katie Kozak picked up a triple-double versus the Blue Demons and transfer Amanda Kenny led the team with 16 kills and 18 digs.
lege of Charleston, not participating in 2006, captured the title with a 3-1 record. RECORD BREAKER: Finishing the 2005 season with a fourthplace spot in career assists (3,164) in the UIC records book, senior Katie Kozak inched her way up to third (3,298) with 134 assists in three matches last weekend. Kozak surpassed former UIC standout Inga Balzaras (3,213/1989-92). KEEP IT COMIN’ KENNY: Transfer Amanda Kenny shined in her UIC debut, totaling 33 kills, 34 digs and a team-high .321 attack percentage in three matches last weekend. In a 3-0 sweep over DePaul, which marked the final match of the event, Kenny led the squad with 16 kills and 18 digs.
Senior Katie Kozak picked up a triple-double versus DePaul on Aug. 26 with 11 kills, 43 assists and 11 digs
MUELLER RETURNS TO USF: UIC’s head volleyball coach Nancy Mueller returns to USF this weekend where she coached for five seasons. In her tenure, Mueller took the team from a 15-18 overall record her rookie season to a 28-6 showing and an NCAA Tournament berth the following year. While with the Bulls, Mueller was a two-time A AVCA Coach of the Year and guided USF to two C-USA regular season titles and one tournament title. UIC INVITATIONAL: With the Chicagoland Challenge under their belt, the Flames now look to host the UIC Invitational, Sept. 15-16. Participants the event include Western Michigan, North Texas and Western Illinois. In 2005, The Col-
BLOCKING BUDDIES: Other than Ambria Springer Springer, who leads the Flames with 17 total blocks, freshmen Lana Lobdell ranks second with ten blocks. Lobdell, picked up four solo blocks and 13 kills in three matches on the weekend.
FLAMES TO WATCH: Freshman Katerina Hanackova made her mark in UIC’s season opener after leading the Flames with a .320 attack percentage versus Valparaiso on Sept. 25. Hanackova also totaled ten kills and picked up a service ace in her first collegiate contest.
NEDELJKOVIC DOMINATES: Junior Katarina Nedeljkovic picked up where she left off in 2005 with 45 kills, three service aces and 33 digs in UIC’s first three matches of the season. The outside hitter, tter, who totaled tter 17 kills versus Valparaiso, posted double figures in kills and digs in every match in the tournament. WHERE UIC RANKED LAST SEASON: Following the conclusion of last season, UIC plastered the Horizon League leaders
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CHICAGOLAND CHALLENGE UIC vs. Valparaiso CHICAGOLAND CHALLENGE Loyola vs. UIC UIC vs. DePaul at Northwestern at Best Western Invitational at USF at USF Tournament vs. Towson vs. UTEP CHICAGO STATE at Blue Raider Bash vs. St. Louis at Blue Raider Bash at Middle Tennessee State vs. Miami (OH) at Northern Illinois UIC INVITATIONAL Western Michigan vs. North Texas UIC vs. Western Illinois UIC INVITATIONAL North Texas vs. UIC W. Michigan vs. Western Illinois Western Illinois vs. North Texas UIC vs. Western Michigan at Eastern Illinois BUTLER# WRIGHT STATE# at Youngstown State# at Cleveland State# UW-GREEN BAY# UW-MILWAUKEE# BRADLEY LOYOLA# at Butler# at Wright State# CLEVELAND STATE# YOUNGSTOWN STATE# at UW-Milwaukee# at UW-Green Bay# at Loyola#
L, 3-1 W, 3-2 W, 3-0 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:30 pm 11:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
2005 HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT (Wright State Host) 11/16 Opening Round TBA 11/17 Quarterfinals TBA 11/18 Semifinals TBA 11/19 Championship TBA # Horizon League Contest All Times Central Home games in ALL CAPS
2006 Horizon League School Butler Cleveland State UIC Loyola UW-Green Bay UW-Milwaukee Youngstown State Wright State
2006 UIC Flames Volleyball * www.uicflames.com
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rankings. With a .272 hitting percentage , Springer ranked seventh in the conference. Springer also finished sixth in kill (3.32 kpg), while Maura McCarthy was close behind averaging 3.22 kill per game at eighth-place. Katie Kozak ranked third in assists (11.93 apg), while Katarina Nedeljkovic claimed third-place as well in service aces, averaging 0.39 per game. WHAT RETURNS: The Flames will not be lacking playing experience entering the 2006 season. With all six starters ers returning, UIC’ UIC’s team chemistry looks to be one of the Flames’ concrete threats. UIC’s top five leaders in kills and top four leaders in digs return to the court this season. All-Horizon League honorees, senior Ambria Springer and junior Katarina Nedeljkovic are back in action this season, along with five talent packed newcomers. SCHOOL RECORDS: When all was said and done last season, a few players notched a spot in the UIC record books. In addition to Kozak’s third-place ranking for single-season assists (1,467), Katarina Nedeljkovic finished the 2005 season with a fourth-place ranking in kills (531). Ambria Springer inched her way into the hitting percentage list at tenth (.272) and pushed her way up to an eighth-place spot with 118 total blocks. In career leaders, Springer holds eighth with 237 block assists and Kozak ranks third with 3,296 assists in three seasons for the Flames.
PRESEASON POLL: After finishing the 2006 season in a tie for third place with last year’s tournament champion Loyola, the Flames were once again paired with the Ramblers in the Horizon league Preseason Poll, but this time in the second-place spot. Receiving seven of the eight first-place votes, UW-Milwaukee is looking to become the second program in Horizon League history to capture four consecutive titles. UIC received the final firstplace vote in the poll. UP NEXT: Following the Flames’ crosstown match up against Northwestern, UIC heads south to fface three universities at USF Invitational Sept. 1-2. The Flames kick off the tournament against host USF on Friday, Sept. 1 at 6:00 p.m. UIC returns on Saturday, Sept. 2 to face Towson at 9:00 a.m. , followed by a showdown versus UTEP.
Are you fired up?
“Our 2006 schedule is very challenging,” said Mueller. “It was designed to give us great competition from beginning to end. Our non-conference schedule is very tough, but will prepare us for the league.”
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University of Illinois at Chicago Head Volleyball Coach Nancy Mueller knew that there was plenty of room for improvement, when the rookie skipper took over the Flames’ program in 2004. After all, UIC had finished seventh out of eight teams in the Horizon League and had won just two conference matches the season prior to her arrival. Mueller, however, knew the recipe for success to help UIC turn their misfortunes around. “Hard work is the backbone of any great program,” Mueller said. “If you have hard work and discipline, success is imminent.” Mueller instilled her gritty work ethic upon her team, and the Flames responded in kind, improving from a seventh-place mark in 2003 to two fourthplace finishes in 2004 and 2005. Mueller came to UIC after five standout seasons as the head coach at the University of South Florida, where she owned a record of 106-60 (.639) and was twice named Conference USA and AVCA/Tachikara Regional Coach of the Year.
THE SCHEDULE: UIC welcomes Western Michigan, Western Illinois and North Texas for the UIC Invitational, which will take place on Sept. 15-16.
2006 UIC Volleyball Roster ## Name Pos. 1 Ambria Springer MH 2 Emily Schaffer OH 3 Liz Hrebic L 5 Keri Hee MH 6 Katie Kozak S 7 Katarina Nedeljkovic OH/RS 9 Katerina Hanackova OH 10 Casie Sullivan OH 11 Julie Popp OH 12 Lana Lobdell MH 15 Maura McCarthy OH 16 Christin Hunt MH/RS 17 Amanda Kenny OH 18 Ashley Martin MH/RS
Head Coach Nancy Mueller (Third Season)
Following UIC’s tournament, the Flames travel to Eastern Illinois before stepping into Horizon League play in a home match-up at on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. against Butler.
Hometown/Last School/Club Murfreesboro, Tenn./Riverdale/Impact Roswell, Ga./Blessed Trinity/Atlanta Juniors Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley/1st Alliance Honolulu, Hawaii/Kalani/Quicksets Oak Forest, Ill./Mother McAuley/2nd City Kragujevac, Serbia and Montenegro/Universal Zlin, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Zlin Lesni Ctvrt Kewanee, Ill./Wehterfield/Eastside Shockers Chicago, Ill./Queen of Peace/Celtic Force Lena, Ill./Lena-Winslow/Club Fusion Orland Park, Ill./Mother McAuley/Illinois State/2nd City Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg/St. Louis CYC Oak Lawn, Ill./Univ. of Dayton/1st Alliance Lombard, Ill./Montini Catholic/DuPage Express
During her tenure at USF, Mueller led the Bulls to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2000, 2002), two C-USA regular-season championships (2000, 2002) and a conference tournament title (2002). The 2002 campaign was Mueller’s most impressive, guiding South Florida to a 30-7 record and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Her record of developing individual talent at USF is just as impressive as her team results. In Mueller’s five years, she coached three players to all-conference and all-region accolades while helping produce the program’s first-ever All-American, Michelle Collier. Prior to taking the head coaching position at South Florida, Mueller served for five years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Houston under Bill Walton. The Cougars made four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament (199598) under her tutelage. Mueller began her collegiate coaching career at Iowa State, serving as an assistant coach from 199395. She was a student assistant at the University of Tennessee during the spring of 1993. Mueller graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1993 with a bachelor of science degree in education, exercise physiology. She was a four-year letterwinner on the Volunteer volleyball team as a defensive specialist and setter from 1988-92.
Head Coach: Nancy Mueller Assistant Coaches: Katie Schumacher, Kelly Colangelo
2006 UIC Flames Volleyball * www.uicflames.com
UIC INDIVIDUAL SEASON/CAREER HIGHS #1 Ambria Springer Season Kills 26 vs. Youngstown State (10/14/05) Attempts 47 on two occasions Attack Pct. .639 vs. YSU (10/14/05) Digs 10 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) Assists 5 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) Aces 3 vs. Cleveland State (10/15/05) Total Blocks 8 on two occasions #3 Emily Schaffer Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks #3 Liz Hrebic Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces #5 Kerri Hee Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks #6 Katie Kozak Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks
#10 Casie Sullivan Career 26 vs. Youngstown State (10/14/05) 47 on two occasions .639 vs. YSU (10/14/05) 10 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) 5 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) 3 vs. Cleveland State (10/15/05) 10 on two occasions
Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks #11 Julie Popp
Season/Career n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks #12 Lana Lobdell
Season 1 on three occasions 2 on three occasions n/a 17 on two occcasions 2 vs. E. Illinois (9/17/05) 3 on three occasions
Career 1 on six occasions 4 vs. IUPUI (10/5/04) n/a 23 vs. Western Illinois (11/2/04) 3 on two occasions 3 on six occasions
#7 Katarina Nedeljkovic Season Kills 31 vs. Youngstown St. (10/14/05) Attempts 73 vs. BGSU (9/2/05) Attack Pct. .414 vs. UW-Green Bay (9/24/05) Digs 20 vs. Wright St. (10/8/05) Assists 7 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) Aces 7 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) Total Blocks 4 on three occasions #9 Katerina Hanackova Season/Career Kills 10 vs. Valpo (9/25/06) Attempts 25 vs. Valpo (9/25/06) Attack Pct. .320 vs. Valpo (9/25/06) Digs 1 vs. Valpo (9/25/06) Assists n/a Aces 1 vs. Valpo (9/25/06) Total Blocks 1 vs. Valpo (9/25/06)
Season 1 on three occasions 3 on two occasions .250 vs. UWGB (11/21/05) 21 vs. Wright St. (10/8/05) 3 on two occasions 4 vs. Youngstown St. (10/14/05) n/a
Career 11 vs. Depaul (9/2606) 26 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) .533 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) 23 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) 68 vs. YSU (10/14/05) 6 vs. Depaul (9/2606) 4 on four occasions
Career 31 vs. Youngstown St. (10/14/05) 73 vs. BGSU (9/2/05) .414 vs. UW-Green Bay (9/24/05) 20 vs. Wright St. (10/8/05) 7 vs. Loyola (11/28/05) 8 vs. YSU (9/24/04) 4 on three occasions
#16 Cristin Hunt Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks
Season/Career 11 vs. UWM (10/22/05) 34 vs. UWM (10/22/05) .231 vs. Chicago State (11/4/05) 2 on three occasions 1 on four occasions n/a 3 vs. Bradley (10/25/05)
#177 Amanda Kenny Season/Career Kills 16 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) Attempts 28 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) Attack Pct. .500 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) Digs 18 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) Assists 4 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) Aces 1 vs. Loyola (9/26/06) Total Blocks 2 vs. Valpo (9/25/06) #18 Ashley Martin Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces
Career 6 vs. Birmingham Southern (8/31/02) 12 vs. Birmingham Southern (8/31/02) .250 vs. Birmingham Southern (8/31/02) 22 vs. Harvard (9/14/02) 3 on two occasions 4 vs. YSU (10/14/05) n/a
Season/Career 5 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) 16 vs. Loyola (9/26/06) .273 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) 2 on two occasions 4 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) n/a 5 vs. Valpo (9/25/06)
#15 Maura McCarthy Season Kills 24 vs. W. Michigan (9/13/05) Attempts 50 vs. YSU (11/18/05) Attack Pct. .477 vs. W. Michigan (9/13/05) Digs 22 vs. UW-Green Bay (10/21/05) Assists 4 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) Aces 4 vs. Rice (9/16/05) Total Blocks 5 on three occasions
Season/Career 10 vs. Wright State (10/8/05) 22 vs. N. Iowa (8/27/05) .533 vs. Wright State (10/8/05) 3 on two occasions 6 vs. Wright State (10/8/05) n/a 8 vs. YSU (11/14/05)
Season 11 vs. Depaul (9/2606) 26 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) .533 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) 23 vs. Loyola (10/18/05) 68 vs. YSU (10/14/05) 6 vs. DePaul (9/26/06) 3 on two occasions
Kills Attempts Attack Pct. Digs Assists Aces Total Blocks
Season/Career / /Career n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Season/Career 16 vs. Wright State (11/4/05) 38 vs. CSU (11/11/05) .489 vs. 11/4/05) 13 vs. Loyola (9/26/06) 1 on seven occasions 2 vs. Loyola (9/26/06)
2006 UIC Flames Volleyball * www.uicflames.com
Career 24 vs. W. Michigan (9/13/05) 50 vs. YSU (11/18/05) .477 vs. W. Michigan (9/13/05) 22 vs. UW-Green Bay (10/21/05) 4 vs. Loyola (10/28/05) 4 vs. Rice (9/16/05) 5 on three occasions