ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY 2016 VOLLEYBALL MATCH NOTES Media Relations Contact: Rachel Labosky • E-Mail: [email protected] • Office Phone: (412) 397-6070 • rmucolonials.com
R O B E R T
V O LL E Y B A L L
M O R R I S
2016 SCHEDULE AUGUST 26 Fri. vs. Gardner-Webb $ @ Citadel $ 27 Sat. vs. Morehead State $ SEPTEMBER 2 Fri. BUFFALO % 3 Sat. COPPIN STATE % BUCKNELL % 6 Tues. @ Kent State 9 Fri. vs. Winthrop & 10 Sat. vs. Morgan State & @ UMBC & 13 Tues. YOUNGSTOWN STATE 16 Fri. vs. Lehigh # 17 Sat. vs. Western Kentucky # @ Pitt # 24 Sat. CENTRAL CONN. STATE * 25 Sun. BRYANT * 27 Tues. @ Duquesne OCTOBER 1 Sat. @ Fairleigh Dickinson * 2 Sun. @ Sacred Heart * 8 Sat. SAINT FRANCIS BROOKLYN * 9 Sun. LIU BROOKLYN * 12 Wed. WEST VIRGINIA 15 Sat. SAINT FRANCIS U. * 22 Sat. @ Central Conn. State * 23 Sun. @ Bryant * 29 Sat. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON * 30 Sun. SACRED HEART * NOVEMBER 4 Fri. @ Saint Francis U. * 12 Sat. @ Saint Francis Brooklyn * 13 Sun. @ LIU Brooklyn * NEC TOURNAMENT 19 Sat. Semifinals ! 20 Sun. Final !
$ % & # * ! @
C O L O N I A L S
( 4 - 2 | 0 - 0 )
ROBERT MORRIS AT KENT STATE L, 1-3 W, 3-2 L, 1-3 W, 3-0 W, 3-1 W, 3-2 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. TBA TBA
The Bulldog Battle (@ The Citadel) Robert Morris Invitational UMBC Tournament (@ UMBC) Panther Challenge (@ Pitt) Northeast Conference Match Northeast Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament
Robert Morris completed a sweep of its Robert Morris Invitational opponents with a tournament-opening shutout victory over Buffalo, a 3-1 win over Coppin State and a thrilling five-set victory over Bucknell to wrap up holiday weekend action in the Sewall Center. Among all six teams competing in the multi-venue invitational hosted on the campuses of Duquesne University and Robert Morris University, the Colonials were one of two squads to go undefeated throughout the two-day event. In Saturday night’s tournament finale, three Colonials registered double-digit kills and two tabbed doubledoubles. Senior Arden Fisher and sophomore Taylor Lord recorded 13 kills apiece, and combined for 53 digs. Lord set new career standards in block assists (five) and total blocks (six). Senior Leah Dunivan added 12 kills, and tallied a career-high nine block assists, which ties for third all-time in RMU individual match history. Senior April Krivoniak posted her fifth double-digit dig effort in six matches with 20 digs, while sophomore Liz Campbell helped orchestrate the offense with 28 assists. STARR’S STATEMENTS
On falling behind Bucknell in set three... “To their credit [the team] reacted well. They came out and really dominated in set four. I was disappointed in how we gave up a lead [in set five]. We’re up 13-9, you’ve got two points to go and all of a sudden now we’re struggling and we have to win it 18-16. Overall we learned some things about the team and I think they learned some things about themselves. I’m pleased. It’s always better to win than lose and protect your home floor.” On preparing for the quick turnaround with Tuesday’s match at Kent State... “A lot of rest and a lot of ice. We don’t have time to do much. We’ll get the kids here tomorrow, get them rehab, get them ice, practice Monday, and then we’ve got to go play another match on Tuesday. They’re resilient. They’ll come back. I don’t know if we’ll have everybody available. We’ll just see how we come out of this one and we’ll go put a team on the floor Tuesday night against Kent State. compete as best we can and then we move on to UMBC.” ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS
The Colonials collected six first-place votes to earn the top spot in the NEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. RMU qualified for its 17th consecutive NEC Tournament last season, extending the conference’s longest active streak. In each of those 17 seasons, the Colonials have posted a winning record in league competition, which stands as the longest such streak of any NEC member, past or present. Additionally, Robert Morris advanced to its first NCAA Tournament since 2003 and sixth trip to the “Big Dance” overall. The team posted its best overall winning percentage (.594) under Starr in 2015.
RMU 2016 TOP RETURNERS
Home matches bold and in ALL CAPS All home matches at Charles L. Sewall Center All times Eastern
FOLLOW THE COLONIALS @RMUVB
@RMUVOLLEYBALL
@RMUVOLLEYBALL
RMU ATHLETICS
Fans can access previews, results, recaps, statistics and upcoming matches at rmucolonials.com. All home and Northeast Conference matches are streamed live on NEC Front Row.
#2
April Krivoniak | 5-10 | SR | OPP 2015 NEC Tournament MVP; 2015 NEC Fall Co-Scholar Athlete; 2015 Capital One Academic All-District; Fourth on the team last season in kills (1.98), digs (2.72), and blocks (0.48) per game
2016 ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS VOLLEYBALL
#7
Arden Fisher | 5-11 | SR | OH Three-time All-NEC Second Team; Received Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 16; Seventh Colonial to surpass 1,000 career digs; Ranked third in the NEC in kills, digs, and points
#8
Leah Dunivan | 6-1 | SR | MB 2015 All-NEC Second Team; Led the NEC in blocks per game (1.18); Paced RMU in total blocks (114); Set new career-highs in attack percentage (.636), kills (14), and blocks (8) last season
1
RMU QUICK FACTS
MUSKET SHOTS
UNIVERSITY INFORMATION LOCATION Moon Township, Pa. FOUNDED 1921 ENROLLMENT 5,358 AFFILIATION NCAA Division I CONFERENCE Northeast Conference (NEC) NICKNAME Colonials COLORS Blue and White with Red FACILITY Charles L. Sewall Center Capacity 3,056 PRESIDENT Dr. Christopher B. Howard ATHLETIC DIRECTOR Craig Coleman, M.D.
CLEAN SWEEP Robert Morris completed a sweep of its Robert Morris Invitational opponents with a shutout of Buffalo, a 3-1 win against Coppin State and a five-set victory over Bucknell. NATIONAL RADAR Senior Arden Fisher entered the Robert Morris Invitational as the Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week and reigning leader in the nation in digs per set (6.16). As a team, Robert Morris ranked tops in NCAA Division I in the same category (20.16). HITTING THE BOOKS Senior middle blocker Leah Dunivan achieved a new career high with nine total blocks in the Colonials’ win over Bucknell. Her nine block assists on the night rank tied for third all-time in the Robert Morrs individual game record books. TRENDING Senior Arden Fisher has posted a double-double in all six matches this season. She leads the Colonials in kills (83) and digs (154). Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Lord has recorded a double-double in five of her last six outings. She is averaging 2.88 kills and 3.92 digs per set. SUCCESS UNDER STAR The Colonials posted their best overall winning percentage (.594) under head coach Dale Starr last season. Starr is four wins shy of his 100th victory as head coach of the Robert Morris volleyball program and eight victories short of his 200th career win at the Division I level. IT’S A NEW DAWN, IT’S A NEW DAY... ...And the Robert Morris Colonials are feeling good. RMU returns eighty-five percent of its 2015 NEC Championship team from one season ago, including the NEC Tournament MVP, two 2015 All-NEC Second Team selections, two members of the 2015 NEC All-Tournament Team, and the league leaders in assists per game and blocks per set. RMU was voted No. 1 in the NEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, earning six of eight first-place votes. MEET KENDRA AND CARLS Although the 2016 roster includes many familiar faces, the Colonials welcome two newcomers in freshman Kendra Harlow and senior Leah Carlson. Harlow, a 6-1 middle blocker from St. James, N.Y., is a Three-time All-County and two-time All-County Elite Eight volleyball player out of Smithtown East High School. The Two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection and All-New York State honoree was named captain of her squad as a senior. Harlow boasts five years of club volleyball experience with Long Island Volleyball Academy, and is a member of two GEVA Regional Championship teams. She also competed for the GEVA Region title and took a trip to nationals with ACAD 18s, and participated at the USAV junior nationals. Carlson, a 5-8 defensive specialist out of Copper Center, Ala., is a four-year letter winner from the Robert Morris University women’s ice hockey team. A natural leader, she was named an assistant captain her senior year with Colonials hockey. Carlson played four years of high school volleyball for Kenny Lake. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED Senior outside hitter and three-time All-NEC Second Team selection Arden Fisher continued her tradition of summer travel after last year’s trip to Costa Rica with Beyond Sports, and participated in the 2016 European Global Challenge, hosted by Bring It Promotions. The 10-day adventure led her and the Team BIP U22, USA squad and 31 other international teams to stops in Vienna, Austria, and Maribor, Slovenia, before settling into the small town of Pula, Croatia, where the tournament took place. At the conclusion of competition, Fisher was named to the U22 All-Tournament Team. MAKING HISTORY Last season, April Krivoniak set a new standard for academic accomplishment, as she became the first-ever studentathlete in Northeast Conference and Robert Morris history to be named NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in two nonrelated sports (volleyball and indoor track and field). Krivoniak carries a 3.99 grade point average as a biomedical and mechanical engineering major. Over the summer, she completed a biomedical engineering internship in Virginia with Computerized Imaging Reference Systems, Inc. (CIRS). She helped construct tissue phantoms, which mimic human tissue and are used for testing or as teaching tools in conjunction with radiology equipment. 2015 NEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS! The Robert Morris Colonials claimed the 2015 Northeast Conference Tournament crown after they topped No. 3 seed Bryant, 3-1, in the semifinals, and upset the No. 1 seed and three-time defending tournament champion and regular season victor LIU Brooklyn, 3-1, on the Blackbirds’ home court. This is the eighth conference tournament title for RMU and the first under head coach Dale Starr in his six appearances. Senior April Krivoniak was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Junior Brianna Frakes and graduated senior Kristin Thompson were also named to the All-Tournament Team. A HISTORIC RUN Robert Morris qualified for its 17th consecutive NEC Tournament last year, extending the conference’s longest active streak. In the last 17 seasons, the Colonials have posted a winning record in league play; the longest such streak of any NEC member, past or present. Over that timespan, RMU has gone 154-36 in conference play: 1999: 9-0 2004: 8-0 2009: 11-5 2014: 12-2 2000: 8-1 2005: 7-1 2010: 13-3 2015: 11-3 2001: 8-1 2006: 5-3 2011: 10-6 2002: 9-0 2007: 6-2 2012: 13-3 2003: 8-0 2008: 8-0 2013: 8-6
MEDIA RELATIONS WEBSITE www.rmucolonials.com VOLLEYBALL CONTACT Rachel Labosky Office Phone (412) 397-6070 Office Fax (412) 397-4943 E-Mail [email protected] Mailing Address 6001 University Boulevard Moon Township, Pa. 15108 SOCIAL MEDIA FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM
facebook.com/RMUVB @RMUVolleyball @rmuvolleyball
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH Alma Mater Tenure at RMU Record at RMU Career Record (DI) ASSISTANT COACH Alma Mater Tenure at RMU VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT Tenure at RMU VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT Tenure at RMU ATHLETIC TRAINER STUDENT MANAGER
Dale Starr Northern Colorado ‘95 Seventh season 96-106 192-187 Danny Doherty Kent State ‘10 Sixth season Matt Stehlik Fourth season Renata Silva First season Stacy Ogden, ATC Lesley Gargano
TEAM INFORMATION FIRST SEASON OF VOLLEYBALL 1981 ALL-TIME VOLLEYBALL RECORD 449-506 NEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS 8 NEC REGULAR-SEASON TITLES 6 NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES 6 2015 vs. Ohio State | L, 0-3 (13-25, 16-25, 11-25) 2003 vs. Penn State | L, 0-3 (10-30, 18-30, 11-30) 2002 vs. Ohio State | L, 0-3 (22-30, 20-30, 16-30) 2001 vs. Ohio State | L, 0-3 (17-30, 16-30, 13-30) 2000 vs. Minnesota | L, 0-3 (1-15, 6-15, 2-15) 1999 vs. Penn State | L, 0-3 (1-15, 1-15, 2-15) 2016 OVERALL RECORD 4-2 2015 NEC RECORD | FINISH 11-3 | 2nd 2016 NEC PRESEASON POLL 1st LETTERWINNERS LOST (2015) 1 LETTERWINNERS RETURNING (2016) 11
2
ROBERT MORRIS AT KENT STATE
2016 ROSTER NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15
NAME Deja Tamlin April Krivoniak Kendra Harlow Liz Campbell Leah Carlson Brianna Schmid Arden Fisher Leah Dunivan Schaely Renfrew Allie Yurkovich Holly Brennan Brianna Frakes Taylor Lord Jessie Kaczmarek
POS OH OPP MB S DS MB OH MB L/DS L/DS RS S OH L/DS
YR Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. R-Fr. Jr. So. So.
HT 5-9 5-10 6-1 6-0 5-8 6-1 5-11 6-1 5-8 5-7 5-11 5-10 5-9 5-5
THE DALE STARR FILE HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL Inkster, Mich./Wayne Memorial Latrobe, Pa./Latrobe St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee Copper Center, Ala./Kenny Lake Wake Forest, N.C./Wakefield Oakmont, Pa./Riverview Troy, Ohio/Miami East Sasonburg, Pa./Knoch Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston Inwood, W. Va./Musselman Rolla, Mo./Rolla
Head Coach: Dale Starr (seventh season at Robert Morris; Northern Colorado ‘95) Assistant Coach: Danny Doherty (sixth season at Robert Morris; Kent State ‘10) Volunteer Assistant: Matt Stehlik (fourth season at Robert Morris) Volunteer Assistant: Renata Silva (first season at Robert Morris)
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Leah Dunivan DONE-uh-vin Brianna Frakes bree-ANN-uh FRAYKS Jessie Kaczmarek kaz-MARE-ik April Krivoniak cruh-VON-ik Schaely Renfrew SHAY-lee
Brianna Schmid Deja Tamlin Allie Yurkovich
bree-ANN-uh shmid DAY-sha YER-kuh-vitch
Danny Doherty Renata Silva
DOE-her-tee huh-NOT-uh
LETTERWINNERS RETURNING 11
Holly Brennan | R-Fr. - OPP Taylor Lord | So. - OH Liz Campbell | Fr. - S Schaely Renfrew | Jr. - L/DS Leah Dunivan | Sr. - MB Brianna Schmid | So. - MB Arden Fisher | Sr. - OH Deja Tamlin | Jr. - OH Brianna Frakes | Jr. - S Allie Yurkovich | So. - L/DS Jessie Kaczmarek | So. - L/DS April Krivoniak | Sr. - MB/RS
LOST
Kristin Thompson
1
Sr. - MB
4 DS MB OH MB/RS 3 S L/DS OH 6 RS S L/DS OH MB L/DS 1 MB
BY STATE
ALASKA Leah Carlson COLORADO Holly Brennan MICHIGAN Brianna Frakes Deja Tamlin MISSOURI Jessie Kaczmarek NEW YORK Kendra Harlow NORTH CAROLINA Brianna Schmid OHIO Liz Campbell Leah Dunivan PENNSYLVANIA Arden Fisher April Krivoniak Schaely Renfrew Allie Yurkovich WEST VIRGINIA Taylor Lord
2016 ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS VOLLEYBALL
STARR AS A HEAD COACH YEAR SCHOOL 2015 Robert Morris 2014 Robert Morris 2013 Robert Morris 2012 Robert Morris 2011 Robert Morris 2010 Robert Morris 2009 McNeese State 2008 McNeese State 2007 McNeese State 2006 McNeese State 2005 McNeese State 2004 McNeese State
192-187 96-106 69-23 RECORD/FINISH 19-13 / 2nd 15-17 / 2nd 9-22 / 4th 17-17 / 2nd 15-17 / 4th 17-18 / 2nd 17-13 / T-4th East 12-18 / 3rd East 19-14 / 2nd East 15-14 / 1st East 15-11 / 5th 18-11 / T-4th
Dale Starr enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Robert Morris University volleyball team. Starr led the Colonials to their eighth overall NEC Tournament title in 2015, the first-ever in six appearances with Starr at the helm. RMU received an automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, where the Colonials fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the First Round. Robert Morris’ 19 wins earned in 2015 are the most achieved in a season under Starr. RMU finished second overall in the conference and led the league in digs per set and total blocks. In 2014, Starr saw his team compile its best conference record during his tenure (12-2). He led the Colonials to their first NEC Tournament title match since 2010 and had three student-athletes earn All-NEC accolades. RMU paced the league in blocks (2.41 per set; 2.92 in conference). The Colonials also finished second in digs, opponent hitting percentage and hitting percentage. In a four-set match at Sacred Heart, RMU broke the single-game program record for total blocks and block assists with 21.5 and 39, respectively. In 2013, Starr guided a senior-less RMU team to their 15thconsecutive NEC Tournament berth, finishing the conference slate with a record of 8-6. The Colonials led the conference in digs and Starr had a student-athlete make an All-NEC team for the fourth straight season. On Oct. 19, Starr earned his 200th career win with a three-set sweep of St. Francis (Pa.).
ROSTER BREAKDOWN BY CLASS SENIORS Leah Carlson Leah Dunivan Arden Fisher April Krivoniak JUNIORS Brianna Frakes Schaely Renfrew Deja Tamlin SOPHOMORES Holly Brennan Liz Campbell Jessie Kaczmarek Taylor Lord Brianna Schmid Allie Yurkovich FRESHMEN Kendra Harlow
RECORDS OVERALL (DI) AT ROBERT MORRIS AGAINST THE NEC
1 Sr. - DS 1 R-Fr. - OPP 2 Jr. - S Jr. - OH 1 So. - L/DS 1 Fr. - MB 1 So. - MB 2 So. - S Sr. - MB 4 Sr. - OH Sr. - OPP Jr. - L/DS So. - L/DS 1 So. - OH
With a senior-heavy roster in 2012, Starr led the Colonials to their 14th-consecutive NEC Tournament behind the strength of 13 regular-season wins against NEC foes. Despite a slow start in early-season tournaments, Starr led RMU to a thrilling five-set victory over West Virginia, the first victory over a Big-XII team in program history. Two members of Starr’s 2012 squad would earn All-NEC honors for the second-consecutive season, while one student-athlete would lead the NEC in blocks per match. The highlight of the 2011 season under Starr had to be the three-set sweep of crosstown-rival Pittsburgh. The win was the first victory over the Panthers in program history. Behind a 10-6 record in the NEC, the Colonials would earn a postseason berth for the 13th-consecutive time, while two of Starr’s student-athletes would earn All-NEC accolades. In his first season with Robert Morris, two of Starr’s studentathletes claimed first team all-conference honors in 2010 and a total of four claimed weekly honors from the NEC. Some of the highlights for Starr’s first season occurred off the court due to the Colonials’ gaudy academic performances. Starr guided his squad to a victory over then six-time defending NEC champion LIU-Brooklyn in the conference tournament semifinals. After eliminating the Blackbirds in a thrilling, five-set match, RMU competed in its 13th league championship match, extending its own conference record.
3
Robert Morris Combined Team Statistics (as of Sep 03, 2016) All matches RECORD: ALL GAMES CONFERENCE NON-CONFERENCE
OVERALL 4-2 0-0 4-2
##
Player
sp
Set a a/s
sa
8 4 6 3 7 1 14 2 12 10
DUNIVAN, Leah CAMPBELL, Liz SCHMID, Brianna HARLOW, Kendra FISHER, Arden TAMLIN, Deja LORD, Taylor KRIVONIAK, April FRAKES, Brianna YURKOVICH, Allie TEAM ROBERT MORRIS Opponents
15 45 3.00 13 106 .302 1 0.07 9 4 0.44 1 14 .214 58 6.44 21 43 2.05 18 123 .203 0 0.00 15 24 1.60 10 71 .197 0 0.00 25 83 3.32 35 286 .168 9 0.36 11 10 0.91 5 33 .152 0 0.00 25 72 2.88 38 225 .151 4 0.16 25 24 0.96 12 90 .133 2 0.08 23 2 0.09 3 23 -.043 204 8.87 25 0 0.00 1 2 -.500 7 0.28 25 307 12.28 136 973 .176 285 11.40 25 314 12.56 154 1065 .150 292 11.68
0 1 2 1 3 0 6 8 4 0 25 16
Team Statistics ATTACK Kills Errors Total Attacks Attack Pct Kills/Set SET Assists Assists/Set SERVE Aces Errors Aces/Set SERVE RECEPTIONS Errors Errors/Set DEFENSE Digs Digs/Set BLOCKING Block Solo Block Assist Total Blocks Blocks/Set Block Errors Ball handling errors ATTENDANCE Total Dates/Avg Per Date Neutral site #/Avg Current win streak Home win streak
k
RMU
k/s
Attack e
HOME 3-0 0-0 3-0
OPP
307 136 973 .176 12.3
314 154 1065 .150 12.6
285 11.4
292 11.7
25 31 1.0
16 43 0.6
16 0.6
25 1.0
504 20.2
465 18.6
11 95 58.5 2.3 15 15
18 70 53.0 2.1 17 10
616 3/205 2/94 3 3
147 1/147 -
ta
pct
Date Aug 26 Aug 26 Aug 27 Sep 02 Sep 03 Sep 03
AWAY 1-0 0-0 1-0
Serve se sa/s
0 1 4 5 2 0 6 9 1 3 31 43
0.00 0.11 0.10 0.07 0.12 0.00 0.24 0.32 0.17 0.00 1.00 0.64
Opponent vs Gardner-Webb at The Citadel vs Morehead State BUFFALO COPPIN STATE BUCKNELL
Record in 3-set matches: 1-0 Record in 4-set matches: 1-2 Record in 5-set matches: 2-0
NEUTRAL 0-2 0-0 0-2
Dig dig dig/s
bs
Blocking ba total blk/s be bhe
0 1 0.07 0 5 0.56 0 10 0.48 0 7 0.47 6 154 6.16 0 1 0.09 6 98 3.92 0 97 3.88 0 52 2.26 1 79 3.16 3 16 504 20.16 25 465 18.60
1 0 3 1 2 0 2 1 1 0 11 18
14 4 20 12 15 7 15 7 1 0 95 70
re
L W L W W W
Score 1-3 3-2 1-3 3-0 3-1 3-2
15 4 23 13 17 7 17 8 2 0 58.5 53.0
1.00 1 0.44 0 1.10 7 0.87 1 0.68 1 0.64 0 0.68 1 0.32 2 0.09 2 0.00 0 - 2.34 15 2.12 17
0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 15 10
Score by set 21-25,25-18,24-26,16-25 22-25,23-25,25-14,25-16,15-12 25-20,20-25,21-25,24-26 25-17,25-16,26-24 25-17,25-18,15-25,25-19 22-25,29-27,11-25,25-19,18-16
points
Att. 99 147 90 174 188 254
R O B E R T
V O LL E Y B A L L
M O R R I S
2016 SCHEDULE AUGUST 26 Fri. vs. Gardner-Webb $ @ Citadel $ 27 Sat. vs. Morehead State $ SEPTEMBER 2 Fri. BUFFALO % 3 Sat. COPPIN STATE % BUCKNELL % 6 Tues. @ Kent State 9 Fri. vs. Winthrop & 10 Sat. vs. Morgan State & @ UMBC & 13 Tues. YOUNGSTOWN STATE 16 Fri. vs. Lehigh # 17 Sat. vs. Western Kentucky # @ Pitt # 24 Sat. CENTRAL CONN. STATE * 25 Sun. BRYANT * 27 Tues. @ Duquesne OCTOBER 1 Sat. @ Fairleigh Dickinson * 2 Sun. @ Sacred Heart * 8 Sat. SAINT FRANCIS BROOKLYN * 9 Sun. LIU BROOKLYN * 12 Wed. WEST VIRGINIA 15 Sat. SAINT FRANCIS U. * 22 Sat. @ Central Conn. State * 23 Sun. @ Bryant * 29 Sat. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON * 30 Sun. SACRED HEART * NOVEMBER 4 Fri. @ Saint Francis U. * 12 Sat. @ Saint Francis Brooklyn * 13 Sun. @ LIU Brooklyn * NEC TOURNAMENT 19 Sat. Semifinals ! 20 Sun. Final !
$ % & # * ! @
C O L O N I A L S
( 4 - 2 | 0 - 0 )
ROBERT MORRIS AT KENT STATE L, 1-3 W, 3-2 L, 1-3 W, 3-0 W, 3-1 W, 3-2 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. TBA TBA
The Bulldog Battle (@ The Citadel) Robert Morris Invitational UMBC Tournament (@ UMBC) Panther Challenge (@ Pitt) Northeast Conference Match Northeast Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament
Robert Morris completed a sweep of its Robert Morris Invitational opponents with a tournament-opening shutout victory over Buffalo, a 3-1 win over Coppin State and a thrilling five-set victory over Bucknell to wrap up holiday weekend action in the Sewall Center. Among all six teams competing in the multi-venue invitational hosted on the campuses of Duquesne University and Robert Morris University, the Colonials were one of two squads to go undefeated throughout the two-day event. In Saturday night’s tournament finale, three Colonials registered double-digit kills and two tabbed doubledoubles. Senior Arden Fisher and sophomore Taylor Lord recorded 13 kills apiece, and combined for 53 digs. Lord set new career standards in block assists (five) and total blocks (six). Senior Leah Dunivan added 12 kills, and tallied a career-high nine block assists, which ties for third all-time in RMU individual match history. Senior April Krivoniak posted her fifth double-digit dig effort in six matches with 20 digs, while sophomore Liz Campbell helped orchestrate the offense with 28 assists. STARR’S STATEMENTS
On falling behind Bucknell in set three... “To their credit [the team] reacted well. They came out and really dominated in set four. I was disappointed in how we gave up a lead [in set five]. We’re up 13-9, you’ve got two points to go and all of a sudden now we’re struggling and we have to win it 18-16. Overall we learned some things about the team and I think they learned some things about themselves. I’m pleased. It’s always better to win than lose and protect your home floor.” On preparing for the quick turnaround with Tuesday’s match at Kent State... “A lot of rest and a lot of ice. We don’t have time to do much. We’ll get the kids here tomorrow, get them rehab, get them ice, practice Monday, and then we’ve got to go play another match on Tuesday. They’re resilient. They’ll come back. I don’t know if we’ll have everybody available. We’ll just see how we come out of this one and we’ll go put a team on the floor Tuesday night against Kent State. compete as best we can and then we move on to UMBC.” ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS
The Colonials collected six first-place votes to earn the top spot in the NEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. RMU qualified for its 17th consecutive NEC Tournament last season, extending the conference’s longest active streak. In each of those 17 seasons, the Colonials have posted a winning record in league competition, which stands as the longest such streak of any NEC member, past or present. Additionally, Robert Morris advanced to its first NCAA Tournament since 2003 and sixth trip to the “Big Dance” overall. The team posted its best overall winning percentage (.594) under Starr in 2015.
RMU 2016 TOP RETURNERS
Home matches bold and in ALL CAPS All home matches at Charles L. Sewall Center All times Eastern
FOLLOW THE COLONIALS @RMUVB
@RMUVOLLEYBALL
@RMUVOLLEYBALL
RMU ATHLETICS
Fans can access previews, results, recaps, statistics and upcoming matches at rmucolonials.com. All home and Northeast Conference matches are streamed live on NEC Front Row.
#2
April Krivoniak | 5-10 | SR | OPP 2015 NEC Tournament MVP; 2015 NEC Fall Co-Scholar Athlete; 2015 Capital One Academic All-District; Fourth on the team last season in kills (1.98), digs (2.72), and blocks (0.48) per game
2016 ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS VOLLEYBALL
#7
Arden Fisher | 5-11 | SR | OH Three-time All-NEC Second Team; Received Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 16; Seventh Colonial to surpass 1,000 career digs; Ranked third in the NEC in kills, digs, and points
#8
Leah Dunivan | 6-1 | SR | MB 2015 All-NEC Second Team; Led the NEC in blocks per game (1.18); Paced RMU in total blocks (114); Set new career-highs in attack percentage (.636), kills (14), and blocks (8) last season
1
RMU QUICK FACTS
MUSKET SHOTS
UNIVERSITY INFORMATION LOCATION Moon Township, Pa. FOUNDED 1921 ENROLLMENT 5,358 AFFILIATION NCAA Division I CONFERENCE Northeast Conference (NEC) NICKNAME Colonials COLORS Blue and White with Red FACILITY Charles L. Sewall Center Capacity 3,056 PRESIDENT Dr. Christopher B. Howard ATHLETIC DIRECTOR Craig Coleman, M.D.
CLEAN SWEEP Robert Morris completed a sweep of its Robert Morris Invitational opponents with a shutout of Buffalo, a 3-1 win against Coppin State and a five-set victory over Bucknell. NATIONAL RADAR Senior Arden Fisher entered the Robert Morris Invitational as the Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week and reigning leader in the nation in digs per set (6.16). As a team, Robert Morris ranked tops in NCAA Division I in the same category (20.16). HITTING THE BOOKS Senior middle blocker Leah Dunivan achieved a new career high with nine total blocks in the Colonials’ win over Bucknell. Her nine block assists on the night rank tied for third all-time in the Robert Morrs individual game record books. TRENDING Senior Arden Fisher has posted a double-double in all six matches this season. She leads the Colonials in kills (83) and digs (154). Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Lord has recorded a double-double in five of her last six outings. She is averaging 2.88 kills and 3.92 digs per set. SUCCESS UNDER STAR The Colonials posted their best overall winning percentage (.594) under head coach Dale Starr last season. Starr is four wins shy of his 100th victory as head coach of the Robert Morris volleyball program and eight victories short of his 200th career win at the Division I level. IT’S A NEW DAWN, IT’S A NEW DAY... ...And the Robert Morris Colonials are feeling good. RMU returns eighty-five percent of its 2015 NEC Championship team from one season ago, including the NEC Tournament MVP, two 2015 All-NEC Second Team selections, two members of the 2015 NEC All-Tournament Team, and the league leaders in assists per game and blocks per set. RMU was voted No. 1 in the NEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, earning six of eight first-place votes. MEET KENDRA AND CARLS Although the 2016 roster includes many familiar faces, the Colonials welcome two newcomers in freshman Kendra Harlow and senior Leah Carlson. Harlow, a 6-1 middle blocker from St. James, N.Y., is a Three-time All-County and two-time All-County Elite Eight volleyball player out of Smithtown East High School. The Two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection and All-New York State honoree was named captain of her squad as a senior. Harlow boasts five years of club volleyball experience with Long Island Volleyball Academy, and is a member of two GEVA Regional Championship teams. She also competed for the GEVA Region title and took a trip to nationals with ACAD 18s, and participated at the USAV junior nationals. Carlson, a 5-8 defensive specialist out of Copper Center, Ala., is a four-year letter winner from the Robert Morris University women’s ice hockey team. A natural leader, she was named an assistant captain her senior year with Colonials hockey. Carlson played four years of high school volleyball for Kenny Lake. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED Senior outside hitter and three-time All-NEC Second Team selection Arden Fisher continued her tradition of summer travel after last year’s trip to Costa Rica with Beyond Sports, and participated in the 2016 European Global Challenge, hosted by Bring It Promotions. The 10-day adventure led her and the Team BIP U22, USA squad and 31 other international teams to stops in Vienna, Austria, and Maribor, Slovenia, before settling into the small town of Pula, Croatia, where the tournament took place. At the conclusion of competition, Fisher was named to the U22 All-Tournament Team. MAKING HISTORY Last season, April Krivoniak set a new standard for academic accomplishment, as she became the first-ever studentathlete in Northeast Conference and Robert Morris history to be named NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in two nonrelated sports (volleyball and indoor track and field). Krivoniak carries a 3.99 grade point average as a biomedical and mechanical engineering major. Over the summer, she completed a biomedical engineering internship in Virginia with Computerized Imaging Reference Systems, Inc. (CIRS). She helped construct tissue phantoms, which mimic human tissue and are used for testing or as teaching tools in conjunction with radiology equipment. 2015 NEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS! The Robert Morris Colonials claimed the 2015 Northeast Conference Tournament crown after they topped No. 3 seed Bryant, 3-1, in the semifinals, and upset the No. 1 seed and three-time defending tournament champion and regular season victor LIU Brooklyn, 3-1, on the Blackbirds’ home court. This is the eighth conference tournament title for RMU and the first under head coach Dale Starr in his six appearances. Senior April Krivoniak was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Junior Brianna Frakes and graduated senior Kristin Thompson were also named to the All-Tournament Team. A HISTORIC RUN Robert Morris qualified for its 17th consecutive NEC Tournament last year, extending the conference’s longest active streak. In the last 17 seasons, the Colonials have posted a winning record in league play; the longest such streak of any NEC member, past or present. Over that timespan, RMU has gone 154-36 in conference play: 1999: 9-0 2004: 8-0 2009: 11-5 2014: 12-2 2000: 8-1 2005: 7-1 2010: 13-3 2015: 11-3 2001: 8-1 2006: 5-3 2011: 10-6 2002: 9-0 2007: 6-2 2012: 13-3 2003: 8-0 2008: 8-0 2013: 8-6
MEDIA RELATIONS WEBSITE www.rmucolonials.com VOLLEYBALL CONTACT Rachel Labosky Office Phone (412) 397-6070 Office Fax (412) 397-4943 E-Mail [email protected] Mailing Address 6001 University Boulevard Moon Township, Pa. 15108 SOCIAL MEDIA FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM
facebook.com/RMUVB @RMUVolleyball @rmuvolleyball
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH Alma Mater Tenure at RMU Record at RMU Career Record (DI) ASSISTANT COACH Alma Mater Tenure at RMU VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT Tenure at RMU VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT Tenure at RMU ATHLETIC TRAINER STUDENT MANAGER
Dale Starr Northern Colorado ‘95 Seventh season 96-106 192-187 Danny Doherty Kent State ‘10 Sixth season Matt Stehlik Fourth season Renata Silva First season Stacy Ogden, ATC Lesley Gargano
TEAM INFORMATION FIRST SEASON OF VOLLEYBALL 1981 ALL-TIME VOLLEYBALL RECORD 449-506 NEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS 8 NEC REGULAR-SEASON TITLES 6 NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES 6 2015 vs. Ohio State | L, 0-3 (13-25, 16-25, 11-25) 2003 vs. Penn State | L, 0-3 (10-30, 18-30, 11-30) 2002 vs. Ohio State | L, 0-3 (22-30, 20-30, 16-30) 2001 vs. Ohio State | L, 0-3 (17-30, 16-30, 13-30) 2000 vs. Minnesota | L, 0-3 (1-15, 6-15, 2-15) 1999 vs. Penn State | L, 0-3 (1-15, 1-15, 2-15) 2016 OVERALL RECORD 4-2 2015 NEC RECORD | FINISH 11-3 | 2nd 2016 NEC PRESEASON POLL 1st LETTERWINNERS LOST (2015) 1 LETTERWINNERS RETURNING (2016) 11
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ROBERT MORRIS AT KENT STATE
2016 ROSTER NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15
NAME Deja Tamlin April Krivoniak Kendra Harlow Liz Campbell Leah Carlson Brianna Schmid Arden Fisher Leah Dunivan Schaely Renfrew Allie Yurkovich Holly Brennan Brianna Frakes Taylor Lord Jessie Kaczmarek
POS OH OPP MB S DS MB OH MB L/DS L/DS RS S OH L/DS
YR Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. R-Fr. Jr. So. So.
HT 5-9 5-10 6-1 6-0 5-8 6-1 5-11 6-1 5-8 5-7 5-11 5-10 5-9 5-5
THE DALE STARR FILE HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL Inkster, Mich./Wayne Memorial Latrobe, Pa./Latrobe St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee Copper Center, Ala./Kenny Lake Wake Forest, N.C./Wakefield Oakmont, Pa./Riverview Troy, Ohio/Miami East Sasonburg, Pa./Knoch Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson Colorado Springs, Colo./Rampart Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston Inwood, W. Va./Musselman Rolla, Mo./Rolla
Head Coach: Dale Starr (seventh season at Robert Morris; Northern Colorado ‘95) Assistant Coach: Danny Doherty (sixth season at Robert Morris; Kent State ‘10) Volunteer Assistant: Matt Stehlik (fourth season at Robert Morris) Volunteer Assistant: Renata Silva (first season at Robert Morris)
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Leah Dunivan DONE-uh-vin Brianna Frakes bree-ANN-uh FRAYKS Jessie Kaczmarek kaz-MARE-ik April Krivoniak cruh-VON-ik Schaely Renfrew SHAY-lee
Brianna Schmid Deja Tamlin Allie Yurkovich
bree-ANN-uh shmid DAY-sha YER-kuh-vitch
Danny Doherty Renata Silva
DOE-her-tee huh-NOT-uh
LETTERWINNERS RETURNING 11
Holly Brennan | R-Fr. - OPP Taylor Lord | So. - OH Liz Campbell | Fr. - S Schaely Renfrew | Jr. - L/DS Leah Dunivan | Sr. - MB Brianna Schmid | So. - MB Arden Fisher | Sr. - OH Deja Tamlin | Jr. - OH Brianna Frakes | Jr. - S Allie Yurkovich | So. - L/DS Jessie Kaczmarek | So. - L/DS April Krivoniak | Sr. - MB/RS
LOST
Kristin Thompson
1
Sr. - MB
4 DS MB OH MB/RS 3 S L/DS OH 6 RS S L/DS OH MB L/DS 1 MB
BY STATE
ALASKA Leah Carlson COLORADO Holly Brennan MICHIGAN Brianna Frakes Deja Tamlin MISSOURI Jessie Kaczmarek NEW YORK Kendra Harlow NORTH CAROLINA Brianna Schmid OHIO Liz Campbell Leah Dunivan PENNSYLVANIA Arden Fisher April Krivoniak Schaely Renfrew Allie Yurkovich WEST VIRGINIA Taylor Lord
2016 ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS VOLLEYBALL
STARR AS A HEAD COACH YEAR SCHOOL 2015 Robert Morris 2014 Robert Morris 2013 Robert Morris 2012 Robert Morris 2011 Robert Morris 2010 Robert Morris 2009 McNeese State 2008 McNeese State 2007 McNeese State 2006 McNeese State 2005 McNeese State 2004 McNeese State
192-187 96-106 69-23 RECORD/FINISH 19-13 / 2nd 15-17 / 2nd 9-22 / 4th 17-17 / 2nd 15-17 / 4th 17-18 / 2nd 17-13 / T-4th East 12-18 / 3rd East 19-14 / 2nd East 15-14 / 1st East 15-11 / 5th 18-11 / T-4th
Dale Starr enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Robert Morris University volleyball team. Starr led the Colonials to their eighth overall NEC Tournament title in 2015, the first-ever in six appearances with Starr at the helm. RMU received an automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, where the Colonials fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the First Round. Robert Morris’ 19 wins earned in 2015 are the most achieved in a season under Starr. RMU finished second overall in the conference and led the league in digs per set and total blocks. In 2014, Starr saw his team compile its best conference record during his tenure (12-2). He led the Colonials to their first NEC Tournament title match since 2010 and had three student-athletes earn All-NEC accolades. RMU paced the league in blocks (2.41 per set; 2.92 in conference). The Colonials also finished second in digs, opponent hitting percentage and hitting percentage. In a four-set match at Sacred Heart, RMU broke the single-game program record for total blocks and block assists with 21.5 and 39, respectively. In 2013, Starr guided a senior-less RMU team to their 15thconsecutive NEC Tournament berth, finishing the conference slate with a record of 8-6. The Colonials led the conference in digs and Starr had a student-athlete make an All-NEC team for the fourth straight season. On Oct. 19, Starr earned his 200th career win with a three-set sweep of St. Francis (Pa.).
ROSTER BREAKDOWN BY CLASS SENIORS Leah Carlson Leah Dunivan Arden Fisher April Krivoniak JUNIORS Brianna Frakes Schaely Renfrew Deja Tamlin SOPHOMORES Holly Brennan Liz Campbell Jessie Kaczmarek Taylor Lord Brianna Schmid Allie Yurkovich FRESHMEN Kendra Harlow
RECORDS OVERALL (DI) AT ROBERT MORRIS AGAINST THE NEC
1 Sr. - DS 1 R-Fr. - OPP 2 Jr. - S Jr. - OH 1 So. - L/DS 1 Fr. - MB 1 So. - MB 2 So. - S Sr. - MB 4 Sr. - OH Sr. - OPP Jr. - L/DS So. - L/DS 1 So. - OH
With a senior-heavy roster in 2012, Starr led the Colonials to their 14th-consecutive NEC Tournament behind the strength of 13 regular-season wins against NEC foes. Despite a slow start in early-season tournaments, Starr led RMU to a thrilling five-set victory over West Virginia, the first victory over a Big-XII team in program history. Two members of Starr’s 2012 squad would earn All-NEC honors for the second-consecutive season, while one student-athlete would lead the NEC in blocks per match. The highlight of the 2011 season under Starr had to be the three-set sweep of crosstown-rival Pittsburgh. The win was the first victory over the Panthers in program history. Behind a 10-6 record in the NEC, the Colonials would earn a postseason berth for the 13th-consecutive time, while two of Starr’s student-athletes would earn All-NEC accolades. In his first season with Robert Morris, two of Starr’s studentathletes claimed first team all-conference honors in 2010 and a total of four claimed weekly honors from the NEC. Some of the highlights for Starr’s first season occurred off the court due to the Colonials’ gaudy academic performances. Starr guided his squad to a victory over then six-time defending NEC champion LIU-Brooklyn in the conference tournament semifinals. After eliminating the Blackbirds in a thrilling, five-set match, RMU competed in its 13th league championship match, extending its own conference record.
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Robert Morris Combined Team Statistics (as of Sep 03, 2016) All matches RECORD: ALL GAMES CONFERENCE NON-CONFERENCE
OVERALL 4-2 0-0 4-2
##
Player
sp
Set a a/s
sa
8 4 6 3 7 1 14 2 12 10
DUNIVAN, Leah CAMPBELL, Liz SCHMID, Brianna HARLOW, Kendra FISHER, Arden TAMLIN, Deja LORD, Taylor KRIVONIAK, April FRAKES, Brianna YURKOVICH, Allie TEAM ROBERT MORRIS Opponents
15 45 3.00 13 106 .302 1 0.07 9 4 0.44 1 14 .214 58 6.44 21 43 2.05 18 123 .203 0 0.00 15 24 1.60 10 71 .197 0 0.00 25 83 3.32 35 286 .168 9 0.36 11 10 0.91 5 33 .152 0 0.00 25 72 2.88 38 225 .151 4 0.16 25 24 0.96 12 90 .133 2 0.08 23 2 0.09 3 23 -.043 204 8.87 25 0 0.00 1 2 -.500 7 0.28 25 307 12.28 136 973 .176 285 11.40 25 314 12.56 154 1065 .150 292 11.68
0 1 2 1 3 0 6 8 4 0 25 16
Team Statistics ATTACK Kills Errors Total Attacks Attack Pct Kills/Set SET Assists Assists/Set SERVE Aces Errors Aces/Set SERVE RECEPTIONS Errors Errors/Set DEFENSE Digs Digs/Set BLOCKING Block Solo Block Assist Total Blocks Blocks/Set Block Errors Ball handling errors ATTENDANCE Total Dates/Avg Per Date Neutral site #/Avg Current win streak Home win streak
k
RMU
k/s
Attack e
HOME 3-0 0-0 3-0
OPP
307 136 973 .176 12.3
314 154 1065 .150 12.6
285 11.4
292 11.7
25 31 1.0
16 43 0.6
16 0.6
25 1.0
504 20.2
465 18.6
11 95 58.5 2.3 15 15
18 70 53.0 2.1 17 10
616 3/205 2/94 3 3
147 1/147 -
ta
pct
Date Aug 26 Aug 26 Aug 27 Sep 02 Sep 03 Sep 03
AWAY 1-0 0-0 1-0
Serve se sa/s
0 1 4 5 2 0 6 9 1 3 31 43
0.00 0.11 0.10 0.07 0.12 0.00 0.24 0.32 0.17 0.00 1.00 0.64
Opponent vs Gardner-Webb at The Citadel vs Morehead State BUFFALO COPPIN STATE BUCKNELL
Record in 3-set matches: 1-0 Record in 4-set matches: 1-2 Record in 5-set matches: 2-0
NEUTRAL 0-2 0-0 0-2
Dig dig dig/s
bs
Blocking ba total blk/s be bhe
0 1 0.07 0 5 0.56 0 10 0.48 0 7 0.47 6 154 6.16 0 1 0.09 6 98 3.92 0 97 3.88 0 52 2.26 1 79 3.16 3 16 504 20.16 25 465 18.60
1 0 3 1 2 0 2 1 1 0 11 18
14 4 20 12 15 7 15 7 1 0 95 70
re
L W L W W W
Score 1-3 3-2 1-3 3-0 3-1 3-2
15 4 23 13 17 7 17 8 2 0 58.5 53.0
1.00 1 0.44 0 1.10 7 0.87 1 0.68 1 0.64 0 0.68 1 0.32 2 0.09 2 0.00 0 - 2.34 15 2.12 17
0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 15 10
Score by set 21-25,25-18,24-26,16-25 22-25,23-25,25-14,25-16,15-12 25-20,20-25,21-25,24-26 25-17,25-16,26-24 25-17,25-18,15-25,25-19 22-25,29-27,11-25,25-19,18-16
points
Att. 99 147 90 174 188 254
