Weekly Release #1
8/29/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., Sept. 1-2 -- at Pacific Invitational (Stockton, Calif.)
Sept. 1 -- vs. University of Maryland, 5 p.m. PDT
Sept. 2 -- vs. California State University-Sacramento, 1 p.m. PDT
Sept. 2 -- at University of the Pacific, 7 p.m. PDT
Fri-Sat., Sept. 8-9 -- All Sport Volleyball Challenge (Cliff Keen Arena)
Sept. 10 -- vs. Northern Illinois University, 2 p.m.
Sept. 10 -- vs. University of New Mexico, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 11 -- vs. University of South Carolina, 8 p.m.
Wolverines Open 2000 Where They Closed 1999
Michigan begins its 2000 campaign with a trip back to the University of the Pacific, where the Wolverines closed out their 1999 campaign with a heartbreaking loss to then-No. 5 Pacific (15-10, 14-16, 3-15, 15-12, 17-19) on its home floor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Maize and Blue travel to Stockton, Calif., for the Pacific Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 1-2. Michigan faces Maryland on Friday (5 p.m. PDT) and meets Sacramento State (1 p.m. PDT) and Pacific (7 p.m. PDT) on Saturday.
Scouting the Opponents
Maryland -- Maryland went 13-16 overall in 1999 and 5-11 (8th place) in the Atlantic Coast Conference ... outside hitter Carey Brennan is Maryland's top returning attacker, with 310 kills recorded in 1999 ... Brennan was a 1999 ACC All-Freshman selection ... Maryland returns 1999 assists leader Libby Alberts (974 assists) ... Michigan defeated Maryland 3-1 in the last meeting, at the Georgetown Acumen Classic in 1998 ... Michigan owns a 2-0 series lead over Maryland ... Maryland on the Internet: umterps.fansonly.com
Sacramento State -- Sacramento State was 22-10 overall in 1999 and placed first in the Big Sky Conference with a mark of 13-3 ... The Hornets earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost in the first round to Minnesota 3-0 ... Michigan's match vs. Sacramento State will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools ... Sarah Chlebana, a second-team All-Big Sky selection in 1999, is Sacramento State's top returner ... Sacramento State was picked to finish second in the Big Sky in 2000 in the preseason poll ... Sacramento State on the Internet: www.hornetsports.com
Pacific -- Pacific went 32-3 overall in 1999, including a Big West Conference championships (15-1) ... Pacific advanced to the final four of the 1999 NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Penn State in five games ... Pacific won its only all-time meeting against Michigan, 3-2 in the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament ... Pacific on the Internet: www.pacifictigers.com
Veteran Squad Looks for NCAA Tournament Return
Hopes are high for the 2000 Michigan volleyball season as the Wolverines return five of six starters and seven of their top nine players from a 1999 Michigan team that enjoyed one of the best seasons in Michigan history. The 1999 Wolverines reached the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history and, after disposing of Fairfield in three games in the first round, Michigan nearly pulled what would have been the biggest win in the history of the program. Michigan pushed No. 5 and eventual final four participant Pacific to five games on its home floor in second-round NCAA Tournament action. In fact, the Maize and Blue even had three swings at match point before falling 19-17 in game five.
Behnke Back for More
Michigan senior outside hitter Sarah Behnke (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore HS) ended the 1999 season on fire and returns for final year as one of Michigan's leaders. Against No. 5 Pacific, which sported one of the top front rows in the nation in 1999, Behnke buried a school-record 34 kills in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to lead a young Michigan team to a near upset. Behnke hit .394 (34-8-66) and collected 16 digs as well in that contest. One night earlier, Behnke paced a dominant Wolverine attack with a hitting percentage of .429 (19-4-35) as Michigan swept Fairfield in the first round. Behnke, who has been a consistent starter for the Wolverines when healthy since her freshman season, now has 778 career kills and needs 483 to break former teammate Karen Chase's (1995-98) school record of 1,261.
Rosen Surprises in First Year
Michigan head coach Mark Rosen officially took over the Wolverine program on Feb. 1, 1999, and in the process inherited a very young Michigan squad, with just three regulars returning from a 1998 squad that struggled to a mark of 12-18. However, Rosen's young 1999 squad jelled early and even pulled off an upset of No. 7 Brigham Young to open the season. The Wolverines went 16-15 overall and earned their second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years. Rosen became the first coach in Michigan history to guide his team to the NCAA Tournament in his initial season on the job. In addition, Rosen's 16 wins is the second-most wins by a first-year Michigan, trailing Greg Giovanazzi's (1992-98) 19 wins in 1992.
Fielder Primed for Final Campaign
Michigan senior middle blocker Joanna Fielder (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) returns for her final season after setting career highs in kills (356), service aces (22), digs (170), block solos (15), block assists (106) and total blocks (121) as a junior in 1999. Fielder's 106 block assists in 1999 gave her 195 for her career and put her 111 shy of breaking the school record of 305, which was set by Linsey Ebert (1995-98).
Kacor Shows Off Versatility in 1999
As a sophomore in 1999 Nicole Kacor (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley HS) became the first player in Michigan history to lead the Maize and Blue in kills, digs and aces in the same season. Kacor led the Wolverines with 405 kills, 394 digs and 33 service aces. In addition, Kacor was one of only four Wolverines to play in all 31 matches in 1999. The other three were Sarah Behnke, Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) and Joanna Fielder.
Pittenger and Melka Settle In
After sharing setting duties in 1998, junior Shannon Melka and senior Alija Pittenger (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) settled in as full-time starters in 1999, with Melka remaining as Michigan's top setter and Pittenger moving to outside hitter. As a result, Melka turned in a 1999 season in which she registered 1,374 assists, which was the second-best single-season total at Michigan since 1983. Meanwhile, Pittenger showcased her talent and finished No. 2 and No. 4 on Michigan in digs (368) and kills (265), respectively.
Michigan Joins Nation's Elite
Michigan's upset of No. 7 Brigham Young and eventual Outback Steakhouse Invitational championship in the opening weekend in 1999 earned the Wolverines the first Top 25 ranking in school history as they debuted at No. 25 on Sept. 6. The Maize and Blue remained in the Top 25 for five consecutive weeks, peaking at No. 18 on Sept. 27.
Tough Non-Conference Slate Awaits Maize and Blue
Michigan's non-conference opponents in 2000 include a rematch with 1999 national semifinal participant Pacific, which eliminated Michigan in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament in a five-game thriller. In addition to Pacific, the Wolverines face five other non-conference opponents, which made the 1999 NCAA Tournament: Sacramento State, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Houston and Virginia. Of Michigan's 31 matches in 2000, 20 will be against teams that participated in the 1999 NCAA Tournament.
Wolverines Earn Preseason Respect
Michigan's strong finish to the 1999 campaign was not lost on coaches in the Big Ten or across the country during the 2000 preseason prognostications. Big Ten coaches tabbed Michigan as the preseason No. 5 in the conference, while Michigan earned its first-ever top 25 ranking in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches preseason poll at No. 24. Michigan is one of six Big Ten Conference teams pegged among the top 25 in the nation. The others are Penn State (No. 2), Minnesota (No. 11), Wisconsin (No. 16), Michigan State (No. 20) and Ohio State (No. 25).
2000 Preseason Big Ten Volleyball Poll
School Points 1. Penn State 117 2. Minnesota 109 3. Wisconsin 96 4. Michigan State 91 5. MICHIGAN 67 6. Ohio State 65 7. Illinois 63 8. Indiana 46 9. Purdue 32 10. Iowa 24 11. Northwestern 16USA Today/AVCA Coaches Preseason Top 25
1. UCLA 2. Penn State 3. Stanford 4. Long Beach State 5. Hawaii 6. Nebraska 7. USC 8. Pepperdine 9. Florida 10. Arizona 11. Minnesota 12. Pacific 13. Colorado State 14. UC Santa Barbara 15. Brigham Young 16. Wisconsin 17. Kansas State 18. Texas 19. Texas A&M 20. Michigan State 21. Baylor 22. Northern Iowa 23. Loyola Marymount 24. MICHIGAN 25. Ohio State
Position by Position Breakdown (probable starters)
Middle Blocker -- Michigan's middle will be patrolled by senior Joanna Fielder, who is entering her third season as a starter at middle blocker. "Joanna has done everything possible during the off-season to take her game to another level and I am very excited to see her play in 2000," explained head coach Mark Rosen. The sixth starting position at middle blocker opposite Fielder was shared by two other returnees, junior Annie Maxwell (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) and Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS). "Annie is a smart player and is a very emotional player, while Katrina is one of the most athletic people in our gym," noted Rosen.
Setting -- Much of Fielder's success at the net will hinge on the performance of junior setter Shannon Melka, who enters her second season in 2000 as the full-time setter. "Melka is a much more mature setter now and this squad has become her team and it is no coincidence that our late season surge last year coincided with great improvement from Shannon," stated Rosen.
Outside Hitter -- One of the veterans the Rosen will look to first is senior outside hitter Sarah Behnke, who set the single-match Michigan record for kills (34) in the second-round NCAA Tournament loss at Pacific in 1999. Rosen expects ball handling to again be a strength for his Wolverines and a big reason for the head coach's optimism is the return of starting outside hitters Nicole Kacor and Alija Pittenger. Kacor led the Big Ten in digs as a sophomore and became the first Wolverine in history to lead the team in kills, digs and aces in the same season.
Veteran Leadership
Senior outside hitter Sarah Behnke has been named co-captain for the second straight season, becoming just the third two-time captain in the program's history. Junior setter Shannon Melka will share the captain's duties for the first time in her career.
Newcomers
In addition to the veteran returning talent for the Maize and Blue in 1999, Rosen's first recruiting class is one of the better classes in recent memory and includes Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selections Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) and Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS). Although Moore is a middle blocker and Reedus an outside hitter, each player's greatest asset, according to Rosen, is athleticism. Rounding out Michigan's four-member freshmen class are setter Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial HS) and outside hitter Sarah Allen (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg HS). Gamalski will make the switch from outside hitter on the high school and club level to setter in college.
Michigan All-Time Series vs. Upcoming Opponents
vs. Maryland
All-Time Series: Mich. leads, 2-0
In the 1990s: Mich. leads, 2-0
Current "W" Streak: U-M, 2
Longest Series "W" Streak: U-M, 2 (1992-present)
vs. Sacramento State
All-Time Series: First Meeting
vs. Pacific
All-Time Series: UOP leads, 1-0
In the 1990s: UOP leads, 1-0
Current "W" Streak: UOP, 1
Longest Series "W" Streak: UOP, 1 (1999-present)
Big Ten Conference Team Records (through 8/28/00)
BIG TEN ALL Penn State 0-0 .000 1-1 Illinois 0-0 .000 0-0 Indiana 0-0 .000 0-0 Iowa 0-0 .000 0-0 MICHIGAN 0-0 .000 0-0 Michigan State 0-0 .000 0-0 Minnesota 0-0 .000 0-0 Northwestern 0-0 .000 0-0 Ohio State 0-0 .000 0-0 Purdue 0-0 .000 0-0 Wisconsin 0-0 .000 0-0
WOLVERINE QUICK FACTS
1999 Records
Overall: 16-15 (.516)
Big Ten: 7-13 (.350)
Home: 7-6
Away: 5-9
Neutral: 4-0
Head Coach
Mark Rosen (Cal-State Northridge, 1985)
Overall Record (9th year): 225-52 (.812)
U-M (2nd year): 16-15 (.516)
Big Ten (2nd year): 7-13 (.350)
Assistants
Leisa Rosen (Ohio State, 1992)
June Liu (Northern Michigan, 1996)
1999 Captains
Sarah Behnke (Sr./OH/Baroda, Mich.)
Shannon Melka (Jr./S/Wheaton, Ill.)
U-M History
All-Time: 401-436-7, .479 (1973-present / 28 years)
Big Ten: 100-227, .308 (1973-present / 19 years)
Keen Arena: 70-72, .493 (1989-present / 12 years)
Big Ten Titles: 1981
Postseason Appearances: 1981 (AIAW), 1995 (NIVC), 1997 (NCAA), 1999 (NCAA)
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
