Weekly Release #1
8/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., Aug. 31-Sept. 2 -- at Hawaiian Airlines Classic (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Aug. 31 -- vs. UCLA, 5 p.m. HST (11 p.m. EDT)
Sept. 1 -- at Hawaii, 7 p.m. HST (1 a.m. EDT Sept. 2)
Sept. 2 -- vs. Kansas State, 5 p.m. HST (11 p.m. EDT)
Fri-Sat., Sept. 7-8 -- host All Sport Challenge (Cliff Keen Arena)
Sept. 7 -- vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 8 -- vs. Eastern Michigan, 2 p.m.
Sept. 8 -- vs. Georgia, 7:30 p.m.
2001 Volleyball Campaign Kicks Off in Hawaii
The 2001 University of Michigan volleyball team (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten) opens the season with a match against No. 7 UCLA (0-0) at 5 p.m. HST (11 p.m. EDT) on Friday (Aug. 31) in the first match of the Hawaiian Airlines Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Wolverines face No. 5 Hawaii (0-2), the host of the tournament, at 7 p.m. HST on Saturday (Sept. 1) and No. 19 Kansas State (0-0) at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 2). All three matches will be played at the Stan Sheriff Center. Michigan also participated in the 1996 Hawaiian Airlines Classic.
Headed West
Michigan's trip to the Hawaiian Airlines Classic marks the fifth time in the last six years that the team has hit the road and traveled west to play matches in either the Pacific or Hawaii-Aleutian time zones.
Listen to the Matches on the Internet
Michigan fans can listen to the Wolverines' season-opening match against UCLA (Friday at 11 p.m. EDT) and the Hawaii match (Sunday at 1 a.m. EDT) live on the Internet. Visit the volleyball front page on MGoBlue.com for a link to each broadcast.
Looking for the Trifecta
Last year, the Wolverines earned their second consecutive bid to the NCAA Championship tournament. It was the program's third bid to the postseason tournament and first in back-to-back seasons. Head coach Mark Rosen is the only Michigan coach to lead the volleyball program to more than one NCAA Championship tournament appearance.
They're Just Kids
The 2001 Wolverines are loaded with youth. Of the 16 members of the team, 12 hold sophomore or freshman status. Counting the redshirt freshmen, seven members of squad have not participated in an NCAA volleyball match.
But They've Been Around
Despite being a young team, 11 of the players have experienced the pressure and level of competition of at least one NCAA Championship tournament. The three seniors and junior have each participated in two consecutive NCAA tournaments.
Setting a New Standard
Head coach Mark Rosen enters the 2001 season with the highest winning percentage of any coach in the history of Michigan volleyball. After two seasons, he has posted a record of 35-29 for a .546 winning percentage. He is the only U-M volleyball coach to post a winning percentage above .500 in their first two seasons as a Wolverine. Rosen's 35 wins are the most by any Michigan volleyball coach in their first two years at U-M.
Non-Conference Action Has Been Good to the Wolverines
Head coach Mark Rosen has the best non-conference winning percentage of any Michigan volleyball coach in the history of the program. His record of 20-4 is good for an .833 winning percentage. The next best career non-conference winning percentage is .689, held by Joyce Davis (42-19 from 1986-89).
Bring It On
The 2001 volleyball schedule includes eight teams that appear in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll. After playing No. 7 UCLA, No. 5 Hawaii and No. 19 Kansas State this weekend, the Wolverines face No. 20 Notre Dame on Sept. 12. In one of the strongest conferences in the nation, Michigan will play No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 15 Minnesota and No. 16 Ohio State during Big Ten play. Michigan State (88) and Michigan (26) each received votes in the poll.
In Her Sights
Senior Shannon Melka (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis HS) recorded 1,558 assists last season to increase her career total to 3,566. Both tallies are second all-time at Michigan. Linnea Mendoza (1994-97), who recorded 1,677 assists in 1997 and finished her career with 5,072 helpers, is the record holder in both categories. Melka needs 1,517 assists this season to become the all-time assist leader at U-M.
Not Done Yet
Junior Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian HS) put up career numbers on defense last season, setting or tying three Michigan blocking records. In block assists, she tied the season mark of 115 by Linsey Ebert in 1997 and logged a record 76 block assists in conference action. Her conference mark of 85 total blocks tied the mark set by Carla Hunter in 1988.
Fab 50 Recruit
When freshman Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) joined the Wolverines, she became the third Volleyball Monthly Fab 50 selection -- along with sophomores Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) and Chantel Reedus (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) -- to play for Michigan since the arrival of head coach Mark Rosen. Prior to the start of Rosen's tenure in 1999, U-M had just two Fab 50 selections in the history of the program.
State Records
Freshman Carrie Ritchie (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison Comprehensive HS) finished her high school career holding two Ohio state records in volleyball. Last year as a senior, Ritchie set the records for most kills in a match with 37 and most kills in a season with 404. For her efforts she was named the Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year in 2000.
Co-Captains
The 2001 Michigan volleyball team has co-captains leading the squad, seniors Annie Maxwell (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) and Shannon Melka. Melka was a captain in 2000 as a junior as well.
Rule Changes for 2001
With the start of the 2001 NCAA volleyball season, fans will see a new scoring system in place. Rally scoring will now be used in each game of a match. The change should generate plenty of excitement and keep the game moving since a point will be awarded with each serve. With the new rule, the winner of games one through four of a five-game match will be the first team to reach 30 points and lead by two points. For game five, the winner will be the first team to reach 15 points and lead by two points.
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
