The schedule has been set and the excitement around University of Evansville volleyball is starting to build as the 2009 Purple Aces report for preseason practice on Monday. Head coach Mike Swan will have his team preparing for its first match on August 28 at Memphis.
A strong nucleus of last year’s team returns to the line-up for the 2009 squad as nine letterwinners will bring the success of returning to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and posting victories over NCAA Tournament participants Northern Iowa and Missouri State to the team.
“We had key production from every class last year,” Swan said. “I think it’s a good thing that every class wants to contribute. I think that is why having depth at each position now is going to be very beneficial as long as we can keep everybody healthy.
“The mindset has finally changed here to where people are thinking that we are good and can come up with huge wins not just once in a while but on a consistent basis.”
Success for the Aces starts with senior leadership from Ginta Gabruseva and Rachel Robinson. “I would love for both of them to finish their careers on a high note this year,” said Swan. “I know that they want to be very successful and go back to the conference tournament to advance further than we did last year. I think they feel good about where their game level is, and I think they have a lot of confidence in the people around them.”
Helping to get the offense started is sophomore setter Ellen Sawin. The New Lenox, Illinois native was the first UE player since 2003 to be named to the MVC All-Freshman Team after leading the team with 7.59 assists per set.
Also returning this season and making the move to outside hitter is junior Emily Wandersee, who led the team last season in all three blocking categories and earned all-conference honors. Joining her on the outside will be sophomore Brooke Maher, as well as a trio of incoming freshmen—Heather Barnes, Jessica Knackmuhs and Hannah Wilson.
The middle hitter position will see a few changes from the 2008 team with junior Viera Rajcan moving from outside. Sophomore Kaisi Nixon will also see action in the middle and be used as a back-up setter for Sawin.
“Defensively, I think this will be the best team we have ever had,” Swan said. “From the strength of the back row with digging and serve receive, I think we are going to be very strong in that regard.”
Anchoring the back row for the Aces is junior libero Julie Sylvester. Sylvester was the only Purple Ace to play in all 117 sets last year, as she finished fifth in the conference with 4.80 digs per set and was named the MVC Defensive Player of the Week after combining for 26 digs against Bradley and Northern Iowa. Joining Sylvester at defensive specialist is sophomore April Lubrecht, while freshman Maia Miller is anticipated to also see time at libero or outside hitter.
The team begins the 2009 season at the Memphis Invite on August 28-29 with matches against Memphis, Arkansas State and Southeast Missouri State on the schedule. The Aces then travel to Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, for tournaments before facing MVC foes in September. Evansville’s home opener is Monday, September 14 versus Tennessee-Martin.
