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2001 Season Outlook There is a familiar attitude of confidence and expected success surrounding the 2001 Cedarville University women's volleyball team. Coming off their 10th consecutive winning season, the Lady Jackets have every right to be excited about the upcoming season with seven returnees, two experienced transfers and three outstanding freshman recruits joining the ranks. Cedarville finished 2000 with a 29-14 overall record including a 12-2 mark in the American Mideast Conference. Head Coach Teresa Clark begins her sixth season at the helm of the Lady Jackets and sees little reason why the team cannot continue the winning tradition that has been established in the volleyball program. Clark, who has a 145-69 record in five seasons at Cedarville, believes the keys to another successful season will be the squad's adjustment to new setters Carrie Hartman and Courtney Williams and the blending of five newcomers with the seven returning players.
"We will be counting on Carrie and Courtney to run our 6-2 offense and replace the graduated Lori Bunger," stated Clark. Bunger, a two-time NCCAA All-American and AMC All-Conference performer, ran the team's 5-1 offensive pattern the last two seasons and holds the career all-time assist record at Cedarville with 4,748. "I am very excited about the seven players returning to the team for 2001 season. We have also added five excellent players who each have the ability to make immediate impacts to the program," added Clark. Two big reasons for optimism heading into the season are the return of senior middle hitters Heather van der Aa and Amy Martin. The two combined for over 1,000 kills and 240 blocks last year and will be the foundation of the offense in the 2001 season. The 6-foot-2 van der Aa, a native of Bloomington, IL, is an NCCAA All-American Second Team member and All-AMC First Team performer. She is on track to become the Lady Jacket's all-time leader in kills as she heads into the year with 1,677 career kills. Martin, a six-foot product of nearby South Charleston, OH and a member of the All-AMC Second Team in 2000, has 1060 career kills. She is one of just eight Lady Jackets to reach the 1,000 kill milestone.
The third senior on the 2001 squad is Cheryl Meyer, a 5-6 defensive specialist from Elida, OH. will provide stability and leadership to the back row. She has 553 career digs and holds a .961 career serving percentage which is seventh-best all-time at Cedarville. Four juniors will be members of the Lady Jackets. Two return for their third season at Cedarville while the others join the squad as transfers. Courtney Williams, a 5-4 setter from Uniontown, PA, will switch roles from her back row position to setter. Williams posted 246 digs last season while leading the team with 35 serving aces. Sarah Oleszczuk, a 5-10 back row player from Lambertville, MI and member of the 1999 All-AMC Freshman Team, will seek to regain her form after two-injury-plagued seasons. Melissa Holland, a 6-2 middle-hitter from Chillicothe, OH, joins the Lady Jackets as a transfer from AMC member Shawnee State. Holland, who registered 390 kills last year while leading the league with 111 solo blocks, will provide experience and added power to the Lady Jackets' offense. Her .365 attack percentage was second in the AMC only to van der Aa. Another junior transfer for the Lady Jackets is 5-10 outside hitter Charissa Winburg from Beavercreek, OH. Winburg, who played two seasons at Gulf Coast Community College in Florida where she was an all-conference performer, will add additional depth to the front row attack.
Sophomores Carrie Hartman and Julie Rhoads return with a year's experience and will be expected to make valuable contributions to the 2001 squad. Hartman, a 5-8 setter from Ft. Wayne, IN, will assume one of the two setting roles this season. She was second on the team last year with 309 digs while playing in every game. Rhoads will be an important factor in the front row again after recording 213 kills and 34 blocks in her initial campaign. Coach Clark again is pleased with the additional of three excellent freshman to the 2001 Lady Jacket roster. Paula Thompson, a 5-9 outside hitter from Solon, OH, earned All-Ohio Division I Third-Team honors while leading Solon High to the State semifinals. Richelle Clem, a 5-10 outside hitter from Elkhart, IN, is Elkhart Baptist Christian High School's career leader in kills, total blocks and solo blocks. Andrea Hilliker, a 5-10 outside hitter from Midland, MI, joins the team after an outstanding career at Calvary Baptist High School. Highlighting the schedule is the 14th Annual Cedarville Invitational and the demanding American Mideast Conference schedule. The Lady Jackets host 12 dual matches in the Athletic Center including a Homecoming date with Tennessee Temple and Glenville State. | |||||||||||||||||
