<p>For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772</p>
<p>Navy to Open Volleyball Season Friday</p>
<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy volleyball team will open its 2007 season this weekend when the Midshipmen travel to Spartanburg, S.C., to take part in the USC-Upstate Volleyball Tournament. Navy will face the tournament-host Spartans Friday at 7 p.m., then will play Wofford and Savannah State Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.</p>
<p>2007 Navy Volleyball Season Preview
2006 Records: 11-20 overall, 3-11 Patriot League (Tie-6th place)
Non-League Opponents
Navy’s 2007 season includes non-league matchups against both old (Howard, Coppin State, Saint Francis, UMBC) and new (USC-Upstate, NJIT) opponents, as well as the renewal of several dormant series (Cornell, Columbia, Penn, Wofford).</p>
<p>Regardless of the number of matches Navy has played against its non-league opponents, the entire slate of matches was designed by head coach Mike Schwob to test the Mids prior to the start of the league campaign.</p>
<p>“I feel we have a very balanced schedule which is designed to prepare ourselves for the Patriot League season,” said Schwob. "We are playing some of our traditional opponents, but also will have the chance to test ourselves against a number of teams we either have not faced before or have not squared off against in a number of years.</p>
<p>“All of the teams we play will present different challenges for us. What may be an advantage of ours against one team could turn out to be a disadvantage against another. These opponents will make us work, make us think and make us adapt not only from match-to-match but also within each contest, something we will need to do during the league season.”</p>
<p>Patriot League Outlook
With not much separation between the teams, the race for the 2007 Patriot League Tournament figures to be as challenging as ever. </p>
<p>Six of the eight teams in the Patriot League have advanced to the four-team league tournament at least once over the last four years, with Navy being one of four teams to have made multiple postseason appearances during this time.</p>
<p>Of the 14 players who garnered all-league accolades from the Patriot League last year, 10 return this year including six of the seven first-team all-league award winners and each of the four players who were the recipient of a 2006 major individual award.</p>
<p>“The margin between all of the teams in the league seems to close each year, and this year appears to be no exception,” said Schwob. "Playing league matches on back-to-back nights is always a challenge. Whether those matches are at home or on the road won’t matter. Each team will have to be focused each night, no matter who or where they are playing. There is too much parity to not be totally focused on every match. </p>
<p>“With the teams so close together, it wouldn’t surprise me if tiebreakers are again used to determine the playoff seeding and field. That means every match, every game and every point means a great deal.”</p>
<p>2007 Patriot League Preseason Poll – Points (First-Place Votes)
- American – 98 (14)
- Army – 85 (2)
- Bucknell – 71
- Colgate – 55
- Lafayette – 53
- Navy – 43
- Holy Cross – 23
- Lehigh – 20</p>
<p>Returning Players
Letterwinners Returning / Lost – 8 / 4
Starters Returning / Lost – 4 + libero / 2
Navy returns five of its seven starters from a year ago, as well as six of the eight players who saw action in at least half of Navy’s 50 Patriot League games during the 2006 season.</p>
<p>Leading the way is a strong core of four seniors who all saw significant playing time during their 2004 and '05 seasons when Navy advanced to the Patriot League Tournament.</p>
<p>“We don’t just have experience back this year, we have players returning who were contributors to some very good teams during their careers,” said Schwob. "They saw the work required for us to play at a consistently high level during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, while last year they saw how slim the margin of error is for teams in this league to have success.</p>
<p>“Our senior class has done a great job since January in focusing everyone on the team towards doing whatever is required to return us to the playoffs. To do so is a process, a mindset and, above all, hard work.”</p>
<p>New Players
Newcomers – 3
Navy added just a trio of new players to its roster, but each will be expected to make contributions and fulfill the old adage of “quality over quantity.”</p>
<p>“Collectively, our newcomers bring a lot of positive energy and varied experiences to the team,” said Schwob. "They have been a part of successful teams on the high school or club level, in volleyball or in other sports, so they bring that desire for success to our program.</p>
<p>“With their experience and background, we are not looking for them to just sit back this year and wait for their turn. We not only look for, but also need for them to be contributors to this year’s team, whether those contributions are in pushing players to excel in practice or taking to the court during matches themselves.”</p>
<p>Defensive Players
Key – L = 2006 letterwinner; S = 2006 starter
Players Lost
- Chelsea Reidy – 2 gms, 0.50 dpg
- Karla Lazenby (L) – 44 gms, 0.98 dpg
Returning Players
- Meredith Biri (L/S) – 73 gms, 2.23 dpg
- Aimee’ Burns (L) – 93 gms, 1.99 dpg
- Lizzie Grider – 1 game, 0.00 dpg
New Player
- Kristen Dickmann</p>
<p>How the 2007 season goes for Navy very well may depend upon the stability and success of the Navy passers. </p>
<p>“We are relying heavily on our defensive players and their passing abilities for how we want to run our offense and defense,” said Schwob. "For us to be successful this year, we need this group to be consistent and stable. </p>
<p>“I like having proven veterans in Aimee’ Burns and Meredith Biri keying this group.”</p>
<p>Burns and Biri were mainstays in the Navy backrow last year. Burns saw the court in 93 of Navy’s 110 games during the 2006 season, while Biri played in 46 of Navy’s 50 league games. </p>
<p>Burns, the Navy team captain for the 2007 season, enters the fall as the squad’s libero, while Biri, who is also a talented setter, will fill one of the defensive specialist positions.</p>
<p>"Aimee’ really solidified the libero position during the spring. She gained a lot of confidence last year and we look for that, along with her incredible work ethic, to pay off for her this year. Meredith, meanwhile, was hard to keep off the court as last season went on. </p>
<p>“We had a nice tandem in the backcourt for several years in Andrea Wernecke and Megan Vehovic. Andrea was a very steady ball-control player, while Megan could come in and change the course of a match with her emotion. I see a lot of Andrea in Aimee’ and Megan in Meredith.”</p>
<p>Also returning for the Mids in the backcourt is Lizzie Grider whose 2006 season ended during her first game of the year with a broken finger.</p>
<p>“Liz has been plagued by injuries, but she is one of our better utility players on the team,” said Schwob. “She can make contributions for us in a number of different positions.”</p>
<p>The newcomer to the backrow is Kristen Dickmann.</p>
<p>“I look for Kristen to push for playing time as the season goes on,” said Schwob.</p>
<p>Middle Blockers
Players Lost
- Megan Boyd (L/S) – 109 gms, 1.74 kpg, 0.95 bpg
- Beth McArthur – 49 gms, 2.37 kpg, .0.65 bpg
Returning Players
- Krista Eschelman – 35 gms, 0.83 kpg, 0.54 bpg
- Alexa Gibbs (L/S) – 83 gms, 1.64 kpg, 0.60 bpg
New Player
- Lindi Conner </p>
<p>Navy’s quintet of middle blockers may be one of the most athletic group of players assembled at the position in recent years for the Mids. </p>
<p>One of the livelier arms on the team belongs to Alexa Gibbs, who appeared in 83 games last year and enters the fall as the top middle blocker on the squad.</p>
<p>“Alexa may be the most physical player on the team,” said Schwob. “She has shown glimpses of what she is capable of during her freshman and sophomore years and became our go-to middle blocker during the spring. She needs to carry that confidence and consistency into the fall.”</p>
<p>Although Krista Eschelman played in only 35 games last year, 17 of those appearances came over Navy’s final seven matches of the year. Now, with a full 12 months of collegiate experience under her belt, she is poised to be a fixture in the Navy lineup for the next three years.</p>
<p>“Krista really took advantage of her opportunity at the end of the 2006 fall season and throughout the 2007 spring season,” said Schwob. “She worked on a number of good shots to go around different types of blocks and developed a great mentality for a middle blocker.”</p>
<p>After competing on the Navy basketball team for three years, new middle blocker Lindi Conner brings collegiate athletic experience with them to the team. Despite her being away from volleyball for several years, Schwob feels confident she will be able to regain the form that helped her earn all-state accolades in volleyball during her prep career. </p>
<p>“In addition to what Lindi brings to the team with her volleyball ability, she also will add a great deal of experience in competing in college athletics with her to the team,” said Schwob. </p>
<p>Outside/Right-Side Hitters
Players Lost
- None
Returning Players
- Barbara Beal – 0 games
- Rachel Dougherty (L/S) – 109 gms, 2.68 kpg, 0.80 bpg
- Nikki England (L/S) – 104 gms, 2.90 kpg, 2.23 dpg
- Lizzie Grider – 1 game, 0.00 dpg
- Aubrey Manes – 12 gms, 1.00 kpg, 0.25 dpg
- Abbie Merkl (L) – 52 gms, 0.50 kpg, 0.37 bpg
- Jessie Sims (L/S) – 109 gms, 3.11 kpg, 4.07 dpg
New Players
- None </p>
<p>Navy returns all four of its 2006 letterwinners from the wing positions this year, with the foursome combining for 424 games played last season.</p>
<p>“This is the most depth I can remember having at almost any position,” said Schwob. “I am very confident in the abilities of this entire group of players. The challenge for us as coaches will be in finding the best positions, rotations and chemistry to be on the floor at given times and situations.”</p>
<p>Headlining the position is Rachel Dougherty who has improved her kills per game average during each of her three years and hauled in nearly twice as many digs during the 2006 season as she did during her freshman and sophomore seasons combined. </p>
<p>“Rachel has the ability to be one of the best players in the league on the right side,” said Schwob. </p>
<p>Dougherty’s senior classmate Nikki England enjoyed a breakout 2006 season by ranking second on the team in kills and digs.</p>
<p>“Nikki is such a team player,” said Schwob. “We know we will receive steady play from her, and there will also be times when she does some serious damage to the other defenses.”</p>
<p>England ranked second in kills and digs to Jessie Sims last year as Sims became just the fourth Mid in school history to pace the squad in both categories.</p>
<p>“Jessie is a solid, six-rotation player,” said Schwob. “For us to be successful this year she needs to play within herself and do what she needs to accomplish depending upon where she is stationed on the floor at the time. This includes improving her blocking ability.”</p>
<p>Despite appearing in less than half of Navy’s games last year and averaging one-half of a kill per game, Schwob is ready to make the lofty comparison of Abbie Merkl to both Jen Williams and Ashley Van Hartesvelt, two of the most prolific attackers in Navy history.</p>
<p>“Abbie has the court presence of Jen and Ashley,” said Schwob. “She has worked as hard as anyone on the team since the end of last season, especially over the summer. She will be a totally different player this year. Whether we see that complete development during the 2007 season or in 2008 is something that remains to be seen.”</p>
<p>Merkl’s classmate Aubrey Manes is another player who took advantage of the offseason to improve her game.</p>
<p>“Aubrey is the best leaper on the team,” said Schwob. “She has become a better player since the end of last season and now needs to take the next step and develop her all-around game so we can use her in all six rotations.”</p>
<p>Barbara Beal is the third member of the sophomore class returning on the outside. She didn’t appeared in a varsity match last year, but has the potential to do more than simply provide depth this year.</p>
<p>“Barbara is continually improving and working hard,” said Schwob.</p>
<p>Setters
Players Lost
- Mariellen Carnes (L) – 68 gms, 6.25 apg, 1.29 dpg
- Kim Koss (L/S) – 65 gms, 8.12 apg, 1.97 dpg
Returning Players
- Meredith Biri – 73 gms, 0.23 apg, 2.23 dpg
- Marissa Watson (L) – 51 gms, 4.45 apg, 1.71 dpg
New Player
- Jenny Rudewicz </p>
<p>After several seasons of using a 6-2 lineup followed by years of alternating between that and a 5-1 lineup, Schwob feels he has the personnel to return to using the 5-1. Part of that reasoning has to do with the ability of setter Marissa Watson.</p>
<p>“I have complete and total confidence in Marissa’s ability to successfully run our 5-1 offense,” said Schwob.</p>
<p>Watson was the starter for most of the non-conference season last year, but she never recovered from a bout with tonsillitis in late September.</p>
<p>“Marissa has worked incredibly hard since her illness,” said Schwob. “Thanks to a great deal of tutelage from (assistant coach and former CAA setter of the year) Mary Clare Coghlan, Marissa has improved both technically and tactically at putting the set where it needs to be.”</p>
<p>Backing up Watson will be Biri and freshman Jenny Rudewicz. Biri spent most of the 2006 season playing in Navy’s backrow, but cross trained as a setter last year and can be a valuable veteran backup to Watson. </p>
<p>“It is nice to have a veteran player in Meredith to backup Marissa if needed,” said Schwob. “She is a very good athlete who can easily make the position switch. Jenny is a flashy setter who works hard. Between the two of them, they will help Marissa and all of our hitters stay at the top of their games.”</p>