CAA VOLLEYBALL REPORT - AUG. 30
*Complete release in PDF format located at the bottom of this release*CAA QUICK HITS:
- Three conference teams - Georgia State, James Madison and Towson - won their respective tournaments during the opening weekend of play and stand undefeated on the young season. Each of these teams also had a player named MVP or Co-MVP of their tournament.
- GSU has now won its own tournament (GSU Invitational) three consecutive times and is 3-0 for the first time since 2003, when they finished the year with a 27-8 record.
- JMU also captured its own tournament (JMU Coca-Cola Classic) crown and stands at 3-0 for the first time in four years.
- Towson won the Tiny Laster Memorial Tournament hosted by Hampton to improve to 4-0 after its first weekend of play.
- CAA teams compiled an overall record of 17-15 in the opening week of play.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Danielle Erb
- James Madison
Tampa, Fla./Plant, So., Outside Hitter
Erb led James Madison to a 3-0 record to open the 2010 season at the JMU Coca-Cola Classic and was named the tournament's MVP. The sophomore outside hitter posted at least 13 kills in each of the Dukes' three matches, and her 20 kills against Davidson not only set a new career high but was the first 20-kill performance by a Duke since 2007. Erb's 16 kill, 11 dig performance marked the 10th double-double of her young career.
Vineece Verdun
- Georgia State
Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Andover, R-Jr., Middle Hitter
Verdun was named the MVP of the Georgia State Invitational after leading the Panthers to their first 3-0 record since the 2003 season. She recorded 49 kills in the three matches and her 23 kills against Morehead State marked a new career high. Verdun also fell one total block shy of tying a career high after the Panthers' first two matches this weekend.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Natalie Abel - James Madison
Washington, Pa./Trinity, R-So., Libero/Outside Hitter
Abel helped lead the Dukes to the JMU Coca-Cola Classic title and their first 3-0 record since the 2006 season. The redshirt sophomore outside hitter tallied a team-high 45 digs, averaging 5.00 digs per set. Abel paced the Dukes in digs in two of their three matches, including 18 in their victory over UNC Asheville. She also posted six blocks on the weekend, including three solo and three assists.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:
Katy Buck
- Towson
Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales Academy, Fr., Outside Hitter
Buck began her collegiate career by leading Towson to a 4-0 start and the Tiny Laster Memorial Championship title. The outside hitter recorded 42 kills, 35 digs and 12 service aces en route to being named the Co-MVP of the tournament. Buck notched her first career double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs against Bryant. She recorded double-digit kills and digs in two matches this weekend.
CAA PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL PICKS: Delaware, which has captured two of the past three conference volleyball titles, has been been picked as the favorite to reclaim the title according to a vote by the league's 10 volleyball coaches. The Blue Hens received five first-place votes and 75 total points to earn the top spot in the preseason poll. Defending champion George Mason took the second spot with three first-place votes and 71 total points, while VCU came in a close third with one first-place vote and 68 overall points. William & Mary tallied one first-place vote and 60 total points, and Northeastern notched the fifth spot with 49 points overall. James Madison was selected sixth in the poll, followed by Towson, Hofstra, UNC Wilmington and Georgia State.
CAA PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS: George Mason senior middle blocker Holly Goode has been selected as the 2010 CAA preseason volleyball Player of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches. Joining Goode on the preseason All-CAA squad are teammate Kelsey Bohman, Delaware's Jess Chason and Kim Stewart, Northeastern's Britney Brown and William & Mary's Lindsay Kresch and Erin Skipper.
THREE NAMED MVPs: Three CAA volleyball players earned MVP honors this past week. GSU redshirt junior middle hitter Vineece Verdum collected 49 kills and 3.5 kills per game on the weekend, including a career high 23 kills against Morehead State, to help lead the Panthers to the GSU Invitational title. JMU sophomore outside hitter Danielle Erb was named MVP of the JMU Coca-Cola Classic after recording at least 13 kills in each of her team's three matches and 20 kills against Davidson, which marked a new career high. Erb also posted her 10th career double-double in her 16 kill, 11 dig showing against UNC Asheville. Towson rookie outside hitter Katy Buck was named MVP at the Tiny Laster Memorial Championship after posting 42 kills, 35 digs and 12 service aces. Buck's 10 kills and 15 digs against Bryant marked her first double-double.
SOPHOMORE STANDOUTS: Sophomores currently lead the conference in the majority of its statistical categories. Co-Offensive Player of the Week Danielle Erb leads the league in hitting percentage (.462), kills per set (5.44) and points per set (5.67). She and fellow honoree Vineece Verdun are tied atop the total kills category with 49 each. William & Mary sophomore middle blocker Shaylin O'Connell boasts a CAA-best 17 total blocks and 1.31 blocks-per-set average.
YOU'VE BEEN SERVED: CAA Rookie of the Week Katy Buck is the only freshman to lead any of the league's statistical categories (service aces). The Towson freshman nailed 12 service aces in the Tigers' four matches this weekend, equalling a 0.80 service ace-per-set average.
THE CHASON IS ON: Delaware senior and 2009 conference Setter of the Year Jess Chason's 10.29 assists per set lead the league after opening weekend of play. This stat is right on par with Chason's final assists-per-set average (10.20) from a year ago. The next best assists-per-set average is owned by GSU senior Chelsea Perry (8.71), who leads the conference in total assists with 122.
THREE AND OUT: JMU was the only team in the league to win each of its matches in three sets. The Dukes defeated Stetson 25-17, 25-12, 28-26; UNC Asheville 25-25, 25-15, 25-13 and Davidson 25-18, 25-19, 25-13. The team looks to build on its success as it heads to Cincinnati, Ohio, for the Cincinnati Bearcat Invitational this weekend.
EARLY TO RISE: Three of the teams picked to finish in the bottom five in the 2010 CAA Preseason Coaches Poll now own the top three spots in the league standings. Towson, GSU and JMU each won their respective tournaments and own undefeated records on the young season.
DELAWARE (2-1 overall, 0-0 in CAA): Delaware opened the season with a 2-1 mark at the Temple Invitational. The Blue Hens earned three-set victories over LaSalle and host Temple before falling to Virginia in four sets on Saturday. Sophomore outside hitter Alissa Alker was named to the Temple Tournament All-Tournament team after recording 29 kills, 2.90 kills per set and a .238 hitting percentage in the Hens' three matches.
GEORGE MASON (1-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA): George Mason, the CAA defending champion, finished its first week of play with a 1-2 record. The Patriots won in three sets at home against Georgetown and suffered three-set losses to American and George Washington. Junior outside hitter Noelle Fanella collected 28 kills and 3.11 kills per game. Her six aces versus Georgetown marked a new career high.
GEORGIA STATE (3-0 overall, 0-0 in CAA): GSU, which owned a 16-14 overall record and finished tied for eighth in the CAA in 2009, opened the 2010 season with a 3-0 record for the first time in seven years. The Panthers swept the weekend slate with Morehead State, North Florida and Wright State to claim the GSU Invitational title for the third consecutive time. Redshirt junior Vineece Verdun, the tournament's MVP, has now been selected to four regular season all-tournament teams in her two-year GSU career.
HOFSTRA (0-3 overall, 0-0 in CAA): Hofstra dropped all three matches on its home court as it hosted the Hofstra/Asics Invitational last weekend. The Pride lost to Canisius and Texas State on Friday before falling in three sets to a Missouri State squad that received votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25 Poll. Sophomore middle blocker Carolyn Jenkins was named to the all-tournament team after leading Hofstra with 35 kills and five blocks in its three matches.
JAMES MADISON (3-0 overall, 0-0 in CAA): JMU began the season with its first 3-0 record since 2006 after defeating Stetson, UNC Asheville and Davidson at the JMU Coca-Cola Classic. Danielle Erb put away a career-high 20 kills against Davidson and earned her 10th career double-double against UNC Asheville en route to being named the tournament's MVP. Redshirt sophomore libero Natalie Abel added a team-high 45 digs and averaged 5.00 per set in the team's three matches.
UNC WILMINGTON (1-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA): UNCW opened the year with a 1-2 mark at the High Point Classic last weekend. The team's lone victory came against in-state foe North Carolina A&T in three sets. Seahawk rookie outside hitter Samantha Seifert was named to the all-tournament squad after recording 2.80 kills per game and 15 total digs in 10 sets of play.
NORTHEASTERN (2-1 overall, 0-0 in CAA): NU was taken to five sets in its first two matches at the Beanpot Classic, falling to Fordham before returning the next day to beat Holy Cross. The Huskies closed out tournament play with a four-set victory over cross-town rival Boston College. Senior setter Britney Brown and classmate Jessica LaScola earned all-tournament accolades, with LaScola being named the tournament's Most Valuable Libero for her 54 digs, 3.86 digs per set weekend performance.
TOWSON (3-0 overall, 0-0 in CAA): Towson is off to a 4-0 start this season after winning Hampton's Tiny Laster Memorial Tournament. Tiger freshman Katy Buck was tabbed the tournament's Co-MVP after recording 42 kills, 35 digs and 12 service aces. Joining Buck on the all-tournament squad was junior middle blocker Susan Gansor, who posted 36 kills and 13 blocks in four matches.
VCU (0-4 overall, 0-0 in CAA): VCU dropped to 0-4 on the young season after falling in all four of its matches in the Sports Imports Classic, including a three-set loss to then-No. 21 Dayton. Senior Marisa Frey led the Rams with 2.67 kills per game and 1.73 digs per game, and junior Courtney Hott was named to the all-tournament team after hitting .333 and tallying five kills at Ohio State on Friday.
WILLIAM & MARY (1-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA): W&M opened the season 1-2 for the first time since 2004 after hosting the Tribe Invitational this past weekend. The Tribe dropped its first season-opener since 2007 after falling to Seton Hall in five sets on Friday. The team was led by rookie outside hitter Paulette Grand Pre, who earned all-tournament honors after recording 39 kills and 30 digs in tournament play. She was also one of two Tribe players to post two double-doubles on the weekend.