Volleyball to face alumni in exhibition Sunday
8/20/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
After two weeks of preseason camp, the Sam Houston volleyball team will have the opportunity to play outside competition as former Bearkat standout players return to campus for the second annual volleyball alumni game Sunday.
The alumni match will begin at 3 p.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. The match is free.
Among the former players expected to return for the Alumni Game Sunday are Candy Collins, Chrissy Engle, Anna Ferguson, Jennifer Heinrichsen, Melissa Sims, Katie Phillips, Rhae Walderman, Suzanne Wright and Cynthia Yarotsky.
"The Alumni match is a lot of fun," Sam Houston head coach Brenda Gray said. "We get to see a lot of our former players and they give our current team a great match. We're really looking forward to it."
Sam Houston starts the 2010 regular season schedule on Friday August 27 when the Bearkats host Marist, Prairie View A&M, Eastern Michigan and Louisiana-Lafayette in the annual Comfort Suites Sam Houston Invitational.
With eight letter-winners back including four starters, Sam Houston hopes to build on the success of the 2009 Bearkats who rolled up a 20-14 seasons record and finished as runners-up in the West Division of the Southland Conference with a 12-4 league mark.
Two Bearkats, junior Carli Kolbe and sophomore Kaylee Hawkins, received preseason All-Southland recognition.
Kolbe led the Bearkats in kills with 461 and ranked third in the league in kills with 3.67 per set. She was a first team All-Southland selection last year. During her two years as a Bearkat, Kolbe has totaled 745 kills and 601 digs.
Hawkins also was a first team All-Southland honoree as the Bearkats' libero. She set a Southland Conference and school record with 44 digs in Sam Houston's five-set victory over McNeese State. Hawkins ranked second in the Southland in digs per set (4.35). Hawkins' 522 digs this year rank as the fifth highest single season total in Sam Houston history.
Also returning as starters are junior Kim Black, who started all but one match in 2009 and ranked third on the squad in kills (1.43), and sophomore Camille Alfaro, who started 21 matches and was a defensive presence for the Bearkats.
Two other returning players were starters for the Kats before injuries cut short their seasons. Both were granted medical redshirts in 2009. Junior Kym Loving of Cypress ranks ninth in career assists at Sam Houston (1,542) and will look to return to action as the starting setter this fall. Freshman Kelli Stewart of Magnolia totaled 67 kills in eight matches before her injury. She brings a power game to the Kat front line.
Also back are junior outside hitters Jamie Kaleh of Magnolia and Courtney Laskowski of Poth and sophomore defensive specialist Jamie Haas of Deer Park.
"While we don't have any seniors, we have a solid group of juniors to whom the team will look for leadership," Gray said. "It's been my experience that a lot of players really come into their own during their junior season. Juniors usually are hungry and they're experienced enough not to hit the panic mode when things get tight."
Beginning her 27th season as Sam Houston head coach, Gray is one of only 30 active head coaches in NCAA Division I women's volleyball to post more than 500 career victories. Heading the Bearkat program, Gray has a record of 542 wins and 381 losses.
"The most important thing our girls need to remember this year is that the season is a marathon, not a sprint," Gray said. "We've got our work cut out for us."
A solid group of newcomers will help the Bearkats fill the void, especially in the middle. Samantha West, a 6-2 sophomore transfer from Navarro Junior College and 5-11 freshmen Tarona Williams from Fresno Hightower and Haley Neisler join the squad as middle blockers.
On the outside, freshmen 5-11 Amber Bain from Louise and 6-0 Lauren Bohlen from San Antonio O'Connor and 6-0 transfer Brittany Hoag from Arkansas State look to compete for playing time. Huntsville product Tayler Gray, a 5-8 freshman, will step in as a utility player and setter. Gray is the head coach's daughter.
"We're excited about our new players and think we've signed some talented athletes who will help us," Gray said.
Sam Houston will play four matches in the Comfort Suites Invitational. The Bearkats will face Prairie View A&M at 2 p.m. and Marist at 7 p.m. on Friday August 27 and Eastern Michigan at 11:30 a.m. and Louisiana-Lafayette at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 28.
Tickets for Sam Houston volleyball are on sale online on www.gobearkats.com . Fans also can purchase tickets at the Sam Houston athletic ticket office in the Ron Mafrige Fieldhouse located in the south end zone of Bowers Stadium. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
