Experienced Kats begin preseason work
8/7/2011 8:26:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Head coach Brenda Gray welcomes back 11 letter winners including all six starters from last year's squad that finished fourth in the Southland West Division with a 9-7 record.
Gray, who enters her 28th season at the helm of the Bearkat program, ranks 17th among active NCAA Division I volleyball head coaches with her 557 career coaching victories. Her 2011 Sam Houston team is evenly divided with a roster made up of four seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen.
"It's always exciting to get preseason camp started," Gray said. "We have a good group of returning players plus some young newcomers we're eager to see in action. This team will have strong senior leadership from some ladies who are hungry for a title."
Any assessment of the 2011 Bearkat squad starts with senior outside hitter Carli Kolbe, a two-time first team All-Southland Conference selection. Kolbe begins her senior season ranked No. 18 in Sam Houston career kills (1,169). She finished third in the Southland in 2010 in kills (424) and kills per set (3.69), becoming the first Bearkat to post more than 400 kills in back-to-back seasons since 2005.
"Carli is one of the most complete players we've had here at Sam Houston. She defi nitely is a top candidate for Southland Conference player of the year." Gray said. "She is a fierce competitor who keeps her game at a high level and raises the level of her teammates."
Junior Kaylee Hawkins is another Kat who demands opponent's attention. She also is a two-time All-Southland Conference selection, earning first team honors as a libero in 2009 and honorable mention as both a defensive specialist and outside hitter in 2010.
"Kaylee is a consistent, steady competitor who is a rock for this team," Gray said. "She has
started for us at libero and outside hitter. She will do whatever it takes to help her team."
Hometown Huntsville product senior middle blocker Kim Black also will be a force for the 2011 Kats. An All-Southland honorable mention selection as a junior, Black ranked second in the league in total blocks. Her season total of 139 blocks is the highest by a Bearkat since the program moved up to the NCAA level in 1984.
"Kim has developed over the years into one of the top blockers in the conference," Gray said. "She is a true competitor who demands the best from her teammates and the best from herself."
Another leader for the Kats will be senior setter Kym Loving who begins her senior season ranked No. 8 in Sam Houston career assists (2,646).
"As a fifth-year senior, Kym knows what it takes to be successful in the Southland
Conference," Gray said. "No one wants a championship more than she does."
Other top players who saw action as starters last year include sophomores Haley Neisler and Kelli Stewart. Senior Courtney Laskowski, juniors Camille Alfaro and Jamie Haas and sophomores Tayler Gray and Lauren Bohlen are key returnees who bring a spark both offensively and defensively.
Kendall Cleveland, a transfer from the University of Arkansas, and freshmen Cherise Coleman, Amy Jones, Courtney Kimutis and Deveney Wells-Gibson all bring special talents to the squad as newcomers.
Sam Houston begins the 2011 schedule Friday and Saturday, August 26 and 27, at Johnson Coliseum hosting the annual Bearkat Invitational. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas-Pan American, Rutgers and Louisiana Tech will participate in the event with the Kats.
Tickets for the tournament and for all other Bearkat home volleyball matches are on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the Sam Houston State ticket office.
The ticket office is located inside the Ron Mafrige Field House in the south end zone of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
