BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — After posting
a 2-3 record in their opening five games, the fortunes of the 1998 Illinois
Wesleyan University volleyball team are much clearer if it hopes to repeat
as College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin champions.
IWU, which finished with a
26-11 overall record last year and appeared in the NCAA Division III tournament
for the first time since 1991, found that to repeat as titleists, they
will need to improve some of the early weaknesses.
“So far, we have been vulnerable
in the middle of the court,” said head coach Kim Nelson-Brown, who returns
seven letterwinners. “We are working on improving our offensive attack
and shot selection and when our front row gets better, everything else
will improve.”
Key front row returnees are
all-conference players LeAnn Genzel (Buckley, Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS) and
Kellie Schmidt (Elkhart, Mt. Pulaski HS). Genzel, a 6-foot senior middle
hitter, was a second team all-CCIW selection last fall and was chosen
to the Division III all-Midwest Region squad. She led the 1997 team with
a .370 hitting percentage and 1.1 blocks per game, while averaging 2.6
kills and 2.4 digs per game. At the start of her senior season she is already
the school’s career leader in blocks (433) and service aces (209) while
ranking eighth in kills and 13th in digs.
Schmidt, a 5-foot-9 junior
outside hitter, was honorable mention all-CCIW as she led IWU in kills
(360) for second straight season and was second in digs and service aces.
Heading into this season she was No. 10 in career kills (719) and No. 14
in career digs (724).
Also returning along the front
line is senior Jacqui Bliss (Towanda, Ridgeview HS), the team’s "Most Improved
Player" the past two seasons, who has moved from a right-side hitter to
the middle. “Jacqui is adjusting to a new position and has not had as much
impact early as she will have as she adapts,” said Nelson Brown. “She should
be hitting the top of her game at the right time of the season.”
Senior Tara Heiden (Shumway,
Beecher City HS) has been a pleasant surprise so far this season as a “utility”
player, settling in as a right-side hitter after playing in the middle
and on the left side during her career. Sophomore letterwinner Dana Stinson
(New Lenox, Lincoln-Way HS) and freshmen Jennifer Matczak (Naperville,
Central HS) and Amy Poffenbarger (Mt. Pulaski HS) are also seeing front-line
playing time.
In early season play, Nelson-Brown
has been using freshmen Cory Zimmerman (Pittsfield HS) and Elizabeth Niemann
(Paxton, Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS) to replace the graduated all-CCIW setter
Laura Warren. “They both have strengths and weaknesses, but they are learning
quickly and making the huge transition from high school to college.”
Sophomore letterwinners Maggie
Erlenbaugh (Chicago, Regina Dominican HS) and Kristy Ralston (Normal, U
High) have been doing much of the digging and passing for the Titans in
the early going. Erlenbaugh saw valuable time as a freshman on the NCAA
Division III tournament team, playing in 92 of 125 games and making 104
defensive digs.
Another challenge for Nelson-Brown
is to prepare her team for every game. “Everyone’s out to beat IWU and
every opponent is emotional when they face us,” she said. “There are no
easy matches on our schedule.”
The Titans, who were picked
to finish second to Elmhurst in the CCIW preseason coaches’ poll, host
a tournament this weekend at the Shirk Center, featuring Wisconsin-Platteville
and Wisconsin-River Falls, both of whom won more than 23 matches last season.
September 11-12
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN CLASSIC
(Millikin, UW-River
Falls, UW-Platteville, Aurora)
September 15
*at Augustana 7:30 p.m.
September 18-19
at Washington U. Tournament
September 22
LAKE FOREST 7 p.m.
September 24
at Knox 7 p.m.
September 29
*NORTH CENTRAL 7:30 p.m.
October 2
*at Elmhurst 7:30 p.m.
October 3
*at North Park 12 p.m.
October 6
*MILLIKIN 7:30 p.m.
October 9-10
at Wisconsin-Oshkosh Tournament
October 13
*WHEATON 7:30 p.m.
October 23-24
at Wisconsin-Whitewater Tournament
October 27
DePAUW 7 p.m.
October 29
at Eureka 7 p.m.
October 31
*CARTHAGE 12 p.m.
November 5-7
CCIW Tournament at Elmhurst
*-Indicates CCIW match.
NO.
NAME
POS. HT. YR.
HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
17 **
Jacqui Bliss OH
5-9 Sr.
Towanda (Ridgeview HS)
3 *
Maggie Erlenbaugh DS 5-7
So. Chicago (Regina Dominican HS)
11 *** LeAnn
Genzel MH
6-0 Sr.
Buckley (Paxton-Buckley-Loda)
8 **
Tara Heiden MH
5-10 Sr. Shumway
(Beecher City HS)
9
Jennifer Matczak OH
5-9 Fr.
Naperville (Central HS)
4
Elizabeth Niemann S/OH 5-8
Fr. Paxton (Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS)
14
Amy Poffenbarger MH/RS 5-10
Fr. Mt. Pulaski (HS)
6 *
Kristy Ralston DS
5-6 So.
Normal (U High)
2 **
Kellie Schmidt OH
5-9 Jr.
Elkhart (Mt. Pulaski HS)
7 *
Dana Stinson OH
5-10 So. New
Lenox (Lincoln-Way HS)
1
Cory Zimmerman S
5-6 Fr.
Pittsfield (HS)
*--Indicates letters
won. #--Indicates captains.
NO.
NAME
POS. HT. YR.
HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
1
Cory Zimmerman S
5-6 Fr.
Pittsfield (HS)
2 **
Kellie Schmidt OH
5-9 Jr.
Elkhart (Mt. Pulaski HS)
3 *
Maggie Erlenbaugh DS 5-7
So. Chicago (Regina Dominican HS)
4
Elizabeth Niemann S/OH 5-8
Fr. Paxton (Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS)
6 *
Kristy Ralston DS
5-6 So.
Normal (U High)
7 *
Dana Stinson OH
5-10 So. New
Lenox (Lincoln-Way HS)
8 **
Tara Heiden MH
5-10 Sr. Shumway
(Beecher City HS)
9
Jennifer Matczak OH
5-9 Fr.
Naperville (Central HS)
11 *** LeAnn
Genzel MH
6-0 Sr.
Buckley (Paxton-Buckley-Loda)
14
Amy Poffenbarger MH/RS 5-10
Fr. Mt. Pulaski (HS)
17 **
Jacqui Bliss OH
5-9 Sr.
Towanda (Ridgeview HS)
*--Indicates letters
won. #--Indicates captains.