The University of Akron Athletics
Volleyball kicks off 2013 season at SIUE Cougar Classic Saturday
August 30 | Women's Volleyball
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AKRON, Ohio -- The University of Akron volleyball team officially begins its 40th season of competition this weekend on the road when it takes on Indiana State and Southern Illinois Edwardsville as part of the SIUE Cougar Classic on Saturday, Aug. 31. The Zips will entertain ISU at 12:00 p.m. ET followed by a clash with host SIUE in the evening session at 7:30 p.m. ET.
MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Aug. 31
Location: Edwardsville, Ill.
Sites: Vadalabene Center (4,000)
The Series: Akron leads Indiana State, 3-0; Akron leads SIUE, 2-0
Head Coaches: Ron Arenz (96-119 overall, 60-90 at UA); Traci Dahl (44-109 overall and at ISU); Leah Johnson (22-37 overall and at SIUE)
Akron Assistant Coaches: Jayme Plummer (Assistant Coach); Allison Kearney (Assistant Coach); Cedric Chrisostome (Volunteer Assistant)
Livestats: Click here
Video stream: SIUE match only
Match notes: Click here
ZIP LINES
• Akron begins its 40th season of collegiate volleyball this weekend on the road at the SIUE Cougar Classic. Indiana State and SIUE will face off Friday night before the Zips take each team on in a doubleheader on Saturday.
• Head coach Ron Arenz is in his sixth season at the helm and holds a 60- 90 record leading the Zips. Arenz needs just four more victories to reach 100 for his career as a head coach.
• UA holds a 22-17 record in season-openers since 1974.
• Akron returns seven letterwinners including two starters and its libero from a team that went 16-13 overall and 9-7 in the MAC in 2012. Last year the Zips advanced to the conference tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2003, falling to Northern Illinois in four sets.
• Highlighting the returners are senior captains Alex Cocklin and Jill Paluch. Cocklin led the team last season averaging 3.26 kills per set as Akron's most dangerous outside hitter. Paluch returns for her third straight season as UA's primary libero.
• Seven freshman join the squad for the 2013 campaign, adding depth to every position on the floor: Amanda Bedell, (RS/OH; Hudson, Ohio); Jessica Kloehn (MB; Milwaukee, Wis.); Karley Kusan (S; Columbus, Ohio); Brenna Mack (DS; Mound, Minn.); Callie Mack (DS; Mound, Minn.); Julie Shallman (MB; Holt, Mich.); and Julia Smagacz (OH; Libertyville, Ill.)
• Bedell and Kusan are the only two players listed on UA's roster that hail from the state of Ohio.
• Arenz added two new members to his coaching staff in assistant Allison Kearney and volunteer assistant Cedric Chrisostome. Kearney comes to UA after a stellar playing career as a setter at Arkansas State, and Chrisostome holds an impressive track record in the playing and coaching ranks overseas in France.
• The Zips are set to open their home slate next weekend when they host the Akron Invitational Sept. 6-7. Akron will take on Tennessee Tech (1 p.m.) and Niagara (7 p.m.) on Friday, followed by a single match against Milwaukee (2 p.m.) on Saturday.
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE
• Indiana State was recently projected to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. The Sycamores went 4-24 overall and 2-16 in the league in 2012.
• ISU returns seven letterwinners, including four starters plus its libero from a year ago.
• Indiana State is coached by Traci Dahl in her sixth season. She holds a 44-109 career record as a head coach. Dahl shares an alma mater with Zips' head coach Ron Arenz, as she graduated from Long Beach State a year after Arenz in 1996.
• The Sycamores look forward to the return of their top hitter in Morgan Dall, who missed the 2012 campaign due to injury but tallied 299 kills in 2011.
• Akron is 3-0 all-time against Indiana State, having met the last time at the 2010 Akron Invitational when the Zips outlasted ISU in five sets.
SCOUTING SIUE
• SIUE was picked to finish fourth in the West Division in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll after compiling a 9-18 overall record and a 5-11 conference mark in 2012.
• The Cougars return eight letterwinners, including two starters and their libero from a year ago.
• SIUE is led by third-year head coach Leah Johnson. She holds a 22-37 record at in her young career as a head coach.
• Senior middle blocker Kelsey Augustine was named to the Preseason All-OVC Team. Augustine set a program record last season with 11 blocks in a three-set victory over Murray State.
• Akron has won both of its meetings with SIUE, the last one in the form of a straight-sets victory for UA at the 2012 Zips Invitational.
