The University of Akron Athletics
Volleyball Kicks Off Home Slate with Akron Invitational This Weekend
September 08 | Women's Volleyball
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AKRON, Ohio – Akron volleyball is set to host its own non-conference tournament for the 22nd season in its 43-year history this weekend, welcoming Canisius, Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State to James A. Rhodes Arena for the Akron Invitational. The Zips will take on Canisius at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. Tournament play will conclude for Akron with a doubleheader Saturday against the Colonels (12:30 p.m.) and Penguins (7 p.m.).
MATCH INFORMATION
Dates: Sept. 9-10
Location: Akron, Ohio
Site: James A. Rhodes Arena (5,500)
The Series: Akron leads Canisius, 5-0; Akron trails Eastern Kentucky, 1-11; Akron leads Youngstown State, 48-7
Head Coaches: Tom Hanna (149-159 overall, 10-25 at UA); Lenika Vazquez (n/a overall, first season at Canisius); Lori Duncan (269-417 overall, 240-317 at EKU); Mark Hardaway (228-298 overall, 60-69 at YSU)
Akron Assistant Coaches: Kacie Ehinger (Second Season); Jordan Armstrong (First Season)
Live stats: Canisius match, Eastern Kentucky match, Youngstown State match
Video stream: Eastern Kentucky match, Youngstown State match
FULL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 9
4:00 PM – Eastern Kentucky vs. Youngstown State
7:00 PM – Canisius vs. Akron
Saturday, Sept. 10
10:00 AM – Youngstown State vs. Canisius
12:30 PM – Eastern Kentucky vs. Akron
4:30 PM – Canisius vs. Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM – Youngstown State vs. Akron
*visiting team is listed first.
ZIP LINES
• Akron is in its 43rd season of collegiate volleyball. Head coach Tom Hanna is in his second season at the helm and holds a 149-159 (.484) overall record and a 10-25 record leading the Zips.
• The Zips were projected to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference East Division by the league's head coaches after finishing with an 8-21 overall mark in 2015.
• Akron returns 11 letterwinners including four starters from last season. Highlighting Akron's five seniors is left side hitter Amanda Bedell (Hudson, Ohio), who posted a team-high 267 kills along with 57 total blocks last season. Bedell will be joined by senior setter Karley Kusan (Columbus, Ohio); defensive specialists Brenna Mack (Mound, Minn.) and Callie Mack (Mound, Minn.), and senior left side hitter Julia Smagacz (Libertyville, Ill.). Last year, Kusan contributed 199 digs and was first on the team with 714 assists while B. Mack led the squad with 333 digs.
• Three newcomers join the Zips for the 2016 campaign: Elya Karsner (Frankfort, Ky.), Cara Park (Millersburg, Ohio) and Ashley Richardson (Doylestown, Ohio).
• Assistant coach Kacie Ehinger, who worked with Hanna at Marist for three seasons, is in her second season at Akron and has more than 13 years of experience in collegiate volleyball. She joined the Zips after spending the 2014 season at Lamar University.
• Assistant coach Jordan Armstrong begins his first season on Akron's staff. A four-year letterwinner at IPFW, Armstrong most recently served as the Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Mastodons where he was responsible for technical coordination of video, data project software, scouting reports, and working with the team's setters and offense. He also operated as the point person for team travel and assisted with team administration.
WHAT IS A ZIP?
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
• In the opening match of the weekend versus UMBC, the Zips fought back in set two in order to tie the match 1-1 heading into intermission. After dropping set three, the fourth set was a back-and-fourth affair, requiring additional points before the Zips fell to the Retrievers 28-30.
• The middle match of the weekend saw the Zips return to the court to take on Delaware State. This matchup went the way of the Zips from start to end, giving Akron their second win of the season, in a three set sweep over the Hornets (25-14, 25-13, 25-19).
• In the final matchup of the tournament, a competitive match took place against Loyola Maryland. With both teams looking for their second win of the weekend, a four set battle ensued. At the conclusion of the match, the Zips were reluctant to end the weekend with a victory, falling to Loyola 3-1 (23-25, 20-25, 25-18, 21-25).
• Additionally, sophomore Patience Brown (Bloomington, Ill.) was named to the All-Tournament Team for her efforts over the three matches this weekend (28 kills, 2.55 k/s, .340 pct.).
• The Zips will then travel to Morgantown, W. Va. for the West Virginia Invitational starting on Friday. Akron will take on Dartmouth on Friday, Sept. 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 17 against West Virginia (12:30 p.m.) and Winthrop (4:30 p.m.).
SCOUTING CANISIUS
• Canisius (2-4) was picked to finish seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this season by the conference's head coaches.
• The Griff's 2016 roster includes two of its top three offensive leaders from last year's team that produced an overall record of 11-19 and a conference mark of 9-9.
• Canisius began its 2016 season by falling in a straight set match to East Carolina at the Bucknell Invitational. The Golden Griffs closed the tournament with a pair of victories over the Bison and Fairleigh Dickinson.
• Most recently, Canisius dropped a trio of matches during a tournament at Seton Hall. The Griffs suffered losses to Towson, tournament host Pirates, and George Washington.
• Canisius is led by Lenika Vazquez, who is in her first year at the helm of the program. Senior outside hitter Katlyn Tyler leads the Griffs with 3.00 kills per set and 3.30 digs per set.
SCOUTING EASTERN KENTUCKY
• Eastern Kentucky was projected to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll after compiling a 10-23 overall record and a 9-7 conference mark in 2015.
• Head coach Lori Duncan leads the Colonels in her 19th season.
• Eastern Kentucky dropped three matches in its opening weekend at the Duke Invitational, falling to LSU, host Blue Devils and UNC. The Colonels then gave up a 3-1 decision to host Grand Canyon University before defeating California State University at Fullerton in four sets. EKU also fell to Eastern Washington, 3-2 in its final contest of the tournament.
• Junior outside hitter Celine Sanks has recorded 82 kills (3.15 k/s) so far this season while freshman setter Rachel Woody controls the offense with 142 assists (5.46 a/s). Junior defensive specialist also plays a big role on the team, contributing 4.38 digs per set.
SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE
• Youngstown State was picked to finish ninth in the Horizon League preseason poll.
• The Penguins return 10 letterwinners and three starters from last year's team that finished 10-21 overall and 4-12 in conference play.
• There are five newcomers to the program in 2016 plus redshirt freshman outside hitter Aleah Hughes.
• YSU is led by head coach Mark Hardaway, who is in his fifth season leading the Penguins.
• Senior Lori Vanbeek has been a standout for YSU offensively during the first two weeks of competition, averaging 3.33 kills per set in the first seven matches. Junior Sam Brown follows with 2.74 kills per set. Defensively, junior Dana Borsz has posted 3.22 digs per set, and Hughes adds 3.07 digs.
• Youngstown State overpowered Ball State in its first match of the season before dropping four consecutive matches to Fort Wayne (3-0), Murray State (3-2), Duquesne (3-2) and Elon (3-1). The Penguins beat UNC Greensboro in a 3-1 decision at the Tussle in the Triadon before falling to High Point, 3-0.
