GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 10 Embry-Riddle (13-6) vs. No. 1 Texas at Brownsville (21-0)
DATE: Friday, Oct. 25, 2013
CITY: Georgetown, Ky.
SITE: Davis-Reid Alumni Gym
START TIME: 1 p.m.
No. 10 Embry-Riddle (13-6) vs. No. 13 Bellevue (24-5)
DATE:Â Friday, Oct. 25, 2013
CITY:Â Georgetown, Ky.
SITE:Â Davis-Reid Alumni Gym
START TIME: 7 p.m.
No. 10 Embry-Riddle (13-6) vs. Georgetown (23-7)
DATE:Â Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013
CITY:Â Georgetown, Ky.
SITE:Â Davis-Reid Alumni Gym
START TIME: 11:30 a.m.
No. 10 Embry-Riddle (13-6) vs. Indiana Wesleyan (23-6)
DATE:Â Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013
CITY:Â Georgetown, Ky.
SITE:Â Davis-Reid Alumni Gym
START TIME: 3:30 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Stretch Internet
ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE
The Blue and Gold is ranked 10th in the seventh regular season coaches' poll, improving two spots from last week's poll. The Eagles reached the NAIA National Tournament Final Site for the third consecutive season in 2012. Head Coach Josylnn Gallop is the winningest coach in program history, owning a 214-78 career record in this, her ninth season at the helm of the Eagles.
ABOUT TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE
Texas at Brownsville is an NAIA program that hails from Brownsville, Texas and the Red River Athletic Conference. Todd Lowery is in his fifth season at the helm of the UTB program and owns a 155-9 record with the Ocelots. In 2012, UTB finished 30-2 overall and 11-0 in league action, winning the conference regular season and tournament titles. Texas at Brownsville advanced as far as the national semifinals before falling to Columbia (Mo.) at the NAIA National Tournament final site.
The Ocelots have been dominant this season, and their .358 hitting percentage, which is tops in the NAIA, reflects that. UTB also ranks fourth in the country with 2.69 blocks/set, 10th with 13.61 kills/set, 11th in service aces/set (2.21) and 26th in assists/set (11.84). Danica Markovic has totaled 65 service aces this season, second-most in the nation, while also hitting .385, 11th-best in the NAIA and averaging 3.55 kills/set, good for 43rd in the country. Vanja Joksic has been stout at the net, averaging 1.04 blocks/set, 34th in the NAIA, while Heather Meeuwsen has averaged 4.80 digs/set (47th) and Xiaoyu Guo is 42nd in assists/set (9.50).
ABOUT BELLEVUE
Bellevue is an NAIA program that hails from Bellevue, Neb. and the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. Trish Siedlik is in her eighth season at the helm of the BU program and owns a 242-76 record with the Bruins. In 2012, BU finished 36-11 overall and 13-0 in league action, winning the MCAC regular season and tournament titles. Bellevue defeated Ottawa (Kan.) in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round to punch a ticket to Sioux City, Iowa, where the Bruins went 1-2 in pool play at the Final Site, failing to advance to the single-elimination bracket.
The Bruins rank in the top 50 in the NAIA in five major categories: total assists (1317, 9th), hitting percentage (.256, 13th), total kills (1411, 15th), total blocks (198.5, 47th) and total digs (1628, 49th). Individually, Beth Walker is fourth in total assists with 1151 while Sydney DeBoer ranks 23rd in hitting percentage (.339) and Symone Faulkner is listed 34th in total blocks with 95. Annie Benson leads the team with 282 kills while Faulkner and DeBoer have each chipped in 216.
ABOUT GEORGETOWN
Georgetown is an NAIA program that hails from Georgetown, Ky. and the Mid-South Conference. Nick Griffin is in his 5th season at the helm of the GC program and owns a 113-40 record with the Tigers. In 2012, GC finished 36-6 overall and 12-1 in league action, finishing first in the MSC West Division. Georgetown lost in the conference championship to Lindsey Wilson but secured a bid to the NAIA National Tournament Final Site when they defeated Xavier (La.) in the Opening Round. The Tigers went 2-1 in pool play in Sioux City, advancing to the single-elimination bracket where they fell to Viterbo.
The Tigers are listed in the top 50 in a number of categories, including total blocks (230.5, 16th), total assists (1280, 17th), total kills (1364, 24th), hitting percentage (.244, 24th), total digs (1673, 42nd) and total service aces (159, 49th). Caraline Maher is ranked seventh in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.394) and 50th in total blocks (89), while Ashlee Howe is eighth in blocks/set at 1.20. Allyson Wilbourn leads the team with 307 kills and Stephanie Gurren has recorde a team-best 497 assists as the primary setter.
ABOUT INDIANA WESLEYAN
Indiana Wesleyan is an NAIA program that hails from Marion, Ind. and the Crossroads League. Candace Moats is in her 12th season at the helm of the IWU program and owns a 133-32 record with the Wildcats. In 2012, Indiana Wesleyan finished 36-4 overall and 17-1 in league action, finishing first in the conference and winning the Crossroads League championship, earning a trip to the NAIA National Tournament Final Site. The Wildcats went 1-2 in pool play in Sioux City, failing to advance to the single-elimination bracket.
The Warriors are among the nation's best in four major categories, including assists/set (12.09, 20th), hitting percentage (.241, 27th), kills/set (13.00, 28th) and blocks/set (2.13, 33rd). Katey Holler ranks second in assists/set with 11.31 while Rebecca Brandes is fourth in the NAIA with 5.97 digs/set. Kristine Egebrecht is listed 16th with a .360 hitting percentage and is also in the top 50 in total kills (334, 35th) and total blocks (90, 48th).
STREAKING IN THE POLLS
When the NAIA released the seventh coaches' poll of the 2013 regular season on Tuesday, the Eagles found themselves at No. 10 in the rankings, moving up two spots from last week's poll. Embry-Riddle spent the entire 2011 season and all but one week in 2012 ranked in the top 10, a total of 25 weeks, including a trio of weeks at No. 2 (Sept. 20 - Oct. 4, 2011). In total, the Eagles have been ranked in the Top 25 for 45 polls, the fifth-longest active streak in the NAIA.
BLUE AND GOLD AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
The Eagles have shown early in 2013 that they are among the best in the NAIA in three of the most important facets of the game: kills, digs and assists. Embry-Riddle is currently averaging 12.10 assists/set, the 19th-best average in the country. With 13.12 kills/set, ERAU ranks 22nd in the NAIA. Ranking 33rd in the nation, the Eagles have picked up 17.00 digs/set. The Blue and Gold also rank 44th in the country with 1.78 service aces/set.
GRAY DOMINANT DEFENSIVELY
Junior libero
Hannah Gray has proven that she is one of the best defensive players in the country with her stellar play this season. Gray, last year's Sun Conference Libero of the Year, is currently averaging 6.51 digs/set, the third-highest average in the nation. Her 436 digs are also the 45th-highest total in the NAIA.
FERREIRA DOING IT ALL
Sophomore setter
Tamires Ferreira is out to prove that setters can do more than just rack up assists. She has done a great job circulating the ball while running the 5-1 offense for the Eagles, recording 646 assists at an average of 9.94 assists/set, which ranks her 30th in the nation in that category. She has also collected a team-leading 37 service aces, in addition to picking up 176 digs, second-best on the team. Ferreira has also proven to be an offensive threat herself, putting down 106 kills, including a match-high 16 kills at Flagler on Sept. 11. The Barbacena, Brazil native also has 36 blocks (three solo) on the season, ranking third on the Eagle squad.
MILESTONE CHASE
At least one Eagle is in the hunt for a career milestone and a program record during the 2013 season.
Emily Jacobson stands at 334 career blocks, 27 behind Susan Delahanty's 361 program record number. Jacobson has averaged 88.3 blocks per season since stepping on ERAU's campus.
REPLACING THE BEST CLASS IN EAGLE HISTORY
Following the 2012 season, Gallop lost four seniors that were arguably the best class in program history.
Jordan Holcomb and
Taylor Martin (now volunteer assistant coaches for the Eagles) rank No. 3 and No. 4 respectively on the all-time kills list (1,000-Kill Club), while
Adriana Vazquez shattered the career assist mark (5,035) while collecting four straight Sun Conference Setter of the Year honors (1,000-Assist Club). Glorida Kemp also graduated after compiling 672 kills, a .276 attack percentage and 237 blocks in her four-year career.
PRESEASON FAVORITES
The Sun Conference coaches selected the Eagles to top the league's preseason poll, released earlier this month. Embry-Riddle garnered six first-place votes and 48 total points to claim the No. 1 spot in the poll, while St. Thomas came in second with two first-place votes and 43 total points.
19 SEASONS OF EAGLE VOLLEYBALL
The 2013 season marks the 19th edition of Eagle volleyball. Embry-Riddle is 418-232 all-time, capturing five regular season titles, four conference tournament titles and making three appearances at the NAIA National Championship.
