GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 15 Embry-Riddle (6-5) at St. Thomas (7-9, 2-0 TSC)
DATE: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013
CITY: Miami Gardens, Fla.
SITE: Fernandez Family Center
START TIME: 7 p.m.
No. 15 Embry-Riddle (8-5) at Florida Memorial (5-5, 0-2 TSC)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013
CITY: Miami Gardens, Fla.
SITE: Robinson Athletic Center
START TIME: 2 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Stretch Internet
ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE
The Blue and Gold are ranked 15th in the second regular season coaches' poll after being ranked 14th in 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 207-77 career record in this, her ninth season at the helm of the Eagles.
ABOUT ST. THOMAS
St. Thomas hails from Miami Gardens, Fla. and is a fellow member of The Sun Conference. Callaway Mefford is in her second season at the helm of the STU program and owns a 23-16 record with the Bobcats. In 2012, STU finished 16-7 overall and 8-2 in league action, finishing third in the regular season conference standings and reaching the conference championship match, where they lost to Embry-Riddle, 3-0.
The Bobcats have amassed 696 assists, the 14th-highest total in the NAIA, as well as 697 kills, 28th-best in the country. Nicole McInnis has been the top offensive threat, totaling 236, fourth-best in the nation and 95 more than anyone else in the conference. Dana Nowaczyk (5.9, 5th) and Sydney Maynard (4.9, 6th) are both in the top six in the league in assists/set, while Jordan Wiese is sixth in the conference with 157 digs.
ABOUT FLORIDA MEMORIAL
Florida Memorial also hails from Miami Gardens, Fla. and is a fellow member of The Sun Conference. Gregory Stanback is in his third season at the helm of the Florida Memorial program and owns a 12-39 record with the Lions. In 2012, FMU finished 4-15 overall and 0-10 in league action, finishing eighth in the conference.
The Lions rank 27th in the NAIA with 2.06 service aces/set, led by Jada Long's 24 aces, ranking her 36th in the country. Crystal Merrick has totaled 227 assists, eighth-best in the conference.
STREAKING IN THE POLLS
When the NAIA released the second coaches' poll of the 2013 regular season on Tuesday, the Eagles found themselves at No. 15 in the rankings, a one-spot drop from the team's previous ranking of No. 14. Embry-Riddle spent the entire 2011 season and all but one week in 2012 ranked in the top 10, a total of 24 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 40 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 12.17 assists/set, the 16th-best average in the country. With 13.12 kills/set, ERAU ranks 21st in the NAIA. Ranking 17th in the nation, the Eagles have picked up 17.79 digs/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 7.10 digs/set, the second-highest average in the nation. Her 298 digs are also the 14th-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 425 assists for an average of 10.12 assists/set, which ranks her 22nd in the nation in that category. But she has also collected a team-leading 24 service aces, the 36th-best total in the nation, in addition to picking up 107 digs, third-best on the team. Ferreira has also proven to be an offensive threat herself, putting down 69 kills, including a match-high 16 kills at Flagler on Sept. 11. The Barbacena, Brazil native also has 17 blocks (one solo) on the season, ranking fourth 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 305 career blocks, 56 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 411-231 all-time, capturing five regular season titles, four conference tournament titles and making three appearances at the NAIA National Championship.
