Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University volleyball team enters the 2009 season following what proved to be the most successful season in the history of the program in 2008. With three freshmen and three sophomores in the starting line-up, Bulldog head coach
Shelton Collier led
the team to an impressive 31-2 record and a perfect 16-0 mark in the South Atlantic Conference. Wingate’s two-year record of 64-4 is good for a .941 winning percentage, tops in NCAA Division II.
The Bulldogs won their third consecutive SAC regular season and tournament title last fall. Wingate was the number one ranked team in the Southeast Region the entire season. Junior middle hitter
Stormi Gale(Richmond, Texas) became the program’s second AVCA All-American. For the second straight season, the Bulldogs were perfect in league play. Wingate has won 30 consecutive SAC regular season matches to go along with nine consecutive SAC Tournament victories.
With six of seven starters returning from last year’s championship team, Collier is very optimistic about the team’s chances to win its fourth straight title this fall. Collier’s confidence
is fueled by a combination of veteran returners paired with four talented newcomers.
“Our team has a clear goal of going to the Elite Eight this year,” Collier says. “It was a special experience for us to host the NCAA South Atlantic regional (tournament) last year as the number one seed; however, we fell short of the goal we feel is attainable this year.”
The Bulldogs return three All-Region performers. Gale earned the honor in her first two seasons, while sophomore setter
Liz Willis(Raleigh, N.C.) and sophomore libero
Maggie Malone(Chicago, Ill.) were selections in 2008. Willis was named the SAC Freshman of the Year and the AVCA Southeast Regional Freshman of the Year.
Senior
Megan McVicker (Mercer, Pa.) will support Gale at middle blocker. The outside hitter position is expected to be strong as well, with George Washington transfer
Jenny O’ Brien (Matthews, N.C.), junior All-SAC selection
Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.), senior co-captain
Jacki Emmenecker (Perrysburg, Ohio) and sophomore
Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.).
With senior defensive specialists
Brittany Horner (Roxboro, N.C.) and
Chelsea Cancelliere (Richboro, Pa.) Collier feels Wingate will once again have the most consistent backcourt in the conference. Juniors
Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) and
Amanda Clark (Timberlake, N.C.) were both impact players last season recovering from surgeries; they are expected to be back to 100 percent for the 2009 season.
Three incoming freshman add valuable skill and depth to the already
strong roster. Joining the Bulldogs this fall will be outside hitter
Katie Handy (Palos Verdes, Calif.), middle blocker
Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) and
Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.), an athletic player slated to play a variety of positions.
“Our team is aware that we are supposed to be very good this year,” Collier notes. “They have been working hard to prepare for a serious run to the Elite Eight. It will definitely be an exciting season.”
