Florida Gators

The Florida volleyball team will begin its 2008 schedule on August 29-30, 2008, by hosting the Aquafina Invitational at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

The University of Alabama-Birmingham, the University of the Pacific and Western Michigan University travel to Gainesville to participate in the two-day event and a breakdown of those three visiting teams is included below.

GENERAL TOURNAMENT NOTES AND CONNECTIONS

• Two teams participating in the Aquafina Invitational – Pacific and Western Michigan – took international tours this summer. Pacific went to Europe and Western Michigan went to Brazil.
• The tournament features eight players from the State of Illinois, they include:
• Florida's Kelly Murphy (Joliet) and Colleen Ward (Naperville)
• Western Michigan's Kate Corbett (Chicago), Katie Eberling (Palos Hills), Jamie Gotham (Lombard), Tara Lowell (Bloomington), Jillian Mitchell (Darien) and Caitlin Strimel (Chicago),
• The tournament features five international players, they include:
• Pacific's Svenja Engelhardt (Sinsheim, Germany) and Natalia Tomaszewka (Marklowice, Poland)
• UAB's Lilly Domingos (Franca, Brazil), Andrea Lalic (Budva, Serbia and Montenegro) and Aleksandra Vujovic (Lazarevac, Serbia and Montenegro).
• Western Michigan sophomore outside hitter Kate Corbett is a transfer from Pacific, where she played in 14 matches in 2006.

TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWN

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM

vs. Florida (Aug. 29 – 7 p.m.)

vs. Western Michigan (Aug. 30 – 6 p.m)

QUICK FACTS

Location: Birmingham, Ala.

Nickname: Blazers

Athletics Director: Brian Mackin

Head Coach: Kerry Messersmith

Assistant Coaches: Alan Segal, Tammy Richardson

Facility: Bartow Arena (8,500)

2007 Overall/Conference Record (Finish): 24-10, 12-4 (3^rd)

2007 Postseason/Final Ranking: NA/NA

Starters R/L: 5/2

Letterwinners R/L: 10/5

Series Record: Florida leads 3-0

Last Meeting: The two teams last met in 2002, a 3-0 (30-13, 30-19, 30-16) win by the Gators.

Series Streak: Florida has won three consecutive matches against UAB.

Conference Series: The Gators are 42-4 all-time vs. members in the current alignment of Conference USA.

Key Returnees: Ivana Bozic (6-1, Sr., OH, 4.25 KPG, 3.80 DPG, 57 aces) – A 2007 Preseason All-Conference USA selection, A 2006 AVCA All-America honorable mention selection, A 2005 All-Conference USA first-team member and the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 Conference USA Tournament … Casey Dent (6-2, Sr., MB, 3.05 KPG, .308 hit %, 1.23 DPG) – A 2007 All-Conference USA second-team selection, A two-time ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic-All-District honoree … Nevena Stefanov (6-0, Sr., S, 12.74 APG, 2.04 DPG) – Ranks third all-time at UAB in career assists (4,372), and was a member of the 2007 All-Conference USA first team.

Key Losses: Shaniquwa Cooper (5-11, Sr., OH) … Fernanda Domingos (5-10, Sr., RS) … Brianna Galvin (5-2, Sr., L).

Newcomers: Charlayna Braxton (5-11, Fr., MB, Decatur, Ga.) … Patty Paniagua (6-0, Jr., MB) – A transfer from Arizona Western College … Savannah Pegg (5-10, Jr., OH) – A transfer from Middle Tennessee State … Heather Thomas (5-7, Fr., L, Madison, Ala.) ... MacKenzie Wilson (5-8, Fr., S, Huntsville, Ala.).

The Storyline for 2008: UAB was picked in a preseason vote of the Conference USA coaches to finish second in the league this season … The Blazers finished their 2007 campaign with a 24-10 record, including a 12-4 mark in C-USA play ... UAB finished third in the C-USA standings a year ago after qualifying for their first NCAA Tournament in school history in 2006 ... The Blazers are under the direction of second-year head coach Kerry Messersmith, who is 51-20 in two years at the helm and 525-272 in 20 years of collegiate head coaching ... UAB returns five starters from a year ago, including first-team All-Conference USA selection and the Most Valuable Player at last year's C-USA Tournament Ivana Bozic ... Bozic is a senior outside hitter, who averaged 4.25 kills per game and 3.80 digs per game with 57 service aces last season ... Senior right side hitter Casey Dent, a 2007 C-USA second-team selection, returns after averaging 3.05 kills per game on .308 hitting last year ... Senior setter Nevena Stefanov averaged 12.74 assists per game and 2.04 digs per game last year, and ranks third all-time in UAB career annals with 4,372 digs ... Stefanov also was a C-USA first-team selection last year ... The Blazers bring in two transfers in junior middle blocker Savannah Pegg from Middle Tennessee and junior middle blocker Patty Paniagua from Arizona Western College ... Freshman libero Heather Thomas and freshman setter MacKenzie Wilson both were PrepVolleyball.com High School All-America honorees ... The UAB roster has an international flavor to it as five players hail from outside the United States, including four from Serbia & Montenegro ... The Gators are one of two SEC teams that UAB will face this season, as the Blazers are slated to meet Ole Miss on Sept. 5 at the Jacksonville State Tournament ... Florida is one of five teams from the Sunshine State that the Blazers are scheduled to meet in 2008, as they will also play Florida International (Sept. 19), UCF (Oct. 12 and Oct. 26) and Florida A&M (Nov. 29).

UAB Coach Kerry Messersmith Says: “With the strong group of players we have returning, we are looking forward to getting the season started. We're very pleased with the caliber of schedule we have put together for this season. We have increased our strength of schedule, as have many teams in the league, to appeal to the NCAA Championship selection committee. Conference USA volleyball is very strong and we believe that this schedule gives us an opportunity to showcase that.”

Florida-UAB Ties: UAB freshman Charlayna Braxton graduated from the Lovett School in the Atlanta area, where she was coached by former Florida assistant and former Georgia head coach Mary (Jones) Buczek (1993-94) … Senior middle blocker Casey Dent is a graduate of Pelham High School in Alabama, the alma mater of former Gator Jeni Jones … UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith was the head coach at Georgia Southern from 2001-05 and her departure created an opening for former Gator Nicole McCray to become take over the GSU program, where she coached in 2006 and 2007 before accepting the head coaching job at Panola College prior to this season.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

vs. Western Michigan (Aug. 29 – 5 p.m.)

vs. Florida (Aug. 30 – 4 p.m)

QUICK FACTS

Location: Stockton, Calif.

Nickname: Tigers

Athletics Director: Lynn King

Head Coach: Charlie Wade

Assistant Coaches: Dave Johnson, Molly Mordaunt, Al Johnson

Facility: Alex G. Spanos Center (6,150)

2007 Overall/Conference Record (Finish): 18-9/9-7(4^th)

2007 Postseason/Final Ranking: NA/NA

Starters R/L: 5/2

Letterwinners R/L: 9/2

Series Record: Pacific leads 6-0

Last Meeting: The two teams last met in 1999, a 3-0 (15-6, 16-14, 15-8) win by Pacific in the NCAA Regional Finals.

Series Streak: Pacific has won six consecutive matches against the Gators.

Conference Series: The Gators are 9-12 all-time vs. members in the current alignment of the Big West Conference.

Key Returnees: Alexa Anderson (6-0, Sr., OH, 3.23 KPG, 1.32 DPG, 0.56 BPG) – 2007 All-Big West Conference First Team … Svenja Engelhardt (5-11, So., OH, 3.14 KPG, 64 SA, 2.51 DPG) – 2007 All-Big West Conference Honorable Mention … Shannon Krug (6-0, Sr., S, 13.36 APG, 2.51 DPG).

Key Losses: Johanna Hilbers (6-2, Sr., MB) – 2007 All-Big West Conference First Team … Julie Magud (5-7, Sr., L/DS) – 2007 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All District, 2007 All-Big West Conference Honorable Mention.

Newcomers: Arielle Goldberg (5-8, Fr., S, Damascus, Md.), Megan MacLeod (5-11, Fr., S, Fremont, Calif.) Kimi Reed (5-9, Fr., DS/OH, Tucson, Ariz.) … Rebekah Torres (5-10, Fr., OH, Wahiawa, Hawaii).

The Storyline for 2008: Pacific is coming off an 18-9 mark in 2007, including a 9-7 record in the Big West Conference, which was good for a fourth-place league finish … The Tigers improved by 10 wins in the second year of head coach Charlie Wade's tenure … Wade has compiled a 26-30 record during his tenure with the Tigers … UOP was picked to finish fourth in the Big West Conference in a preseason coaches poll … Pacific returns senior outside hitter Alexa Anderson, who was a first-team All-Big West Conference selection last season after finishing third on the team with 3.28 kills per game and fourth on the team in blocks with 0.56 … Senior setter Shannon Krug, a 6-foot senior, led the team with 13.36 assists per game last season … Krug ranks 10^th all-time on the school's career assists list … The team's leading defensive player from a year ago, 2007 All-Big West honorable mention selection Julie Magud (4.98 DPG) completed her eligibility last season, although fifth-year senior Karah Uhl will lead the back line in her absence with 3.18 digs per game … Seven players on Pacific's 2008 roster hail from the Golden State … The trip to Gainesville is the only trip the Tigers will make this season east of the state of California … Pacific plays in tournaments at Corvallis, Ore., and Honolulu, Hawaii, early this season and then will not leave its home state for the remainder of the regular-season schedule … The Gators and Tigers have two common opponents this season, as both teams will face Colorado State and Long Beach State in 2008 … Pacific participated in a European tour this past season … The Tigers were represented in the 2008 Olympics as former player Jennifer Joines was named to the indoor volleyball's squad's roster.

Pacific Coach Charlie Wade says: “We won 10 more matches last season and we obviously were a better team. We were proud of the fact that we improved, but we are not satisfied. Ultimately, we want to be regionally competitive and nationally competitive. That means being one of the top two or three teams in the league and ultimately winning our conference.”

Florida-Pacific Ties: Pacific's Mallori Gibson, a transfer from Colorado, and Florida freshman Cassandra Anderson both are from Bakersfield, Calif.

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

vs. Pacific (Aug. 29 – 5 p.m.)

vs. UAB (Aug. 30 – 6 p.m)

Florida and WMU do not play

QUICK FACTS

Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.

Nickname: Broncos

Athletics Director: Kathy Beauregard

Head Coach: Colleen Munson

Assistant Coaches: Ryan Manning, Jason Reed, Scott Mais

Facility: University Arena (5,421)

2007 Overall/Conference Record (Finish): 21-12/12-4 (1^st West)

2007 Postseason/Final Ranking: NA/NA

Starters R/L: 7/0

Letterwinners R/L: 8/1

Series Record: Florida leads 1-0

Last Meeting: The two teams last met in 1999, a 3-0 (15-7, 16-14, 15-8) win in Gainesville.

Series Streak: Florida won the only meeting between the two schools.

Conference Series: The Gators are 13-1 all-time vs. members in the current alignment of the Mid-American Conference.

Key Returnees: Allyson Doyle (5-10, So., OH, 2.50 KPG, 0.83 DPG) – 2007 MAC All-Freshman Team … Jillian Mitchell (5-7, Jr., S, 5.47 APG, 2.32 DPG, 35 SA) – Ranked seventh in the MAC in service aces in 2007, fourth on the team in digs … Michelle Moore (5-7, Jr., OH, 4.75 KPG, 0.44 DPG, .263 hit %) – 2007 All-MAC First Team selection, Led the MAC with 4.75 kills per game, which ranked 29^th in the NCAA … Caitlin Strimel (5-11, Jr., L, 5.85 DPG) – 2007 MAC Defensive Player of the Year … Ashley Vogl (6-0, Sr., MB, 3.23 KPG, .267 hit %, 0.80 BPG) – 2007 All-MAC Second Team, 75 kills away from 1,000.

Newcomers: Kate Corbett (6-0, So., OH, Chicago, Ill.) – Transfer from Pacific … Ashley Turnage (6-0, Fr., MB, Schoolcraft, Mich.)

The Storyline for 2008: Western Michigan is coming off three consecutive 20-win seasons and, in 2007, claimed the Mid-American Conference Western Division title for the first time since 2000 … The Broncos return each of their seven starters from last season's team that finished 21-12 overall and 12-4 in the conference … WMU has four returning all-conference honorees on its roster, including reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year Caitlin Strimel … Head coach Colleen Munson is 62-36 in three seasons in Kalamazoo and 114-135 overall in eight years as a head coach … Munson also coached at East Carolina … The team participated in an overseas trip to Brazil this past summer, which gave the players an extra opportunity to compete … Three all-conference starters return on the outside for WMU, including juniors Michelle Moore and Katie Eberling, and sophomore Allyson Doyle … Moore earned first-team All-MAC honors last season, averaging a league-leading 4.75 kills per game … Eberling led the team with 13 double-doubles and is tied for second all-time in school history with 31 career double-dips … Setter Sam Viox ranked fourth in the MAC in 2007 with 11.74 assists per game … Except for both teams meeting UAB in the Aquafina Invitational, the Gators and Broncos have no common opponents in 2008.

WMU Coach Colleen Munson says: “Our goals are always the same in terms of winning the MAC West and winning the MAC Tournament, but in the big picture, we want the outright conference title. With a veteran team coming back, it has to be paramount in our mind that a MAC Championship is what we want to accomplish.”

Florida-Western Michigan Ties: Western Michigan head coach Colleen Munson played for the Sports Performance club team in the mid-1980s, the same club team that current Gator freshmen Kelly Murphy and Colleen Ward played for … Munson and her associate head coach Ryan Manning were both assistant coaches for WMU when the Broncos played Florida in 1999.

END OF REPORT