Match Point: Posts from August 17, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009 | Volleyball
WISE WEIGHS IN ON ALL-SEC TEAMS - August 17, 2009 - 9:13 p.m.
Florida head coach Mary Wise weighed in on the All-SEC teams and the increasing strength of the conference following Monday's two-a-day practices at the L. Gale Lemerand Center.
Wise discussed that even with the nine-player preseason team, some great players still weren't included. She says that speaks to the strength of a league, that once had an easily identifiable handful stars.
"I think very seldom, from this point on, are you going to be able to easily pick that All-SEC team, before the season or after the season," Wise said.
AUDIO: Coach Wise discussing the Quote of the Day (.MP3)
THREE GATORS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SEC - August 17, 2009 - 1:26 p.m.
The Southeastern Conference just released its 2009 Preseason All-SEC Team and one-third of the team is comprised of Gators.
Senior libero Elyse Cusack, sophomore outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel and sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy were named to the team.
The coaches preseason All-SEC team consists of a minimum of nine players, which are voted on by the league coaches. Florida led all schools with three selections, followed by Kentucky with two.
The Gators were the only team in the league to place an underclassman on the roster, as both Jaeckel and Murphy are sophomores this season. All other players named to the preseason team are juniors or seniors.
Complete Preseason All-SEC Team
Brooks Webster, Alabama
Elyse Cusack, Florida
Kristy Jaeckel, Florida
Kelly Murphy, Florida
Lauren Rapp, Kentucky
Sarah Rumely, Kentucky
Britnee Cooper, LSU
Ivana Kujundzic, South Carolina
Nikki Fowler, Tennessee
WISE EMBRACES TWITTER - August 17, 2009 - 11:50 a.m.
In keeping up with the latest in social media technology, Florida head coach Mary Wise has embraced using Twitter, a 140-character update that provides constant answers to the question "What are you doing?"
Wise so much enjoys the updating of her Twitter status - she can be found @GatorMary - that's Twitter lingo for the Web address twitter.com/GatorMary - that she "tweeted"? during the team's preseason media day last Thursday.
Wise was asked how she was participating in the use of social media, to which she quickly pulled out her Blackberry and began to open her Twitter page.
Just finished meeting w/ the media. They asked about Twitter!
That was Wise's post from media day and she continues to post daily with tidbits about Florida's practices, updates on her off-the-court activities and fun facts about former Gators.
Fans don't have to register for Twitter to view Wise's posts, but if they do, they can receive the updates through a variety of vehicles including text messages, cell phone applications and desktop computer applications.
There's also a variety of ways to update Twitter posts. Wise's favorite? Through the mobile Web on her Blackberry.
QUOTABLE GATORS - August 17, 2009 - 10:38 a.m.
Each day as head coach Mary Wise walks into practice in the L. Gale Lemerand Center, she has found a new quote written on the dry erase board at the corner of the court.
At the team's last practice on Saturday, it was a quote by legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno adorning the board:
"The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital."
It's a new tradition that the players have started, Wise said, and the head coach mentioned that she has enjoyed seeing which quote her student-athletes have selected each day.
The quotes throughout the first week of training camp were certainly relevant, as they related to the importance of hard work, practice and preparation - three keys to preseason practice.
AUDIO: Coach Wise discussing the Quote of the Day (.MP3)
DAILY WAKE-UP CALL - August 17, 2009 - 10:25 a.m.
Things are starting to get cranked up around the volleyball world as programs across the country are entering their last week of training camp. It is no different for the Gators, who will practice each of the remaining days until Sunday's Orange and Blue Scrimmage and Fan Day, which begins at 1 p.m. in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
We expect the Southeastern Conference to release its preseason All-SEC team today, and we should see a few Gators on there. The minute we receive notification, it will be updated on here and on our news twitter: www.Twitter.com/GatorZoneVB.
Students are back in town and around campus as yesterday was the school's move-in day. Of course, most of the volleyball players have been here all summer and they began their training camp on Aug. 10, but the buzz around campus certainly lets you know that its time for things to get started again.
