Marquette University Athletics
1998 Marquette Volleyball Preview
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Most coaches would be understandably wary if you told them that their roster featured just three upperclassmen. But Marquette head coach Tat Shiely relishes the thought of such a youthful roster.
"We have the people in place to make dramatic improvement," said Shiely, who enters her 23rd season at Marquette. "We have lost quite a bit in the people who have graduated, but the experience of the returning players is significant. Also, we have brought players in who are dedicated to winning and who are focused on succeeding. This team will be focused on playing its best in every match."
The Golden Eagles return six letterwinners, five of whom were starters, from last year's squad that finished 18-16 overall and 6-10 in Conference USA. The team's record was the best in 12 seasons. Marquette also made substantial improvement in the NCAA power ratings, jumping from 250 at the end of the 1996 campaign to 170 at the end of 1997.
The lone senior on the squad is Jeni Myers (6-0, OH), who ranked third on the team with 361 kills and had the second-highest aces total (43).
"We will move Jeni to the right side this season to take advantage of her attacking skills," said Shiely. "She will be playing the position that she feels most comfortable at and we expect her to be very effective."
Joining Myers as one of the team's most potent attackers is junior Chris Curtin (6-2, MB). She was second on last year's team in kills (365), hitting percentage (.272) and total blocks (112). Her career hitting percentage (.241) is fourth best in school history.
"We need Chris to maintain last year's level of play in 1998," remarked Shiely. "Her improvement last year was dramatic and we will take advantage of her quick attacking skills and slide attack ability this season."
Junior Katie Watters (5-10, OH) was another key contributor to Marquette's success last season. She saw action in 32 matches and had 104 kills and 180 digs.
"Katie came off the bench and helped us win last year," commented Shiely. "She is a great defensive player and makes the most of her talent."
Another junior, Jessica Martin (5-11, MB), could see increased playing time in 1998. She appeared in 19 matches last season and had her best outing versus Louisville (Sept. 28) when she recorded six kills.
"Jessica improved during our spring season and she might be our most athletic player," stated Shiely. "She has good knowledge of our offense and has excellent jumping skills and a very quick arm swing."
Running the Marquette attack for the second year will be sophomore Liz Egasti (5-9, S). She was named to the Conference USA All-Freshmen Team after registered 1,530 assists and 49 service aces. Her assists total is the highest single-season mark at Marquette.
Shiely commented, "Liz did an amazing job running our offense as a freshman last year. She has worked hard to develop other aspects of her game that will make her even more effective on the court."
The team's other returning sophomore is Katherine Lindros (5-11, OH), who is a well-rounded talent with solid offensive and defensive capabilities. She ranked second on the team with 342 digs and also had 147 kills and 26 service aces.
"Katherine has developed different skills since she joined our team," said Shiely. "She is very consistent in all phases of her game and is very motivated on the court."
This year's freshman class may be the most highly touted in school history and Shiely expects the newest Golden Eagles to have an immediate impact on the team's success.
Mehgan Devine (6-3, MB) was an all-state player her senior season at North Branch High School in Harris, Minn. She was a three-year starter and set the school record in block solos as a senior.
"Mehgan has excellent foot speed for her size," said Shiely. "The quickness of her arm swing is impressive and she gets good penetration on her blocks. We expect her to contribute immediately for us."
Vesna Grbavac (5-11, OH) helped lead Palatine (Ill.) High School to a third-place finish in the 1997 state tournament. She was a two-time conference player of the year and earned all-state second-team honors following her senior campaign.
"Vesna moves very well on the court," Shiely remarked. "She has great court vision and is an explosive hitter."
Kelly Kaylor (5-10, OH) was a three-time all-conference honoree at West Chicago Community High School. She earned USVBA All-American honors in 1997, while playing with the Sports Performance club team.
Shiely commented, "Kelly is a very good pass and attack player. She has outstanding foot speed and can hit with power."
Michele Remus (6-3, MB) led Dobson High School to a fifth-place finish in the 1997 Arizona state tournament. She was named to the all-region second team following her junior and senior seasons.
"Michele has the potential to contribute right away for us," stated Shiely. "She is a tremendous blocker and will need to adjust to the tempo of our offense."
Theresa Crosheck (5-8, S) joins the team as Egasti's back-up. Crosheck was an all-state honorable mention pick following her senior season at Regina High School in Solon, Iowa.
"Theresa has the tools to contribute to our team," said Shiely. "She needs to develop her knowledge of our system, but could be valuable in a secondary role."
Shiely's youthful squad will be tested by a schedule that includes six top 50 teams and the always challenging Conference USA slate of opponents.
The Golden Eagles will play in the Loyola-Chicago, Minnesota and Florida International Tournaments. Marquette also will face state rivals Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee.
"There is more parity within Conference USA and on any given day any team can beat another," said Shiely. "The conference race will be a dogfight because of the talent all of the programs are bringing in."
