Marquette Volleyball Squad Opens 2000 Campaign

Aug. 30, 2000

Schedule of Games

Friday, Sept. 1 Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Illinois 6:00 p.m.

McNeese State vs. Marquette 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 2 McNeese State vs. Northern Illinois 11:00 a.m.

Eastern Illinois vs. Marquette 1:00 p.m.

Eastern Illinois vs. McNeese State 6:00 p.m.

Northern Illinois vs. Marquette 8:00 p.m.

TOURNEY INFO -- The 2000 Marquette University volleyball team begins the school's 26th season of intercollegiate competition this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 1-2) when it hosts the Marquette Challenge. Joining the Golden Eagles in the two-day affair will be McNeese State, Eastern Illinois and Northern Illinois. Game times on Friday are at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. while the start times for Saturday are 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. for the first session and 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. for the second session. All matches will be played at the Marquette Gymnasium.

LOOKING TO DEFEND -- The Golden Eagles will be looking to defend their Marquette Challenge championship performance of a year ago. The 1999 MU team defeated Providence (3-2), Bowling Green (3-0) and Mississippi State (3-0) to claim last season's Marquette Challenge title.

THE COACHES -- Marquette is directed by second-year head coach Laura Farina (Illinois '92) who owns a one-year record of 18-13. MU's 58.1 winning percentage last season was the highest since 1985 and the squad's 9-7 effort in C-USA games represented the highest number of victories since joining the league. Farina stands 8-3 in games played at the MU Gym.

McNeese State Head Coach Lee McBride (Lamar '89) enters his 11th season at the helm of the Cowgirls' program and posts a school and career mark of 1870-126. He has led the program to five 20-plus win seasons including a 27-4 record in 1997 which included the regular-season Southland Conference championship.

Todd Kress (Cincinnati '92) is in his second year as the Northern Illinois head man and he will take a one-year school record of 10-15 into the Marquette Challenge. Prior to his appointment at Northern Illinois, Kress served as the head coach at Fairfield University for four years (1995-98) where he compiled a 94-45 record. In five years of head coaching, Kress has a career slate of 104-60.

In her first season as the head coach at Eastern Illinois is Brenda Winkeler (Millikin '84). Winkeler joined the Panthers' program in December of 1999 after serving as the head coach of Parkland (IL) College for 11 seasons. Named the 1999 junior college "Coach of the Year" by the National Junior College Athletic Association and the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Winkeler lead her squad to the national JC title a year ago. During her stint at Parkland, she compiled a 427-163 ledger.

SERIES NOTES -- Marquette's match against McNeese State on Friday evening will mark the first time that the two schools have met.

Marquette trails in the all-time series against Eastern Illinois by a 10-1 margin. The Golden Eagles and Panthers last met in 1995 when MU won in four games (3-1).

Northern Illinois holds a 10-2 advantage over Marquette in the series, but MU did pull off a four-game win last year at DeKalb.

SCOUTING MARQUETTE -- Leading the way for the Golden Eagles this year will be senior setter Liz Egasti (St. Charles, Ill.). The three-time letter winner checks into the year with a total of 4,330 career assists and will challenge for C-USA's all-time mark in that category of 4,872 held by Abby Thatcher of UAB (95-98). Egasti, who has appeared in 354 out of a possible 354 games during her career, holds the school's top three single-season assist marks. Sophomore outside hitter Danielle Hagen (Milwaukee) is looking forward to a fine campaign after emerging as a starter last season. Hagen, according to Coach Farina, has been a standout during preseason drills hopes that the momentum will carry over into the regular season. Junior middle blocker Mehgan Devine (Harris, Minn.) will be another key player to watch for after coming off a campaign that saw her finish seventh among C-USA players in hitting percentage (.269) and fourth in blocks (1.14 bpg).

SCOUTING McNEESE STATE -- McNeese State, picked to finish fourth in the preseason Southland Conference poll, boasts nine returning letter winners, including five starters, from last season's squad that posted an overall mark of 23-10 while advancing to the Southland Conference Tournament championship game. Sophomore outside hitter Anissa Parker is the team's top threat and returns as the Cowgirls' top kill (590), service ace (48) and dig (480) leader. A two-time All-Southland Conference First Team honoree, Parker ranked second in the SLC and 14th in the nation in kills a year ago.

SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS -- The Panthers of EIU were tabbed to finish second in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference poll. Nine letterwinners, including five starters, are back in the fold from the 1999 unit that manufactured an overall effort of 21-10 including an OVC slate of 15-3, good for second place. Junior middle Leslie Przekwas, a preseason first-team All-OVC pick, recorded 303 kills last season and paced the squad in hitting percentage (.259). Sophomore outside Karen Liss is a threat as well and chalked up 301 kills in '99 en route to OVC All-Newcomer recognition.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS -- Five returning starters from the 1999 team give the Huskies hope for the upcoming season. Senior outside hitter Mandy Swick, the team leader in kills (390) looks to bounce back after being slowed by a shoulder injury last season. Sophomore middle Jen VonderHaar was named the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after registering 215 kills and a team-high 115 blocks.

MARQUETTE'S GRBAVAC OUT WITH SHOULDER INJURY -- Marquette sophomore outside hitter Vesna Grbavac will miss the entire 2000 season after sustaining a shoulder injury that will require surgery. An All-Conference USA Second Team choice last year, Grbavac established a school single-season mark with 520 kills.

MARQUETTE PICKED FOR FIFTH IN C-USA PRESEASON POLL -- Marquette was picked to finish in fifth place in the C-USA standings this year in a preseason poll conducted by the league's coaches. Louisville was selected as the team to beat while Houston was chosen for second. Cincinnati and DePaul were picked to finish third and fourth, respectively, followed by the Golden Eagles.

MARQUETTE ON THE INTERNET -- Up-to-date Marquette Volleyball information can be found on Marquette's website, located at: www.gomarquette.com

MARQUETTE HAS FORMIDABLE SCHEDULE -- The 2000 Marquette squad will face a demanding schedule with a total of seven teams that participated in last season's NCAA Tournament, three from C-USA and four non-league foes. Out-of-conference opponents that the Golden Eagles will tangle with include Arkansas State (Sept. 8), UW-Milwaukee (Sept. 12), Indiana (Sept. 16) and Loyola Marymount (Sept. 16). League teams that advanced to the national tournament a year ago include Houston, Cincinnati and Louisville.

2000 Schedule/Results

9/1 McNeese State# 8:00 pm

9/2 Eastern Illinois# 1:00 pm

9/2 Northern Illinois#8:00 pm

9/8 Arkansas State& 9:00 am

9/8 Morgan State& 4:30 pm

9/9 TCU& 11:30 am

9/9 Missouri& 7:00 pm

9/12 UW-Milwaukee 7:00 pm

9/15 Duke! 5:00 pm

9/16 Indiana! Noon

9/16 Loyola Marymount! 5:00 pm