2008 Woodie Awards
'Sky's the limit with this team'
Brent Foster
Issue date: 8/17/08 Section: Sports
Finding motivation should not be a problem for the volleyball team this season.
Coming off back-to-back early exits in the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs return six seniors and a slew of underclassmen from last season's 36-6 squad and find themselves poised for a run into December.
Senior outside hitter Eli Medina said the team seems more ready than ever for a deep postseason run.
"I'd say there is definitely a lot of pressure, but I think this year, at least for myself, I feel like our team is more prepared coming into the season," Medina said Monday. "We've only been here for one day, and I can tell you that we are more prepared than any other year that I've been here."
Besides Medina, the Bulldogs return All-Americans in senior middle blocker Allie Cherven and senior right side hitter Melissa Keck. With all of the returning seniors and experience, the Bulldogs, who have lost one MIAA regular season game since 2005, are once again the favorites in the conference coach's poll.
Truman received five of 10 first-place votes and 93 total points. Washburn University received two first-place votes and 88 points to come in second. It is the fifth time in the last six seasons the Bulldogs have been picked to win the MIAA. Last season the 'Dogs finished 12-1 in the MIAA and won the conference tournament.
The conference appears to be just as good as last season, when five teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Washburn, having ended last season ranked third in the country, boasts two returning All-Americans and 6-foot-5 Div. I Texas A&M transfer Breanna Lewis.
Truman's non-conference schedule is just as daunting as the MIAA portion. The Bulldogs will take on several squads early in the season that are likely to be nationally ranked, including a match against defending national champion Concordia University-St. Paul (Minn.).
The tough schedule will provide a quick challenge for the younger Bulldog players. Skoch said he hopes junior outside hitter Jenna Novelli, a junior college transfer, can take some of the pressure off Medina. Novelli was all-conference last season playing at L.A. Pierce Community College (Calif.).
Coming off back-to-back early exits in the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs return six seniors and a slew of underclassmen from last season's 36-6 squad and find themselves poised for a run into December.
Senior outside hitter Eli Medina said the team seems more ready than ever for a deep postseason run.
"I'd say there is definitely a lot of pressure, but I think this year, at least for myself, I feel like our team is more prepared coming into the season," Medina said Monday. "We've only been here for one day, and I can tell you that we are more prepared than any other year that I've been here."
Besides Medina, the Bulldogs return All-Americans in senior middle blocker Allie Cherven and senior right side hitter Melissa Keck. With all of the returning seniors and experience, the Bulldogs, who have lost one MIAA regular season game since 2005, are once again the favorites in the conference coach's poll.
Truman received five of 10 first-place votes and 93 total points. Washburn University received two first-place votes and 88 points to come in second. It is the fifth time in the last six seasons the Bulldogs have been picked to win the MIAA. Last season the 'Dogs finished 12-1 in the MIAA and won the conference tournament.
The conference appears to be just as good as last season, when five teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Washburn, having ended last season ranked third in the country, boasts two returning All-Americans and 6-foot-5 Div. I Texas A&M transfer Breanna Lewis.
Truman's non-conference schedule is just as daunting as the MIAA portion. The Bulldogs will take on several squads early in the season that are likely to be nationally ranked, including a match against defending national champion Concordia University-St. Paul (Minn.).
The tough schedule will provide a quick challenge for the younger Bulldog players. Skoch said he hopes junior outside hitter Jenna Novelli, a junior college transfer, can take some of the pressure off Medina. Novelli was all-conference last season playing at L.A. Pierce Community College (Calif.).
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