University of Nevada Athletics

Upcoming Nevada Matches

Marriott Courtyard/Fairfield Invitational Schedule

 

 

 

 

 

2009 Outlook

For the first time in eight seasons and just the third in head coach Devin Scruggs' 12 years at the University of Nevada the Wolf Pack did not produce a winning season in 2008 going 12-17 overall and 7-9 in Western Athletic Conference play to finish in a tie for fifth place. 

Scruggs' enters her 13th year of directing the program and reached the 200 win plateau a year ago when the Pack knocked off Utah State 3-1 on Oct. 25, 2008.  Heading into the season her career mark stands at 201-150.  Returning for his fourth season on the staff and second as a fulltime coach will be Nate Hallett.  Mike Bettinghouse will serve as the interim assistant coach for this season after spending last year as the volunteer assistant.

The 2009 team returns 11 letter winners which include five starters and the team's starting libero.  A balanced group throughout the four classes the 14 member squad does have a nucleus of upper classmen with three seniors and four juniors.  Four sophomores return for their second season on the court and three freshmen will battle the veterans for playing time.

FRONT LINE

One of the strengths of the team is the front line where six letter winners return in Lindsay Baldwin, Kylie Harrington, Jorgan Staker,  Erin Garvey, Kylee Vance and Brittni Yates.  Five of the six returners made at least on start last season.  Joining the veterans are freshmen Janelle Batista and Elissa Ji.

Baldwin (6'1",Jr.) started all 29 matches a year ago at middle blocker and earned All-WAC first-team honors and was selected to the WAC Coaches' 2009 Preseason squad after earning the same honor in 2008.  She led the team averaging 1.14 blocks and 3.54 points per set which ranked fourth and seventh respectively in the conference.  Her 2.71 kills per set was good for second on the squad.  In just two seasons she has etched her name in the Nevada record book seven times.

An outside hitter Harrington (5'10",Jr.) played in all 29 matches last season earning starts in 26.  She earned second-team All-WAC honors a year ago and was named to the 2009 WAC Coaches' Preseason team.  The Hawaii native led the team with 2.90 kills per set which was good for eighth in the conference.  She was second on the team averaging 3.24 points per set and third with a 1.90 digs per set average.  On the year she produced a team-high eight double-doubles to tie for fifth most in the WAC.

Returning for her senior season at right side hitter Staker (6'1",Jr.) who played in 25 matches in 2008 earning 14 starts but was slowed by an early season ankle injury.  Her 1.48 kills per set was fourth on the team and 1.81 points per set was fifth. 

Yates (6'1,So.) is one of three sophomores that will be counted on to increase production in year two.  The middle blocker played in 17 matches and earned nine starts as a redshirt freshman last season.  Her .73 blocks per set ranked third on the team and she averaged 1.12 kills per set.

Another of the sophomores is the versatile Garvey (6'0",So.) who could see time at all three of the front court positions in her second season in the program.  As a freshman she played in 25 matches and started nine.  On the year she averaged 1.27 kills and .47 blocks per set.  She topped the Pack with eight kills at home versus #8 Hawai'i.

The third sophomore that should see increased playing time is Vance (6'1",So.) who appeared in 12 matches a year ago at outside hitter.  In last season's road match at New Mexico State she came off the bench to lead the team with a career-high seven kills and on the year averaged 1.11 kills per set.

Both freshmen front line players bring impressive credentials to the team and will challenge the veterans for playing time.  Batista (5'11", Fr.) will battle for playing time at right side hitter and middle blocker.  She was co-MVP of the Mid-Williamette Conference as a high school senior playing for Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, Ore. and twice earned first-team all-conference honors.

Ji (5'10",Fr.) is an outside hitter who was a three-time second-team all-state selection playing her prep volleyball at Maryknoll High School in Honolulu, Hawaii.  She is expected to also press the veterans for playing time in her first season at Nevada.

SETTER

Both of Nevada's setters from last year return in senior Sonnie Sei and sophomore Tatiana Santiago.  Sei (5'10,Sr.) who earned the starting spot last season is the early favorite to retain her position but Santiago (5'6",So.) will seek more playing time at setter in her second season.

Sei played in 28 matches last season earning starts in 27.  She topped the team and ranked sixth in the WAC averaging 8.84 assists per set.  Eight times on the season she dished out 40 or more assists in a match with a career-high 50 versus San Jose State.

As a freshman Santiago saw limited action at setter but played extensively as a defensive specialist appearing in 27 matches.  Both of her starts on the season were versus Idaho at setter and her 53 assists in the Oct. 2, Idaho match were a career-high and the high by a Pack setter on the season.  She averaged 2.61 assists per set as a freshman and 1.41 digs per set.

LIBERO/DEFEMSIVE SPECIALIST 

Returners Lauren Kelly, Nicole Link, Santiago and Jessica Daum all saw action at either libero or defensive specialist last season.  Link and Daum may also see time at outside hitter while Santiago also works at setter.  The veteran group will be joined by freshman Kelly Chang giving the Pack five players to use at the two positions.
Kelly (5'7",Sr.) has been a starter primarily at defensive specialist throughout her career as she is set to begin her senior season.  In 27 matches last year she earned 10 starts and averaged 1.74 digs per set.  An excellent server she ranked second on the team with 26.

A junior Link (5'8",Jr.) played in all 29 matches a year ago mostly as the team's libero.  Her 393 digs last season ranks as the sixth best single season in school history.  She led the team and ranked fifth in WAC averaging 3.57 digs per set while her 29 service aces also led the team and .26 per set was good for seventh in the conference.  In the Pack's 3-1 victory at Fresno State she recorded a career-high 29 digs which is the fourth best total in school history and tied for the most by any player in the conference in 2008.

Daum (5'9",Jr.) started the season opener last year versus Valparaiso and played in 11 matches on the season.  She averaged .50 digs per set.

Santiago will again fill two roles in her second season as a setter and defensive specialist.  Defensively she averaged 1.41 digs per set.

A freshman from Honolulu, Hawaii Chang (5'2",Fr.) was first-team all-state and all-league selection her senior year at Hawaii Baptist Academy.  She helped HBA win back-to-back state titles.  In her first season with the Pack she should see considerable court time.

SCHEDULE

Once again the Pack schedule will provide a challenge to the club as they will play four teams a total of six matches that qualified for the 2008 NCAA Tournament in Hawai'i, New Mexico State, Saint Mary's and Portland State.  Nevada will play two of the teams twice in WAC opponents Hawai'i and NMSU at home and on the road.  Hawai'i had the most success of the four teams coming within a win of reaching the final four.

Hawai'i is the only team on the Nevada schedule that enters the season ranked in the preseason poll at number seven.  Pack foes New Mexico State, Saint Mary's and UC Irvine are all receiving votes in the preseason poll.
Nevada begins the season with four weekends of tournament play, starting with the Marriott Courtyard/Fairfield Invitational.  The Pack will square off with Connecticut, UC Irvine and Saint Mary's the opening weekend.

Week two has the Pack traveling to Tucson, Ariz. to take on Arizona, Eastern Washington and Houston.  Returning home Nevada hosts UC Davis, Sam Houston State and Portland State in the Circus Circus Invitational.  The final weekend of tournament play is at the Pacific Invitational in  Stockton, Calif. where the Wolf Pack will play Loyola Marymount, the host Tigers and CSU Bakersfield.

Nevada plays one more nonconference match at Sacramento State on Sept. 22 prior to beginning conference play.

After playing 13 nonconference matches to begin the season the Pack will turn its attention to WAC action.  The conference will once again feature the same nine members this year as Boise State, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Utah State and Nevada will compete for the title.  The conference schedule will be a round robin with each team playing a home and road contest against the eight other member schools to make a 16-match schedule.

Nevada plays one nonconference match during the WAC schedule with a Nov. 5 home date with intrastate rival UNLV.

After eight seasons of playing the season ending WAC Tournament at one of the conference members facilities, the 2009 tournament will be played at a neutral site in Las Vegas.  The Orleans Arena will host the six qualifying teams which is another change from previous years when every school would vie for the tournament title.

THE WAC RACE

The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine is once again the favorites to win the WAC title after capturing the previous 13 in a row.  UH has also captured the last nine WAC Tournament championships. 

 In the Preseason WAC Coaches' poll the Wolf Pack is picked to finish fifth after garnering 37 points in the voting by the conference coaches.  UH totaled 64 points followed by New Mexico State with 57.  Utah State tallied 45 points in the poll to finish third followed by Idaho's 41.  San Jose State (29), Fresno State (28), Boise State (12) and Louisiana Tech (11) complete the poll.

A year ago the WAC sent two teams to the NCAA Tournament as UH earned the automatic bid after winning the conference tournament.  NMSU received an at large bid for the third year in a row.  Hawai'i fell 3-0 to Stanford in the battle to reach the final four.  The Aggies won their first round match but lost in round two, 3-0 to California.