| Nov. 17, 2004
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907
UTSA set for Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament; face No. 5-seed McNeese State at 7 p.m. Friday Complete Release | Listen Live SAN ANTONIO - Riding a three-match win streak, the Texas-San Antonio volleyball team will participate in its second straight Southland Conference Postseason Tournament on Friday-Sunday, Nov. 19-21, at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas. The Roadrunners are 16-15 overall and finished fourth in the SLC at 12-8. UTSA will meet No. 5-seed McNeese State (17-10, 12-8) in the first round on Friday at 7 p.m. The winner gets top seed Stephen F. Austin (25-5, 17-3) on Saturday at 7 p.m. The other first round matchup pits No. 3-seed Texas-Arlington (23-6, 15-5) against No. 6 Sam Houston State (16-14, 10-10) on Friday at 4:30 p.m., with the winner meeting No. 2 Texas State (25-5, 17-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The championship match is Sunday at 4 p.m. 2004 Southland Conference
Postseason Volleyball Tournament
Friday, Nov. 19-Sunday, Nov. 21
Montagne Center • Beaumont, Texas
First Round
Match 1 • Friday • 4:30 p.m.
No. 6 Sam Houston State Bearkats (16-14, 10-10)
vs.
No. 3 Texas-Arlington Mavericks (23-6, 15-5) Match 2 • Friday • 7 p.m.
No. 5 McNeese State Cowgirls (17-10, 12-8)
vs.
No. 4 Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (16-15, 12-8) Second Round
Match 3 • Saturday • 4:30 p.m.
No. 2 Texas State Bobcats (25-5, 17-3)
vs.
Match 1 Winner Match 4 • Saturday • 7 p.m.
No. 1 Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (25-5, 17-3)
vs.
Match 2 Winner
Championship Match
Sunday • 4 p.m. UTSA’s Southland Conference Tournament History Appearances: 11 counting this year
Overall Record: 6-9
2003 Results • San Antonio, Texas
First Round: UTSA def. McNeese State, 3-0 (30-19, 30-26, 30-21)
Second Round: Texas State def. UTSA, 3-2 (28-30, 27-30, 30-25, 30-23, 15-10) UTSA vs. All-Time SLC Tournament Opponents UTSA vs. McNeese State: UTSA leads, 4-3
UTSA vs. Texas-Arlington: UTA leads, 2-0
UTSA vs. Texas State: tied, 1-1
UTSA vs. Stephen F. Austin: SFA leads, 2-0
UTSA vs. Lamar: UTSA leads, 1-0
UTSA vs. North Texas: UNT leads, 1-0 UTSA vs. SLC Tournament Opponents This Season UTSA vs. McNeese State: UTSA leads, 17-15
Last meeting: Oct. 23, San Antonio
UTSA won, 3-0 (30-17, 30-22, 30-25)
UTSA vs. Stephen F. Austin: SFA leads, 23-8
Last meeting: Oct. 30, San Antonio
SFA won, 3-0 (30-21, 30-24, 31-29)
UTSA vs. Texas State: TXST leads, 37-9
Last meeting: Oct. 19, San Marcos
Texas State won, 3-1 (30-26, 34-32, 23-30, 30-20)
UTSA vs. Texas-Arlington: UTA leads, 21-7
Last meeting: Nov. 9, San Antonio
UTSA won, 3-0 (30-26, 30-24, 30-25)
UTSA vs. Sam Houston State: SHSU leads, 20-16
Last meeting: Oct. 15, Huntsville
UTSA won, 3-0 (30-22, 31-29, 32-30) UTSA In The SLC Tournament
UTSA is 6-9 all-time in Southland Conference Postseason Tournament action. The Roadrunners are playing in their 11th overall and ninth conference tournament in the last 10 years. UTSA went 1-1 last year in San Antonio, sweeping McNeese State, 30-19, 30-26, 30-21, before falling in the semifinal round to Texas State, 30-28, 30-27, 25-30, 23-30, 10-15. Nicholls State upset Texas State in the championship game to earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. UTSA won the 2000 SLC Tournament crown en route to its only NCAA appearance, a 3-0 loss to UC Santa Barbara.
Scouting McNeese State
The Cowgirls are 17-10 overall and tied UTSA for fourth place in the SLC standings at 12-8, but the Roadrunners earned the No. 4-seed for the conference tournament by virtue of their season sweep of McNeese State. Senior outside hitter leads the Cowgirls with 447 kills (4.30 kpg), while junior outside hitter Trisha Seale has posted 383 kills (3.91 kpg). Freshman middle blocker Lindsey Petzold is the top blocker with 100 (0.94 bpg) and senior setter Kara Gaston averages 10.44 assists per game (814). Freshman Jessica Strama (4.79 dpg) and James (3.74 dpg) lead the squad in digs. Head coach Dale Starr is in his first season.
Week-In-Review
The Roadrunners went 3-0 last week to close out the Southland Conference regular season at 12-8 and tied for fourth place. UTSA, 16-15 overall, swept Texas-Arlington, 3-0 930-26, 30-24, 30-25), in impressive fashion on Nov. 9, in front of a season-high 587 fans at the Convocation Center. Sophomore Meagan Daniel matched her career-high with 26 kills and added 15 digs for her 18th double-double of the season. Sophomore Connie Picard contributed 16 kills in hittting .306 for the match. The Roadrunners dropped the first game at Louisiana-Monroe, 30-28, but came back to win the next three, 30-19, 30-27, 30-19, behind Daniel’s 19th double-double (16 kills/11 digs). Junior Rachel Tilson came off the bench to supply 13 kills in hitting .526 for the match, while sophomore DeeDee Strickland posted a double-double with 57 assists and 10 digs. UTSA clinched a tie for fourth place with a 3-1 (33-31, 30-26, 26-30, 30-19) victory at Northwestern State on Nov. 13. Daniel led four Roadrunners in double-digit kills with 18 and junior Jennifer Emelogu posted 12 kills, a .500 hitting percentage and five solo blocks. Picard registered 11 kills and six blocks (four solo), while sophomore Brittany Hildebrand added 12 kills. Sophomore Erin McMillan turned in her third consecutive match with double-digit digs with 19.
UTSA Tidbits
UTSA has played three games in 18 of its 31 matches this season, posting a 10-8 record … the Roadrunners are 5-3 in four-game matches … UTSA is 1-4 in five-gamers … Meagan Daniel has posted 19 double-doubles this season, including 14 in 20 conference matches … Daniel has double-digit kills (142 total kills/4.58 kpg) in her last eight matches … DeeDee Strickland has recorded 14 double-doubles, 11 in her last 16 outings … Strickland has registered 40-plus assists in 17 matches … Erin McMillan has turned in double-digit digs in 27 of 31 matches, including 12 with 20-plus digs and four with at least 30 … Connie Picard has turned in double-digit kills in 11 of the last 16 matches … Picard also has recorded 59 of her 108 blocks during that stretch … Jennifer Emelogu has posted 129 kills and 56 blocks in the last 14 matches … with her next win, head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff will reach 300 career victories.
Super Sophomores
A quintet of sophomores has played a large role in UTSA’s success this season. Meagan Daniel, Brittany Hildebrand, Erin McMillan, Connie Picard and DeeDee Strickland all gained valuable experience as true freshmen in 2003, leading the Roadrunners to a 19-14 record and an appearance in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinal. Daniel, the 2003 SLC Freshman of the Year and a first team selection, and Hildebrand, an honorable mention all-league pick last year, have paced the outside attack, posting 426 (3.84/game) and 336 (3.29/game) kills, respectively. Picard, a 2003 All-SLC Tournament choice, has been solid in the middle, averaging 3.02 kills (332) and 0.98 blocks (108) per game. McMillan, an honorable mention pick last year, leads the defense with a team-high 548 digs (4.94/game), while pitching in with 34 service aces. Strickland, a third-team All-SLC setter last year, has registered 1,340 assists (12.07/game), 45 kills, 35 blocks and 31 aces. Climbing The Charts
A trio of sophomores is on its way up the UTSA career and single-season charts. Meagan Daniel has tallied 945 career kills, placing her ninth on the career list. Sophomore Brittany Hildebrand has recorded 694 career kills, good for 10th on the all-time list. Daniel posted a UTSA-record 1,508 total attacks last season and has added 1,203 this year to increase her total to 2,711, which ranks sixth. DeeDee Strickland posted 1,494 assists as a freshman, the third-best season on UTSA record, and has added 1,340 this year, the fifth-best season on record, to up her tally to 2,834 which ranks fourth all-time. Brandace Cantu has moved into ninth place on the career assists list with 194. She can catch Katy Risinger for eighth (213) with 26 assists. Connie Picard has posted 177 career block assists, good for ninth on the UTSA chart. Picard also has 44 career solo blocks, tied for eighth on the all-time list. Erin McMillan has 548 digs this season, currently the second-best season in UTSA history. The school record is 651 set by Shalynn McCoy in 1989. McMillan posted 501 digs as a freshman, giving her 1,049 career digs, just three behind Amber Soletti (1,052) for ninth place.
SLC Accolades
UTSA players have earned Southland Conference Player of the Week accolades four times this season. On Sept. 20, Erin McMillan was named Defensive Player of the Week after posting 34 digs (5.67 dpg), five assists and two service aces in helping the Roadrunners sweep Lamar and McNeese State. McMillan and Meagan Daniel swept league honors on Oct. 4 as UTSA went 2-1 for the week. McMillan registered 51 digs (5.10 dpg), while Daniel posted three double-doubles. On Nov. 15, Daniel picked up her second honor after leading UTSA to a 3-0 record with 60 kills (5.45 kpg), 32 digs (2.90 dpg), 62.5 points (5.68 ppg) and a .341 hitting percentage.
Tough Slate
UTSA played a tough non-conference schedule and the dividends are beginning to pay off. The Roadrunners opened with 2003 national semifinalist Minnesota, a team ranked No. 5 at the time, No. 1 for three weeks, No. 2 for two weeks and currently No. 5 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25. UTSA also twice played Rice, currently receiving 95 votes in the poll, and took both Iowa State and Baylor of the Big 12 Conference to five games.
Head Coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff
Laura Neugebauer-Groff enters her third season at the helm of the UTSA volleyball program. She came to UTSA in 2002 after a successful eight-year career at St. Mary’s, a Division II school in San Antonio, where she compiled a 256-62 record. Following a tough 8-24 debut season as the Roadrunners’ coach in 2002, Neugebauer-Groff orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in 2003, guiding an extremely young squad to a 19-14 record and an appearance in the SLC Tournament semifinals. A standout player, Neugebauer-Groff was an All-American at Texas in the mid-1980s and was named to the Southwest Conference All-Decade Team in 1992. In 2002, the San Antonio Express-News tabbed her as one of its most influential people in women’s sports. She also was a member of the National Sports Festival in 1983 and the World University Games in 1985. She played professionally for the West German Volleyball League before joining the Chicago Breeze pro team in 1988. She has been an annual participant in the U.S. Volleyball Association National Tournament since 1987. She began her coaching career at Hondo High School in 1988-90 and was an assistant coach at Texas A&M in 1990-92. She graduated from Texas in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and received her master’s in educational leadership from St. Mary’s in 1996. Neugebauer-Groff and her husband, Dwayne, have two children, Jacob (5) and Madison (3).
UTSA to Host 2005 NCAA Volleyball Championship
UTSA will host the 2005 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship on Dec. 15-17 at the Alamodome. UTSA has been the host institution for many NCAA Championship events including the Men’s Basketball Final Four in 1998 and 2004 and the 2002 Women’s Final Four. The 2004 NCAA Volleyball Championship will be hosted by Long Beach State on Dec. 16-18.
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