The Doane College volleyball program battled through a rough 2007 season, finishing 16-13 overall and 10-6 in the GPAC. Coach Cindy Meyer, heading into her 22nd year, will rely on a balance of experience and youth to carry the club in 2008. The season will be filled with battles week-in and week-out. The conference is among the best in the nation and the non-conference slate will feature many teams that will be ranked at some point during the year.
The road to a potential national championship tournament berth was made a little easier this year as the NAIA eliminated the use of the regional tournament. With the disband of regionals, the GPAC will not have to run up against the likes of Dickinson State University, who primarily has international players on their roster.
The GPAC will send a minimum of two teams to the national tournament this year, with the regular season champion advancing and the post-season champion qualifying as well. If the two champions are the same, then the runner-up in the post-season will qualify.
Tiger Athletes Ready to Hit the Court
The Tigers had 21 players report to camp this year with all of them hoping to make an impact, whether it is this year or in the near future. Three seniors headline the returners. Amy Janky (Chapman, Neb.) is back as a defensive specialist after averaging 2.83 digs per game.
Hometown girl Chelsee Marvin (Crete, Neb.) comes off a season where she averaged 3.49 kills and 1.21 blocks in the middle of the Tiger rotation. She was named Second Team All-GPAC in 2007.
Ashley Sluka (Milligan, Neb.) returns at setter where she averaged 6.31 assists in the 6-2 offense ran last year. She received honorable mention All-GPAC honors.
Four juniors return this year. Outside hitter Jessy Livers (Lincoln, Neb.) was third on the team in kills last year, averaging 2.61 per game. She was second on the team with 3.12 digs per game. Emily Schwisow (Beatrice, Neb.) matched Livers with 3.12 digs per game but averaged 6.88 digs in the final seven matches after taking over the libero position.
Abby Scott (Belgrade, Neb.) saw her playing time fluctuate during the year, stepping up with five kills versus Dordt College where Doane snapped a six-year drought to the Defenders. Ivie Speer (Central City, Neb.) rounds out the junior classing, averaging 1.47 kills per game and nearly half a block per game.
Heather Davison (Lincoln, Neb.) leads the sophomore class after joining Sluka as a setter in the 6-2 offense. Davison notched 5.36 assists per game and led the team with 39 ace serves. Nicole Skolnick (Lincoln, Neb.) averaged 1.53 kills per game and will look to build on her first season as a Tiger. Calicia Hergott (Hebron, Neb.) and Brittany Sheeks (Arcadia, Neb.) played their freshmen season on the junior varsity squad and will rely on that experience to help them this year.
The freshmen class is very talented and will make an impact this season. Filling holes left after graduation last year led to the Tigers desire to find some height for the front row attack. Coach Meyer was able to land three players who stand six-foot tall.
Kellie Peterson (Ord, Neb.) was a First Team Class C1 selection for Chanticleers. Lisa Lord (Indianola, Neb.) earned Second Team Class C2 for Southwest High School. Natalie Hadden (Bridgeport, Neb.) received honorable mention Class C2 honors for the Bulldogs. Heather Herscheid (Stanton, Neb.) joins the middle blocker corps coming in. She stands at 5-8 and earned honorable mention honors in Class C2.
The outside hitter position is headlined by Third Team Super-State selection Terra Andreasen (Bellevue, Neb.). She finished the year averaging 5.1 kills per game, third in Class A. Megan Meduna (Weston, Neb.) earned honorable mention Class C2 in 2007 after garnering Second Team honors in 2006. Ashley Gove (Lincoln, Neb.) and Deena Frink (Dannebrog, Neb.) earned Academic All-State honors and will compete for playing time on the outside as well.
At setter, the Tigers have the fortune of returning both players who filled the role last year. This season, baring any injuries, the incoming student-athletes will have an opportunity to receive the majority of their experience through the junior varsity program.
Cassie Reicks (Ravenna, Neb.) received honorable mention Class C1 honors at Kearney Catholic H.S. Amelia Ells (Lincoln, Neb.) earned Academic All-State and will compete at setter and as a right-side hitter. Brynn Barnes (Ord, Neb.) is a defensive specialist and will red-shirt during the 2008 season.
Thoughts and Comments from Coach Meyer
Coach Cindy Meyer will rely on her seniors to carry the load early on in the season after the graduation of three starters from last year. "The seniors have really helped out the underclassmen transition into filling roles while improving themselves. Ashley (Sluka) has been setting quick balls which helps speed up the offense. She has had pin-point accuracy and her quickness allows her to cover a lot of ground. Chelsee (Marvin) continues to improve every day and has been placing the ball very well on her attacks. Amy (Janky) put a lot of time in during the spring and summer and has been the most consistent with ball control."
The Tigers will have to be strong at the net this year if the team is going to be successful. Players will need to find consistency both offensively and defensively.
"The team is ahead of where they were last year at this time. We have been striking the ball very well during the preseason and that will need to carry over. There is plenty of depth this year and that will help push each player to be consistent. We have several all-around players, good at the net while in the front row and strong in the back row defensively. The blocking has to be more physical and we have more height to provide that presence."
The signature to Doane volleyball has always been defense. Coach Meyer says that she has noticed that attribute return to the Tigers' game this year as ball control has been much better. She attributes it to team quickness and reflexes as everyone is running through every ball.
Two key changes to NAIA volleyball are direct conference qualifying and 25-point games. Coach Meyer is pleased with the elimination of regionals because Region III was always tough.
"We don't have to worry about a really tough regional now. We already play in one of the toughest conferences and always play a rigorous non-conference slate. With our conference, any team that qualifies for nationals will have earned the right to be there. Plus, now we can have more players recognized because if a player wasn't named to the region team that was primarily dominated by Dickinson State and National American's international players, they couldn't receive All-American honors."
"As for games being reduced to 25 points, it's going to turn into a race now. A run of points will be the difference in the game so you to come out on fire right away. The blocking game will need to step up right away and first rotations need to be strong because you won't get around in your rotations as often as the past."
Non-Conference Games Prepare for GPAC
The Tigers will open the season in Texas at the South Padre Tournament on August 22-23. Doane will be tested right out the gate as they will face three teams receiving votes in the NAIA poll, including two teams in the Top 25. Host Texas-Brownsville starts the season at No. 19 while Olivet Nazarene is ranked No. 23.
Doane will head north for the Red Raider Classic in Orange City, Iowa, on August 29-30. The Tigers' first day will provide the biggest test as they will face Black Hills State, who is receiving votes in the poll, and Dordt College for a non-conference contest. Dordt is preseason ranked No. 20.
The first weekend of September, Doane will take the short trip to Omaha for the College of St. Mary tournament. The Tigers will face one ranked team at the tournament but it will be the first match of the day for Doane as they take on preseason No. 3 Concordia University (Calif.). That evening, they will play the host Flames, a traditional NAIA power.
The non-conference slate wraps up in Hastings at the Bronco's invite on September 12-13. Doane will face two ranked teams including in-state power Bellevue University. The Bruins are ranked No. 22 in the preseason poll.
In total, eight of the Tigers' 12 non-conference games are ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA preseason poll.
GPAC pushes to be Best NAIA Conference
The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) in California is probably recognized as the best volleyball conference in the NAIA but the GPAC is ready to make their mark. Four NAIA teams start the season in the Top 30 and teams like Doane want to push their way forward as well.
The Tigers begin their charge in the GPAC in their home opener when they host Dana College on September 10. Doane will travel to Seward for a battle with Concordia University on September 17.
One of the biggest rivalries will tip off on September 24 in Crete when Hastings College comes to town. The two squads always have heated battles and it is a fan's dream match to watch because both teams will be going all out on every ball.
Doane will wrap up the September slate when they travel up the road to Lincoln to face school rival Nebraska Wesleyan University on the 30th.
October will be a month full of tests. Dordt College opens up the month as the Tigers travel to Sioux Center, Iowa, on October 4. A trip to Midland Lutheran College on October 7 ends a three-match road trip.
The Tigers will start a three-match home stand with Briar Cliff University on October 10. The Chargers were picked ahead of Doane in the preseason GPAC coaches' poll. Morningside College, No. 13 in the NAIA preseason poll, comes to Crete on October 11. The home stand ends with a match-up with Concordia.
After a week off, Doane will travel to Hastings for another match-up with the Broncos on October 21. A weekend swing will take the Tigers to Yankton, S.D., to face Mount Marty College on October 24 and to Orange City, Iowa, on the 25th to take on preseason No. 7 Northwestern College.
The final home stand begins with Nebraska Wesleyan on October 28. Dakota Wesleyan University travels to Crete for the "Battle of the Tigers" on October 31. The University of Sioux Falls rounds out the regular season home court slate on November 1.
The regular season comes to a close on November 4 at Dana College.
The GPAC post-season will change this year as all 12 teams, excluding Nebraska Wesleyan due to NCAA III ties, qualify for the conference tournament. The top four seeds will receive a bye in the first round which will be very important as the tournament starts two days after the completion of the regular season, November 6. The quarterfinal round will take place on November 8 with semi-final action on November 12. The GPAC championship's first serve is November 15 at 7:30, with the highest seed playing host to the game.