2006 Season In Review

Setting the Scene:

The Wittenberg University volleyball team put together an impressive 2006 season, finishing with records of 35-8 overall and a perfect 16-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The 35 wins tied the school and NCAC record for most wins in a season, while the unblemished conference run was also a first as the NCAC moved to a double-round robin schedule for the first time ever.

The Tigers had a great start to their season, placing second in the Juniata's ASICS Invitational, losing only to the host team that would go on to win the national title. Wittenberg faced tough competition throughout the 2006 season, losing to Central and Washington University at the latter's annual National Invitational, as well as Great Lakes Regional No. 1 ranked Calvin during the regular season. The postseason got off to an inauspicious start, however, as the top-seeded Tigers saw their 10-year string of NCAC Tournament championships end at home against nationally ranked Hiram.

The Tigers regrouped as they took advantage of an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament - the program's 11th consecutive national tournament appearance - by ripping off four straight wins to reach their second straight national semifinals. En route to the "Final Four," Wittenberg avenged an NCAC Tournament final loss to Hiram and a regular season loss to Calvin. The season came to an end with a loss to Juniata in the semifinals for a second straight year.

The Tigers capped off the 2006 season ranked No. 4 in the Final American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll. All of this was accomplished without a senior on the roster.

As always, the Tigers captured plenty of postseason awards.

Freshman Erin Slattery (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) was named the NCAC Newcomer of the Year and Head Coach Paco Labrador took home his first NCAC Coach of the Year award. Sophomore outside hitter Jackie Williams (Rocky River, Ohio/Magnificat), the team leader in kills per game, earned first-team All-NCAC for a second consecutive season before claiming her first career All-Great Lakes Region award. Williams' list of awards were topped only by junior Emily Bell (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran), who was recognized for the combination of her athletic and academic accomplishments with third-team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division All-District IV honors. In addition, Bell was named first-team All-Great Lakes Region, honorable mention All-America and first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) for a second straight year.

Junior Sarah Matesich (Granville, Ohio/Newark Catholic) rounded out the postseason honorees. She picked up second-team All-NCAC honors.

The Tigers look ahead to the 2007 season with a nucleus of five veteran leaders, all hailing from a remarkable junior class that includes outside hitters Jan Kehres (Alliance, Ohio/Alliance), Lindsey Penrod (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) and Emily Bell (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran), middle hitter Caitlin Augustus (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) and setter Sarah Matesich (Granville, Ohio/Newark Catholic).

Bell broke right into the lineup as a freshman and has earned the most accolades among the group, while Kehres served notice her sophomore year as she became a starter as well. In tandem, Bell and Kehres are two of the best all-around players in the Great Lakes Region, each ranking among the top three on the team in both kills and digs. Penrod performed well as a freshman, and despite a knee injury before the 2006 season, she continued to make key contributions to the Tigers' success.

Matesich was exemplary in her first go-around as a starter in 2005, and she now ranks among the top 10 in school history with 2,039 assists through the end of the 2006 season. Augustus, who also broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore, continued to show steady improvement in 2006, ranking second on the team in blocks.

The sophomore class of 2006 was led by outside hitter Jackie Williams (Rocky River, Ohio/Magnificat) and libero Laura Fender (Toledo, Ohio/St. Ursula). Williams topped the team in total kill attempts with 1,055 and No. 2 in blocks by the end of the season. Fender, who also battled injuries in 2006, led the team in digs with 852, the second highest total in school history. She has started every match of her collegiate career. In addition, sophomore middle hitter Jessica Kimble (Dennison, Ohio/Claymont) made the most of her first opportunity in the playing rotation, finishing among the team leaders in blocks while sharing time with Augustus.

Paco Labrador (Hiram '95) completed his fourth season as the Tigers' head coach with a phenomenal 132-23 overall record, including a 39-1 mark in NCAC regular season play. He has led the Tigers to three NCAC regular season and three NCAC Tournament championships, and his teams have three regional titles and a 9-4 record in four consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. Labrador was named Great Lakes Coach of the Year in 2004 and NCAC Coach of the Year in 2006.