Wittenberg Volleyball Welcomes Strong Field For Annual National Invitational

An enthusiastic crowd, like the one that rooted the Tigers on in the 2010 NCAA Division III Tournament, is expected for  the Wittenberg National Invitational.

Springfield, Ohio —  The Wittenberg University volleyball team, ranked fifth in the 2011 preseasonAmerican Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division III poll, welcomes some of the top teams in the nation for the annual Wittenberg National Invitational Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2-3.

The National Invitational is the first of two regular season tournaments Wittenberg is scheduled to host during the 2011 season. The Tigers, who have qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament each of the last 16 years, will be joined second-ranked Emory University, sixth-ranked Juniata College, Maryville College (Tenn.) and Hanover College. Three matches are scheduled for Friday, starting at 4 p.m., and five matches will take place Saturday, starting at 10 a.m.

Click here for complete tournament website.

"It's an honor to host these four quality programs this weekend in our invitational," said Wittenberg Head Coach Paco Labrador, who enters 2011 with a career record of 259-38. "I'm sure all the teams are excited to be challenged and to begin the 2011 season playing opponents who will bring out the best in them."

The Tigers are coming off a 2010 season in which they finished 32-3 overall and won the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular season and tournament championships for a league-best 16th time each. After losing to eventual national champion in the NCAA Division III Tournament Round of 16, Wittenberg lost just one starter to graduation in All-American setter Amy Cox, class of 2011.

Whoever takes over as the team's primary setter will have a host of quality attacking options, starting with All-America middle hitters Katie Sumner, class of 2012 from Dublin, Ohio, and Miranda Sagle, class of 2012 from Springfield, Ohio. Also back after ranking among the team leaders in kills the last two years in All-NCAC outside hitter Kimmie Dyer, class of 2012 from Copley, Ohio.

The Field:

• Emory is coming off a national runner-up finish in 2010. The Eagles finished 36-5 a year ago, including a 10-1 mark in the loaded University Athletic Association.
• Juniata has won two national titles in the last decade and is coming off a 34-6 record in 2010. The Eagles have not lost a conference match in nearly 30 years, but they are playing their first season since 1977 without legendary head coach Larry Bock, who took the same position at Navy.
• Maryville finished 14-18 a year ago, including a 6-1 mark in the Great South Athletic Conference. The Scots have won eight conference titles in the last 11 years and have received nine NCAA Division III Tournament bids since 1981.
• Hanover is coming off a 21-12 record in 2010. The Panthers' season ended in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals.

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Erin Pence

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