Tulane Volleyball Team Opens Preseason Camp Friday
Aug 7, 2008 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 7, 2008
NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane volleyball team officially reports for team meetings Friday to begin preparations for the upcoming season. All 13 of last season's team return for the Green Wave, the favorite to win Conference USA in the preseason forecast, as well as two newcomers.
"We're very excited to get to work," head coach Liz Kritza said. "This is going to be a challenging season, but with this very experienced group, it is one we've been looking forward to."
The first practice is slated for Saturday at 9 a.m., one of two on the day.
The expectations are high for this year's squad, with three returning All-Americans, five returning All-Conference USA players, and every player back from last season's 28-6 squad.
Four members of the Green Wave were named to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team, including three-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree Sara Radosevic. The senior from Zagreb, Croatia, was a unanimous pick for the team after she ranked 16th in the NCAA in kills per game with 5.01 and 15th in service aces per game, averaging 0.60 last season.
Joining Radosevic on the Preseason All C-USA Team were senior outside hitter Bridget Wells, junior outside hitter Ksenija Vlaskovic, and junior libero Jenn Miller. Wells, an opposite side hitter from Raleigh, N.C., also earned AVCA All-America honorable mention and First Team AVCA All-Midwest Region honors. The First Team All-Conference USA selection turned in a breakout performance in her junior season, improving her hitting percentage by almost .200 points to finish in the top 10 in Conference USA at .323.
Junior Ksenija Vlaskovic, was the third hitter honored. The native of Pozarevac, Serbia, earned her second-straight All Conference USA award in 2007, after finishing sixth in C-USA in kills per game with 4.41, joining Radosevic among the single-season leaders in kills at Tulane. She earned AVCA All-District Honorable Mention Honors after being named the AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year last year.
Jenn Miller, the 2007 C-USA Libero of the Year and another AVCA All-America honorable mention selection, was also named Preseason All-Conference. The junior from San Pedro, Calif., finished second in C-USA in digs per game with 5.30 last season and also earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors as she once again set a new single-season record for digs in a season. After becoming the first Tulane player in history with 500 digs in 2007 (with 507), she became the first Wave player to hit 600, with 609 in 2007. She sits fifth all-time at Tulane in digs with 1,116.
"An important thing for our student-athletes to remember is that with the buzz surrounding our program, everyone starts at 0-0," Kritza added. "The level of attention on this program from the volleyball community is extremely positive, but it is how hard we work over the next 123 days which is truly meaningful. In order for this season to be a success, we have to have to take our focus and intensity to a higher level, starting right now."
Tulane opens its season on August 29 against Missouri in Utah, at the BYU Molten Classic. Tulane will also face BYU and Utah State before the home opener on Monday, September 1 at Fogelman Arena against MEAC Champion Florida A&M. Tulane Volleyball Team Opens Preseason Camp Friday
