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VB MATCH NOTES: WTAMU Going For Fifth-Straight LSC Tournament Title This Weekend
Nov. 13, 2003
Complete LSC Tournament Notes in PDF Format
The West Texas A&M University volleyball team will host the Lone Star Conference Tournament, starting Thursday at The Box. The Lady Buffs are the No. 1 seed in the South Division, and have a first-round bye, and will play the winner of Texas Woman's - Eastern New Mexico on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Complete LSC Tournament Bracket in PDF Format
The Teams
The Lady Buffs are 27-7 on the year after beating New Mexico Highlands in four games Monday and defeating Abilene Christian and Angelo State last weekend to claim their seventh-straight LSC South title. WTAMU has won 10 of its last 11 matches, including three-straight, after having its 40-match win streak in The Box snapped by Lubbock Christian in five games on Oct. 30. The Lady Buffs have also won 19 of their last 21 matches, and will be going for their fifth-straight LSC Tournament championship.
Abilene Christian completed the season with a record of 25-10 on the year and 7-3 in LSC South action, which was good enough for second place in the division. ACU enters the tournament having won eight of its last 11 matches.
Cameron enters the tournament 20-11 overall on the season and 8-2 in LSC North play, finishing third in the North Division. The Aggies are entering the tournament on a six-match winning streak.
Central Oklahoma earned the top spot in the North and qualified with an overall record of 22-6 and 8-2 in division action. The Bronchos are currently amidst an eight-match winning streak and have won 12 out of their last 13 matches.
The Eastern New Mexico Zias are also on a hot streak as of late, having won seven of their last eight matches, with their only loss coming at the hands of WTAMU on Oct. 28. The Zias qualified as the third-seed in the South, with an overall record of 15-14, and 7-3 in LSC south play.
After opening the season 2-15, including an eight-match skid, Texas Woman's made a midseason streak, winning 12-straight matches, including eight LSC North matches. However, the Pioneers dropped their last two division matches and ended the season with an overall record of 15-18, 8-2 in LSC North, qualifying as the No. 2 seed.
The Coaches
WTAMU head coach Tony Graystone (Grand Valley State, 1992) became the Lady Buffs' all-time winningest coach on Oct. 28. Graystone, in his fifth year at the helm of the Lady Buffs, currently has a 163-17 (.906) career record, topping Debbie Hendricks' 159 wins from 1992-'98.
Graystone was the fastest coach to reach 100 wins in the history of the NCAA. He achieved the accomplishment in only 106 matches. The next closest to reach 100 wins was Gil Dobie, who coached Boston College football, reaching the milestone in 108 games.
Abilene Christian is coached by Brek Horn (Angelo State, 1996), who is in her fifth year leading the Wildcat program. Horn holds a 114-56 (.671) career record, with ACU's highest winning percentage for a head coach.
Former Lady Buff standout Sarah (Butler) Carthel is an assistant coach for ACU. Butler, a two-time NCAA-II National Player of the Year, was a three-time first-team All-American for WTAMU, leading the Lady Buffs to the 1997 National Title.
Cameron is coached by Kim Vinson (Hardin-Simmons, 1983), who is in her 14th season at the helm of the Aggies. Vinson has a 248-191 (.565) record at CU, and a 425-302 (.585) career record in her 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach. She was tabbed LSC North Coach of the Year from 1998-2000, leading the Aggies to the 1998 conference championship, the last team other than West Texas A&M to win the LSC title.
Central Oklahoma is led by Jeff Boyland (Mid-America Bible). Boyland has a 22-6 (.786) record in his first year with UCO, after coaching at Mid-America Bible (Okla.) for two years. Boyland had a 71-11 record at MABC, and led them to the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Assoc. Div. II National Championship.
Eastern New Mexico is coached by Mike Maguire (Mesa State, 1981), who is in his 17th season leading the Zias. Maguire has a 353-213 (.624) record at ENMU and 368-228 (.618) overall. He is a four-time recipient of the LSC Coach of the Year award, and led the Zias to the 1993 LSC title.
Texas Woman's head coach Shelly Barberee (Stephen F. Austin, 1994) is in her first year directing the Pioneers. Barberee has compiled a 15-19 (.441) record in her first season at TWU, after spending six seasons at Hill College, where she led them to two appearance in the NJCAA national tournament.
Region Rankings
WTAMU is ranked sixth in the latest NCAA-II Southwest Regional Rankings, released by the NCAA on Nov. 5.
The Lady Buffs are the highest Lone Star Conference team, followed closely by Abilene Christian ranked seventh, and Cameron ranked 10th.
These were the final region rankings, as the region tournament will be Nov. 20-22 hosted by the highest seed. {See Below for complete Southwest Region Rankings}
About the Lady Buffs
WTAMU leads the LSC statistics in hitting percentage (.238), kills (16.08 kpg), assists (14.31 apg), digs (20.11 dpg) and opponent hitting percentage (.158). The Lady Buffs are 17th in kills per game in the NCAA-II statistics (as of 11/09/03), 23rd in assists per game and 24th in digs.
WTAMU is led by two-time All-American 5-9 senior setter Kendra Morgan, who was named LSC South Setter of the Week for the fourth time this season, after establishing a new LSC career assists mark, as she now has 5,891 assists. The Amarillo, Texas native has recorded six triple-doubles on the season, most recently on Monday at New Mexico Highlands as she tallied 52 assists, 10 kills and tied a career-high with 23 digs. Morgan, who was named Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the week following the opening weekend, is averaging 12.01 apg, 3.63 dpg and 1.74 kpg. Morgan leads the LSC in hitting percentage (.355), ranks second in assists and eighth in digs.
Morgan has surpassed 1,000 assists for the fourth-straight season, as she has 1,441 assists this year. She currently has 5,943 career assists in 474 games, for an career average of 12.54 apg, which presently ranks fourth on the NCAA-II career assists per game list, as well as 12th for career assists, needing just 25 assists to crack into the Top 10. With 57 more assists, Morgan would become just the 11th player in NCAA-II history with 6,000 career assists. Morgan joins her sister, Holly Morgan, in the NCAA-II record book. Holly, a Lady Buff from 1995-'98, is 19th in digs per game (3.81 dpg).
Morgan has achieved a triple-milestone that is very rare in college volleyball, as she has 5,943 assists, 608 kills and 1,377 digs for her career.
Kacie Hyatt, a 5-5 senior libero leads the LSC and ranks 27th in the NCAA-II statistics in digs with 4.75 dpg. Hyatt, an Amarillo, Texas native, has been named LSC South Defensive Player of the Week four times this season. By posting 17 digs Monday night, Hyatt not only extends her WTAMU school-record for single-season digs with 599 digs, and moves into third place on the Lady Buffs' career digs list. Hyatt now has 1,494 digs, surpassing Michelle Hall's 1,490 digs from 1987-1990. She most likely won't catch No. 2 on the list, Morgan's sister Holly with 1,759 digs from 1995-1998. However, Hyatt moved into the NCAA-II Top 10 for single-season digs with the 30-point scoring format, as she now has 599 digs on the year. Hyatt's 37 digs on in WTAMU's five-game victory over Lubbock Christian on Sept. 9 is the most in the LSC this season.
A pair of freshmen provide the offensive charge for the Lady Buffs, in 5-11 outside hitter/middle blocker Ambra Clark and 5-9 outside hitter Jessica Scherr. Clark, an Amarillo, Texas native, leads the team with 3.92 kpg, and second on the team with 0.62 bpg. She pounded a team-high 21 kills Monday night. Clark is third in the LSC in hitting percentage (.299) and sixth in kills. Scherr, a Kingwood, Texas native, is second on the team with 3.34 kpg and 3.80 dpg, ranking sixth in the LSC in digs.
Freshman middle blocker Megan Spivey (6-0), leads the Lady Buffs and the conference in blocking with 1.13 bpg. Spivey, a Keller, Texas native, adds 2.25 kpg, and is eighth in the LSC in hitting percentage (.271).
The Lady Buffs have swept 15 times this season, including six of their last 10 matches, and have been swept twice. WTAMU is 5-2 in five-game matches.
About the Tournament Field
Abilene Christian completed the season with a record of 25-10 on the year and 7-3 in LSC South action, which was good enough for second place in the division. ACU enters the tournament having won eight of its last 11 matches, including a 3-0 sweep over Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday in the season-finale.
ACU leads the conference in blocks (2.23 bpg), and ranks second in hitting percentage (.238), service aces (2.12 sapg), third in assists (13.80 apg) and kills (15.04 kpg), fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.166) and sixth in digs (16.47 dpg).
The Wildcats, who have outhit their opponents by almost 300 kills this season, have a strong offensive attack, led by 5-8 sophomore outside hitter Michelle Bernhardt, who leads the team with 599 kills (4.61 kpg) and is second in digs with 385 (2.96 dpg). Bernhardt ranks second in the conference in kills and fifth in hitting percentage (.283). She also is 26th in the NCAA-II statistics in kills.
Another offensive power for the Wildcats is 5-9 senior outside hitter Haylee Hartline. Hartline is second on the team in kills recording 449 (3.51 kpg), which ranks 10th in the league statistics. She has also added 165 digs (1.29 dpg), and 74 total blocks.
Amanda Slate, a 6-0 sophomore middle blocker, is another strong contributor for the Wildcats. Slate leads the team with 144 blocks (1.11 bpg), and 88 service aces which is second in the conference, as well as 29th in the nation, and over 50 aces better than her next teammate. She has also tallied 367 kills (2.82 kpg), and 119 digs (0.92 dpg). Slate also ranks second in the conference in blocks, as well as sixth in hitting percentage (.276).
Lindsey Martin, a 5-8 sophomore setter, has dished out 1,275 assists (11.70 apg), ranking fourth in the LSC stats.
Defensively, ACU is led by 5-8 junior libero Kellen Morrow with 497 digs (3.85 dpg), which is fifth in the league.
The Wildcats have swept 16 times, including three-straight, and have been swept twice, including by West Texas A&M on Oct. 31. ACU is 4-5 in five-game matches.
Cameron enters the tournament 20-11 overall on the season and 8-2 in LSC North play, finishing third in the North Division. The Aggies are entering the tournament on a six-match winning streak.
CU leads the league in service aces (2.14 sapg), as well as ranking third in blocks (2.12 bpg) and opponent hitting percentage (.164), and are fourth in assists (13.19 apg), kills (14.71 kpg) and digs (17.19 dpg).
The Aggies are led by 5-11 senior outside hitter Kelsey Kosick with a whopping 604 kills (5.35 kpg), which leads the conference and is sixth in NCAA-II stats. Kosick adds 392 digs (3.47 dpg) on the season, as well as team and conference-best 101 service aces (0.89 sapg), which ranks fourth in the country, and is over 60 more than anyone else on the team. She ranks 10th in the league in hitting percentage (.257).
Morgan Meyer, a 5-9 outside hitter is another player to watch for the Aggies, with 396 kills (3.50 kpg) and 359 digs (3.18 dpg). She has also chipped in with 37 service aces and 39 total blocks (0.35 bpg). Meyer is ninth in the LSC in kills.
Junior 6-0 middle blocker Nicole Reinhart has recorded a team-high 116 blocks (1.03 bpg), 240 kills (2.12 kpg), 73 digs (0.65 dpg) and 17 service aces for the Aggies this season. Reinhart in fifth in the league in blocks and seventh in hitting percentage.
Vicki Ibarra, CU's 5-8 freshman setter, has dished out 1,355 assists (11.99 apg), which is third in the conference.
Junior 5-6 libero Jenny Head ranks second in the LSC in digs with 522 (4.62 dpg).
The Aggies have won via sweeping 10 times, and have been swept in six matches. CU is 4-1 in five-gamers, with the lone loss, to West Texas A&M on Sept. 27 at the LSC Crossover.
Central Oklahoma earned the top spot in the North and qualified with an overall record of 22-6 and 8-2 in division action. The Bronchos enter the tournament on an eight-match winning streak and have won 12 out of their last 13 matches. Their latest victory was a 3-0 sweep Saturday over Midwestern State.
UCO is tied for first in the LSC in opponent hitting percentage, rank second in assists (13.85 apg), kills (15.37 kpg), digs (18.62 dpg), third in hitting percentage (.202), fifth in blocks (2.00 bpg) and eighth in service aces (1.64 sapg).
The Bronchos are led by 5-7 senior middle blocker Tori Walker, who leads the team in kills with 466 (4.40 kpg), blocks with 113 total blocks (1.07 bpg) and digs, tallying 360 (3.40 dpg). Walker is second in the league in hitting percentage (.302) and third in both blocks and kills.
Kim Morgal, a 5-11 sophomore outside hitter, is second on the team with 331 kills (3.31 kpg).
Junior middle blocker Emily Whiteley adds 221 kills (2.17 kpg), and has recorded 234 digs (2.29 dpg), as well as 83 total blocks (0.81 bpg).
Directing the attack for the Bronchos is 5-7 senior setter Stacey Meek, who leads the conference in with 12.37 apg (1,311 assists), which ranks 25th in the nation. Meek also chips in 2.92 dpg (309 digs).
UCO has swept 11 matches, including five of its last seven. The Bronchos have been swept three times, including by West Texas A&M on Sept. 26 at the LSC Crossover.
The Eastern New Mexico Zias return to The Box for the fourth time this season for the conference tournament, having been swept by WTAMU here just over two weeks ago. ENMU also competed in two tournaments this season. Since the loss to the Lady Buffs, the Zias completed their season with three consecutive victories over Angelo State, Abilene Christian and Wayland Baptist. The Zias are on a hot streak as of late, having won seven of its last eight matches, with its only loss coming at the hands of WTAMU on Oct. 28. ENMU qualified as the third-seed in the South, with an overall record of 15-14, and 7-3 in LSC South play.
The Zias are ranked fifth in the conference statistics in opponent hitting percentage (.174) and digs (16.79 dpg), sixth in blocks (1.99 bpg), ninth in assists (11.85 apg) and hitting percentage (.163), as well as 10th in kills (13.24 kpg) and service aces (1.39 sapg).
ENMU's 5-10 junior outside hitter Anna Bellum leads the team with 457 kills (4.19 kpg). Bellum is second on the team in service aces, tallying 24 (0.22 sapg), she has added 379 digs (3.48 dpg) and 54 total blocks (0.50 bpg). Bellum ranks fifth in the conference in digs.
Junior outside hitter Kelley McGinty leads the team with 388 digs (3.50 dpg), which in ninth in the league, and is second on the team with 290 kills (2.61 kpg).
Freshman 5-11 middle blocker Grace George has had a break-out rookie season, leading the Zias with 120 total blocks (1.08 bpg), which is fourth in the LSC. This is almost 40 blocks more than her closest teammate. George has also chipped in with 227 kills (2.05 kpg), 84 digs (0.76 dpg) and 18 service aces (0.26 sapg).
Emilie Rodman, a 6-0 junior middle blocker, is ninth in the conference with a .266 hitting percentage, and adds 2.52 kpg (280 kills), and 81 blocks (0.73 bpg).
Jennifer Bullock, a 5-9 junior setter, organizes the attack for the Zias, recording 1,157 assists this season (10.61 apg), ranking sixth in the league, while also leading the team with 34 service aces (0.31 sapg) and fourth in digs with 277 (2.54 dpg).
ENMU has swept nine matches, and have been swept in eight matches, including by WTAMU on Oct. 28. The Zias are 7-1 in five-game matches, including winning their last two matches in thrilling full-frame fashion.
After opening the season 2-15, including an eight-match skid, Texas Woman's made a midseason streak, winning 12-straight matches, including eight LSC North matches. However, the Pioneers dropped their last two division matches, to Cameron and Central Oklahoma, forcing the three-way tie atop the division. TWU ended the season with an overall record of 15-18, 8-2 in LSC North, qualifying as the No. 2 seed.
TWU is second in blocks (2.18 bpg), third in digs (18.45 dpg), sixth in hitting percentage (.173), assists (12.46 apg), opponent hitting percentage (.176) and seventh in both kills (13.92 kpg) and service aces (1.69 sapg).
The Pioneers are led by 6-1 junior middle blocker Jenny Madrid, who leads the team with 355 kills (3.03 kpg), and is second in blocking with 95 total blocks (0.81 bpg), as well as 36 service aces (0.31 sapg).
Another presence at the net is 5-10 senior middle blocker Marci Brinkman, who pounded 315 kills (2.66 kpg), 111 total blocks (0.93 bpg) and has recorded 210 digs (1.76 dpg). Brinkman also leads the team with 38 service aces (0.32 sapg) this season.
Junior 5-8 outside hitter/defensive specialist Courtney Lewis has recorded 220 kills (2.24 kpg), 317 digs (3.23 dpg), 29 service aces (0.30 sapg), and 38 total blocks (0.39 bpg).
Paz Diaz, a 5-0 junior defensive specialist, is seventh in the LSC with 3.69 dpg (439 digs).
TWU has swept six opponents and were swept 10 times. The Pioneers are 1-4 in five-game matches.
Triple-Double Bubble, Toil and Trouble
Kendra Morgan has recorded six triple-doubles on the season and just missed eight, coming up one kill short vs. Augustana on Sept. 26 and one dig shy against TAMU-Kingsville on Oct. 3. The most recent triple-double occurred Monday night at New Mexico Highlands, as she registered 52 assists, 10 kills and tied a career-high with 23 digs. Morgan, who logged two triple-doubles in one week alone, has earned LSC Setter of the Week four times and Sports Imports/AVCA D-II National Player of the Week honors once, along the way.
Morgan is the first Lady Buff to accomplish the feat since Sarah Butler tallied a triple-double on Aug. 28, 1998, vs. Nebraska-Kearney. WTAMU records are incomplete as far as other triple-doubles, but Morgan is thought to be the first to not only accomplish it multiple times in a week, but also more than once in a season.
Morgan's Triple-Double Log:
- 9/9 vs. Lubbock Christian
- 9/13 vs. Incarnate Word
- 9/27 vs. Cameron
- 10/30 vs. Lubbock Christian
- 11/10 vs. New Mexico Highlands
^ - one off of career-high
WTAMU Coaching Ledger
WTAMU head coach Tony Graystone (Grand Valley State, 1992) became the Lady Buffs' all-time winningest coach on Oct. 28. Graystone, in his fifth year at the helm of the Lady Buffs, currently has a 163-17 (.906) career record, topping Debbie Hendricks' 159 wins from 1992-'98. He already is the Lady Buffs' winningest coach by percentage.
WTAMU's Top Five Winningest Coaches List
WTAMU's NCAA-II Record Streak Snapped at 77
On Oct. 10, WTAMU was upset by Angelo State in five-games, snapping the Lady Buffs' NCAA-II record for consecutive wins in all matches vs. conference opponents at 77-straight.
Dynamic Duo's Last Appearance In The Box
This weekend will be the last time that seniors Kendra Morgan and Kacie Hyatt will play in The Box in a Lady Buff uniform. These two, who are both from Amarillo, have been a dynamic duo since kindergarten. Their roads split in high school as Kacie went to Tascosa High and Kendra to Amarillo High, but they were on the same club team throughout high school. Their paths reunited here at West Texas A&M.
Together, they've led the Lady Buffs to three-straight LSC Championships and two Elite Eight appearances.
Lady Buffs Earning LSC Player of the Week Honors
Five different Lady Buffs have earned LSC South Player of the Week Awards. Four of those five have won multiple times, led by Kendra Morgan and Kacie Hyatt with four apiece.
Poll Positions
WTAMU is out of the AVCA Top 25 poll for the sixth-straight week, marking the first year since 1995 that the AVCA poll did not include the Lady Buffs. After beginning the season with a No. 12 ranking and climbing as high as ninth after the first week, WTAMU is currently second among others receiving votes. WTAMU has slid out of the AVCA Top 25 Poll for the first time since the final poll of the 1995 season, when the Lady Buffs posted a 30-8 overall record. WTAMU was not ranked in the poll for most of the 1993, '94, and '95 seasons.
WTAMU's Week-By-Week Poll Log
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