VOLLEYBALL: Nationally Ranked Lutes Open this Weekend

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran will play four matches at the Boxer Kickoff hosted by Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. The Lutes play Cal State-East Bay (1 p.m.) and Rhodes (6 p.m.) on Saturday and Wisconsin-Stevens Point (10 a.m.) and Baruch (4 p.m.) on Sunday.

NATIONALLY RANKED: Pacific Lutheran, which finished as 2006 Northwest Conference co-champion, opens this season ranked No. 22 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Top 25 preseason poll. The Lutes take on a couple of difficult opponents during the first day of the Boxer Kickoff tournament. They open with perennial Division III independent power Cal State-East Bay, which made its ninth straight NCAA tournament appearance last year and compiled its 11th consecutive season with 20 or more wins. Rhodes, from Memphis, Tenn., finished the 2006 season ranked 16th nationally after advancing to the Central Region finals in just their first NCAA tournament appearance. On Sunday, the Lutes square off against Wisconsin-Stevens Point, which earned votes in the national preseason poll after returning all but one player from the 2006 squad that finished 24-12. The final match comes against Baruch, which is based in New York City.

SEASON OUTLOOK: Pacific Lutheran enters the 2007 season with heavy expectations. After earning the Northwest Conference co-championship last season, the Lutes were picked by the NWC coaches to repeat this season.

Following a year in which the team went 20-7 and 14-2 in conference play, the Lutes also have gained national attention, ranking 22nd in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll. In order to successfully defend their conference championship, however, the Lutes must overcome a key loss in 2006 Northwest Conference Player of the Year and 2nd team All-American Kati McGinn.

“We are very honored by the recognition we have been given in both the conference and national polls, but we have to remain focused on our goal of winning the conference championship,” said head coach Kevin Aoki, in his 12th year at PLU. “Preseason polls don’t mean anything once the matches begin. We have to step up and prove that we deserve to be ranked number one in the conference.”

The Lutes return a core of strong players, led by 2006 1st team all-conference and honorable mention all-America setter Gina Di Maggio. She is the latest in a long line of outstanding setters that have played for Aoki. Di Maggio will start for the fourth straight year and has never averaged less than 10.8 assists per game during her PLU career. Di Maggio, along with fellow seniors Megan Kosel and Stacie Matz, will anchor a team that returns five starters from last year’s squad. Kosel, the team’s libero, earned honorable mention all-conference honors last year after averaging 5.6 digs per game, while outside hitter Matz also picked up honorable mention recognition after averaging 4.0 kills and 3.9 digs per game.

Other key returnees to this year’s team include three sophomores who will continue to play an important role in their second year: middle blocker Kelcy Joynt, outside hitter Abby Mitchel and defensive specialist Lauren Poole. Joynt came on strong during her rookie season, averaging 2.4 kills and 0.7 blocks per game, and she looks ready to step it up to another level. Sophomore middle blocker Anella Olbertz, hampered by injury during the 2006 season, will help in the middle.

They will be joined by a very talented group of newcomers, highlighted by Oregon recruits Beth Hanna, a two-time 1st team all-state outside hitter for Clackamas High School, and Sarah Beaver, a 2nd team all-state setter last season while leading Gresham High School to the state championship.

“We believe that the talent level is there to achieve our goals for this season. We have some outstanding senior leadership, and we also have a number of young players that we expect to play an important role this season. If this group of players stays focused and works hard, they can do some great things,” said Aoki.

- PLU -