Sept. 14, 1999
Fri., Sept. 17 Oral Roberts vs. No. 19 USC 5:00 p.m. New Orleans vs. UNLV 7:30 p.m. Sat., Sept. 18 Consolation Match 1:00 p.m. Championship Match 4:00 p.m. Matches at Lied Gymnasium, Las Vegas, Nev. (1,500 capacity)
The UNLV volleyball team, which is off to its best-ever start to a season with a 6-0 record, returns home and will host the UNLV Invitational on Sept. 17-18. Oral Roberts and No. 19 USC will open the action up with a match at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, and New Orleans vs. UNLV will follow at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 18, the two losers from Friday will face each other at 1:00 p.m. in the consolation match, while the two winners will battle it out in the championship match at 4:00 p.m. All matches will be played at Lied Gymnasium (1,500) on UNLVs campus.
THE OPPONENTS
New Orleans (4-3) have posted wins over Troy State, Northwestern State, Mercer and Buffalo, while losing to Samford, Montana State and Villanova. UNO finished the 1998 season with an overall record of 20-12. The Privateers are coached by Julie Stempel Ibieta, who is in her first year with the school and has a three-year career head coaching record of 29-42. The team is led by Jessica Perdue (4.36 kpg) and Alison Howard (10.88 apg).
Oral Roberts (6-3) have defeated SW Louisiana, Butler, Drake, Arkansas-Little Rock, Fresno State and Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Golden Eagles have lost to Arkansas, Cal Poly and Eastern Washington. ORU finished the 1998 season with an overall record of 29-6. The Golden Eagles are coached by amy Farber-Knowles, who is in her third season at ORU with a record of 35-9. She has a four-year career head coaching mark of 70-47. ORU is led by Juliana Moser (4.12 kpg) and Anna Moreno (12.47 apg).
No. 19 (3-2) Southern California have defeated North Carolina, Nevada and Tennessee. The Trojans have lost to Long Beach State and Hawaii. USC finished the 1998 season with an overall record of 24-6. The Trojans are coached by Jerritt Elliott, who is in his first year on an interim basis. USC is led by Antoinette Polk (4.89 kpg) and Tracy Lindquist (8.30 apg).
THE REBELS
UNLV (6-0) is off to its best start in program history. The Rebels have defeated UMKC, Iowa State, Southern Illinois, Louisville, Rutgers and Maryland. UNLV returns nine players and five starters from last years squad that finished the season with an overall record of 23-8. The Rebels finished tied for second in the Western Athletic Conferences Mountain Division with a mark of 11-3. Head Coach Deitre Collins is in her fourth season and has a career record of 43-48. The Rebels are led by Angie Sylvas (4.11 kpg) and Robyn Shea 11.09 apg)
NEW FACES
The Rebels welcome the addition of six newcomers in Shannon Chase, a 5-9 freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist from Las Vegas, Nev., who transferred to UNLV from Colorado State (but didnt play intercollegiate volleyball there), Alicia Erickson, a 6-4 sophomore middle blocker from Las Vegas, Nev., who transferred from Washington State, Oge Fitz, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter from San Jose, Calif., who transferred from Cal State Fullerton, Maria Julia Goes, a 5-9 sophomore setter from Sorocaba, Brazil, who transferred from National American University, Leiana Oswald, a 6-0 freshman middle blocker from Burnaby, B.C., and Robyn Shea a 5-10 junior setter from Salt Lake City, Utah, who transferred from Weber State.
REBEL RETURNERS
The Rebels return nine players from last years squad. Included in those nine are five seniors. The Rebels return two all-conference players in second team All-WAC selections Angie Sylvas and Justine Kamelamela. Sylvas, a 5-11 senior outside hitter, was also selected to the All-WAC Tournament Team last season. She led the team in kills per game and digs per game last season. Kamelamela, a 6-0 junior outside hitter, was second on the team in kills per game and third in digs per game. Also returning are Nora Bernson, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter, Christel Eves, a 5-10 senior middle blocker, Danielle Gerlach, a 6-0 senior outside hitter, Amber Graham, a 5-11 sophomore middle blocker, Jeanette Graves, a 6-1 senior outside hitter, Ana Ramos, a 5-4 junior defensive specialist, and Kendra Wilkinson, a 5-4 senior defensive specialist.
PROBABLE REBEL STARTERS
No. Player Pos. Ht. Yr-Exp. Hometown/Last School 1999 UNLV Statistics3 Nora Bernson OH 5-10 So.-1V Albuquerque, N.M./St. Pius X HS 1.76 dpg, 0.24 sapg14 Christel Eves MB 5-10 Sr.-3V Henderson, Nev./Basic HS 2.05 dpg, 1.81 kpg2 Julia Goes S 5-9 So.-TR Sorocaba, Brazil/National Amer. Univ. 10.54 apg, 1.85 dpg6 Jeanette Graves OH 6-1 Sr.-1V West Jordan, Utah/Salt Lake City CC 2.95 kpg, 0.70 dpg4 Justine Kamelamela OH 6-0 Jr.-2V Aiea, Hawaii/Maryknoll HS 3.84 kpg, 2.89 dpg15 Angie Sylvas OH 5-11 Sr.-1V Las Vegas, Nev./San Jose State 4.11 kpg, 2.74 dpg
LAST WEEK Last week, UNLV ran its recrod to 6-0, which is the programs best start ever. At the Maryland Tournament, the Rebels defeated Louisville 15-4, 12-15, 15-8, 13-15, 15-12, Rutgers 15-8, 15-11, 15-11, and Maryland 15-5, 11-15, 15-12, 15-9. Junior Justine Kamelamela and sophomore Amber Graham were both selected to the all-tournament team.
NEXT WEEK
UNLV will be back on the road next week as it travels to Pepperdine and Santa Clara. The Rebels will face Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 7:00 p.m. and will battle Santa Clara in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 25, also at 7:00 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
UNLV has never faced New Orleans, Oral Roberts or Southern California in volleyball.
UNLV CHOSEN TO FINISH FOURTH IN MWC BY COACHES
The 1999 Mountain West Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll predicted UNLV will finish fourth out of eight teams in the conference following the 1999 campaign. The following is the order that the MWC coaches predicted the conference will end up this season: Brigham Young, Colorado State, Utah, UNLV, Wyoming, New Mexico, San Diego State and Air Force.
UNLV RECEIVES VOTES IN PRESEASON POLL FOR FIRST TIME
For the first time in program history, the UNLV volleyball team opened a season after being mentioned in the USA Today/AVCA preseason national poll. UNLV received votes three separate weeks in 1998, but has never received prior mention in a preseason national poll. This year, the Rebels received one vote in the preseason poll. Topping the preseason poll was Penn State, followed closely by Stanford, Nebraska, Hawaii and 1998 NCAA champion Long Beach State.
UNLV DOMINATES STATISTICALLY
UNLV has some impressive stats over its opponents after the first two weekends of play...UNLV is out-hitting its opponents .242 to .112 and has recorded 320 kills to 218. The Rebels have also recorded 288 assists to their opponents 183, have recorded 53 service aces to their opponents 30, and is out-digging opponents 299-236.
REBEL REWARDS
UNLV won the title of the Official All-Star Cafe/UNLV Volleyball Classic with a 3-0 mark. Senior Angie Sylvas was named MVP of the tournament, while senior Christel Eves and junior Robyn Shea were both named to the all-tournament team....UNLV was declared runner-up at the Maryland Tournament based on total games, even though both UNLV and Colorado State went 3-0 at the event. Junior Justine Kamelamela and sophomore Amber Graham were named to the all-tournament team.
REBELS OFF TO BEST START EVER
With their 6-0 record, the Rebels are off to their best start in program history. UNLVs previous best start was in 1979 and 1998, when the team started 5-0 both seasons.
EVES TIES REBEL MARK AT MARYLAND
Senior Christel Eves recorded 8 service aces against Maryland, which tied the Rebel record for most service aces in a match. In 1984, Debbie Brooks had 8 vs. UC San Diego.
REBEL DOUBLE-DOUBLES
So far this season, three Rebels have recorded a doubl-double in a match. Justine Kamelamela has three (16 kills, 13 digs vs. Louisville, 12 kills, 10 digs vs. Rutgers, 16 kills, 16 digs at Maryland), Angie Sylvas has two (21 kills, 17 digs vs. Louisville, 15 kills, 11 digs at Maryland), and Julia Goes has one (42 assists, 10 digs vs. Rutgers).
COLLINS BECOMES REBEL VBS ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH
With UNLVs win over Southern Illinois, head coach Deitre Collins became the programs all-time winningest coach. The win over SIU was her 40th with the program and it surpassed Karen Lamb, who compiled 39 wins from 1987-85.
UNLV DOMINATES AT HOME
UNLV has now won 16 of its last 17 home matches at Lied Gymnasium including its last 14. The Rebels were 13-1 at home during the 1998 season.
REBELS LEAD CONFERENCE IN SERVICE ACES
UNLV is atop the Mountain West Conference statistical leaders in service aces with 2.52 per game...The Rebels are tied for first in winning percentage, third in hitting percentage, fourth in digs, fifth in kills and assists, and seventh in blocks...Individually, UNLV has a player ranked in the MWC in each statistical category. In service aces, Angie Sylvas is second, Christel Eves is third and Justine Kamelamela is sixth. In kills, Sylvas is third and Kamelamela is seventh. In assists, Robyn Shea and Julia Goes is sixth and seventh, respectively. In blocks, Amber Graham is eighth, and in hitting percentage, Sylvas is 10th.
CAREER HIGHS SET THIS YEAR
Justine Kamelamela tied her career high of 16 digs at Maryland...Christel Eves tied her career high of 15 digs vs. Louisville...Eves also recorded a career-high 8 service aces at Maryland as she tied the Rebel record for most service aces in a match...Amber Graham recorded a career-high7 digs vs. Louisville...Graham also tied her career high of 7 total blocks vs. Louisville and set a new career high of 3 block solos...Angie Sylvas recorded a career-high 6 service aces vs. Maryland.
OTHER REBEL NOTES
UNLV had 17 service aces in its match at Maryland...That figure is only two off the UNLV record of 19 set at California in 1984...UNLVs next highest service ace total in a match this season is 9.
HEAD COACH DEITRE COLLINS
Head coach Deitre Collins is now in her fourth year at UNLV. Collins, who is a former member of the U.S. National Team and a three-time NCAA All-American middle blocker at Hawaii, led UNLV to a 23-8 record in 1998. The team advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament and recorded its best-ever win percentage for a season. For her efforts, Collins was honored with the 1998 WAC Mountain Division Co-Coach of the Year award. Before being named head coach of the 15th intercollegiate athletics program at UNLV on July 10, 1995, she served as an assistant at the University of South Alabama for one season (1994). Prior to that, she was an assistant at Houston (1993) and Northern Arizona (1993-94). Collins, who is the fourth coach in the history of Rebel volleyball, graduated from Hawaii in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast communications. She was the first-ever volleyball player to be named the Broderick Cup recipient, earning the award as the best female collegiate athlete in 1983. Last season, Long Beach States Misty May became the second. Collins also is a two-time Broderick Award honoree, being named the best collegiate volleyball player for the seasons of 1982 and 1983. Those same years, she led the Rainbow Wahine to consecutive NCAA championships as well as a record of 110-5 in her final three seasons. She is UNLV volleyballs all-time winningest coach by wins and her career head coaching record is 43-48.
ASSISTANT COACH KEVIN HAMBLY
Kevin Hambly (BYU, 98) is in his third year as assistant coach at UNLV. He is a former Brigham Young standout volleyball player, playing for the Cougars from 1992-95. The starting middle blocker from 1993-95, Hambly was a first-team All-American in 1995. He was the head coach of Highline, a mens club team in Northridge, Calif., prior to joining the Rebel coaching staff.
ASSISTANT COACH CARRIE PENFIELD
Carrie Penfield (Arizona 98) is in her first season as assistant coach at UNLV. Penfield came to UNLV from the U.S. National Team where she played from January to April, 1998. At Arizona, she was All-Pac-10 her senior season.
DIR. OF VOLLEYBALL KEE WILLIAMS
Kee Williams (Hawaii 95) is in her second year with UNLV. Williams came to UNLV from the U.S. National Team where she was training before suffering a career-ending injury. A star at Hawaii from 1990-94, she was a first-team All-American selection and a three-time All-Big West Conference honoree.
LAST YEAR
In only its third season back on campus after an 11-year hiatus, the 1998 UNLV volleyball team finished the season 23-8 and recorded its best winning percentage for a season in program history. The team finished second in the WACs Mountain Division with an 11-3 mark. The team, which qualified for its second WAC Tournament, recorded its first-ever postseason win over Utah and advanced to the semifinals falling to No. 6 Brigham Young. Head Coach Deitre Collins was named the WACs Mountain Division Co-Coach of the Year. The team eclipsed its win total of the year before of nine in only its 13th match of the season and set the record for most consecutive wins with 10 at one point during the year. UNLV was dominant at home, going 13-1 at the Lied Gymnasium.
LAST YEARS INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
UNLV had three players named to the All-WAC team in 1998. Meri-de Boyer, who has graduated, was UNLVs first-ever first team All-WAC member, while Angie Sylvas and Justine Kamelamela were both selected to the second team. Sylvas was also named to the All-WAC Tournament Team, which made her the first Rebel ever to be named to that team. Christel Eves, Boyer and Kamelamela were all named WAC Player of the Week at one point during the season. Kamelamela was named to the all-tournament team of the Carolina Classic, the Official All-Star Cafe/UNLV Volleyball Classic and the Nanook Classic. Eves was on the all-tournament team at the Carolina Classic. Sylvas was named MVP of the Nanook Classic, while Boyer was named all-tournament at the Nanook Classic.
USA TODAY/AVCA TOP 25 POLL
Poll No. 2 - Sept. 13, 1999
Rank Team Pts Rec. Prv. Rnk. 1 Pacific (55) 1494 8-0 1 2 Penn State (1) 1404 8-1 2 3 Hawaii (3) 1392 6-0 3 4 Lng Bch St (1) 1306 6-0 4 5 Nebraska 1261 7-2 5 6 Florida 1201 6-2 6 7 Stanford 1108 3-1 7 8 Texas 1093 6-0 8 9 UCSB 1034 6-0 9 10 Pepperdine 940 5-0 11 11 UCLA 938 5-0 10 12 BYU 823 4-1 12 13 Wisconsin 651 4-2 13 14 Arizona 644 6-2 15 15 Clemson 618 7-0 18 16 Texas A&M 610 7-1 17 17 Colorado State 537 7-0 19 18 Ohio State 430 3-1 14 19 USC 389 3-2 20 20 Arkansas 330 7-2 16 21 Michigan 315 5-1 25 22 Colorado 210 5-1 23 23 Illinois 191 3-2 22 24 Kansas State 142 5-2 24 25 L. Marymount 132 5-2 NR
Others receiving 30 or more points: University of San Diego (106), North Carolina (44), Northern Iowa (30). Italics indicate 1999 UNLV opponent
1999 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The inaugural Mountain West Conference Volleyball Tournament will be held November 24-27 at Smith Fieldhouse on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. All eight conference teams will compete in the single elimination tournament. Tickets are available through the BYU ticket office at (800) 322-2981 and media credentials will be handled by the Mountain West Conferences Elaine Adams (719) 533-9510.
1999 PRESEASON COACHES POLL
School National Rank1. Brigham Young No. 72. Colorado State No. 243. Utah Received Votes4. UNLV Received Votes5. Wyoming6. New Mexico7. San Diego State8. Air Force
UNLV TICKET PRICES Admission for UNLV volleyball matches is $4.00 for adults, $2.00 for students, faculty, staff and Senior Rebel Club members. UNLV students and Junior Rebel Club members will be admitted free of charge. Groups of up to 20 people are $15 and groups over 20 people are $1 per person. Season tickets may be purchased for $35 and a year-long Olympic Sports Pass for $75. For more ticket information, please call (702) 895-UNLV.
STANDINGS As of 9/13/99...
MWC Matches All Matches W L Pct. W L Pct.Colorado St. 0 0 .000 7 0 1.000UNLV 0 0 .000 6 0 1.000Air Force 0 0 .000 6 1 .857BYU 0 0 .000 4 1 .800Utah 0 0 .000 6 2 .750Wyoming 0 0 .000 5 3 .625New Mexico 0 0 .000 3 5 .375San Diego St. 0 0 .000 2 4 .333
UNLVS RECORD WHEN IT:
wins the first game.. 6-0
wins the second game.. 4-0
wins the third game.. 6-0
wins the fourth game.. 1-0
plays a three-game match.. 4-0
plays a four-game match.. 1-0
plays a five-game match.. 1-0
has more kills than opp.. 6-0
has fewer kills than opp.. 0-0
has equal kills as opp.. 0-0
has higher hitting % than opp.. 5-0
has lower hitting % than opp.. 1-0
has equal hitting % as opp.. 0-0
has more team blocks than opp.. 3-0
has fewer team blocks than opp.. 2-0
has equal team blocks as opp.. 1-0
has more digs than opp.. 5-0
has fewer digs than opp.. 0-0
has equal digs as opp.. 1-0
has more assists than opp.. 6-0
has fewer assists than opp.. 0-0
has equal assists as opponent.. 0-0
has more service aces than opp.. 5-0
has fewer service aces than opp.. 1-0
has equal service aces as opp.. 0-0
