Aug. 22, 2002
LAS VEGAS - Playing in one of the most highly competitive volleyball conferences in the country, the Rebels begin their seventh season under the tutelage of head coach Deitre Collins.
"We have been steadily building and we are ready for the next level," said Collins.
The 2002 Rebel volleyball team is arguably the most talented since UNLV joined the Mountain West Conference in 1999. UNLV welcomes four new faces to a wealth of returning talent that includes five returning starters.
OUTSIDE HITTER
UNLV should be extremely strong at the outside hitter position, going nine deep on the roster. Starters Patricia Assuncao and Leiana Oswald anchor one of the deepest positions on the squad.
Sharing the left side, Assuncao and Oswald finished 1-2 respectively in digs last season and combined to be a prominent offensive threat.
With the possibility of losing junior Michelle Johnson to injury for the 2002 season, the right side will be the most highly contested position on the floor. Serene Rauch seem to be early favorites for the position, but with six first-year players battling for the spot, it is anyone's position to win.
Sarah Fachner, Jodi Hendricks and Tarin Keith all hope to see time on the right side.
MIDDLE BLOCKER
The return of Blair Wilkes, Christina Kirschner and Sheila Ocasio-Clemente puts a wall up over the net that is as solid as any team's in the country.
Ocasio-Clemente led the nation in blocks last season and earned Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and all-conference honors. Coming off spring practice, her offensive skills have improved to nearly match those of her defense, giving the team another option in an already potent attack.
Wilkes led the Rebel offense last season with 294 kills and looks to do so again in her senior season. She set the school's single-season attack percentage record (.365) in 2001 and was named First Team All-MWC.
Kirschner came on strong at the end of last season and carried that momentum over to the spring. On any given day, she can dominate the net and will get a chance to prove it early in the season.
SETTER
Nicki King returns as the starting setter, but will have to fend off freshman Adriana Franco to retain her job. King brings more to the floor than a pure setter. In addition to 861 assists during her freshman campaign, she also added 166 digs and 29 blocks to her resume.
Franco brings a wealth of experience with her from the Brazilian junior leagues and expects to see plenty of playing time.
Collins expects them both to contribute and, depending on what each brings as the season progresses, platooning them remains a possibility.
LIBERO
The newly implemented libero position (see new rules on page 19) will likely be taken by either Shannon Chase, Tera Mayes or Nina Franchini. All are excellent passers, but Chase's senior leadership may tip the scale in her favor as the two vie for the position.
Chase finished the season with 161 digs, 17 kills and two blocks. Franchini played in only 55 games, but still managed 68 digs on the season.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST
Mayes and Amy Lewis both have setting backgrounds, but will be counted on as defensive specialists. Mayes practiced with the team all of last season and brings three years of collegiate experience with her. Lewis shared time with King at the setter position last season, but will now focus primarily on defensive specialist duties.
SCHEDULE
The Rebels will ready themselves for conference play with four straight tournaments and a pair of matches with Nevada, Reno and Olymp Praha.
UNLV will join UC-Riverside, Army and St. Mary's at the St. Mary's Tournament. They will follow with the UNLV/Gameworks Classic with Ball State, Texas Tech and California visiting. Depaul University will host the Rebels along with Oregon and UW-Milwaukee before UNLV travels to Fresno State's tournament along with Sacramento State and San Diego.
"I'm very excited about out our schedule this year," said Collins. "It is competitive, but also gives us a chance to take ourselves to another level. I think I scheduled it as such that our competition will be tough to beat, but will also give us a chance to win.
"The preseason tournaments will help us prepare for a tough conference schedule. Our season in conference will be the toughest ever because I think the teams are more balanced and anyone can win. We also have a good exhibition game against a really good Czechoslovakian team in Olymp Praha, which should be really good competition and give us an idea what the rest of the world is doing."
The Rebels will also hold their second annual Thanksgiving tournament from Nov. 29-30. UNLV will host Weber State, Oral Roberts and Tennessee.
"It is a great four-team tournament that we hope will help us prepare before going to the NCAA's," continued Collins. "The other three teams in the tournament have a really good shot at making it as well."
