2011 Nationals Guide

5 To Watch
Senior outside hitter Courtney Reinhold, Eastern
Senior outside hitter Kimmie Dyer, Wittenberg
Senior setter Jessie Heavenrich, Christopher Newport
Senior outside hitter Michelle Madeja, Carthage
Senior setter Ashley Maher, St. Thomas

Random Factoid
Everyone knows that none of this year’s national quarterfinal teams have won the national championship, but only one of the eight programs has even been to a championship match (Cal Lutheran, 1995)

Predicted National Championship match
Wittenberg over Christopher Newport

Printable National Bracket
Interactive National Bracket
Digital D-III Volleyball Championship program

The Schedule at WU Field House in St. Louis, Mo.
11/18 (Times central, AVCA ranks)
12:30 p.m. #6 Christopher Newport (36-4) vs. #18 Cortland (42-1)
3:00 p.m. #9 Carthage (33-6) vs. #20 Springfield (34-2)
5:30 p.m. #4 Eastern (35-2) vs. #11 St. Thomas (32-4)
8:00 p.m. #5 Wittenberg (34-3) vs. #17 Cal Lutheran (29-6)
11/19
3:30 p.m. #6 Christopher Newport (37-4) vs. #9 Carthage (34-6)
6:00 p.m. #4 Eastern (36-2) vs. #5 Wittenberg (35-3)
11/20
5 p.m. #5 Wittenberg (36-3) vs. #6 Christopher Newport (38-4)

NATIONAL QUARTERFINALS TEAM CAPSULES

No. 4 Eastern University (35-2, No. 1 in Mid-Atlantic Region)
Location: St. Davids, Pa.
Nickname: Eagles
Colors: Maroon, white
Enrollment: 4,000
Founded: 1925
Finals Appearances: 2011
Key Wins: Rivier (3-1), Penn State Altoona (3-0)(3-0), Richard Stockton (3-0), New York Univ. (3-0), Lebanon Valley (3-0), Cabrini (3-0), Christopher Newport (3-2), Randolph-Macon (3-0), DeSales (3-0)(3-0), Hiram (3-2), Juniata (3-1)
Losses: Emory (1-3), Washington-St. Louis (0-3)
All-Conference Players (Freedom): Senior S Maria Horning (Player of the Year), senior OH Courtney Reinhold (1st), sophomore OH Kearby Benak (1st), freshman MB Katrina Pisch (2nd), junior L Kelly Groff (2nd), junior RS Rachel Wenger (2nd), freshman OH Lauren Sproles (Rookie of the Year)
All-Region Players (Mid-Atlantic): Senior S Maria Horning (1st), senior OH Courtney Reinhold (1st), sophomore OH Kearby Benak (1st), HC Mark Birtwistle (Coach of the Year)
All-America Players: Senior S Maria Horning (1st), senior OH Courtney Reinhold (1st), sophomore OH Kearby Benak (HM)

Team Leaders
Kills: Courtney Reinhold 532, Kearby Benak 287, Lauren Sproles 262
Blocks: Rachel Wenger 90, Katrina Pisch 61, C. Reinhold 60
Assists: Maria Horning 1346, R. Wenger 38, K. Pisch 32
Digs: Kelly Groff 561, M. Horning 338, C. Reinhold 330
Aces: C. Reinhold 83, K. Benak 43, M. Horning 39

No. 5 Wittenberg University (34-3, No. 2 in Great Lakes Region)
Location: Springfield, Ohio
Nickname: Tigers
Colors: Red, white
Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1845
Finals Appearances: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011
Key Wins: Emory (3-1), Juniata (3-1), Maryville-TN (3-1), Heidelberg (3-0)(3-0), Hope (3-0), Hiram (3-0)(3-1)(3-0), Carthage (3-0), Rose-Hulman (3-0), Calvin (3-1)
Losses: Calvin (2-3), Otterbein (2-3), UW-Whitewater (0-3)
All-Conference Players (NCAC): Senior MH Katie Sumner (Player of the Year), senior OH Kimmie Dyer (1st), junior L Christina Gilene (2nd, Libero of the Year), senior RS
Christine Simpson (2nd), freshman setter Meghan Vodopich (Newcomer of the Year), HC Paco Labrador (Coach of the Year)
All-Region Players (Great Lakes): Senior MH Katie Sumner (1st), senior OH Kimmie Dyer (1st), junior L Christina Gilene (1st)
All-America Players: Senior MH Katie Sumner (2nd), senior OH Kimmie Dyer (3rd), junior L Christina Gilene (3rd)

Team Leaders
Kills: Kimmie Dyer 330, Christine Simpson 218, Katie Sumner 210
Blocks: K. Sumner 97, Miranda Sagle 75, C. Simpson 68
Assists: Meghan Vodopich 573, Hallie Donathan 548, Courtney Lauber 120
Digs: Christina Gilene 545, K. Dyer 287, Hannah Riley 252
Aces: M. Vodopich 64, K. Dyer 45, C. Gilene 30

No. 6 Christopher Newport University (36-4, No. 3 in South Region)
Location: Newport News, Va.
Nickname: Captains
Colors: Royal blue, silver
Enrollment: 4,623
Founded: 1960
Finals Appearances: 2009, 2010, 2011
Key Wins: Cal Lutheran (3-0), Carthage (3-1), UW-Whitewater (3-0), Juniata (3-1), Salisbury (3-2)(3-0), Washington & Lee (3-0), Maryville (3-0), Emory (3-0)
Losses: Coast Guard (2-3), Washington-St. Louis (0-3), Randolph-Macon (2-3), Eastern (2-3)
All-Conference Players (USAS): Senior S Jessie Heavenrich (Player of the Year), junior MB Bailey Jensen (1st), junior RS Christie Fellows (1st), junior L Abby Hogge (2nd, Libero of the Year), junior OH Cory Harris (2nd), freshman RS Jessie Kolden (3rd, Rookie of the Year), HC Lindsay Birch (Coach of the Year)
All-Region Players (South): Senior S Jessie Heavenrich (1st), junior MB Bailey Jensen (1st), junior L Abby Hogge (1st), junior RS Christie Fellows (HM)
All-America Players: Senior S Jessie Heavenrich (2nd), junior MB Bailey Jensen (3rd), junior L Abby Hogge (3rd)

Team Leaders
Kills: Cory Harris 318, Bailey Jensen 315, Christie Fellows 284
Blocks: B. Jensen 131, C. Fellows 90, Chelsea McClure 80
Assists: Jessie Heavenrich 936, Alyssa Kidd 305, Brooke Moore 101
Digs: Abby Hogge 585, C. Harris 316, J. Heavenrich 250
Aces: J. Heavenrich 38, C. McClure 33, B. Moore 28

No. 9 Carthage College (33-6, No. 1 in Midwest Region)
Location: Kenosha, Wis.
Nickname: Lady Reds
Colors: Red, white, black
Enrollment: 2,500
Founded: 1847
Finals Appearances: 2011
Key Wins: Saint Benedict (3-0)(3-0), UW-Eau Claire (3-1), Concordia-Moorhead (3-1), UW-Whitewater (3-0)(3-1), Southwestern (3-0), St. Thomas (3-0), Wheaton-IL (3-2)(3-1), Chicago (3-2), Elmhurst (3-1)(3-2)(3-0), Millikin (3-0), Hope (3-0), Edgewood (3-0), Washington-St. Louis (3-2)
Losses: Christopher Newport (1-3), Washington-St. Louis (0-3), Elmhurst (2-3), UW-Platteville (0-3), Calvin (0-3), Wittenberg (0-3)
All-Conference Players (CCIW): Senior OH Michelle Madeja (Player of the Year), senior S Drewann Pancratz (1st), senior OH Lauren Dembkowski (1st), senior MB Cindy Cavanagh (1st), junior L Izzy Shaindlin (HM)
All-Region Players (Midwest): Senior OH Michelle Madeja (1st), senior OH Lauren Dembkowski (1st), senior setter Drewann Pancratz (1st)
All-America Players: Senior OH Michelle Madeja (3rd), senior OH Lauren Dembkowski (3rd), senior S Drewann Pancratz (HM)

Team Leaders
Kills: Michelle Madeja 479, Lauren Dembkowski 392, Cindy Cavanagh 307
Blocks: C. Cavanagh 112, Jordan Burkholder 98, L. Dembkowski 64
Assists: Drewann Pancratz 1234, Hannah Cahoon 114, Izzy Shaindlin 59
Digs: I. Shaindlin 643, L. Dembkowski 508, M. Madeja 398
Aces: L. Dembkowski 33, I. Shaindlin 33, H. Cahoon 24

No. 11 University of St. Thomas (32-4, No. 2 in Central Region)
Location: St. Paul, Minn.
Nickname: Tommies
Colors: Purple, gray
Enrollment: 5,304
Founded: 1885
Finals Appearances: 2010, 2011
Key Wins: St. Scholastica (3-1)(3-0)(3-2), UW-Stevens Point (3-1), Northwestern-MN (3-1), Occidental (3-2), Saint Benedict (3-1), Cornell (3-1), Bethel (3-1)(3-0), UW-Eau Claire (3-0), Concordia-Moorhead (3-0)
Losses: Southwestern (2-3), Carthage (0-3), Concordia-Moorhead (0-3)(2-3)
All-Conference Players (MIAC): Senior S Ashley Maher (1st), junior L Kaitlain Wachter (1st, Defensive Player of the Year), freshman MB Kelly Foley (1st, Rookie of the Year), senior MB Taylor Cross (1st)
All-Region Players (Central): Senior S Ashley Maher (1st), junior L Kaitlain Wachter (1st), freshman MB Kelly Foley (1st, Freshman of the Year)
All-America Players: Senior S Ashley Maher (2nd), junior L Kaitlain Wachter (3rd), freshman MB Kelly Foley (HM, Freshman of the Year)

Team Leaders
Kills: Kelly Foley 442, Jill Greenfield 373, Taylor Cross 321
Blocks: K. Foley 86, T. Cross 79, Paige Brimeyer 61
Assists: Ashley Maher 1433, Katie Maher 58, P. Brimeyer 43
Digs: Kaitlain Wachter 722, J. Greenfield 466, A. Maher 278
Aces: J. Greenfield 39, Kari Anne Nass 35, A. Maher 27

No. 17 California Lutheran University (29-6, No. 2 in West Region)
Location: Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Nickname: Regals
Colors: Purple, gold
Enrollment: 2,545
Founded: 1959
Finals Appearances: 1995, 2006, 2011
Key Wins: Chapman (3-1)(3-0), Occidental (3-1), Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (3-2)(3-0), New York Univ. (3-0), Whitworth (3-2), Colorado Coll. (3-1)
Losses: Christopher Newport (0-3), Southwestern (1-3), Westmont (1-3), Emory (1-3), Occidental (1-3)(2-3)
All-Conference Players (SCIAC): Junior S Jackie Russell (Player of the Year), freshman OH Kylie McLogan (1st), junior MB Shannon Pearson (1st), senior RS Casy McWhirk (2nd), junior OH Rachel Smith (2nd)
All-Region Players (West): Junior S Jackie Russell (1st), freshman OH Kylie McLogan (1st), junior MB Shannon Pearson (1st), senior RS Casy McWhirk (HM)
All-America Players: Junior S Jackie Russell (1st), freshman OH Kylie McLogan (HM), junior MB Shannon Pearson (HM)

Team Leaders
Kills: Kylie McLogan 400, Shannon Pearson 302, two tied with 284
Blocks: Lesley Smith 93, S. Pearson 75, Casy McWhirk 47
Assists: Jackie Russell 1191, C. McWhirk 70, Jena Chavez 59
Digs: Jacki Richards 439, Rachel Smith 377, C. McWhirk 350
Aces: J. Russell 40, K. McLogan 40, S. Pearson 37

No. 18 State University of New York at Cortland (42-1, No. 1 in New York Region)
Location: Cortland, N.Y.
Nickname: Red Dragons
Colors: Red, white
Enrollment: 7,200
Founded: 1868
Finals Appearances: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2011
Key Wins: Richard Stockton (3-1), Nazareth (3-0), Skidmore (3-0)(3-0), New York Univ. (3-1), Mount Union (3-0), Fredonia (3-0), Clarkson (3-0)(3-0), Baruch (3-2), NYU-Poly (3-0), Elmira (3-1)(3-1), Southern Vermont (3-0), Middlebury (3-1)
Losses: UMass Boston (1-3)
All-Conference Players (SUNYAC): Senior OH Ashley Coyle (Player of the Year), junior S Kristen Guercio (1st), senior MH Sheena Asibey (1st), senior MH Kaitlyn Cooper (2nd), HC Pam Hoerup (Coach of the Year)
All-Region Players (New York): Senior OH Ashley Coyle (1st), senior MH Sheena Asibey (1st), junior S Kristen Guercio (HM), HC Pam Hoerup (Coach of the Year)
All-America Players: Senior OH Ashley Coyle (HM), senior MH Sheena Asibey (HM)

Team Leaders
Kills: Ashley Coyle 479, Sheena Asibey 373, Kaitlyn Cooper 282
Blocks: K. Cooper 116, S. Asibey 102, Aubrey Barrett 81
Assists: Kristen Guercio 1595, A. Barrett 103, Krissy Silk 29
Digs: Jaclyn Lawrence 568, Katie Wick 527, A. Coyle 465
Aces: A. Coyle 71, K. Wick 42, K. Silk 26

No. 20 Springfield College (34-2, No. 1 in New England Region)
Location: Springfield, Mass.
Nickname: Pride
Colors: Maroon, white
Enrollment: 1,441
Founded: 1885
Finals Appearances: 1995, 1996, 2011
Key Wins: Westfield St. (3-0)(3-0)(3-0), Roger Williams (3-1), Amherst (3-0), Coast Guard (3-1), Tufts (3-1)(3-1), Clarkson (3-1), Elmira (3-1), Bowdoin (3-0), Middlebury (3-1), Wellesley (3-2), UMass Boston (3-1)
Losses: Wellesley (1-3), Tufts (1-3)
All-Conference Players (NEWMAC): Senior MB Lauren Torvi (Player of the Year), sophomore OH Tessa Smolinski (1st), senior L Itza Nieves (2nd), senior RS Kim Giaquinto (2nd), HC Moira Long (Coach of the Year)
All-Region Players (New England): Senior MB Lauren Torvi (1st), sophomore OH Tessa Smolinski (1st), senior L Itza Nieves (1st)
All-America Players: Senior MB Lauren Torvi (1st), sophomore OH Tessa Smolinski (HM), senior L Itza Nieves (HM)

Team Leaders
Kills: Lauren Torvi 517, Tessa Smolinski 421, Kim Giaquinto 246
Blocks: L. Torvi 150, Mary Consol 139, K. Giaquinto 92
Assists: Molly Giannattasio 774, Whitney Miller 496, K. Giaquinto 34
Digs: Itza Nieves 539, T. Smolinski 322, Meaghan Hart 270
Aces: M. Hart 50, K. Giaquinto 36, M. Consol 33

-Ricky Nelson