Aug. 27, 2001

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Gonzaga University Volleyball Weekly Notes
For Immediate Release August 27, 20001

Les Schwab Cougar Challenge - Pullman, WA - Aug 31-Sept. 1

Fri., Aug. 31 - 11 a.m. - Gonzaga vs. Boise State
Fri., Aug. 31 - 4 p.m. - Gonzaga vs. No. 12 Pacific (1-1)
Sat., Sept. 1 - Noon - Gonzaga vs. Washington State
Sat., Sept. 1 - 4 p.m. - Gonzaga vs. Bradley

FRONT-LINE RETURNERS: Sophomores Abby Cullen, Natasha Kozen, and Jamie VanMeetren are some of the key returners on Gonzaga's front-line after the Zags posted a 5-26 record last season. Cullen is the Zags top returning player averaging 2.13 kills per game last season while VanMeetren and Kozen both played in over 70 games. VanMeetren averaged 1.38 kills and Kozen 1.73 kills per game. Gonzaga will have to replace the production of All-West Coast Conference selection Heather Osberg. Osberg led the Zags with 3.51 kills per game as she rounded out her collegiate career.

SHE CAN DIG IT: While Cullen, Kozen and VanMeetren return to stabilize the Zags front-line, sophomore Heather Signor will once again be the defensive anchor in the Gonzaga backcourt. Signor returns after leading the team with 278 digs last season. Signor was also a valuable service weapon for the Bulldogs finishing the season with 13 service aces.

RALLY SCORING: The NCAA has instituted a new scoring policy in which all matches this season will be done in a rally scoring format. The best three-out-of-five format will include games one through four to 30 points and the final game, if necessary, to 15 points. Last season Gonzaga played in four rally scoring games compiling a 1-3 record in those games. Three of Gonzaga's rally scoring games were decided by three points or less.

CZECH CONNECTION: Two of Gonzaga's new faces this season bring a flare for international competition to the Zags line-up. Juniors Katerina Chroustovska and Zuzana Tumova both come to Gonzaga from Prague Technical University in the Czech Republic. Both players have played on club teams in the women's first league division in the Czech Republic. Current Gonzaga assistant coach Lucie Vratnickova also hails from the Czech Republic.

COUGAR CLASSIC PREVIEW: Gonzaga heads to Pullman and the Cougar Classic for the eighth consecutive year. The Zags have posted a 6-20 record in the Cougar Classic going 1-3 in last year's edition of the annual tournament. This year's field should be a good early test for the Zags as 2000 NCAA teams Washington State and Pacific join Boise State and Bradley. Pacific enters the season ranked 12th in the AVCA Poll while Washington State is 29th.

BOISE STATE BRONCOS: Gonzaga opens the 2001 season against Boise State University. This will be the 14th meeting between the Bulldogs and Broncos with Boise State leading the series 9-4 including wins in the last six meetings. Last season BSU downed the Zags in four games at the Boise State Thanksgiving Classic. Boise State finished last season with a 9-19 record including a 3-13 mark in the Big West Conference. This season juniors Tamiesha Hastings and Chera Sommer lead the Broncos attack as new members of the Western Athletic Conference. Fred Sturm enters his third season as Boise State's head coach.

PACIFIC TIGERS: The Bulldogs will get an early test in their second match of the season as they face the nationally ranked Pacific Tigers. This will be only the second meeting between the two schools with Pacific winning the previous match 3-0 in Stockton, CA. Pacific enters the Cougar Classic at 1-1 after getting an early start on the season at the State Farm Classic. The 12th ranked Tigers defeated No. 4 Wisconsin 3-1 before falling to No. 1 Nebraska 1-3. Senior Jamie Hamm and sophomore Megan Hauschild lead the Tigers offense early in the season with both players averaging over 3 kills per game. Jayne Gibson-McHugh enters her first season as the Tigers head coach after serving 13 years on the staff as an assistant coach.

WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS: Gonzaga opens Saturday morning of the Cougar Classic against host school Washington State. This will be the 22nd meeting between the regional rivals with WSU leading the all-time series 16-5 including a current 11-match winning streak against the Bulldogs. Last season Washington State cruised by Gonzaga in three games during the season opener for both clubs. Washington State opens the season ranked just outside the AVCA Top 25 after playing in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Cougars offense will be led by junior outside hitters LaToya Harris and Chelsie Schafer. Cindy Fredrick begins her 13th season as the Washington State head coach.

BRADLEY BRAVES: Gonzaga will be facing Bradley University for the first time when the schools meet on Saturday to close out the Cougar Classic. Last season Bradley finished 15-12 with an 8-10 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. All-MVC selection Samantha Hardwick returns to lead the Braves after averaging over seven assists per game last season. Head coach Scott Luster enters his fifth season with the Braves and has all six starters from last season returning.

WINDLIN-JANSEN ENTERS SIXTH SEASON: Head coach Eva Windlin-Jansen enters her sixth season guiding the Gonzaga volleyball program. An assistant coach during the 1996 season, Windlin-Jansen was named interim head coach with eight matches remaining in the season. The Bulldogs finished 5-3 and Windlin-Jansen was named head coach following the season. The 1989 University of Oregon graduate has compiled a 33-96 record in her previous five seasons with the Zags.

ZAGS SELECTED 8TH IN WCC POLL: After going 1-13 in the West Coast Conference last season, Gonzaga was selected to finish 8th in the preseason coaches poll. Pepperdine, ranked 17th in the preseason AVCA Top 25, was selected to win the WCC with seven first-place votes. Two WCC schools were also ranked in the AVCA Top 25 poll with defending conference champion Santa Clara at 22nd and Loyola Marymount at 24th.

ZAGS IN SEASON OPENERS: Gonzaga is 7-8 in season openers since the program moved to NCAA Division I status in 1986. The Zags have won four of the past five openers with Windlin-Jansen compiling a 3-1 record in season openers at Gonzaga. A streak of four straight season opening wins was halted last season when Washington State defeated Gonzaga in the season opener.

NEW SETTER TO PACE ZAGS ATTACK: With the departure of setters Emilie Heggli and Jessie Holly, Gonzaga will have a new setter running the show when they open the 2001 season. Junior transfer Katerina Chroustovska appears to have won the starting job with freshmen Melissa Perry (Placerville, CA) and Shawn Paulino (Amity, OR) fighting for the back-up role.

NEW FACES TO SEE ACTION UP FRONT: While the notion of a new face at the setter position is a sure thing, several other new faces may also crack the line-up when the Zags open up the season. Freshmen Lauren Armas and Christina Davis have impressed the coaching staff with their preseason training camp performances. Armas comes to Gonzaga after a stand-out high school career in Fresno, CA, while Davis was an All-State performer in Idaho Falls, ID.

NEW FACES ON THE SIDELINE: Gonzaga welcomed a new coach during the off-season as Greg Poitras joined the Zags staff. Poitras played college volleyball at the University of British Columbia and was an assistant coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette last season.