Sept. 29, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Thursday, Sept. 30
Gonzaga at San Diego, 7 p.m.
Gametracker and Video available
Saturday, Oct. 2
Gonzaga at Saint Mary's, 1 p.m.
Live Stats and Video available
THIS WEEK: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team begins West Coast Conference play this week when it travels to California for two matches. The Bulldogs will open their WCC slate with a match at the University of San Diego, who was picked the preseason favorite to win the conference this year and who finished second in the WCC a season ago, Thursday at 7 p.m. GU closes out the opening WCC weekend at Saint Mary's College on Saturday. SMC was picked second in the coaches' preseason poll and are the reigning champs.
HOW CAN YOU WATCH THE TEAM THIS WEEKEND: Gametracker and video are available for the Gonzaga University women's volleyball match at the University of San Diego Thursday and live stats and video are available for the Zags contest at Saint Mary's Saturday. All links will be available at GoZags.com.
GAMETRACKER AND LIVE STREAMING FOR ALL HOME MATCHES: All Gonzaga University women's volleyball home matches are available via Gametracker and live streaming on the internet at www.gozags.com. Check the Gonzaga website for all Gametracker and live streaming links. Gametracker for selected away matches are also available. Check out gozags.com for all Gametracker links.
TWITTER: Yes, the Gonzaga University Bulldogs are on twitter! You can find us at www.twitter.com/GonzagaBulldogs. We provide inside scoop on all Bulldog athletics as well as in-game updates for all home and selective road matches. CHECK US OUT!
FACEBOOK: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team is on Facebook. Search for Gonzaga University women's volleyball when signed into facebook and LIKE the page. Get inside scoop on the team, see photos from the season, read recaps of matches and watch video. ENJOY!
HEAD COACH Dave Gantt ENTERS SECOND SEASON: Gonzaga University women's volleyball head coach enters his second season at the helm of the Zags. Gantt previously coached at Montana State University and Oregon State University. To check out Gantt's full bio please head to http://www.gozags.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/gantt_dave00.html.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team is currently on a 12-match losing streak. After the Bulldogs opened the season 2-2 at the North Dakota Classic, they have hit a road block, dropping 12 in a row and only winning nine sets in those 12 matches. Gonzaga was match-point away from winning two matches at the Zags Volleyball Classic, but couldn't pull them out, falling 3-2 to both Seattle University and the University of Idaho. Gonzaga is led by senior Caitlin Cozad who is averaging 2.16 kills, 1.13 digs and 0.87 blocks per set.
BULLDOGS PICKED SIXTH IN WCC COACHES PRESEASON POLL: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team has been selected to finish sixth in the West Coast Conference 2010 season according to a preseason vote of the league's head coaches. The Bulldogs received 18 votes in this year's poll after losing just two starters off a team that went 10-18 and 5-9 in the conference a season ago.
Women's Volleyball 2010 Preseason Poll
1. San Diego 48 (6)
2. Saint Mary's 43 (1)
3. Pepperdine 36 (1)
4. Santa Clara 33
5. San Francisco 23
6. Gonzaga 18
7. Portland 12
8. Loyola Marymount 11
(First place votes)
ABOUT SAN DIEGO: The University of San Diego, currently ranked No. 24 in the latest AVCA Top 25, holds a 9-4 overall mark on the season and has won seven of its last eight matches. Three of the Toreros four losses have been to ranked opponents, including a heartbreaking 3-2 setback to then-No. 5 University of Hawai'i. The only loss not to a ranked opponent was a stunning five-set defeat at the hands of Cal State Fullerton. USD is led by both Amy DeGroot and Ali Troost, who are both averaging double-doubles. DeGroot is averaging 3.50 kills and 3.50 digs per set, while Troost is averaging 3.53 kills and 2.16 digs per set. San Diego holds the 37-9 lead in the all-time series with Gonzaga University and has won 31-straight. In 2009, the Toreros defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion and swept the Zags at the Martin Centre.
ABOUT SAINT MARY'S: Saint Mary's College women's volleyball team is currently 8-5 on the season and has lost three of its last four. The Gaels last three losses have each been to ranked opponents. SMC fell 3-1 at then-No. 6 University of Hawai'i, dropped a 3-1 decision to then-No. 1 Stanford University and was swept by then-No. 10 University of California. The Gaels, receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, are led by Lauren Corp and Megan York, both averaging double-doubles. Corp is averaging 2.90 kills and 3.35 digs per set, while York is averaging 2.67 kills and 3.57 digs per set. Saint Mary's leads the all-time series with Gonzaga University 24-23 and have won four-straight. The last time the Bulldogs defeated the Gaels was on Oct. 27, 2007 at the Martin Centre. GU earned a 3-1 victory.
ALL-TOURNAMENT - PIONEER CLASSIC, NORTHWEST CHALLENGE , NORTH DAKOTA CLASSIC & ZAGS VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC: Senior Schylur Edelman, a transfer from the University of Colorado, was named to the All-Tournament squads at both the Northwest Challenge and the Pioneer Classic. Junior Denise Van de Mortel was also named All-Tournament at the Pioneer Classic and garnered All-Tournament team honors at the Zags Volleyball Classic this weekend. Senior Allyson Powell earned All-Tournament honors at the North Dakota Classic.
HITTING A MILESTONE: Senior Allyson Powell became the 11th player in Gonzaga University women's volleyball history to break the 1,000 dig plateau. The captain from Selah, Wash., currently has 1,029 digs to her credit. She is averaging 4.18 digs per set this season and has collected double-digit digs in 14 of the Zags 16 matches. Her season-high is 31 against Cal State Bakersfield.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES FOR DENNY: Junior setter Denise (Denny) Van de Mortel has registered a team-high six double-doubles this season. She finished with 36 assists and 10 digs in a 3-2 heartbreaker at the University of North Dakota; tallied a season-high 50 assists with 12 digs in a 3-2 win over Cal State Bakersfield; dished out 34 assists and had a season-high 15 digs in a loss to Portland State University; had 34 assists and 12 digs in a 3-1 setback to the University of Denver, passed out 42 assists and dug 15 balls in a 3-2 setback to the University of Idaho, and had 46 assists and 11 digs in a 3-1 loss at the University of Montana. On her career, Van de Mortel has 24 double-doubles.
WHERE THEY STAND IN WEST COAST CONFERENCE STATS: Five Gonzaga University women's volleyball players are ranked in the top 10 in multiple statistical categories in the West Coast Conference. Senior Allyson Powell is third in digs per set at 4.18, while junior setter Denise Van de Mortel is sixth in assists per set at 8.68. Three spots in the Top 10 of blocks are occupied by the Bulldogs. Senior Schylur Edelman is fifth at 0.94 per set. Redshirt freshman Meredith Crenshaw is sixth at 0.91 per set and senior Caitlin Cozad is seventh at 0.87 per set.
FIRST TASTE OF NEW CONFERENCE: Gonzaga University women's volleyball transfers Schylur Edelman and sophomore Kylie Edinger will get their first taste of West Coast Conference action this weekend. For the past three seasons, Edelman was a member of the University of Colorado volleyball program, which played in the Big 12 Conference. Edinger played one season at Montana State University before transferring to Gonzaga. Montana State plays in the Big Sky Conference.
CAN SHE BREAK IT?: Senior Allyson Powell, the starting libero and captain for the Gonzaga University women's volleyball team, was three dig shy of breaking the single-season digs record last year; a record that has stood since 1986. Powell finished the season with 434 digs. Linda Bushinski is the current holder of the record with 436 set during the 1986 campaign. Powell could have a chance this year to break the mark, having collected 255 digs thus far this season.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Gonzaga University women's volleyball squad has played at home just three times thus far this season. After this weekend's opening road West Coast Conference action, the Bulldogs will have been on the road 11 different days, playing 15 matches.
ON DECK: After beginning the West Coast Conference season on the road, the Gonzaga University women's volleyball team returns to the Martin Centre to host its first conference matches of the season. The Bulldogs will host the University of San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and Santa Clara University on Saturday, Oct. 16 at Noon.
