The Youngstown State volleyball team will open the 2012 season and the coach Mark Hardaway era on Friday as part of the four-team Spartan Showcase tournament hosted by Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. The Penguins will begin their 38th season against Eastern Kentucky on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in the first match of the tournament at Jenison Field House. On Saturday, the YSU will play the host Spartans at noon and McNeese State at 5:30 p.m. Live stats will be available for all three matches, and the links are below:
The Penguins embark on the 2012 season with some momentum and energy from a solid finish last year and Hardaway's hiring. Hardaway has 344 victories at the Division I level as a head coach and assistant, and he's convinced that the Penguins are much better than their 5-24 record from a year ago. Three of those five wins came in the final five matches, and YSU won more than twice the number of sets last year than it did in 2010.
Scouting the Opponents
- Eastern Kentucky returns six starters from last year's team that went 14-18 overall and 9-11 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Colonels were picked to finish sixth in the OVC in the preseason coaches poll, and junior outside hitter Ashley Edmond was named to the preseason all-conference squad. YSU is 0-9 all-time against the Colonels, but the teams have not played since Halloween in 1987.
- Michigan State has 11 returning letterwinners from last year's squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and went 22-12. The Spartans had five seniors on last year's team, including All-American Jenilee Rathje. Junior middle blocker Alexis Mathews was named preseason All-Big Ten after ranking fourth in the conference in blocks per set last season. The Spartans received 30 votes in the AVCA Division I Coaches' Preseason Poll, which is the 30th-most in the country. Saturday's contest will be the first between Youngstown State and Michigan State.
- McNeese State returns two starters and its libero from the 2011 team that finished 10-20 overall and 5-11 in the Southland Conference. The Cowgirls were picked to finish eighth out of 10 teams in the conference preseason poll. McNeese State has four returning letterwinners and three returning starters on its roster to go along with eight newcomers. Libero Whitney Ellisor is the only senior on the team. YSU and McNeese State have never met on the volleyball court.
A Look at the Roster
Eight experienced juniors highlight the 2012 Youngstown State volleyball squad. Kelsey Wagy is the lone senior, and there are three sophomores and five freshmen. Juniors Missy Hundelt and Casey D'Ambrose were appointed to team captain roles by Coach Mark Hardaway in the spring. The captains are two of six players returning who started at least 20 matches last season. Six of the 16 players on the roster are middle blockers.
Hardaway Takes Over for 2012
Mark Hardaway was hired on Jan. 11 to be the ninth head volleyball coach in Youngstown State history. He has been on the bench for 344 victories at the Division I level, including 10 as a head coach. He spent 10 years as an assistant coach at Bowling Green, two years as the head coach at Western Kentucky and eight as the head coach at Evansville. He has spent 24 years total as a collegiate coach. Hardaway took over for previous head coach Krista Burrows, who resigned last December to open a family business in Belize.
Priorities During Fall Camp
There were two primary areas in the fall practice season where Coach Mark Hardaway thought a small improvement would go a long way: ball control and playing smarter. The Penguins focused almost exclusively on passing and defense during the early part of camp. They ranked eighth in the Horizon League last year with 13.07 digs per set. In terms of playing smarter, Hardaway emphasized defensive positioning, cutting down on unforced errors and being committed in the weight room. The first-year head coach also worked to add depth at the outside and right-side hitter positions by training YSU's middle blockers at the pins. There are six middle blockers on the squad and just three true pin hitters.
Hundelt One of Horizon's Top Players
Junior Missy Hundelt returns as one of the top players in the Horizon League. Last year she led the Horizon League in aces per set and was third in kills per set last year, and she continued to be strong in all aspects by recording 356 kills, 48 total blocks and 230 digs. She has 554 kills, 426 digs and 82 blocks through two seasons. Hundelt split time between the left and right side last season, but the plan is for her to move to the right side full time in 2012.
Talented Players Alongside Hundelt
Based on last season, Missy Hundelt should have plenty of help at the net in 2012. Fellow junior Jackie Carlisle finished just out of the top 10 in the Horizon League in kills per set last year with 2.71, and her .201 hitting percentage was the best by a Penguin outside hitter since 2003. Additionally, sophomores Alexis Egler and Shannon Watson were two of the top newcomers in the conference last season. Egler became the first freshman since 2004 to post at least 200 kills and 200 digs, and she ranked sixth among league freshmen in kills. Watson's 80 blocks led the Penguins and ranked second among freshmen in the conference. Watson also posted 146 kills last year, which ranked ninth among league freshmen.
Guins Picked Eighth in Preseason Poll
Youngstown State was picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League in a preseason poll of the league's coaches. Milwaukee, which has won the regular season title eight of the past nine seasons, was unanimously chosen as the preseason favorite. Cleveland State was picked to finish second, followed by Valparaiso, UIC, Green Bay, Loyola, Wright State and Youngstown State.
Up Next
Youngstown State will travel to Baltimore to play four matches in two days at the Coppin State Invitational. The Penguins will play the host Eagles and Bryant on Aug. 31, and they'll play North Carolina A&T and Chicago State on Sept. 1.
