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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Makes NCAA Tournament
11/28/1999 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 28, 1999
Salt Lake City - IT?S TOURNAMENT TIME: Utah (21-9, 10-4 MWC) makes its second-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Last year they traveled to Madison, Wisconsin where they posted a first-round win over Illinois State, but fell to Nebraska in four-games. This year, Utah will play at Hawaii, which is also hosting the NCAA Championship Finals (Dec. 16-18) in Honolulu. The Utes will play Colorado (18-11) in the first round on Thursday, Dec. 2. The winner of that match advances to meet the winner of the Hawaii (27-1) vs. Prairie View (18-16) match on Friday, Dec. 3. The 1999 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship provides for a field of 64 teams. First- and second-round matches will be played at sixteen campus sites December 2-5. Winners will advance to four regional tournaments December 9-12, also to be played on the campuses of participating institutions. The four regional winners will meet for the championship December 16 and 18 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH: Utah?s overall record is currently 21-9, 10-4 in the MWC. Utah defeated San Diego State in five games (6-15, 15-5, 12-15, 16-14, 15-8) to open the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament, Wed., Nov. 24 in Provo, Utah. The Utes lost to 11th ranked Colorado State in five games, (3-15, 15-10, 15-10, 13-15, 15-17), Fri., Nov. 26 in the semi-final match of the MWC Tourney in Provo, Utah. Utah will match-up against the University of Colorado in the First Round of the NCAA Tourney, held in Honolulu, Hawaii Dec. 2-5. Possible starters for the Utes in the match-up against the University of Colorado are: Graciela Torres-Lopez (Sr., S), McKelle Stilson (So., MB), Jen Snow-Richards (Jr., OH), Alisa Geddes (So., OH), Brooke Barton (Jr., OH), Adrianne Bradley (So., OH), or Lucie Turkov? (Jr., DS). Utah?s all-time assists leader Graciela Torres-Lopez has added 1352 assists thus far to her career total of 5,058. The Utes add four transfers and four true freshmen to this year?s roster.
HEAD COACH BETH LAUNIERE: In her tenth season, Beth Launiere has not only resurrected the Ute volleyball program and turned it into a consistent winner, she has also guided Utah to unprecedented success on the national level. Under Launiere?s leadership, Utah made its first-ever appearance in 1999 and advanced to the second round. It is the crowning achievement of Launiere?s tenure at Utah, in which she has posted a 179-137 (.567) career record. The winningest coach in school history, Launiere has overseen a significant transformation since her arrival in 1990. In the last six years alone, Launiere has guided the Utes to four consecutive 20-win seasons, five overall, five upper division finishes in the Western Athletic Conference and her first upper division finish in the new Mountain West Conference.
Quoting LAUNIERE: ?In the last week, I felt really comfortable about our chances of going to the NCAAs, I felt like we did everything we needed to do and then I started to have some doubts in the past couple of days. Around five o?clock today, I started getting fired up with anticipation. I?m so happy for our team because we really exceeded our expectations when we started this season. In August, we had eight newcomers and we lost three of our key offensive players from last year?s team and I didn?t know where the offense was going to come from for this season. We?ve got really good leadership from our captains this year and they are a group of kids with great attitudes. It seemed like every match we had this season, somebody different stepped-up.?
SERIES SHORTS: The University of Colorado leads the all-time series with Utah, 3-1. In their last meeting on Aug. 30, 1997, Utah lost to Colorado, in three games in Salt Lake City. Colorado defeated the Utes, 3-0 on Sept. 13, 1996 and Oct. 28, 1988 in Boulder, Colo. On Oct. 18, 1975, Utah defeated Colorado, in Boulder, Colo. by default.
MWC All-Conference Team Named: Utah had four players selected as members of the inaugural All-Mountain West Conference Volleyball Teams, Tues., Nov. 23. Sophomore McKelle Stilson was a first-team (MB) selection. Senior setter Graciela Torres-Lopez and sophomore outside hitter Alisa Geddes were second-team picks, while junior Brook Barton was named the second-team defensive specialist of the year.
STILSON LEADS UTAH: Sophomore middle blocker McKelle Stilson leads Utah?s offense and plays a key role in the defense as well. In 25 out of 30 matches, Stilson has posted double figures in kills. Stilson currently leads Utah with 419 total kills. She averages 3.71 kills per game and currently posts a .308 hitting percentage. Stilson is also a threat to any opponent?s offense. She has racked up 19 block solos and 126 blocks assists, for 145 total blocks to date. Stilson leads the team, averaging 1.28 blocks per game. Stilson posted a career-high 31 kills for a .328 hitting percentage and five total blocks vs. San Diego State in the opening match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament (11-24-99). Stilson has posted 20-plus kills in four matches and one 30-plus kill match this season. On Oct. 5, she was named the Mountain West Conference?s Volleyball Athlete of the Week.
Torres-Lopez Reaches 5,000 Career Assists: Utah?s all-time assists leader Graciela Torres-Lopez reached her 5,000th assist on Wed., Nov. 24 in the opening match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against San Diego State. Torres-Lopez racked up 72 assists vs. SDSU and another 53 assists vs. Colorado State in the semi-final game of the tourney. Torres-Lopez totaled 1206 assists her freshman year in 1996. In 1997, she posted 1091 and in 1998 she racked up 1409. Torres-Lopez has added 1352 assists so far in 1999 making her career total 5,058.
MWC STATISTICAL LEADERS: Utah as a team leads the conference in digs, averaging 15.66 DPG. The Utes are currently third in blocks (2.72 BPG), in kills (16.11 KPG) and in assists (14.10 APG). Utah is third with a .210 team hitting percentage and eighth in service aces (1.40 SAPG). Individually, Utah ranks among some of the best in the conference. Senior co-captain, Graciela Torres-Lopez is currently third in the MWC in assists, averaging 12.29 assists per game. Sophomore transfer, Alisa Geddes currently ranks fourth in the MWC in digs, averaging 3.13 digs per game. McKelle Stilson currently ranks fifth in the conference in blocks, averaging 1.28 blocks per game and eighth in kills, averaging 3.71 kills per game. Stilson is sixth in the conference with a .308 hitting percentage. Adrianne Bradley is fifth in digs, averaging 2.79 digs per game, while teammate Brooke Barton is 11th in digs, averaging 2.48 digs per game. Freshman Brenda Beal is tenth in blocks, averaging 1.19 BPG and 12th with a .254 hitting percentage. Newcomer Katrena Ellett is 11th in blocks, averaging 1.01 blocks per game.
Player Notes: In 18 out of 30 matches, sophomore transfer Alisa Geddes has recorded double figures in digs. She has posted 20-plus digs in three matches this season. In 19 out of 30 matches, Geddes has posted double figures in kills. Geddes posted a career-high 23 kills Oct. 20, 1999 vs. Notre Dame. Geddes posted a career-high 26 digs Oct. 23 at Colorado State. In 16 out of 30 matches, outside hitter Adrianne Bradley has totaled double figures in kills. In 14 out of 30 matches, Bradley has posted double figures in digs. Bradley posted a career-high 23 kills in the semi-final match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against Colorado State (11-26-99). She recorded a career-high 19 digs Sept. 10 vs. Georgia. Jen Snow-Richards posted a career-high 19 kills for a .208 hitting percentage and totaled 13 digs and five total blocks in the opening match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against San Diego State (11-24-99). Freshman Brenda Beal posted a career-high 19 kills vs. California on Sept. 25. Beal posted a career-high .778 hitting percentage (7-0-9) on Sept. 11 vs. George Mason. Beal recorded a career-high nine total blocks in the semi-final match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against Colorado State (11-26-99). Junior Brooke Barton recorded a career-high 14 kills and a career-high .478 hitting percentage, Oct. 8 vs. San Diego State. Barton posted a career-high 18 digs in the opening match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against San Diego State (11-24-99). Lenka Urbanov? recorded a career-high 15 kills and totaled 10 digs in the semi-final match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against Colorado State (11-26-99). Senior setter Graciela Torres-Lopez has recorded three triple-doubles so far this season. On Sept. 7 vs. Weber State, Torres-Lopez posted 10 kills, 60 assists and 11 digs. On Sept. 17 vs. Pepperdine, she totaled 12 kills, 60 assists and 16 digs. Torres-Lopez recorded 12 kills, 62 assists, and 10 digs on Oct., 20 vs. Notre Dame. In 10 out of 23 matches, she has posted double figures in digs.
Tidbits: All but one loss this season has been to top 25 teams beginning with No. 18 Northern Iowa on Sept. 1, No. 9 Pepperdine on Sept. 17, No. 2 Stanford on Sept. 24, No. 10 BYU on Oct. 15, No. 11 Colorado State on Oct. 23, No. 10 BYU on Nov. 12 and No. 11 Colorado State on Nov. 19 and Nov. 26. Utah?s only other loss so far this season came from Georgia, a non-ranked team, on Sept. 10 in five games (16-14, 11-15, 12-15, 15-7, 13-15). Utah ranks 30th in the nation in home match attendance. In 12 matches at home, the Utes have brought in 9,234 fans, an average of 770 fans per match. Eight of Utah?s wins have come in three games. Ten of Utah?s wins have come in four games, while three wins have come in five games. Four of Utah?s losses have come in three games, one loss came in four games, while the remaining four losses have come in five games. Utah is 8-4 overall, 5-2 in the MWC at home games and 6-3 overall, 5-2 at away games. Utah is 10-5 in non-conference competition this season and is 7-2 overall at a neutral site.
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