Aug. 24, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team is wrapping up their final preparations for the 2009 season this week as they prepare to head to East Lansing, Mich. to participate in the MSU Showcase. The Tar Heels will take on No. 12 Southern California as well as facing off against Albany and host Michigan State. Carolina will take on Albany at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 28 and then play No. 12 USC at 12:30 p.m. ET and Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 29.
The Tar Heels return a variety of talent from the 2008 season, losing three starters from a year ago. Four seniors will play their final seasons in Carolina blue with Heather Brooks and Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland holding down the middle blocker positions for the third consecutive season. Both Brooks and Hanson-Tuntland were named preseason All-ACC selections in 2009 after earning second team honors in 2008. Brooks ranks in the top-five in school history in both block assists and block average. The first weekend of competition will be a homecoming for Brooks who played her high school volleyball in East Lansing, Mich.
A third senior, veteran Megan Owens, will provide valuable depth at the outside hitter position after being plagued by injuries in her junior season. Senior Branagan Fuller will play her first and final season in Carolina blue, after transferring from UNC Greensboro prior to the 2009 season. Fuller brings a wealth of playing experience, over 1,000 career kills in just three seasons, and depth as senior Christine Vaughen will redshirt this season.
Talented sophomores
Erica Behm and
Kaylie Gibson will anchor the setter and libero positions respectively. Behm, who recorded 423 of her 483 assists in conference play, replaces
Stephanie Jansma who averaged 6.63 assists per set a year ago. Gibson, who ranked third on team with 2.56 digs per set, replaces
Brianna Eskola who holds the ACC record for digs at 2238.
Junior Suzanne Haydel and redshirt Sophomore Courtney Johnston will battle for a position at outside hitter as both return from solid efforts in 2008. Haydel, the team's most improved player in 2008, will be the Tar Heels leading returner in both digs (355) and kills (287) as she posted 10 double-doubles last season. Johnston averaged 1.96 kills per set in 2008 and will predominantly be featured on the right-side for the Heels.
In addition to transfer Branagan Fuller, Carolina will feature five new faces in 2009. Meg Yanda will add depth in the middle, Emily McGee and Heather Henry as outside hitters, Cora Harms will battle for time at setter and Cayla Shortley at defensive specialist.
The 2009 North Carolina Volleyball schedule features nine NCAA tournament teams from a year ago, including Southern California and Wichita State in the first two weeks of competition. In addition to the opening weekend in East Lansing, the 31-match ledger features trips to Wichita State, Delaware and a rematch with 2008 NCAA Tournament foe American. The Tar Heels will open their ACC-title defense at Clemson on September 25.
"We are very excited about the quality of opponents we've been able to put together in the non-conference schedule this season," Sagula said. "We will get the chance to test ourselves against a number of nationally competitive opponents, and I think that playing volleyball at that level will only make us better during ACC play."
The Tar Heels will host nine home ACC contests in the Dean E. Smith Center, with a pair likely to set attendance records. Carolina will take on ACC co-champion Duke on October 16 as the lead in to Late Night with Roy Williams, the traditional kick off to the basketball season and host Virginia later in the year on November 6 which will be prior to a men's basketball exhibition game. Carolina hosted Clemson in 2008 before Late Night with Roy and drew over 13,000 fans for the event.
Carolina will close the season on a five-match road trip to Maryland, Boston College, Wake Forest, Duke and NC State following a five-match homestand. The Tar Heels do not host Miami or Florida State due to the shortened ACC slate.
