ITHACA, N.Y. – After enjoying a team picnic to welcome the newcomers, the Cornell University volleyball team is back on the court today, as it begins preparations for the 2009 season. The team will be in full swing as it prepares to open the season at the George Masson Patriot Invitational held Sept.4-5.
First-year head coach Sarah Bernson played a large role in helping Cornell to three Ivy League titles in her five campaigns as an assistant, and now she has the reigns of a program with eyes on continuing that success. With nine returning letter winners from last year's squad that finished 9-5 in Ancient Eight play, expectations will again be high. In addition, the infusion of seven talented freshmen will provide the Big Red exceptional depth.
Three-time all-conference libero Megan Mushovic returns for her senior campaign on the verge of breaking the Ivy League record for career digs, needing 150 to surpass Brown's Tomo Nakanishi '99 at 1,762. All-Ivy middle blocker Kelly Hansen and a wealth of experienced hitters will also support Bernson in her first year.
With a challenging schedule that includes contests against Morehead State (23-8 in 2008), Fairleigh Dickinson (17-14), Towson (19-12), St. John's (22-9) and Syracuse (17-15) in non-conference play, as well as defending Ivy League champ and NCAA qualifier Yale (21-5), the Big Red will test itself against some of the top teams east of the Mississippi. In all, the Big Red's tournament opponents have a cumulative .513 winning percentage.
OUTSIDE HITTER
Juniors Alessa Cekauskas and Erin McCarthy, sophomore Meagan Tatum and freshman Deveney Pula will all compete for wide-open slots on the outside. All three upperclassmen have had significant experience on the court for the Big Red, while Pula brings excellent credentials to challenge for time in her rookie campaign.
Cekauskas averaged 1.65 kills per game while hitting .147 as a sophomore, posting her two best matches of the year during the final weekend to propel her into this year. She had a season-best 15 kills in the season finale against Harvard. Cekauskas had posted 2.23 kills per game as a freshman, earning varsity letters in both seasons.
McCarthy led the team's outside hitters with 188 total kills, hitting .110. An all-around player, she ranked among the team leaders with her 1.81 digs per game and added 14 service aces, second on the team. McCarthy is a great leaper with a powerful swing who has had great success over her first two seasons, putting away a team-best 353 kills over that span.
Tatum's 2.60 kills per game and .198 hitting percentage lead the returners, but it is her explosiveness that will give her the opportunity to take control of the position in her second season. The 6-1 hitter had 18 kills vs. Harvard and 17 kills, seven digs and three service aces against Penn.
Pula had tremendous success during her prep career, leading her Wilson Classical HS team to three straight league crowns. A first-team all-league pick as a senior, she was part of teams that advanced to the CIF quarterfinals in the last three years, including a semifinal appearance in her final campaign.
RIGHTSIDE HITTERS
Sophomore Madeleine Przybyl and freshman Hanna Drake will take turns competing for the role of the starting opposite side hitter. The 5-11 Przybyl did not see action as a rookie, so both players will be in similar positions in terms of picking up the offense, defense and blocking schemes on the court.
Przybyl was a three-time team most valuable player and a two-time all-state tournament team member, as well as conference MVP at Christchurch School in Virginia before enrolling at Cornell. Drake brings her 6-2 frame to the court and packs a powerful punch. She served as team captain of the Santa Monica Beach Club, earning all-tournament accolades at the prep nationals.
Drake earned three letters in volleyball at Notre Dame HS while playing club volleyball with the Santa Monica Beach Club. She served as team captain of her club team and was named first-team all-tournament at the prep nationals.
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
Rogers led the team in kills per game (2.66 kpg.) a season ago, hitting .154 and posting 75 digs and 35 blocks. Her 221 kills in 2008 put her atop the chart among the team's returners. Rogers hits a heavy ball and has the agility to play back row when necessary.
Misse missed the 2008 campaign, but is one of the more athletic middles in the Ivy League. She has the potential to have a breakout campaign in her senior season.
The 6-4 Hansen had a breakout freshman season, ranking first in the Ivy League with her 1.20 blocks per set, good for 38th nationally. Included was a 12-block effort against Harvard. She averaged 1.43 kills on .270 hitting for the season, posting a career-best 14 kills vs. Dartmouth and is an ever-improving offensive weapon.
Both Cope and Vanjak will have plenty of ability to earn playing time, and both bring intriguing skill sets to the court for Cornell. Cope played two seasons of varsity volleyball and has great feet and body control. At 6-1, she has great reach and can adjust at the net. Vanjak is 6-3 and could provide an intimidating tandem with Hansen. A native of Croatia who did her schooling in Germany, Vanjak has an opportunity to develop into a great offensive talent as well.
SETTERS
Sophomore Jordan Reeder and freshmen Sydney Campbell and Lucy Zheng will jockey to earn Cornell's starting position. Reeder enters the fall as the preseason favorite due to her added experience, but all three will have equal opportunities to grab hold of the role.
Reeder saw action in all 25 matches a season ago as both a setter and a backrow option, primarily using her tough serve and defensive instincts to earn time behind senior setter Hilary Holland. Possessing soft hands and a good sense of where to put the ball, Reeder will be a good option to run the offense.
While Reeder is the most experienced at the collegiate level, the other two options at setter already have a good feel for each other's games. Campbell and Zheng were teammates on the Dallas Synergy Volleyball Club, leading the team to top five finishes in several national tournaments.
Campbell was a two-time first-team all-district pick and an academic all-state selection as a senior.
At 5-11, Zheng is the tallest of the three setters and picked up the game later than her teammates, but her leadership abilities have shone through. She was named team captain of the Dallas Synergy after playing just one season of high school volleyball in America after three seasons as a prep player in China.
BACKROW SPECIALISTS
Mushovic has a realistic chance at becoming the all-time Ivy League leader in digs after establishing a new Big Red record a season ago. For good reason, the two-time first-team All-Ivy selection is expected to play a major role in Cornell's defensive schemes. The senior co-captain ranked among the national leaders in digs all three seasons, posting 5.60 digs per set to rank fifth nationally. She was as consistent as any defensive player in the country, reaching double figures in digs in 24 of 25 matches on the season and led the squad in aces as well. She has quick feet and excellent anticipation skills, and makes all the plays behind Cornell's big frontline blocking.
While Mushovic has the pedigree, she will not be unchallenged for the role of libero in 2009, as sophomore Risa Ka'awa and freshman Taylor Nieman will be in the mix for time in the back row.
Ka'awa had a strong rookie season in 2008 as a defensive specialist, seeing time in all 25 matches and recording 164 total digs. She will have a chance to play an even bigger role with a full season of being in the team's defensive schemes. Nieman, meanwhile, brings great credentials to the court, earning first-team all-league honors as a senior at Bishop Montgomery HS. Her team won three consecutive conference crowns with her in the back row, and she is expected to earn immediate playing time as a rookie.
