Preseason poll slates team No. 1 once again
Sports Writer
The Notre Dame volleyball team prepares to start the 2000 season with the Big East preseason poll slating the Irish to finish No. 1 yet again in regular-season league action.
The Irish picked up 119 points, including nine first-place votes while their closest competitor, Georgetown, the defending postseason champion, earned the second-place slot with 111 points and three first-place votes.
Notre Dame finished last season with a 20-9 overall record, including 11-0 in the conference play. The Irish return five starters as they aim for yet another title.
ÒI hope that weÕve made a lot of strides since last season,Ó senior Denise Boylan said. ÒI think we have. Our preseason went really well.Ó
After earning a spot on the all-Big East 1999 first team, Boylan, Notre DameÕs senior captain setter, was named this yearÕs preseason Big East player of the year. Boylan led the Irish in 1999 with 1,132 assists and 35 aces while also currently ranking second in Irish history with 3,291 assists and an 11.84 assist average.
Also receiving preseason all-Big East honors was outside senior player Christi Girton, who earned second team all-Big East in 1998 and 1999.
Girton topped the Irish last year with 333 kills and 201 digs, while ranking 10 in career hitting with a .254 average.
Kristy Kreher, a junior opposite, returns from last season as a second team all-Big East choice. Kreher stands at second in Notre Dame history with a .294 career hitting average while finishing at .377 in league play for the 1999 season.
Another returning player, junior Marcie Bomhack, started 27 of 29 matches last season while maintaining an average of 2.91 kills and 2.31 digs per game for her career.
Senior blocker Jo Jameyson recovers from an injury that kept her out of the majority of 1999 play. Jameyson, who has career averages of 1.87 kills, 1.75 digs and .81 blocks per game, will be joined by Malinda Goralski in the middle.
Sophomore Keara Coughlin, a defensive specialist, returns after starting all 29 matches of the 1999 season. Coughlin will join sophomore Janie Alderete and senior Adrienne Shimmel in the back row.
With the loss of 1999 Big East player of the year Mary Leffers as well as Emily Schiebout and Lauren Stettin, the Irish have picked up four freshmen.
With four Big East titles, the Irish hope to top the conference tournament this year, as they lost for the first time in their five-year conference participation in the 1999 season.
ÒLast year it was disappointing that we only made it to the first round of the NCAA tournament,Ó Boylan said. ÒThis year our goal is to make it to the Sweet 16. I definitely think we are going to be the most prepared team in the Big East.Ó
Notre Dame will kickoff the 2000 season against Fairfield in game two of the Shamrock Invitational on Friday, Sept. 1. The Irish begin Big East play against Villanova on Sept. 29.
All Sports Stories for Thursday, August 24, 2000
