Coming off of a seventh straight 20-win campaign, Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery announced today the squad's schedule for the 2009 campaign, which features 11 matches at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Valparaiso outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) has been named one of ten female finalists nationwide, representing the sport of volleyball, for the 2009 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, as announced by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. Both the female and male winners will be announced and profiled in its May 28, 2009 edition.
Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery announced today that Craig Cromwell has been hired as an assistant coach for the Crusader program. Cromwell comes to Valpo from Chesterton H.S., where he served as an assistant coach for the last four years.
Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery and the Crusader volleyball team will host their 2009 summer camp for youths in grades 6-12 at the Athletics-Recreation Center from July 6-9.
Valparaiso volleyball commit Taylor Root has been named a PrepVolleyball.com High School All-American, one of just 150 players nationwide, as well as one of just three liberos, to receive the honor.
The leader of Valparaiso University's volleyball team for the first few years of the 21st century, Cyndi (Norman) Kiper ranks among the best setters ever to play for the Crusaders and, on February 28, she will be inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) and junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) both received AVCA Honorable Mention All-American accolades today after being named to the All-Midwest Region squad last week. Porché has now earned Honorable Mention notice the last two seasons, while this marked Malicoat's first honor.
Senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial), junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) and senior middle hitter Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) have all been named to the 11-player Horizon League volleyball Academic All-League team.
Crusader junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Midwest Region honors for the second consecutive year, while senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) received All-Region accolades for the first time as the AVCA announced its All-Region squads Wednesday. In addition, junior setter Kim Bukowski (Waukesha, Wis./West) was named an Honorable Mention All-Region recipient.
Crusader junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) has been recognized by the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) as one of its Top Performers for the third time this season after her performance in Valpo's season-ending sweep at Western Michigan.
The Valparaiso volleyball team closed the season on a high note Saturday evening in Kalamazoo, Mich., sweeping MAC regular season champion and host Western Michigan, 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-23) in the final match of the Bronco Thanksgiving Challenge.
Valparaiso will close out the 2008 campaign this Saturday evening, as the Crusaders travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. to take on the host Broncos of Western Michigan University as part of the Bronco Thanksgiving Challenge.
Valparaiso senior middle hitter Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) was named to the Horizon League Championships All-Tournament Team for her stellar performances in the Crusaders' two contests at the tournament.
Valparaiso found its 13-match winning streak snapped Saturday afternoon in the Horizon League Championship semifinals, as sixth seed and host Cleveland State came out with a hard-fought, back and forth 3-2 (24-26, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 11-15) victory in Cleveland.
Valparaiso won its 13th consecutive match Friday afternoon, defeating Green Bay 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18) in Horizon League Championship quarterfinal action in Cleveland, Ohio. The Crusaders will play in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. against the host Vikings of Cleveland State, the tournament's sixth seed.
Valparaiso had a league-best four players selected to the Horizon League All-League team as the league announced its year-end awards on Wednesday. Kim Bukowski (Waukesha, Wis./West), Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial), Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) and Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) were all named to the All-League squad. In addition, Porché was named the Player of the Year, while Malicoat was selected as Defensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row.
Valparaiso carries a 12-match winning streak into the Horizon League Championships this weekend. The Crusaders, who are the second seed, open the tournament on Friday afternoon against seventh-seeded Green Bay.
Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery announced today that Mary Dent and Taylor Root have both signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Crusader volleyball program as freshmen for the 2009 season.
Crusader senior middle hitter Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) was named the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after her standout performance in the regular season finale on Saturday.
Valparaiso has earned the second seed for the Horizon League Volleyball Championship, to be contested on the campus of Cleveland State University next weekend. The Crusaders will take on seventh-seeded Green Bay in quarterfinal action at 4 p.m. CST on Friday afternoon.
Valparaiso closed out the regular season with a flourish Saturday at the Athletics-Recreation Center, sweeping Wright State, 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-16) for its 12th consecutive win. The Crusaders enter next weekend's Horizon League Tournament with a 23-6 overall record, including 12-4 in league action, and will be the tournament's second seed.
Valparaiso extended its winning streak to 11 matches Friday evening, stepping out of league play to sweep Chicago State, 3-0 (25-13, 25-12, 25-21) in Chicago, Ill.
Entering the week tied for the second-longest winning streak in program history with ten consecutive wins, Valparaiso looks to close the regular season on a high note this week, traveling to Chicago State on Friday before hosting Wright State for Senior Day on Saturday.
It took a resilient effort for Valparaiso to continue its winning streak Saturday afternoon, as the Crusaders had to rally from late deficits in each of the final two sets on their way to a 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 26-24) victory over UIC in Chicago, Ill.
Senior middle hitter Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) was named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week by the league office this afternoon.
Valparaiso utilized a strong balanced offensive attack to sweep Loyola, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-16), Friday evening in Chicago, Ill. The win gives the Crusaders 20 on the season, the seventh consecutive year that Valpo has reached the 20-win milestone.
Junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) was selected to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V First Team, it was announced today.
Junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) broke Valparaiso's career kills record to give the Crusaders match point in the fourth set Tuesday evening at DePaul and then registered another kill on Valpo's second attempt as the Crusaders downed the Blue Demons, 3-1 (25-18, 28-26, 20-25, 25-22) in Chicago, Ill.
Crusader junior setter Kim Bukowski (Waukesha, Wis./West) was named the Horizon League’s Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after quarterbacking the Valpo offense in two road sweeps last weekend.
Valparaiso’s match at Chicago State on Friday, November 14 has been moved back one hour to 8 p.m. CST.
Valparaiso enters the week on a seven-match winning streak, its longest since the 2005 campaign, and has three opportunities to extend its run this week, all in the Second City. The Crusaders will step out of Horizon League action to take on DePaul on Tuesday before facing Loyola and UIC this weekend.
Valparaiso recorded its third consecutive sweep on Saturday afternoon, winning on the road at Cleveland State, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-23). Valpo has now won its last seven matches, the program’s longest winning streak since the 2005 campaign, and 11 of its last 12 overall.
Valparaiso had to venture out on the road for just the second time this month on Friday evening, but did not let the change of venue affect its play, winning for the tenth time in its last 11 matches in a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-20, 25-17) of Youngstown State in Youngstown, Ohio.
Winners of nine of its last ten matches, Valparaiso will try to continue its run of success this weekend, but will have to do it on the road, traveling to eastern Ohio to meet Youngstown State on Friday and Cleveland State on Saturday.
Valparaiso senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) was recognized Monday as the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week after helping lead the Crusaders to a 3-0 record last week, including two crucial league victories.
Valparaiso continued its stretch of torrid play, sweeping Green Bay (25-18, 25-23, 25-14) Saturday afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The Crusaders have now won nine of their last ten matches and moved within a game of first place in the Horizon League standings with the victory.
Valparaiso outkilled league-leading Milwaukee by a 60-37 margin Friday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center en route to a 3-1 (22-25, 26-24, 25-10, 25-21) victory over the Panthers.
Reigning Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) hit at a sizzling .571 clip with 17 kills, leading the Crusader offense as Valparaiso cruised to a 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-13) sweep of IUPUI on Tuesday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Valparaiso, which enters the week just one-half game out of second place in the Horizon League standings, closes out a six-match homestand with a non-league battle against IUPUI on Tuesday before hosting Milwaukee and Green Bay on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Crusader senior middle hitter Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) has been named the Horizon League’s Offensive Player of the Week after her dominating performance against Butler on Friday.
For the second consecutive match, Valparaiso dropped the first set but rallied to take each of the next three, taking a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-16) victory Friday evening over Butler at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Winners of five of its last six matches, Valparaiso kicks off the second half of Horizon League play on Friday evening as the Crusaders continue a six-match homestand by hosting in-state rival Butler.
Valparaiso rebounded from dropping a tight first set to earn a 3-1 (26-28, 25-11, 25-21, 25-17) victory in Horizon League action Sunday afternoon over Loyola.
Both Valparaiso and UIC sided out twice on the other side’s match points in the fifth set Saturday evening, but the Flames converted on their third match point to take a 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-25, 19-17) victory over the Crusaders at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Valparaiso won its third consecutive Horizon League contest on Tuesday evening in Dayton, Ohio, handily sweeping Wright State by scores of 25-21, 25-17, and 25-22.
Valparaiso volleyball swept the Horizon League’s weekly awards when they were announced on Monday, as junior setter Kim Bukowski (Waukesha, Wis./West) was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Week and senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week.
On a three-match winning streak and climbing up the league standings, Valparaiso plays three more Horizon League contests this week. The Crusaders travel to Wright State for a Tuesday night tilt before returning to the ARC to kick off a six-match homestand with UIC Saturday night and Loyola Sunday afternoon.
Valparaiso won its third match of the week Saturday, defending the Athletics-Recreation Center in a 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-20) sweep of Youngstown State in Horizon League play.
In a meeting of the top two preseason choices in the Horizon League and a rematch of the 2007 Horizon League championship, Valparaiso earned a hard-fought 3-2 (25-27, 25-22, 27-25, 24-26, 15-11) victory Friday evening in the Crusaders’ home opener at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Valparaiso snapped its four-match losing streak in emphatic fashion, sweeping Bradley (29-27, 25-18, 25-18) in East Peoria, Ill. on Tuesday evening.
Valparaiso senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) was named the U.S. Army Horizon League female Scholar-Athlete of the Week by the league office today after breaking the Crusader career digs record last weekend.
Valparaiso concludes a month-long, 13-match road trip on Tuesday as the Crusaders step out of Horizon League play to face Bradley. Valpo then opens up the 2008 home campaign this weekend at the Athletics-Recreation Center against Cleveland State on Friday at 7 p.m. and Youngstown State on Saturday at 4 p.m.
After splitting the first two sets, Valparaiso dropped sets three and four to Milwaukee as the Panthers took a 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 25-13) victory over the Crusaders Saturday afternoon in Milwaukee, Wis.
Valparaiso rallied from a first-set loss to take a 2-1 advantage Friday night in Green Bay, but the host Phoenix fought back to earn a 3-2 (25-18, 24-26, 22-25, 28-26, 15-7) victory over the Crusaders. Senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) broke Valpo’s career digs record in the middle of the third set.
As she sits on the verge of breaking the program’s career digs record, Crusader senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) is the subject of a video piece on the Horizon League Network.
Valparaiso will look to bounce back from its loss at Butler as the Crusaders enter the second weekend of Horizon League play, traveling to Wisconsin to take on Green Bay Friday and Milwaukee Saturday. Senior libero Brittany Malicoat is just 14 digs away from Valpo's career record, a mark she should surpass this weekend.
Valparaiso opened league play Friday evening at Butler, dropping a 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-21) decision to the Bulldogs.
After finishing up a challenging pre-league slate with a 7-2 record, the Valparaiso volleyball team begins Horizon League play this week with a match at in-state rival Butler on Friday evening.
For the second time in the past two weeks, Valparaiso played right with a team receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, but this time, WKU pulled out the tight 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22) victory Saturday afternoon at the Lady Topper Invitational in Bowling Green, Ky.
Valparaiso took down a pair of teams Friday at the Lady Topper Invitational in Bowling Green, Ky., coming from behind to defeat Tennessee Tech 3-2 (25-10, 23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-10) in the morning before downing Furman 3-1 (25-13, 27-29, 25-18, 26-24) in the evening. With the wins, the Crusaders improved to 7-1 on the year, matching the second-best eight-match start to a season in program history.
Valparaiso senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) is featured today in a column by ESPN.com volleyball columnist Dave Reed. The story, which is currently the lead item on ESPN.com’s ESPNU page, focuses on Malicoat and her husband, Bobby, who is currently stationed in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Junior outside hitter Angie Porché has been recognized by the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) as one of its Top Performers for the second consecutive week after her All-Tournament performance at Indiana’s adidas Classic last weekend.
Off to a 5-1 start, Valparaiso closes out the pre-league slate this weekend with a third straight challenging tournament, as they head to Bowling Green, Ky. to take part in the Lady Topper Invitational. Valpo will take on Tennessee Tech and Furman in addition to host WKU, which enters the tournament undefeated at 6-0.
For the second straight week to open the season, Valparaiso junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) has been honored by the Horizon League as its Offensive Player of the Week.
Valparaiso closed out action at the adidas Classic Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, Ind. by taking down its second major-conference foe in as many days, defeating ACC opponent Wake Forest 3-1 (25-20, 26-28, 25-20, 25-20), led by 28 kills from Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South), the second-most in a four-set match all-time at Valpo. The Crusaders finished the tournament with a 2-1 record, taking second place behind the host Hoosiers.
Valparaiso won each of the first two sets Friday evening against preseason Big East favorite Louisville, which entered the weekend receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll, and ended up defeating the Cardinals, three sets to two, at Indiana’s adidas Classic in Bloomington, Ind. The win is the second for the Crusader squad over Big East foes in the past week, after Valpo downed Notre Dame on its home court on Sunday. Valpo dropped its opening match of the tournament to the host Hoosiers earlier Friday afternoon.
After starting 3-0 for just the fourth time in program history en route to winning the Shamrock Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., the Crusaders face another tough task this weekend, as they travel to Bloomington, Ind. to take part in the adidas Classic, where they will face Louisville and Wake Forest in addition to the host Hoosiers.
Valparaiso junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) has been named the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week following her MVP performance at Notre Dame's Shamrock Invitational last weekend.
Valparaiso capped off one of the most impressive weekends in program history Sunday afternoon by rallying from a first-set loss to Notre Dame to defeat the Fighting Irish, 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 30-28, 25-23). The win, Valpo’s second in the last five years over the Irish in the Joyce Center, finished off an undefeated run through the Shamrock Invitational for the tournament title.
Valparaiso’s resilience was showcased Saturday at the Shamrock Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., as the Crusaders, already trailing by one set, faced two IPFW set points in the second frame. But the Crusaders fought off the Mastodons, won the second set, and rode the momentum all the way to a 3-1 (20-25, 27-25, 25-19, 25-20) victory, Valpo’s first win over IPFW since 2004.
Valparaiso opened the season with a victory for the fourth consecutive year, coming back from an eight-point deficit in the first set on its way to earning a 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-11) sweep of Nevada Friday afternoon at the Shamrock Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind.
The 2008 volleyball season kicks off for Valparaiso this weekend with a challenging test, as the Crusaders compete in the Shamrock Invitational at Notre Dame, Ind., where they will take on Nevada and IPFW in addition to the host Fighting Irish.
Entering the 2008 campaign, there is no more transition for the Valparaiso volleyball program. They have experienced each of the trips in league play. They have played in each of the league’s venues. They have now adjusted to the rigors of the Horizon League schedule, knowing that they have to be at their best in every single match. For this Crusader squad, the goal is simple: use the knowledge gained from last year’s transition to challenge for a league championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2008.
Entering the 2008 season, Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery owns 202 career victories on the sidelines, making her one of Division I’s most successful young coaches.
The Valparaiso volleyball squad has been predicted to finish second in the Horizon League in 2008, as chosen by the league’s nine head coaches. The Crusaders tallied 56 points and received one first-place vote.
For the fifth consecutive season, the Valparaiso University volleyball team received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2007-08 school year.