Head coach Carin Avery announced today that Kim Bukowski, who ranks third in Crusader volleyball history in assists, is returning to Valparaiso University and the Crusader volleyball program as a graduate assistant coach for the 2011 season.
Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery announced today the Crusaders' schedule for the upcoming 2011 campaign, a slate which includes 10 matches against teams which won 20 or more contests a season ago, as well as Valpo's first in-season tournament at the ARC in four years. Valparaiso enters the 2011 season having won 20 or more matches each of the last nine years.
Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery and the Crusader volleyball team will host its annual summer camp from July 6-9, 2011 at the Athletics-Recreation Center on the Valpo campus. The camp is open to both girls and boys, grades 5-12.
Sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named to the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) Stellar Spikers First Team, one of just 14 players so honored nationwide, after her record-setting 2010 season.
Valparaiso will host Iowa at the ARC this Saturday, April 9, in a five-set match as part of the Crusaders' spring schedule. The match, which is open to the public free of charge, is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start.
Fans of Valparaiso volleyball can tune in to SportsTownChicago.com on Saturday to catch coverage of Crusader volleyball, as well as other tournament action, from the Great Lakes Center Collegiate Challenge in Aurora, Ill.
Seniors Val Bollenbacher (Bremen, Ind./Bremen) and Katie Layman (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) were joined by sophomore Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) as Valparaiso placed three athletes on the 2010 Horizon League Academic All-League Team in volleyball.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named one of the Top Five Liberos of 2010 by the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) after her record-setting campaign.
Valparaiso has been chosen as the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) 2010 Deep Digging Team of the Year after a 2010 campaign in which the Crusaders stood out all across the back line.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) officially ended the 2010 volleyball campaign as the Division I leader in digs per set in the NCAA's final stat update of the season. Root's national-leading performance paced a number of individual and team efforts that ranked among the nation's best.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) received AVCA Honorable Mention All-American accolades today after being named to the All-Midwest Region squad last week. Root becomes the third Crusader volleyball player in the last three seasons to earn Honorable Mention All-American notice.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Midwest Region team following her record-breaking 2010 campaign. In addition, junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) earned Honorable Mention All-Region notice.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been recognized by the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) for the third time this season as one of its Top Performers from last week following her season-ending performance at Western Michigan.
Valparaiso concluded its 2010 campaign on a winning note and sent the senior class out winners with its 27th victory of the season, fending off set points in each of the final three frames to defeat Western Michigan 3-1 (11-25, 27-25, 27-25, 27-25) Saturday evening in Kalamazoo, Mich. Sophomore libero Taylor Root set new single-season program and Horizon League records for digs, closing the year with 754 total digs.
Valparaiso's quest to capture the 2010 Horizon League Volleyball Championship came up one match short Sunday afternoon, as the fourth-seeded Crusaders fell to second-seeded Butler, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-16), in the championship match. Senior Tara Diebler (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) and sophomore Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) represented Valpo on the All-Tournament Team.
Valparaiso blitzed host Milwaukee in the first set and then rallied in the final two sets for a 3-0 (25-7, 27-25, 25-23) sweep of the league regular-season champion in the first semifinal of the 2010 Horizon League Championship. With the win, the Crusaders will play in the championship match Sunday at 1 p.m.
Freshman Ariel Cudney tallied five aces in a 12-point run to close the opening set and Valparaiso then scored the first eight points of the second set en route to a 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-19) sweep of Green Bay Friday evening in quarterfinal action at the 2010 Horizon League Volleyball Championship in Milwaukee, Wis. Valpo will now take on host Milwaukee in the first semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m.
Valparaiso heads to the 2010 Horizon League Volleyball Championship as the tournament's fourth seed, looking to bring home the program's first tournament title as a member of the league.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root has been named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year as the league announced its postseason awards today. Root was joined on the All-League Team by junior setter Jenny Pokorny , while freshman outside hitter Sarah Dooms earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team.
Valparaiso has earned the fourth seed for the 2010 Horizon League Volleyball Championship and will face fifth-seeded Green Bay in the first round of the tournament, Friday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in Milwaukee, Wis.
Despite tallying 18 total blocks, the most in a single match by a Crusader team in nearly five years, Valparaiso fell Saturday at Loyola, 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 16-14), in the Horizon League regular season finale for both squads in Chicago, Ill.
Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery announced today that Morgan Beil and Tricia Prince have both signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Crusader program for the 2011 season.
Valparaiso improved to 24-6 on the season as a number of reserves got a chance to shine Tuesday evening in a 3-0 (25-16, 25-6, 25-13) sweep of Chicago State in Chicago, Ill.
Valparaiso makes two short trips to Chicago this week in its final preparations for the 2010 Horizon League Championship. The Crusaders face off against Chicago State in non-league action Tuesday night before closing out the league slate at Loyola on Saturday.
A career-best nine blocks by senior middle Tara Diebler (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) paced the Valparaiso defensive effort Saturday as the Crusaders slowed down the Cleveland State offense en route to a 3-0 (32-30, 25-19, 25-18) sweep of the Vikings Saturday afternoon in Cleveland, Ohio.
Junior Katie Britton (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) posted a match-high 20 kills, the second-best output of her career, as Valparaiso overcame a lackluster first set to earn a 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 25-10, 25-17) victory at Youngstown State Friday evening in Youngstown, Ohio.
Already assured of a berth in the 2010 Horizon League Championship, Valparaiso looks to secure its seeding for the tournament this weekend with a pair of league road tests. The Crusaders face Youngstown State on Friday evening before traveling to Cleveland State on Saturday afternoon.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) currently leads all of NCAA Division I volleyball with 5.84 digs/set, according to the NCAA's latest statistical report through matches of Oct. 31. Root has helped pace the Crusaders to the second spot in the nation in digs/set as a squad as well.
Valparaiso was unable to take down Milwaukee Saturday evening at the ARC, dropping a 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 22-25, 25-17) decision to the league-leading Panthers.
It was Senior Night at the ARC Friday evening for the Valparaiso volleyball team, making it only appropriate that the Crusaders' quartet of seniors led the way in a 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-13, 25-20) victory over Green Bay. Middle hitter Katie Layman (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) smashed her previous career high by tallying 21 kills Friday night.
For the second time this season and the fourth time in her career, Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been voted ‘The People's Choice' on the Horizon League Network. Root is currently spotlighted in a video on the Horizon League website via phone interview.
Valparaiso finishes the 2010 home season at the Athletics-Recreation Center this weekend with a pair of key league matches. The Crusaders host Green Bay on Friday night for their annual breast cancer awareness match, as well as Senior Night, before welcoming Milwaukee on Saturday.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison), fresh off her third Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season, has been recognized by the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) for the second time this year as one of its Top Performers from last week.
It was an entire team effort for Valparaiso as the Crusaders used 16 players in a sweep of SIU Edwardsville (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) Monday evening in Edwardsville, Ill. With the win, Valpo has now won 20 or more matches each of the last nine seasons. Senior middle hitter Tara Diebler reached the 1,000-kill mark for her career in the first set of the sweep.
For the third time this season and fifth time in her career, Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week.
Six Crusaders tallied between seven and nine kills Saturday evening as the Valparaiso offense hit at a .254 clip in a 3-0 (25-19, 25-10, 25-22) sweep of UIC in Horizon League play at the ARC.
Allison Sears, who starred at middle hitter for the Valparaiso volleyball team from 2005 through 2008, has taken her skills over to Europe, where she is currently playing professionally for Datovoc Tongeren, a team in Belgium's top division.
Following her second Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week award of the season, Valparaiso junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) was again voted as ‘The People's Choice' on the Horizon League Network. Pokorny is currently spotlighted in a video on the Horizon League website via phone interview.
Valparaiso never trailed later than halfway in any of the three sets en route to a 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-15) sweep of Oakland in Rochester, Mich. Tuesday evening.
Valparaiso junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) has been named the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after registering her second career triple-double last weekend.
Valparaiso closes out a three-match road trip with a non-league showdown Tuesday at former Mid-Con opponent Oakland. The Crusaders play just one Horizon League contest this week, a Saturday night return to the ARC against UIC.
Junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) recorded her second career triple-double and the Crusaders had their best blocking match in nearly four years as Valparaiso defeated Wright State, 3-1 (25-22, 24-26, 25-12, 25-15), Saturday afternoon in Dayton, Ohio.
The Valparaiso volleyball team suffered its first sweep of the 2010 season Friday night, falling in straight sets (25-14, 25-20, 25-19) to Butler in Indianapolis, Ind.
The second half of Horizon League play gets underway for Valparaiso this weekend as the Crusaders hit the road again. Valpo takes on in-state rival and co-league leader Butler Friday night before continuing on to Dayton to face Wright State Saturday afternoon.
A career-best 15 kills from sophomore outside hitter Mary Dent (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) spurred Valparaiso on to a straight-set sweep (25-21, 25-21, 25-21) over Youngstown State Sunday afternoon in Horizon League play at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Valparaiso took the first set Saturday evening from Cleveland State Saturday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center, but the Vikings came back to earn a 3-1 (21-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-18) victory over the Crusaders in Horizon League play.
Led by one of the most efficient offensive performances in school history by freshman Sarah Dooms (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove), Valparaiso cruised to a 3-0 (25-10, 25-18, 25-15) sweep of Loyola in a rare Tuesday night Horizon League matchup at the ARC.
Valparaiso returns to the ARC for a key three-match Horizon League homestand this week, taking on Loyola Tuesday, Cleveland State Saturday and Youngstown State Sunday. The Crusaders are looking to cement their spot in the upper portion of the standings as they hit the halfway mark of league play.
Valparaiso rebounded from a tough loss Friday night, picking up a 3-1 (25-16, 25-17, 14-25, 25-23) victory over Green Bay Saturday afternoon in Green Bay, Wis. to earn a weekend road split.
Valparaiso forced a fifth set Friday evening on the road at preseason league favorite Milwaukee, but the Panthers came away with the win in the final frame to earn the 3-2 (19-25, 25-13, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13) victory over the Crusaders at the Klotsche Center in Milwaukee.
Valparaiso heads away from home this weekend, traveling north to Wisconsin to take on Milwaukee and Green Bay in Horizon League action. At the halfway point of their season, the Crusaders currently sit with an impressive 13-2 record.
The Valparaiso volleyball team is currently one of just 39 programs nationwide and the only program in the Horizon League averaging better than 850 fans per home match, according to the latest national volleyball attendance report.
Valparaiso stepped out of league play at the ARC on Homecoming Saturday, defeating IUPUI 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 25-21, 25-17) to improve to 13-2 on the season.
Valparaiso saw a 2-0 lead slip away against UIC Friday evening in Chicago, Ill., but rallied after trailing by six points in the fifth set and then facing a pair of match points to earn the 3-2 (25-18, 25-15, 22-25, 19-25, 17-15) victory over the Flames in Horizon League action.
Crusader fans turned out in force to vote once again, giving Valparaiso junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) the title of ‘The People's Choice' on the Horizon League Network this week. Pokorny is currently spotlighted in a video on the Horizon League website via phone interview.
After suffering their first loss since the season opener last week, Valparaiso looks to rebound as it travels to Chicago to face UIC before returning home on Homecoming Saturday for a non-league showdown with IUPUI.
Valparaiso junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) has been named the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.
In front of the largest home crowd in program history, Valparaiso fought back from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth frame, but Butler came out with the 3-2 (25-18, 25-16, 13-25, 18-25, 15-11) victory Saturday afternoon at the ARC. The loss snaps the Crusaders' 11-match winning streak.
For the fifth time this season, Valparaiso rallied after dropping the first set, coming from behind to earn a 3-1 victory over Wright State Friday evening at the ARC in the team's Horizon League opener. The Crusaders, who were playing at home for the first time this season, have now won 11 consecutive matches and own the best 12-match start in program history at 11-1.
Horizon League play is on the slate this weekend for Valparaiso, as is the start of the home schedule, as the Crusaders take the court at the ARC for the first time this year against Wright State and Butler. The Crusaders are looking to continue the best start in program history and also extend a 10-match winning streak.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been recognized by the Collegiate Volleyball Update as one of its Top Performers from last week after being named the Most Valuable Player at Bradley's CEFCU Classic. In addition, the sophomore is ranked second in the nation in digs/set, as the NCAA released its first statistics report of the 2010 season today.
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2010 Valparaiso volleyball home season at the Athletics-Recreation Center, starting this Friday with the Horizon League opener against Wright State at 7 p.m. Come see the Crusader squad that has started the season 10-1, matching the best start in program history, and has already won three tournament titles this year!
The Valparaiso volleyball team matched the best start in school history and became the first team in program history to win three straight in-season tournament titles, defeating host Bradley, 3-1 (21-25, 25-14, 25-16, 25-13) Saturday evening to earn the CEFCU Classic championship. The win is the 10th straight triumph for the Crusaders as they prepare for the start of Horizon League play next weekend.
Valparaiso extended its winning streak to nine straight matches Saturday morning, sweeping Hofstra (25-13, 25-14, 25-22) at the Bradley CEFCU Classic in Peoria, Ill. The win puts the Crusaders in position to earn their third consecutive in-season tournament title this evening when they take on the host Braves.
Valparaiso made short work of Presbyterian College in the opener of the CEFCU Classic at Bradley Friday afternoon, sweeping the Blue Hose (25-18, 25-11, 25-17) in just over an hour. The win was the Crusaders' eighth straight victory and moved Valpo to 8-1 on the season, matching the second-best start in program history.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named ‘The People's Choice' this week on the Horizon League Network, and is currently spotlighted in a video on the website via phone interview.
Valparaiso won its seventh straight match and extended one of the best starts in program history with a sweep (25-12, 25-19, 25-20) of Indiana State Tuesday evening in Terre Haute, Ind.
Valparaiso looks to extend to one of the best starts in program history with four matches this week. The Crusaders head to Terre Haute to take on Indiana State Tuesday before traveling to play in the Bradley Invitational, facing Presbyterian and Hofstra in addition to the host Braves in search of their third straight tournament title.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row and for the fourth time in her career after earning All-Tournament Team honors at the Appalachian Invitational last weekend.
It was an uphill battle in both matches, but Valparaiso fought off four match points Saturday morning to defeat Eastern Kentucky, 3-2, before beating host Appalachian State Saturday evening, 3-1, to close out the Appalachian Invitational and win the tournament title. Tara Diebler (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) was named Tournament MVP, while Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) was also named to the All-Tournament team.
Valparaiso opened its second weekend of play the same way it closed out the opening weekend, defeating USC Upstate 3-1 (25-12, 20-25, 25-11, 25-12) in the opener of the Appalachian Invitational in Boone, N.C. Friday afternoon for its fourth straight victory.
Valparaiso continues its circuit of early-season tournaments this weekend at the Appalachian Invitational in Boone, N.C., taking on USC Upstate and Eastern Kentucky in addition to host Applachian State. The Crusaders are looking for their second tournament title of the season after capturing the La Salle Invitational last weekend.
Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named the Horizon League's Defensive Player of the Week for the first weekend of competition after helping to lead the Crusaders to the La Salle Invitational title. The honor is Root's third career weekly accolade from the league office.
Valparaiso junior outside hitter Katie Britton (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) was named the Tournament MVP of the La Salle Invitational after helping lead the Crusaders to the tournament title this past weekend. In addition, junior setter Jenny Pokorny (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) joined Britton on the All-Tournament Team.
With a 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-20) win over Hartford and a 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20) victory over 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Niagara, the Valparaiso volleyball team earned the tournament championship at the La Salle Invitational in Philadelphia, Pa. Saturday.
The Valparaiso volleyball team opened the 2010 season with a split of two matches on Friday in Philadelphia, Pa., defeating La Salle 3-1 (25-12, 20-25, 25-18, 25-16) to open the La Salle Invitational after falling to Virginia earlier in the day, 3-1 (24-26, 25-10, 25-14, 28-26). The win over La Salle marked the 250th victory in head coach Carin Avery's career.
Valparaiso kicks off the 2010 volleyball campaign this weekend in Philadelphia, Pa. with four matches, taking on Virginia in a neutral-site match before competing in the La Salle Invitational.
Having won 20 or more matches for eight straight years, a feat accomplished by just 13 programs nationwide, the Valparaiso volleyball program enters 2010 with the confidence that it will continue its run of success, as nine players, including five starters, return from last year's squad and are joined by a talented class of eight freshmen.
The Valparaiso volleyball squad has been predicted to finish third in the Horizon League in 2010, as chosen by the league's nine head coaches. The Crusaders tallied 49 points, finishing just four points out of the second position.