The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Volleyball to Play UCF in C-USA Tourney Opening Round
11/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2006
UAB C-USA Tournament Notes
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -The UAB volleyball team has earned the program's highest seed all-time in the Conference USA Tournament as the Blazers enter the event as the fifth seed after winning their last nine regular season matches, eight of which were in league play.
Following last year's first round defeat to SMU, the Blazers hope to win their first match in the tournament since 1999 when they take on UCF in the opening round on Thursday at 2 p.m. In 1999 the Blazers beat St. Louis for their last tournament victory.
This year's event returns to Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston, Texas where it has twice been held before.
A youthful and experienced group has led UAB to a remarkable turnaround this season. A program that was 1-24 just two seasons ago, and 14-13 last season, UAB enters this year's postseason with a record of 23-9 (10-6 C-USA), marking the highest single-season win total for the school since 1991.
One key change for 2006 has been the addition of first-year head coach Kerry Messersmith who came to the Blazer program from Georgia-Southern where she had established herself with a 116-52 record. She has currently won 497 career matches in her 19 seasons as a head coach.
Several players have stepped up their contributions this season, including sophomore setter Nevena Stefanov, who recently earned back-to-back C-USA Setter of the Week honors and ranks second in the league in assists per game at 12.65. In her role running the UAB offense, Stefanov has shined, helping the Blazers to the fourth-best hitting percentage in C-USA at .248.
Sophomore outside hitter Ivana Bozic leads the team in kills per game at 4.96, while junior outside hitter Fernanda Domingos is second at 3.11.
Defensively, junior libero Brianna Galvin has put together one of the best campaigns in school history as she set the school record for single-season digs in the team's season finale at UCF and now has 497 for the year.
Sophomore middle blocker Casey Dent has proven to be a vital force for the Blazers. After suffering an injury at ECU, Dent missed three matches in which the Blazers went 0-3. The team is now 9-0 since her return. Dent leads the team in blocks with 88 and has one of the best hitting percentages in C-USA at .350.
UAB will play 12th-seeded UCF in the first round, a team the Blazers have shutout twice this season, including in their last match of the regular season when UAB went to Orlando, Fla. to pick up the 30-16, 30-27, 30-23 victory, last Sunday.
The Golden Knights are led by Maine Heming with a 3.12 kills per game average, while Andrea Youngblood leads the team with a 7.79 assists per game average.
The winner of the UAB/UCF match will advance to play fourth seeded Tulane at 2 p.m. on Friday.
