The University of Alaska Fairbanks    

Nanook netters set to play exhibitions this weekend

By BOB ELEY Sports Editor

Coach Phil Shoemaker will get his first competitive look at the 2004 version of the University of Alaska Fairbanks volleyball team when the Nanooks play a pair of exhibition games this weekend at the Patty Center.

"We've got a real good blend of new kids and veteran talent," Shoemaker said Wednesday evening in discussing this year's version of the Nanooks.

"We've thrown a lot of new information and new systems at them to move the bar up as a team and they responded really well," Shoemaker said. "They are working really hard, not just physically, but as a team to support and encourage each other to get better. They are a very coachable group."

The Nanooks, who have been in training camp for about 10 days, are scheduled to take on the Fairbanks Flyers at 7 p.m. Friday and the UAF Alumni at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Patty Center.

"These are exhibition games, so we'll take some chances and experiment with things that under normal circumstances we might not do," Shoemaker said. "There are things we want to expose certain players to and we'll use lineups and situations that are designed to test us more than the guys on the other side of the net."

Shoemaker is looking to blend together a team that has two seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen.

Returning players include seniors Mallory Bergstrom and Carlin Smith, juniors April Blandford, Crystal Wheelock and Kayleen Stenehjem, and sophomores Danielle Hitzeman and Dasa Capova.

Newcomers to the roster this year include sophomores Erica Starr and Chelsea Ward (once her transfer paperwork is approved) and freshmen Danielle Ryder, Jessica King, Jenna Jones and Mallory McCormick.

"Jenna Jones from West Valley has surprised Bev (assistant coach Bev Krupa) a little bit," Shoemaker said. "Honestly, she's better than we gave her credit for and that's a credit to her and we feel good about that."

The Nanooks finished fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings last year and that's exactly where they are ranked in the coach's preseason poll that was released on Tuesday afternoon.

"That's not where we plan on being, but in terms of preseason rankings that's where you'd figure we should be," Shoemaker said. "It's where we finished last year and, with no major shakeup, it's a predictable preseason choice."

Western Washington, which has never lost a GNAC match in three years of conference play, is picked to finish first with seven first-place votes and 106 points. Central Washington with 83 points and Seattle University with 79 are just ahead of the Nanooks, who garnered 73 points.

Rounding out the poll are Alaska Anchorage with 64, Seattle Pacific with 54, Western Oregon with 35, Northwest Nazarene with 33, Humboldt State with 24 and Saint Martin's with 16. Seattle University garnered two first place votes and Seattle Pacific had one.

Following this weekend's scrimmages, the Nanooks embark on an ambitious 25-match schedule that begins with nine straight home matches, including the Midnight Sun Invitational and the Auto Service Co. Nanook Classic.

The Nanooks' first collegiate match is at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26 against Cal Poly Pomona.

Sports Editor Bob Eley can be reached at beley@newsminer.com , sports@newsminer.com or 459-7581.