The University of Alaska Fairbanks    

Colgate volleyball has bright outlook on season

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories leading up to this weekend's Auto Service Co. Nanook Classic volleyball tournament hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

By BOB ELEY Sports Editor

The Colgate University Raiders hope to pick up right where they left off last season when they open their 2004 season in Fairbanks this weekend by participating in the NCAA Division I Auto Service Co. Nanook Classic on Friday and Saturday at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Patty Center.

The Raiders finished last season strong, registering upsets in three of their last four Patriot League matches en route to finishing the year with an 8-21 overall record and a 5-9 conference mark that left Colgate in a fifth-place tie with Navy.

The Raiders have five players returning from last year's squad led by captains Laurel Oliver, a 6-foot senior rightside/middle hitter, and junior Meghaan Walsh, a 5-9 rightside/defensive specialist.

Colgate will join Division I schools Sacramento State and Missouri-Kansas City and the Division II host UAF Nanooks in the two-day, round-robin tournament.

Colgate opens its season at 8 p.m. Friday against UAF. The tournament opens at 6 p.m. Friday with Sacramento State taking on Missouri-Kansas City.

The tournament continues on Saturday with daytime matches at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and another evening session that starts at 6 p.m.

In addition to Oliver and Walsh, the Raiders return Allie Nichols, a 5-9 junior setter/rightside, Natalie Rawson, a 5-6 senior libero, and Marybeth Maziarz, a 6-0 sophomore middle/outside hitter.

A trio of talented freshmen include 5-11 milddle/outside hitter Erin Kanetzke, 6-3 middle/outside hitter Sheila Giovannini and 5-8 setter/defensive specialist Nicole Notrica.

With just eight players making the trip to Alaska, third-year coach Jenna Panatier will have just one substitute at any given time.

Oliver gives the Raiders substantial firepower at the net as she averaged a team-high 2.86 kills per game in her junior season. She was the team's offensive Most Valuable Player last season.

Rawson will anchor the back row for Colgate after a stellar junior season when she set a school record with 440 digs. Her 4.27 digs per game ranked her 25th in the nation among Division I players last season.

Nichols is expected to take over as the team's setter after spending much of her sophomore season as an outside hitter, averaging 2.42 kills per game.

Walsh is another defensive specialist who averaged 1.57 digs per game and Maziarz averaged 1.62 kills and 1.57 digs per game last year.

Giovannini and Kanetzke are expected to give the Raiders a strong presence in the middle and Notrica likely will share setting duties with Nichols. How quickly the three freshmen adjust to the college game will be a key factor in how Colgate fares this season.

Classic tickets The tournament is divided into three, two-match sessions with admission prices set at $9 per session for adults, $8 for faculty, staff and alumni, and $3 for students and youth. Tournament passes for all three sessions are $20. Call 474-5977 for ticket information.

Classic banquet A pre-tournament brunch is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at the Princess Hotel's Jade Room. Tickets are $25 and reservations should be made in advance by calling 474-5977. There are still plenty of seats available for the banquet.

Classic hosts As is the case with the other Division I tournaments hosted by UAF, each team is assigned a host family to assist the team in any way possible while in Fairbanks. This year's host are: Beth Bellinger, Colgate University; Eric Heyne and Alex Fitts, Missouri-Kansas City; Savonny and Rune Ebbesen, Sacramento State; and Brenda and Tim Krupa, UAF.

Contact sports editor Bob Eley at beley@newsminer.com , sports@newsminer.com , or 459-7581.