2009 Washington Regional Guide

ALSO SEE THE UW OSHKOSH REGIONAL GUIDE AND THE HOPE REGIONAL GUIDE.

5 To Watch:L Katie Lundgren, CarthageMH Erin Albers, WashingtonOH Michelle Madeja, CarthageOH Lauren Budde, WashingtonOH Laura Brammeier, Nebraska Wesleyan

Random Factoid:Wash U has won the most D-III volleyball titles (9).

Predicted Washington Regional final:Carthage over Wash U

Predictions for the other regionals:UW Oshkosh Regional:Being an Oshkosh grad, I once again abstain this year.Hope Regional:Hope over Ohio NorthernJuniata Regional:Juniata over EasternTufts Regional:UMass Boston over ClarksonNYU Regional:NYU over New PaltzSouthwestern Regional:Southwestern over EmoryRedlands Regional:La Verne over Colorado CollegePrintable National BracketInteractive National Bracket

The Schedule (at WU Field House, St. Louis, Mo.): Nov. 1212:30 p.m. #3 Nebraska Wesleyan (17-11) vs. #6 UW-Platteville (22-14)3:00 p.m. #2 Carthage (31-5) vs. #7 Simpson (21-13)5:30 p.m. #4 Thomas More (28-10) vs. #5 Saint Mary’s, Minn. (21-9)8:00 p.m. #1 Washington (28-4) vs. #8 Webster (20-12)Nov. 134:30 p.m. #2 Carthage (32-5) vs. #3 Nebraska Wesleyan (18-11)7:00 p.m. #1 Washington (29-4) vs. #5 Saint Mary’s, Minn. (22-9)Nov. 147:00 p.m. #1 Washington (30-4) vs. #2 Carthage (33-5)

WASHINGTON REGIONAL TEAM CAPSULES

No. 1 seed Washington (28-4, No. 1 in Central Region, No. 4 AVCA) Location: St. Louis, Mo. Nickname: Bears Key wins: Webster (3-0), Pacific Lutheran (3-1), UW-Whitewater (3-1), Juniata (3-0), La Verne (3-0), St. Thomas (3-2), Emory (3-0), NYU (3-1)(3-0) Losses: Hope (1-3), Ohio Northern (0-3), Missouri-St. Louis (1-3), Emory (0-3) All-conference players (UAA): Senior MH Erin Albers (1st), sophomore MH Lauren Budde (1st), freshman L Kelly Pang (1st), freshman S Marilee Fisher (2nd), senior DS Laura Brazeal (HM)

Team Leaders Kills: Erin Albers 348, Lauren Budde 346, Kristen Thomas 296 Blocks: L. Budde 100, E. Albers 94, Marilee Fisher 40 Assists: M. Fisher 781, Meg Buker 258, Vicki Blood 155 Digs: Kelly Pang 577, L. Budde 383, Laura Brazeal 302 Aces: L. Brazeal 32, Tricia Brandt 32, K. Pang 30

No. 2 seed Carthage (31-5, No. 2 in Midwest Region, No. 8 AVCA) Location: Kenosha, Wis. Nickname: Lady Reds Key wins: La Verne (3-2), UW-Platteville (3-0)(3-1), North Central, IL (3-0)(3-0), Heidelberg (3-0)(3-0), Lakeland (3-0), Eastern (3-1), Webster (3-0), UW-Whitewater (3-2), Simpson (3-1) Losses: Nebraska Wesleyan (1-3), UW-Whitewater (0-3), St. Thomas (2-3), Wittenberg (1-3), St. Ambrose (1-3) All-conference players (CCIW): Senior L Katie Lundgren (Player of the Year), sophomore OH Michelle Madeja (1st), junior RS Rachel Swoboda (1st), sophomore S Drewann Pancratz (2nd), sophomore OH Lauren Dembkowski (HM), head coach Leanne Ulmer (Coach of the Year)

Team Leaders Kills: Lauren Dembkowski 363, Michelle Madeja 342, Rachel Swoboda 255 Blocks: Amanda Matusky 134, R. Swoboda 109, Cindy Cavanagh 82 Assists: Drewann Pancratz 1149, Katie Lundgren 85, Kathy Szczesniak 55 Digs: K. Lundgren 739, D. Pancratz 329, L. Dembkowski 326 Aces: K. Lundgren 38, L. Dembkowski 38, D. Pancratz 31

No. 3 seed Nebraska Wesleyan (17-11, No. 2 in Central Region, No. 21 AVCA) Location: Lincoln, Neb. Nickname: Prairie Wolves Key wins: Simpson (3-2), Carthage (3-1), Saint Mary’s, MN (3-0) Losses: UW Oshkosh (2-3), Saint Mary’s, MN (0-3), Hastings (1-3)(1-3), Dana (2-3), Doane (0-3)(1-3), Northwestern, IA (0-3), Dordt (0-3), Morningside (0-3), Briar Cliff (1-3) All-conference players (GPAC): TBA

Team Leaders Kills: Laura Brammeier 363, Brittny Barber 313, Elise Schmid 214 Blocks: E. Schmid 124, Ashley Jedlicka 49, B. Barber 46 Assists: A. Jedlicka 984, Kelsey Elman 122, Erika Goldsmith 18 Digs: K. Elman 410, E. Goldsmith 382, L. Brammeier 370 Aces: A. Jedlicka 34, B. Barber 27, K. Elman 22

No. 4 seed Thomas More (28-10, No. 8 in Great Lakes Region, NR AVCA) Location: Crestview Hills, Ky. Nickname: Saints Key wins: Wittenberg (3-2), Mount Union (3-0) Losses: Southwestern (2-3), Calvin (1-3), Heidelberg (1-3), Ohio Northern (0-3), Mount Union (0-3), Emory (0-3), Thiel (2-3), Carnegie Mellon (2-3), Mount St. Joseph (1-3), Maryville, TN (2-3) All-conference players (PAC): Sophomore S Emily Bohman (Player of the Year), sophomore OH Brandi Corbello (1st), sophomore MH Katie Sullivan (1st), junior OH Lindsay Svec (HM)

Team Leaders Kills: Brandi Corbello 404, Lindsay Svec 355, Katie Sullivan 289 Blocks: K. Sullivan 125, Colleen Meyers 111, Aimee Ryan 79 Assists: Emily Bohman 663, Michelle Clifford 635, A. Ryan 26 Digs: E. Bohman 497, Danielle Beckenhaupt 484, Hanna Lietz 342 Aces: E. Bohman 72, B. Corbello 47, H. Lietz 36

No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s (Minn.) (21-9, No. 6 in Central Region, RV AVCA) Location: Winona, Minn. Nickname: Cardinals Key wins: Nebraska Wesleyan (3-0), Saint Benedict (3-2), Luther (3-0)(3-0) Losses: Viterbo (1-3), Augsburg (2-3), Nebraska Wesleyan (0-3), Simpson (0-3), St. Thomas (0-3), Concordia, MN (2-3), Bethel (1-3), St. Olaf (1-3)(0-3) All-conference players (MIAC): Junior RS Sarah Gardner (1st), junior OH Jessica Mate (1st)

Team Leaders Kills: Sarah Gardner 358, Jessica Mate 324, Courtney Runge 285 Blocks: Amy Kujak 120, Jessica Larson 58, S. Gardner 54 Assists: Brittany Cherwinka 1109, Rachel Monterastelli 153, S. Gardner 69 Digs: Tara Rasmussen 452, C. Runge 344, B. Cherwinka 219 Aces: S. Gardner 49, A. Kujak 39, B. Cherwinka 23

No. 6 seed UW-Platteville (22-14, No. 5 in Midwest Region, NR AVCA) Location: Platteville, Wis. Nickname: Pioneers Key wins: UW-Eau Claire (3-0), St. Norbert (3-0), Hope (3-1), Lakeland (3-1), Simpson (3-2) Losses: New Paltz (1-3), Emory (0-3), Kings (0-3), Carthage (0-3)(1-3), UW-Stevens Point (2-3), Simpson (0-3), UW-Whitewater (1-3)(0-3), UW Oshkosh (0-3)(2-3), Cornell (1-3), Luther (1-3), St. Ambrose (1-3) All-conference players (WIAC): Junior OH Melissa Hillebrand (1st), sophomore S Ali Sikic (HM), sophomore MH Briana Kaiser (HM), junior L Abby Carey (All-Defense)

Team Leaders Kills: Melissa Hillebrand 468, Briana Kaiser 355, Samantha Rampart 307 Blocks: Lisa Bell 98, B. Kaiser 94, Melanie Bailiff 72 Assists: Ali Sikic 1404, Kelsey Pustina 76, M. Bailiff 65 Digs: Abby Carey 646, Leslie White 404, M. Bailiff 364 Aces: S. Rampart 30, M. Bailiff 28, A. Sikic 27

No. 7 seed Simpson (21-13, No. 7 in Central Region, NR AVCA) Location: Indianola, Iowa Nickname: Storm Key wins: Saint Benedict (3-2), St. Norbert (3-0), UW-Platteville (3-0), St. Thomas (3-2) Losses: Puget Sound (2-3), St. Benedict (0-3), Pacific Lutheran (0-3), Nebraska Wesleyan (2-3), Wartburg (2-3), UW-Stout (1-3), UW Oshkosh (0-3), Luther (2-3), Saint Benedict (1-3), Concordia, IL (2-3), UW-Platteville (2-3), Carthage (1-3), UW-Whitewater (1-3) All-conference players (IIAC): Senior S Tara Christensen (1st), senior OH Lara Gillespie (1st), senior MB Whitney Oviatt (2nd), senior L Brittany Friesth (2nd), junior OH Amy Schuster (HM)

Team Leaders Kills: Lara Gillespie 397, Whitney Oviatt 380, Megan Dunlavy 327 Blocks: W. Oviatt 104, M. Dunlavy 67, Amy Schuster 55 Assists: Tara Christensen 1365, McKaylie Croghan 52, Brittany Friesth 35 Digs: B. Friesth 581, L. Gillespie 456, T. Christensen 247 Aces: T. Christensen 43, W. Oviatt 39, A. Schuster 37

No. 8 seed Webster (20-12, NR in Central Region, NR AVCA) Location: St. Louis, Mo. Nickname: Gorlocks Key wins: (None) Losses: Hope (0-3), Washington (0-3), Millikin (0-3), McKendree (0-3), St. Scholastica (0-3), Illinois Wesleyan (0-3), Aurora (0-3), Central (1-3), Elmhurst (0-3), Carthage (0-3), Heidelberg (1-3), Wittenberg (2-3) All-conference players (SLIAC): Senior S Abby Williams (1st), senior OH Jackie Schall (1st), junior L Sarah Bailey (HM), senior OH Stefanie Larson (HM), junior OH Mary Jo Schweitzer (HM)

Team Leaders Kills: Jackie Schall 330, Abby Williams 178, Stefanie Larson 159 Blocks: Kaylee Schaefer 53, S. Larson 42, J. Schall 21 Assists: A. Williams 441, Jackie Novak 292, Sarah Bailey 42 Digs: S. Bailey 433, Mary Jo Schweitzer 293, Kylie Schweiss 147 Aces: MJ Schweitzer 36, J. Schall 25, S. Bailey 18

-Ricky Nelson