DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball team (10-17, 7-9 GLIAC) will host Ashland (21-6, 13-3 GLIAC) on Friday and Lake Erie (1-24, 1-15 GLIAC) to conclude the regular season. The Warriors need two wins and a bit of help in other weekend matches to clinch a GLIAC Tournament berth. Currently, seven of the eight postseason spots have been filled. The final slot will be filled by Saginaw Valley (16-11, 8-8 GLIAC), Malone (12-16, 7-9 GLIAC) or Wayne State.
At The Helm
Phil Nickel is in his sixth season as Wayne State's head volleyball coach and has a record of 93-77. In his eight-year career, which includes two seasons at Thomas More College, Nickel is 127-120. Nickel was named the 12th head coach in the history of the Wayne State University women's volleyball program on March 3, 2008, by WSU Director of Athletics Rob Fournier. The Warriors have qualified for the GLIAC Tournament in all five years of Nickel's tenure.
Last Time Out
WSU won in straight sets at Walsh (5-21, 2-14) on Saturday afternoon. It was the first Warrior sweep since Sep. 20 at Lake Erie. Weiss led the Warriors with 13 kills while Madison Reeves (Indianapolis, Ind. / Avon) finished with 30 assists and Carlee Hunt (Waterford, Mich. / Walled Lake Northern) and Hannah Williams (Plainwell, Mich. / Delton Kellogg (Kalamazoo Valley CC)) finished with nine digs each.
Series History
The Green & Gold lead the all-time series against Ashland 29-24 including a 3-2 win earlier this season on Sep. 21. The Warriors have never lost to Lake Erie, leading the all-time series 7-0. WSU swept the Storm on Sep. 20 in Painesville, Ohio.
Bulkiewicz Sets Aim On Record Book
Kristen Bulkiewicz collected just five kills at Walsh to bring her career total to 1,294, which is just 17 shy of second place in program history. Erin Meyer (1996-99) is currently holds the second-most kills with 1,311. She is also fourth in program history with 3.38 kills per set and second with 9.54 attempts per set.
Senior Day
WSU will honor its three seniors on Saturday prior to the Lake Erie match. Kristen Bulkiewicz, Jessica DeLeeuw and Nicole Arends have combined to play in 860 sets, collect 1,629 kills and 1,198 digs.
Warriors in the Polls
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) released its 2013 Preseason Volleyball Poll on August 27 as voted on by the league's coaches. Wayne State University received three first-place votes and 44 total points and were predicted to finish second in the GLIAC South Division. The three first-place votes and 44 points both rank third out of all 16 teams.
Opening Weekend
The Warriors have fared well in recent opening weekends, posting a .500 record or better in six of the last seven years. Last season, the Warriors went 2-2 at the NSU Sharks Classic. WSU went 1-3 in 2011 at Missouri-St. Louis, 2-2 at Indianapolis in 2010, won all four matches in the 2009 WSU Invitational, posted a 3-1 record at the Cal State Monterrey Bay Otter Classic in 2008, and won two of four matches at Francis Marion in 2007.
2012 In Review
The Warriors finished tied for second last season with an 18-13 overall record including an 11-7 mark in GLIAC matches. WSU upended second-seeded Ferris State in the GLIAC Tournament before dropping a hard-fought battle with Grand Valley in the semifinals. Wayne State returns nine letterwinners including two-time First Team All-GLIAC and Honorable Mention AVCA All-Midwest Region selection, Kristen Bulkiewicz (LaSalle, Ont. / Sandwich).
2013 Captains
Phil Nickel selected his 2013 team captains as the return to campus nears for student-athletes. Jessica DeLeeuw, Carlee Hunt, Jamie Goryca and Madison Reeves will serve as the Warrior captains for the upcoming season. "This group has worked very hard to provide the leadership needed for this team to be successful, stated Coach Nickel. "They all bring different qualities to the leadership position but each have the respect and trust of their teammates and coaches. I look forward to continuing to work with them as we embark on the 2013 season."
AVCA Scholarship
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the 12 recipients of the 2013 Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarship. Among the 12 selected was Wayne State University graduate assistant coach Brittany Holbrook. The scholarship provides the opportunity for up-and-coming volleyball coaches to attend their first AVCA Convention with the scholarship money used to pay for convention registration and hotel costs.
After a successful campaign that saw AVCA members donate a record $8,000, the AVCA is able to send a record-12 coaches, four more than the previous year's eight. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be active AVCA members who are attending their first AVCA Convention. A selection committee reviews the applications and makes their decisions based on academics, contributions to the sport of volleyball on and off the court, a professional letter of recommendation, and a personal written submission outlining their desire to attend the AVCA Annual Convention and their aspirations in coaching.
Returning Experience
The Warriors return nine letterwinners from last season. Returners of note along with Bulkiewicz are junior Candice Ottey who was third on the team in 2012 with 237 kills and collected 68 total blocks, sophomore Essence Jackson-Jones who was second on the team last season with 127 total blocks and fourth on the team with 169 kills and sophomore Kelsey Bonewits who led the team with 140 total blocks and finished with 147 kills.
Program History
Wayne State University volleyball began in 1975 and enters the season with a 662-526 (.557) overall record. The program has won three GLIAC titles(1979, 1980, 1981), three GLIAC South titles (1996, 1997, 1998), have qualified for the GLIAC Tournament on 10 occasions (1996-99, 2005, 2008-2012) and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament on two occasions (1987, 1994).
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