OPENING GAMES

Impressive number to launch season
Update on opening games,
Wolverine volleyball wins

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Click here for the full story with 

box scores of Friday's games at the

Wesley College volleyball homepage.

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► New Jersey City Gothic Knights game:

Wolverines win 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 18-25, 25-13)

L-to-R, Arnelle Akakpo, Tania Rounds, 
Tionne Graves-Brown

THE NUMBERS: Freshman #10 OH Tionne Graves-Brown (Sacramento, CA) scored 11.5 points, tallying five kills with eight service aces and eight digs. 

Freshman #14 OH/MB Tania Rounds (Huntsville, AL) had 13.0 points, while recording six kills, four aces and three total blocks.

L-to-R, Beth Schlecker, Codi Ziolkowski, 
Rachel Hausler  

Sophomore #1 OH Arnelle Akakpo (Rahway, NJ) led the squad with eight kills. 

Sophomore #24 S Beth Schlecker (Bear, DE) and Freshman #21 S/RS Codi Ziolkowski (Bear, DE) assisted on all but two Wesley kills.

Senior #32 L/DS Rachel Hausler (Califon, NJ) had 14 digs followed by junior #3 L/DS Meghan Marshall (Wilmington, DE) with 13, Tionne and Arnelle both with 8, and Junior #22 DS Samantha Weber (Newark, DE) and Tania both recorded 5.

► John Jay Bloodhounds game:

Wolverines win 3-1 (25-14, 25-19, 14-25, 25-22)

L-to-R, Meghan Marshall, Kadijah Doughty, 
Samantha Weber

THE NUMBERS: 

Meghan delivered 22 digs, Arnelle had 10 digs and, once again, she led the team with six kills. 

Sophomore #18 MB Kadijah Doughty (Milton, DE) had a team-high 8.5 points on five kills and five total blocks. And, Beth had 17 assists.

MEGHAN MARSHALL RECORD

Wolverines open season with two wins
Meghan Marshall sets record
for Wesley College career digs

It was only a matter of time. Actually, it was matter of hours.

Wesley Wolverines volleyball co-captain junior #3 L/DS Meghan Marshall (Wilmington, DE) started today's opening games of the 2014 season on the brink of breaking the Wesley College career record for volleyball game digs.

Meghan has recorded 911 digs over the past two years. The individual school record for the most total digs ever, before today, was 933.

A dig in volleyball is a move -- often a dive -- that saves a hard driven ball from hitting the Wolverine side of the court. It requires anticipation with quick reaction and speed.

Meghan was just 10 digs shy of the record breaking mark at the end of the Wesley Wolverines' first game 3-1 victory over the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights.

Then, she did it. 

She picked up 22 digs in the second match, also a Wolverine win by a 3-1 score against the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Bloodhounds.

She's #1 now in this category, ahead of everyone before her in the Wesley College volleyball ranks with 946 total career digs. That's just today. She is far from done. Meghan's a junior with a senior season still ahead and at least 25 more games scheduled this fall! She'll break her own record with every dig she makes from this point forward.

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Wolverines launch 2014 season with convincing victories

After the first day of volleyball contests, the Wolverines start off the 2014 season with two great wins this afternoon.

These are away games. As of this post, the team is still on the road with box scores and full information about the matches not available yet. 

Click here to watch for the line scores about today's action.

Two more away games tomorrow, Saturday, August 30, at 3:00 and 5:00 PM at Penn State Brandywine, Commons/Athletics Center, 25 Yearsley Mill Rd., Media, PA.

NEW VOLLEYBALL SEASON

Four away games
Women's volleyball launches
2014 season Friday & Saturday

The Wesley Wolverines kick-off the 2014 volleyball season this weekend, Friday, August 29 and Saturday, August 30 with four away games in distant venues: northern New Jersey and the Philadelphia suburbs. 

The Wolverines have ten new members – eight freshman – on a team this year that expects to improve on last season's successful 15-13 overall record.

 

Below are thumbnail summaries about the opponents that our Wolverines will be playing over the next couple of days  -- Knights, Bloodhounds, Owls and Lions!

If you go, please confirm game times and locations
with the official Wesley College volleyball schedule.

FRIDAY. MORRISTOWN NJ.
12:00 PM & 4:00 PM.

Knights new head coach goal:
be “contender we once were”

Robert Cole, a local Bayonne, NJ native, is the new head coach of both the men's and women's New Jersey City University Gothic Knights' volleyball teams. He has labored as an assistant and interim head coach for both teams during the past four seasons.

First on Coach Cole's schedule in his new position will be the Wesley Wolverines! “My goal is to be much more competitive this year, on our way back to being the contender we once were," he says.

If you go: 12:00 PM game time, Wolverines vs Knights, Friday, August 29, @ College of St. Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, NJ.

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Bloodhounds look to senior setter, plus
junior hitter, libero to rebound this season

Coming off a 5-21 overall record last year, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Bloodhounds have plans to rebound that underscore the talents and leadership of three upperclasswomen: senior setter Katherine Bonilla, who dished out 527 assists in 2013, plus juniors middle hitter/outside hitter Latanya Buckham and libero/defensive specialist Perla Pozo. The team is expected to be a “young squad” this season.

If you go: 4:00 PM game time, Wolverines vs Bloodhounds, Friday, August 29, @ College of St. Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, NJ.

SATURDAY. MEDIA PA

3:00 PM & 5:00 PM

Owls like positive trend from
2013's five win improvement

The Bryn Mawr College Owl's expectations are bolstered by last year's improved five win gain (12-15 overall) over the previous season, hoping this positive trend launches a successful 2014. The roster is balanced with three seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and four freshmen.

If you go: 3:00 PM game time, Wolverines vs Owls, Saturday, August 30, @ Penn State Brandywine, Commons/Athletics Center, 25 Yearsley Mill Rd., Media, PA.

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Lions return all-conference
players for the 2014 season

As of this post, the Penn State Brandywine Lions have not released information about the 2014 volleyball squad. The team should represent a significant challenge for opponents this year. Last season, the Lions had an 18-11 overall record with four sophomores earning all-conference honors – first team: setter Miranda Biondi and middle hitter Nicole Costa; honorable mention: libero Kim Russo and defensive specialist Kelsi Wiest.

If you go: 5:00 PM game time, Saturday, August 30, @ Penn State Brandywine, Commons/Athletics Center, 25 Yearsley Mill Rd., Media, PA. 

The 2014

Wesley Wolverines!

 

 

TYNES PROFILE

Player profile
Jessica Tynes strives to put
her all into everything she does

Here is a profile of Wesley Wolverine volleyball player Freshman #6 OH Jessica Tynes (Gaithersburg, MD).

Jessica Tynes

Name: Jessica Tynes
 

Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD

Primary position: Outside hitter

High School: Gaithersburg High School, MD

College graduation year: 2018

College major: Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice.

What I hope to do after college: Get involved with something involving the FBI.

My passion off the court: free write.  

What I like about college: I like the people here. They all are very outgoing.

My favorite spot on campus: outside of the college center, by the benches. 

Things I like to do: hang out with my friends, listen to music & write.

What I did last summer: I went to the beach with my friends & then again with my family & played volleyball.

Best advice received: Go out on that court no matter what & put your all into whatever you do, even if you mess up. If you don't put your all in, then what's the point?

Favorite movie: The Temptations & Purple Rain

Who I would like to invite to dinner: My brother

What is most important to me: Making my family proud of what I do.

CAC NEWS

Three new head coaches
Latest news, information from
Capital Athletic Conference teams

The Wesley Wolverines will face three new head coaches among the eight schools played in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) games this new season. As reported previously, one team is ranked nationally while two others have receive prestigious academic awards. 

Wolverines

Otherwise, there's no other big news to share from posts at rival conference team's websites a week before the opening day contests.

Here is the latest reports from around the league...

Lions

► NEW HEAD COACH: The Penn State Harrisburg Lions have a new head coach, Randy Hood, who has 20 years of coaching experience including a stint at Shippensburg from 1998-2004. The team was 0-8 in CAC play last season. Click here for the full story.

Spartans

► WILL HOST TOURNAMENT: The York College Spartans open their season at the Moravian College Greyhound Premiere Invitational in Bethlehem, PA. Later in September, they will host their own York College Spartan Invitational. The team was 3-5 in CAC play last season. Click here for the full story.

Knights

► NEW HEAD COACH: New Interim Head Coach Brittney Lee has scheduled three back-to-back tournaments to open the Southern Virginia University Knights' season. Lee was assistant coach last season and has previously coached and played in Utah and Arizona. New to the CAC last year, the Knights introduced themselves with a 6-3 conference record. Click here for the full story.

Eagles 

► SEVEN NEW FRESHMEN: The University of Mary Washington Eagles are welcoming seven new freshmen to the team. Six are from the Virginia area with one all the way from California. The team was 6-2 in CAC play last season. Click here for the full story.

 Seahawks

► NEW HEAD COACH: Jeremy Sands is the new Head Coach of the St. Mary's College of Maryland Seahawks. He has 20 years experience as a player and coach. He spent the past six seasons as an assistant coach at the United States Military Academy. The Knights were 3-5 in CAC play last year. Click here for the full story.

Sea Gulls

► ACADEMIC AWARD: As reported at this blog before, the Salisbury University Sea Gulls and the Frostberg State University Bobcats both received the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2013 season for maintaining a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.30. 

Bobcats

Last year, Salisbury was 7-1 in CAC play. Click here for the full story. The Bobcats had a 3-5 CAC record. Click here for their homepage.

Captains 

► NATIONAL RANKING: As reported here before, as well, the Christopher Newport University Captains can boast being ranked 25th in the nation by the AVCA preseason poll. The Captains were CAC champions last season with an undefeated 8-0 conference record. Click here for the full story.

The Marymount University Saints, also CAC members, were 5-3 in CAC play last season.

SCRIMMAGE PHOTOS

42 scrimmage photos
Volleyball Wolverines preparing
for season schedule just a week away

The Wesley College Wolverines were looking sharp yesterday in their volleyball scrimmage at the John W. Pitts Recreation Center against the Delaware Tech Terry Lady Hawks.

Though not an official contest – nor were regular uniforms worn – still, eight freshman played their first game of college volleyball.

The team appears almost ready for their fall schedule, but the big test, of course, is just a week away when these Wolverines travel out-of-town for four games at venues in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that will count toward their season record.

Slideshow below are photos from the scrimmage.
Each shot also can be found online at www.picasaweb.google.com/109350950529420335904/Scrimmage8202014?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Note on photographs: extremely difficult to capture acceptable shots with gym lighting, quickness of the players, and camera used. Took 338 photos of which just parts of 92 seemed salvageable and then only after much computer enhancement until the final pictures are almost graphics rather than true photographs. Did try to get a photo of everyone, but so much ended up a blur. Should anyone at future games have good shots that they would like to share with this blog, please email them to wesleyvolleyball@gmail.com.

CLICK ON ARROW 

TO VIEW SLIDESHOW

SCRIMMAGE

7:00 PM: Pitts Center court
Wolverines will scrimmage
Lady Hawks tonight in Dover

Meg Fernandez

The Wesley College Wolverines will scrimmage the Delaware Tech Terry Lady Hawks this evening, Wednesday, August 20, at 7:00 PM at the John W. Pitts Recreation Center (Schutte Park ), 10 Electric Avenue, Dover, DE.

The Pitts Center is located near the entrance to Schutte Park on Dover's Hazlettville Road, just past the Krafts Food plant, less than a 10 minute drive from the Wesley College campus.

Del Tech has four campuses throughout Delaware. The Terry facility sits on 112 acres on the north side of Dover, DE.

This is a good preseason warmup, but it will be no easy game for either team. Del Tech Terry is coming off a 25-2 record, winning their 2013 Region XIX NJCAA Division II Volleyball title.

Kadijah Doughty

The Lady Hawks brought home the championship last fall with the help of two Wolverines who will be on the court for Wesley this evening, but who played for Del Tech Terry last year.

They are sophomore #18 MB Kadijah Doughty (Milton, DE) and sophomore #15 RS Meg Fernandez (Miami, FL).

Kadijah was one of last year's Del Tech Terry players selected to the All-Region XIX First Team and named part of the Top 5 Players in the Region. Prior to college, she earned 12 varsity letters at Cape Henlopen High (Lewes, DE).

NCAA GRAPHICS

12 days until first games
NCAA photos preview 2014
national volleyball season

The NCAA Volleyball Facebook page has been running a series of striking graphics as a countdown to the start of the national 2014 collegiate volleyball season. The photos features D1 players from across the country.

There have been 16 similar posts over the past 32 days. Undoubtedly there will be more of this art displayed on the Facebook page as we near the opening day games.

CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK POST BELOW 

to visit the NCAA Volleyball Facebook page. 

Post by NCAA Volleyball.

CLICK ON THE ARROW BELOW to view slideshow of the 
NCAA's 16 preseason volleyball graphics posted so far.

CAPTAINS RANKED #25

AVCA poll
Chris. Newport ranked #25
to start volleyball's 2014 season

Christopher Newport University (CNU), last season's CAC volleyball conference champions, are starting off their schedule ranked 25th nationally in the AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll.

The Wesley Wolverines will play the CNU Captains toward the end of the season on Thursday, October 16, at 6:00 PM at home in the Wentworth Gymnasium.

The Captains are not new to the preseason spotlight. CNU has appeared in the top 25 on opening day for five straight years now. The team was ranked #1 for the first game of 2012.

TEAM BARBECUE

Volleyball season launched
Fun, coordination, cooperation
is twister team building exercise

Dabs of wet paint on a twister board was Head Coach Juli Greep's formula for her first steps toward building team chemistry among the Wesley Wolverine's young volleyball squad. It happened Friday evening before a grilled chicken and hot dog dinner at the team barbecue. It's now a week before the start of classes and less than two weeks before the season's opening game.

CLICK HERE for video and more photos at the Wesley College Volleyball Team Facebook page.

Friday evening team barbecue...

 Team bonding game...

PIZZA PARTY

Plenty of food
Moving-in day
starts with pizza!

Now that's the way to begin a school year!

For most parents and volleyball players, bags, belongings, and dorm accessories were still in the car.

The first order of business on this moving-in day for the Wesley College volleyball team was: PIZZA!

Several leftover boxes of pizza 

were shared with the football team!

And, there was plenty of pizza – plus fruit, cookies, cupcakes, and more. There was so much more that the football team was tapped to finish it off.

Then, it was time for these undergraduates to set up their new fall home in the Wesley dorms before this evening's team-building barbeque hosted by Head Coach Juli Greep. (Two Wesley softball players that have volunteered to help with tonight's cookout set up and grilling are junior Steph Caracozza, Melbourne Beach, FL and sophomore Nina Marcano, Middletown, DE).

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CLICK HERE for the post about softball 
players assisting volleyball head coach 
at Wesley College softball blog

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Below are the Wesley College volleyball coaches and teammates at this afternoon's pizza party in the Wesley College Student Center...

NEW SEASON

It's a new season
Wolverines moving-in, pizza,
barbeque, workouts planned

It all begins tomorrow, Friday, August 15, on a quiet campus. Not even the incoming freshman class will be there.

But it's moving-in day for the Wesley Wolverine volleyball team – nine players are new to the squad (eight freshman) and seven are returning of which there is one lone senior, #32 L/DS Rachel Hausler (Califon, NJ).

Co-captains are Rachel and junior #3 L/DS Meghan Marshall (Wilmington, DE).

The players and their families will celebrate with a noontime pizza party in the college center. Then players send off parents before meeting again for Coach Juli Greep's barbeque gathering in the evening, where the coach also has a few team building activities planned.

Workouts begin early Saturday morning. A few calories will be burnt for sure. Endurance, speed, agility reawakened and fine-tuned; teamwork established. There's at least 27 contests to play before November 2.

The first set of games will be just 13 days away – at the end of the first week of classes – when these Wolverines head out for four games on the road at two different state's venues. They take on the New Jersey City University Knights and the John Jay Bloodhounds in Morristown, NJ, on Friday, August 29, followed the very next afternoon, Saturday, August 30, with games against Bryn Mawr Owls and Penn State Brandywine Lions in Media, PA. CLICK HERE for the full Wolverine volleyball schedule.

LOPEZ PROFILE

Player profile
Renee Lopez likes good friends,
singing, beach, and New York City

Here is a profile of Wesley Wolverine volleyball player Freshman #2 S Renee Lopez (Jefferson Township, N.J.)

Name: Renee Lopez

Hometown: Jefferson Township, NJ

Primary position: Setter

Where I attended high school: Jefferson Township High School

College graduation year: 2018

College Major: Psychology

What I hope to do when I graduate: Go straight into psychology, preferably clinical. I want to socialize and help others.

My passion off the court: Being with my closest friends and family

Things I like to do: Hang out with friends, sing, and go to the beach, as well as NYC trips

Favorite memory from last summer: Going to LBI

Best advice I've received: say what you mean and mean what you say

Favorite book: The Great Gatsby

Favorite movies: Mean Girls and Despicable Me

Favorite quote: “Life ain’t always beautiful, but it’s a beautiful ride.”

Who I would love to invite to dinner: My grandma who passed away last year

What is most important to me: My family, they are the ones who I know are always there for me no matter what and will never leave my side.

ZIOLKOWSKI PROFILE

Player profile
Codi Ziolkowski: HS honors student loves reading, Delaware River Mud Pie

Here is a profile of Wesley Wolverine volleyball player freshman #21 setter/ right side Codi Ziolkowski (Bear, DE).

Codi and her mom at high school graduation

Name: Codi Ziolkowski

Hometown: Bear, Delaware

Primary position: Right Side/ Setter

Where I attended high school: Caravel Academy, Bear, DE

College graduation year: 2018

College Major: Business Administration

What I hope to do when I graduate: Use my business degree to help support and promote non-profit charities

My passion off the court: My family, friends, and food

Academic achievements: Graduated with High Honors from Caravel Academy

Things I like to do: Hang out with my family and friends, play volleyball, read, eat, and watch movies and TV shows

What I did last summer: Went to Lake Michigan with my family and played volleyball

Best advice I've received: “Stop thinking, and just play the game!”

Favorite players: Misty May and Destinee Hooker

Favorite teams: Boston Red Sox and Denver Broncos

Favorite books: Seven Realms series and Mortal Instrument series

Favorite movies: Step Up 3 and She’s the Man

Favorite ice cream flavor: Delaware River Mud Pie

Favorite vacation spots: Lake Michigan and Italy

Favorite quote: “Cherish yesterday, Dream tomorrow, Live today”

Who I would love to invite to dinner: My grandmother before she got sick because she always knew how to make me feel better whenever I was down.

What is most important to me: My family, friends, and being true to myself

COYNE PROFILE

Player profile
Charlene Coyne loves travel & beach
but family & friends most important

Here is a profile of Wesley Wolverine volleyball player freshman #16 middle block Charlene Coyne (Bear, DE).

Charlene on left with sister at a Phillies game.

Name: Charlene Coyne

Hometown: Bear, DE

Primary position: middle block

Where I attended high school: Red Lion Christian Academy, Bear, DE

College graduation year: 2018

College Major: Nursing

What I hope to do when I graduate: I want to be an ICU nurse when I graduate.

My passion off the court: I love going to the beach and spending as much time with my friends as possible.

Non-major course that I have enjoyed the most: Psychology

Charlene, center of photo on fence, with her family 
at Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, DE.

What I like best about college: I like the environment and the chance to make new friends.

Things I like to do: I like to go to the beach, hangout with my friends and family and travel.

Best advice I've received: When you want something, fight for it because if you don't no one else will.

Favorite player: Misty May and Ryan Howard

Favorite team: Phillies and UCLA

Favorite book: Battle of Bunker Hill

Favorite movie: Live Free or Die Hard

Favorite quote: Never let your fear decide your fate.

What is most important to me: My family and friends are the most important thing to me.

FERNANDEZ PROFILE

Player profile
Megan Fernandez plans grad work
with the goal of becoming a detective

Here is a player profile of Wesley Wolverine volleyball player Sophomore #15 right side Meg Fernandez (Miami, FL). 

Megan Fernandez and the 2013 Del Tech Terry
(Dover, DE) NJCAA Division II Volleyball Champions

Name: Megan Fernandez

Hometown: 
Miami, Florida

Primary position: 
Right side

Where I attended high school: G.Holmes Braddock, Miami, FL

College graduation year: 2017

College Major: 
Legal Studies

What I hope to do when I graduate: I will go on to grad school where I will finish the classes I need to be a successful detective.

My passion off the court: My passion off the court is to be the best student I can possibly be.

Academic achievements: Student Ambassador

Non-major course that I have enjoyed the most: I highly enjoyed Sociology.

What I like best about college: Being able to live on my own and learning how to make decisions that will better me in the future.

Megan Fernandez & family, left-to-right, sister Lauren, 
father Abel, mother Doraida, Megan, and brother Abel.

My favorite spot on campus: The Underground

Things I like to do: Read, shop, take pictures, and workout.

What I did last summer: I started college and experienced my first time leaving home.

Best advice I've received: No matter how hard things are I need to keep moving forward.

Favorite players: Destinee Hooker, Misty May Treanor, and Kerri Walsh-Jennings.

Favorite teams: New England Patriots, and Miami Heat.

Favorite books: The Fault in Our Stars, Divergent, and The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas.

Favorite movies: She's the Man, and Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Favorite quote: "Respect is not given, its earned"

Who I would love to invite to dinner: I would love to invite Missy Elliot to dinner.

What is most important to me: The most important thing to me is my family. Everyday my family pushes me to succeeded and to better myself.

Sophomore #15 RS Meg Fernandez (Miami, FL)

SCHOFIELD PROFILE

Player profile
Erin Schofield's educational goal:
doctorate & physical therapy practice

Here is a profile of Wesley Wolverine volleyball player Freshman #13 L/DS Erin Schofield (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Erin Schofield

Name: Erin Schofield 

Hometown: Philadelphia PA

Position: OH/Libero

High school: MaST Community Charter School, Philadelphia, PA

Graduation year: 2018

College major: Exercise Science/Physical Therapy

What I hope to do when I graduate: get my doctorate, and have my own practice.

Erin (Click photo
to enlarge)

Passion off the court: being with family and friends. 

Academic achievements: Nothing in college yet, but honors throughout high school. 

What I like best about college: well I haven't moved into college yet, so I have no idea what to expect.

Things I like to do: hangout with friends, eat, do anything fun.

What I did last summer: went to the Bahamas.

Favorite teams: phillies and eagles.

Favorite books: Outsiders and To Kill a Mocking Bird

Favorite movie: 42

Erin (Click photo to enlarge)

Favorite quote: Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... play for her.

Who I would love to take to dinner: Miley Cyrus

Who is most important to me: my loved ones.