UMC Volleyball Releases 2015 Schedule

CROOKSTON, Minn.-  The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball team officially announced their 2015 schedule Tuesday. UMC’s slate will be highlighted by eight games against 2014 NCAA Division II Tournament participants. The Golden Eagles will play a 20-match Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) schedule, while also competing in two tournaments as they head to Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. and Augustana College (S.D.) in Sioux Falls, S.D. for eight matches prior to the start of the conference season.

“This year’s non-conference schedule is highlighted with a trip to Bentley University in Boston, Mass.,” said UMC Head Coach Lee Anderson. “We are scheduled to play a few of teams that made the NCAA tournament last year so it should be challenging. I try to give the athletes a great experience going to different regions of the country so visiting the Northeast should be fun.”

The Golden Eagles will begin the 2015 slate at Bentley University, located inside the Greater Boston area. UMC will get four matches at Bentley. UMC will open up the slate against Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pa., at 10 a.m. Sept. 4. The Griffins went 14-16 on the 2014 season. The Golden Eagles will then take on 2014 NCAA Tournament participant Florida Southern College out of Lakeland, Fla., at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 4. The Mocs went 25-6 on the season in 2014. UMC will continue the tournament Sept. 5 as they take on host Bentley at 10 a.m. The Falcons went 19-12 and were also a 2014 NCAA Tournament team. UMC will wrap up the tournament against New Haven University in West Haven, Conn. at 2:30 p.m. The Chargers went 24-9 in 2014 and also competed at the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

UMC will continue their non-conference schedule as they head down Interstate 29 to Sioux Falls, S.D. for the Augustana College (S.D.) Tournament. The Golden Eagles will get several tough matches prior to opening up conference play. UMC will open the tournament against regional foe Northwest Missouri State University out of Maryville, Mo., at 10 a.m. Sept. 11. The Bearcats went 11-19 in 2014. UMC will continue the day as they take on Black Hills State University out of Spearfish, S.D., at 4 p.m. The Yellow Jackets went 10-18 last season. The Golden Eagles will wrap up the tournament Sept. 12. UMC will take on NCAA Tournament participant Grand Valley State University out of Allendale, Mich., at 10 a.m. The Lakers posted a 27-6 mark overall in 2014. The Golden Eagles’ final match of the tourney will come against Southwest Baptist University out of Bolivar, Mo., another regional rival. The Bearcats went 10-20 during the 2014 slate.

“Our conference schedule will be very tough again this year,” Anderson said. “The NSIC is at an all-time high in terms of level of play, everyone improves every year. Every match is tough regardless if we are at home or on the road. You just do not get a night off, everyone is that good.”


UMC will open up an always difficult conference slate Sept. 17. The Golden Eagles will have four games against NCAA Tournament participants from the conference. In addition, they will have 10 matches at home and 10 on the road, getting to host NCAA runner-up Southwest Minnesota State University and seven-time National Champion Concordia University, St. Paul in the friendly confines of Lysaker Gymnasium.

UMC will open up the slate against University of Minnesota Duluth, the team that captured the regular-season NSIC crown in 2014 and went on to the NCAA Tournament. UMD went 33-2 on the 2014 season. The Golden Eagles will face the Bulldogs in Duluth, Minn. at 7 p.m. Sept. 17.

UMC will then hit return home for matches against St. Cloud State University and Bemidji State University. UMC will face St. Cloud State at 4 p.m. Sept. 19 at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Huskies posted a 7-21 mark in 2014. UMC split with St. Cloud State on the 2014 season. UMC will then take on Bemidji State at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 at Lysaker Gymnasium. UMC swept the Beavers last season, who finished with a 5-23 mark.

The Golden Eagles will hit the road the following weekend to take on University of Mary Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. in Bismarck, N.D. and Minot State University Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. in Minot, N.D. UMC defeated U-Mary last season. The Marauders went 4-25 on the season. The Golden Eagles split with Minot State last year. The Beavers went 11-18 on the season. Both programs will have new coaches for the season with Thais Franca taking over the Marauders and an as of yet unhired coach taking over Minot State.

UMC will return home to host Northern State University Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in Lysaker Gymnasium and then will take on Minnesota State University Moorhead at 4 p.m. Oct. 3. The Golden Eagles lost all of their matches against the Dragons and Wolves in 2014. Northern State had a strong season, finishing 19-10 overall, while MSU Moorhead was 11-17 on the year.

The Golden Eagles will hit the road the following weekend as they take on Augustana College (S.D.) at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 and Wayne State College (Neb.) at 3 p.m. Oct. 10. Both the opposing schools were victorious against UMC last season. Augustana went 18-10 on the year, while Wayne State was an NCAA Tournament
participant and wnet 27-7 on the season.

UMC will host NCAA runner-up Southwest Minnesota State Oct. 16 at 7p.m., and will take on University of Sioux Falls Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. in a pair of games at the “Hersch”. Southwest Minnesota State finished the year with a 26-10 overall record, while Sioux Falls went 17-14. UMC lost all four games against the schools last
 season.

The Golden Eagles will hit the road for a three-game road stand Oct. 20-24, taking on
Bemidji State University at 7 p.m. Oct. 20, Winona State University Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. and Upper
Iowa University Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. Winona State went 19-8 on the year, while Upper Iowa was 12-16.

UMC will return home the following weekend to battle Minnesota State University, Mankato Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. They will also take on Concordia University, who was an NCAA Tournament participant despite finally being dethroned as NCAA Division II Champion after seven-straight titles. UMC defeated Minnesota State on the year. The Mavericks went 16-12 on the year. Concordia finished 27-6 on the 2014 season. The Mavericks will be under new leadership as Dennis Amundson retired from the post.

The Golden Eagles will have their final road trip of the season Nov. 6 against MSU Moorhead at 7 p.m. and Nov. 7 against Northern State at 4 p.m.

UMC will wrap up the 2015 slate with home matches against Minot State at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 and 4 p.m. Nov. 14.

The Golden Eagles return five starters from their 2014 team, along with several other players who played instrumental roles. The biggest task at hand for Coach Anderson and Associate Head Coach Heather Grieser will be replacing the production of 2014 All-NSIC First Team pick Brittany Looker, who takes her 4.16 kills per game with her. Playing major roles for UMC will be senior outside hitter Stephanie Pearson (Frankfort, Ill.)who averaged 1.88 kills per game, along with Kassi Green (So., RS, Anoka, Minn.), who averaged 1.90 kills per sent and 0.59 blocks per set. Adding to the outside hitter positions will be the return of Maggie Perrel (So., RS, New Germany, Minn.), who returns to the team after a year away. Perrel averaged 2.01 kills per set as a freshman in 2013. The Golden Eagles also return depth with Kali Erickson (Jr., OH, Fargo, N.D.)

In the middle, UMC returns starters Kelci Green (So., MH, Anoka, Minn.) and Erin Schwarz (Jr., MH, Eden Prairie, Minn.). Green came on late in the year and averaged 1.07 blocks per set, to lead the team. Schwarz added 0.95 blocks per set for the Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagles also return Alyssa Muelken (So., MH, Savage, Minn.), who saw time as a freshman.

At setter, UMC returns the two-pronged attack of Sierra Trost (Jr., S, Ham Lake, Minn.) and Kaycie Hagen (So., S, Savage, Minn.). Trost averaged 7.49 assists per set last season, while Hagen came on when UMC moved to a 6-2 system, finishing the year with 2.45 assists per set.

Defensively, UMC returns Becca Vandenheuvel (So., Lib., Cannon Falls, Minn.) and Casey Cashman (Jr., Lib., Ashland, Wis.). Vandenheuvel averaged 1.32 digs per set, while Cashman averaged 1.49 digs per set.

The Golden Eagles will also be adding in eighth players to the fray, who should help to push for time on the court as UMC looks to improve from their 11-17 mark during the 2014 season. Despite a down year from 2013, the Golden Eagles were very close in several matches, losing five matches in five-set thrillers. UMC will look to continue to show improvement on the 2015 season.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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