WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

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BUFFALO, NY - A new era in University at Buffalo volleyball began on March 9, 2005 when Jim Lodes was announced as the ninth head coach in the history of the program. A seasoned coaching veteran who has been affiliated with winning programs at all levels during his 14-year coaching career, Lodes is determined to take the UB volleyball program to the next level. The process of turning the Bulls into Mid-American Conference and national contenders began during the spring season, and the Bulls are eager to get back out onto the court and work hard this fall.

"I'm extremely excited about the 2005 season," said Lodes. "I have high expectations for our team to develop into a contender in the Mid-American Conference. In order for our program to take a positive step in that direction, we must compete hard every day. I feel the team was committed this past spring to accepting that challenge. We accepted the technical training and pursued the consistency required to compete at a higher level. That determination will continue to stimulate our improvement."

The Bulls are led by the senior duo of Amy Brown (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) and Katie Weekley (Dayton, OH/Chaminade-Julienne). Brown has been the Bulls' starting setter for the past three seasons. Despite battling injuries last year, she finished with 9.75 assists per game, the second-highest single-season total in UB volleyball history, behind her own mark of 11.10 set in 2003. Brown has 3,065 career assists, third all-time in UB volleyball history, as well as 698 career digs.

Amy Brown

Weekley, a middle blocker, ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game in 2004 (1.30), and her blocks per game average was the seventh-highest single-season total in UB volleyball history. Weekley also ranked third on the team with 2.32 kills per game and led the team with 337 points last season (3.21 per game) while being one of three players to play in all 105 games. She ranks on UB's career charts for solo blocks (82, eighth), block assists (324, fourth) and total blocks (406, fourth).

"Amy Brown and Katie Weekley will be a major part of the success we have this season, paving the way for the program's future," said Lodes. "They are more than capable of handling this task. Amy is an athletic setter. She makes great decisions and has the ability to better the ball. Katie will create match-up problems for our opponents as they try to stop her offensive abilities and then avoid her huge block. She should be a force for us.

Katie Weekley

"Katie and Amy will provide leadership for us both on and off the court. Their commitment will enable us to reach our goals for this season as well as lay the foundation for our future."

The Bulls have a strong junior class made up of Lauren Burd (York, PA/Central York), Brandie Clark (Medicine Hat, Alberta/Medicine Hat), Wendy Haskell (Clarence Center, NY/Clarence), Jenna Mapé (Calgary, Alberta/Father Lacombe), Trisha Miazga (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/St. Joseph/North Carolina A&T) and Nikki Morzenti (Safety Harbor, FL/Clearwater). Morzenti, an outside hitter and middle blocker, was the Bulls' biggest offensive threat in 2004 with a team-leading 288 kills (2.91 per game). She also had 212 digs (2.14 per game, tied for third on the team) and led the team in points per game (3.31). Morzenti surpassed the 500 mark for career kills against Ohio on October 2, and she has 619 career kills and 486 career digs entering the 2005 season.

Nikki Morzenti

"Nikki Morzenti can be an offensive force," said Lodes. "She is determined to compete at her best. Her discipline to do all that it takes both on and off the court will provide our team with an excellent example of what they need to do to improve every day. "

Burd and Clark both developed into key contributors last season. Burd, a middle blocker and right side hitter, averaged 1.28 kills, 0.82 blocks (second on the team) and 1.89 points per game in 2004, while Clark, a right side hitter and back-up setter, averaged 5.56 assists, 0.94 kills and 1.18 digs per game.

"Lauren Burd and Brandie Clark will be significant pieces of our team this season," said Lodes. "If they continue to develop as they did this past spring, they will allow us to have versatile attack options and the ability to be creative in transition attacking. They also provide the personality and energy needed to go on scoring runs."

Mapé, a middle blocker and outside hitter, appeared in 13 matches last season and averaged 0.94 kills per game. Haskell, an outside hitter, appeared in 21 matches in an injury-shortened 2004 season, averaging 0.72 kills and 1.06 digs per game. Miazga, a middle blocker, saw limited action in her first season at Buffalo after transferring from North Carolina A&T.

"Assuming they are healthy, Jenna Mapé, Trisha Miazga and Wendy Haskell can each become key contributors in 2005," said Lodes. "They all have the ability to play as starters or come in and contribute off the bench. Our junior class as a whole should play a major role in the development of our program this year."

The sophomore class is highlighted by libero Lizaiha Garcia (Dayton, OH/Beavercreek). The team's Top Newcomer last season, she finished her freshman campaign with a team-leading 407 digs (tied for seventh all-time in UB volleyball history) and 3.88 digs per game (11th in the Mid-American Conference and third all-time in UB volleyball history). Garcia reached double digits in digs in 23 of 30 matches, and she was one of three players to appear in all 105 games during the season. She had a season-high 30 digs in a four-game loss at Eastern Michigan on September 25, the most digs recorded by a UB player since the 1999 season.

Lizaiha Garcia

"Lizaiha Garcia may be the best libero in the Mid-American Conference," said Lodes. "She is capable of dominating a match with her abilities in the back row. We will look for her to play a major role in the success of our side out offense efficiency with her ball control skills as well as initiating our point scoring opportunities with her defensive abilities. "

Rounding out the sophomore class are Sarah Streib (Baldwinsville, NY/Baker) and Sara Hotz (Perrysburg, OH/St. Ursula Academy). Streib, an outside hitter, was the team's Most Improved Player in 2004. She appeared in 26 matches and averaged 0.43 kills, 0.93 digs and 0.26 service aces per game. Hotz is a right side hitter who appeared in five matches as a freshman last season.

"Sarah Streib and Sara Hotz are both very determined to push for court time," said Lodes. "They will help create a positive competitive environment with their work ethic and desire to be on the floor. "

The Bulls will welcome one rookie in 2005, freshman Rachel Smith (Churchville, NY/Churchville-Chili) from Churchville, NY. A four-year letterwinner at Churchville-Chili High School, Smith had 264 kills, 311 digs, 97 blocks and 71 service aces as a senior. She had 349 blocks during her high school career, shattering the previous school record of 262, and also set school records for blocks in a season (106) and aces in a match (13), both during her junior year. Smith was a second-team All-State selection as a senior, and she also won regional championship titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005 with her Rochester Volleyball Club team, VolleyFX Magic.

"Rachel Smith has the size to become a factor as a middle blocker," said Lodes. "Once she adjusts to the increased speed of the college game, she will be able to add depth to our front row and may become a blocking specialist. As she adapts, her opportunities to contribute will also increase."

The other two new faces on the sidelines in 2005 will be first-year assistant coaches Ladi Iya and Tucker Short. Iya, a native of Nigeria, came to UB after one year as an assistant coach at Nicholls State University of the Southland Conference. In the spring of 2002, Iya was the starting middle blocker for the Grand Rapids Force of the USPV (United States Professional Volleyball League), the only professional volleyball league in the United States, and in January 2004, she represented her country in the Olympic Qualifiers for African nations.

Short came to UB from Springfield College in Springfield, MA where he was a four-year letterwinner from 2000-03 and served as the women's junior varsity head coach and men's varsity graduate assistant coach in 2004. Short was a standout setter at Springfield where he led his team to three straight Molten Division III national championship titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He began his coaching career at North Carolina where he was a volunteer assistant coach with the women's volleyball team in 2003 when Lodes was an assistant.

The Bulls open the 2005 season with road matches at Marist on August 27 and at Albany on August 28 and then participate in three tournaments prior to the start of the Mid-American Conference slate on September 23.

The Bulls will host Maryland-Eastern Shore, Army and Colgate at the Western New York Invitational on September 2 and September 3 to open the home portion of the schedule. The Bulls will participate in two other tournaments in the month of September - at Washington State, taking on the host Cougars, Idaho and Oral Roberts, and at West Virginia, taking on the host Mountaineers, Memphis and Duquesne. Single matches at Marist, at Albany, at home against Niagara (September 13), at Canisius (October 5) and at Syracuse (October 11) will round out the non-conference slate.

"I'm anxious for the season to get here," said Lodes. "Our schedule prior to the MAC beginning is excellent. Albany and Idaho made it to the first round of NCAAs last season with Albany winning the America East. Army, Maryland-Eastern Shore and Oral Roberts finished second in their respective conference tournaments, and Memphis made it to their conference semifinals. Traveling to Washington State and West Virginia along with hosting the Western New York Invitational will allow us to experience great competition and prepare us to compete in the MAC. The MAC should be very competitive this year and this schedule will help us be ready for the start of conference play."

Buffalo's conference schedule will begin on the weekend of September 23 and September 24 when the Bulls play at Kent State and at defending MAC Champion Ohio. The 16-match conference slate will see the Bulls play each member of the East Division (Akron, Bowling Green, Kent State, Miami and Ohio) twice, both home and away, and each member of the West Division once (at Ball State, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan and home against Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan). The Bulls end the regular season with a four-match homestand during the first two weeks of November, hosting Toledo, Akron, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.

For the third season, every MAC school will qualify for the Mid-American Conference Tournament, and first-round matches will take place on November 15 on the campus sites of the higher seeds. The quarterfinals, semifinals and final match will be on November 18, November 19 and November 20 at the SeaGate Convention Centre in Toledo, OH.

"I'm very fortunate to be in the situation I'm in here," said Lodes. "The University at Buffalo is committed to competing both in the Mid-American Conference and on a national level. I've been able to put together a great coaching staff in Ladi Iya and Tucker Short, and each is committed to seeing the development of UB into a quality program. Their energy and determination will maximize our efforts to improve. Our team is comprised of quality student-athletes who are anxious to reach their potential. Our players' enthusiasm will allow this to be a great training environment. As a staff, we are looking forward to facilitating a winning culture."