Our Seniors!

Meghan Albiston #11

Another season come and gone for the MSU volleyball team. This season held a special place in my heart, however, because it was my last. Over the past five years, so much has changed throughout the program. I’ve seen multiple coaches, assistant coaches, trainers, managers, and teammates all pass through this program. But one thing has remained constant; bobcat pride.

There seems to be a common thread among those who call Bozeman ‘home’. Whether it be only for four years of college or where one raises a family, this city bleeds blue and gold. I came to Bozeman for lots of reasons. Even though it may sound cliché, our community is what dragged me in, and is the reason I know I am proud to say Bozeman has been my wonderful home while attending school here.

I know I am going to miss volleyball every day. It is so hard to come to the understanding that my time as an MSU volleyball player is over. This season was truly a great stretch to be a part of. Our freshmen brought new hope and excitement to a program that has been rebuilding for a few years now. I knew this was the year things would change though. This was the year to make history. We did it!

No, we weren’t undefeated. No, we aren’t headed to Portland in a few days to vie for the title of Conference Champs. But we won more matches than I’ve seen in all my years here playing for MSU. We learned a new understanding of what it means to compete and challenge ourselves and our teammates in practice. We learned how to not only play with our opponent, but beat them.

I know this program has so much more potential and I cannot wait to see Montana State’s name ranked in the top four of our conference next year. I know we can do it, and even though I’m no longer a member of the team, I know I’m still a Bobcat and I still have that pride!

I am anxiously awaiting my departure to Fairbanks, AK in January. I begin my student/teaching experience there next semester. So many changes are transpiring in my life, and I already feel a definite void without the sport I’ve played for 16 years. I just feel so lucky to have been a part of this team and have cherished every moment. Although I’ll be miles away, I plan to still follow MSU athletics and hold a special place in my heart for the great friendships I’ve made and people who have touched my life.

I’d like to move back to Bozeman someday. I’m not sure when my path will lead me back here, but I do know there’s no place like it on earth. I’ll carry that Bobcat Pride deep in my heart wherever I end up. Thank you to all the fans, boosters, coaches, teachers, teammates (… and the list goes on) who have made my experience here as a Bobcat volleyball player so wonderful. I’ll always remember how our crowd beat anywhere else we traveled by far; I’ll always remember seeing the stands absolutely packed for cat/griz; and I’ll always remember the pride.

Jodeen Rademacher - #5

To start off this final blog I would first like to thank all of the fans who have supported the Lady Bobcats through all the good times and the bad. The fans definitely make each season a special one and we couldn’t do it without each and every one of you. Secondly I would like to thank all the girls that I have had the opportunity to play with and become a family with. I would say that I am one of the few lucky girls that get to say I have 18 plus sisters. I would have never made it without the love and support of these outstanding girls. Thirdly I would like to thank my fellow senior Meghan. I have been so lucky to get to have you as a roommate, friend, and a teammate all at the same time. You are the best and I will miss you like crazy. These last three years at Montana State have been amazing and life changing. I have met some incredible people and have made memories that will last a life time. Even though my time as a MSU volleyball player has passed, I will always bleed the colors blue and gold forever. Once a bobcat always a bobcat. GO CATS!!

Alex Penewell #17 and Rachelle Allen #1

Two entries this week...enjoy!

Alex Penewell #17

“What is competitive greatness? It’s being at your best when your best is needed. It’s enjoying the challenge when things become difficult, even very difficult.”

–John Wooden

As we are coming down to the last few weeks of season we are still learning and progressing as a team, which is just a reminder of how far we have come and how much further we have to go. This week we were defiantly reminded of the very important fact that we are a team and as such we are one unit that gets rewarded for the positive and punished for the negative. We had shorter practices this week but there was no lack of intensity or physical demand, but we struggled to keep things crisp and unfortunately that translated into a sub par weekend.

It is also the point in the semester where papers are due, exams are plentiful, and the expectations are elevated. I am really enjoying my Nineteenth Century Art History class, it is one of my favorite time periods in history and we are looking specifically at the art in France which is easily where my favored artists are from. I will definitely be spending most of my time in the library studying this week, when I’m not in the gym of course.

My southern California roots may later regret saying this but I am lovingggg the snow! I am happy we got to experience Fall but I was ready to break out the boots and beanies. I have really enjoyed Bozeman so far, its such a fun town and the support for athletics is unlike anything I’ve experienced before.

I feel that as we are entering our last week and are preparing for our last two matches of the 2010 season it is going to be important for us to remember to be competitively ready and to exert all of our energy into these last practices and our matches against Idaho State and Weber State! Our senior night will be Saturday against Weber, come honor Meghan and Jo on their last night!!! Go Cats!!

Rachelle Allen #1

Our last week of regular season is here. The last three months have gone by extremely fast and I am amazed we have only one week left.

Last week was a tough one for the team. We went through a couple speed bumps throughout the week and ended with a disappointing loss in Sacramento. We did have some good practices, however we just could not manage to get into a rhythm or do the small things. It was a disappointing loss after we had done so well against them a month back at our Dig Pink match, but this week the we are looking to cap the season off going 2-0! We are ready to get back into the gym tomorrow and start tuning up the things we struggled with against Sacramento.

In practice this week I am looking forward to passing and defense! With those two things tuned up we will surely give Idaho State and Weber State a tough match. Our passing and defense was just not disciplined and held us back from getting in the same rhythm we are used to.

This weekend is going to be a tough one seeing as it is Meghan and Jo's last games. Meghan has been here through the thick and thin of this program. Through all the changes this program has made from different coaches to different game plans to even different gym floors :) I am going to miss her very much.

Jo has also been here for the past three years now and has become a very close teammate. We always seem to relate with the random injuries we have and our two very lovely right shoulders. I am going to miss them both soooo much. We do have some great gifts planned for the two, so hopefully their senior night will be a night to remember :)

Outside of volleyball, we are starting to buckle down in the academic arena. Now that the season is coming to an end we are not going to be missing anymore classes due to travel. The past years the volleyball team has been one of the top teams in GPA and we are definetly going to work to keep it that way.

Everyone is a little hesitant about the snow we came back to, but we will embrace it especially after being spoiled with the great fall in Bozeman. Some of the girls are doing just that. They went sledding on Pete's Hill, had a great time and took a lot of funny pictures.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the team is all looking forward to getting some time off of school and spend some good time with families. Not everyone will be able to go home because of the short 3 day break, but everyone has fun plans to look forward to. Wishing everyone safe travels and a Happy Thanksgiving!! Thank you all for your support this season and believing in the change of this program. We will continue to work hard to get the program back to the top! Thanks again!

Lauren Curtis #13

The team worked hard this week in the gym and had some great practices! We mixed some things up, and worked on being aggressive. The team ended up coming up a little short in our matches this weekend, but we are definitely making progress. We are excited to get back in the gym this week and prepare for our trip to Sacramento this weekend.

So far my classes have been going really great this semester. I have been enjoying my history and political science classes as well as my education classes. One of my favorite classes so far has been my “Politics of Food and Hunger” class. I worked on a group project about food insecurity in India and how their government is dealing with it, which was very interesting.

This past week there was an NHL Hockey game: Canucks vs. Avalanche. This was a big rivalry for Jenn and Rachelle, since Jenn is a big Canucks hockey fan from Vancouver and Rachelle an Avalanche fan, since she is a big time all-around Denver sports fan. The two of them ended up getting the whole team to pick a side. About half the team didn’t have exams to study for that night and got together at Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game. Jenn and I were the only two at the table rooting for the Canucks (I had to choose them since I only live 2 hours away from Vancouver). We were pretty out numbered, but were ready to root the Canucks on to victory! Jenn and I exchanged many high-fives over the table, since it turned out to be a Canuck victory, 3-1!

This week I also enjoyed having my parents and my cousin, Kim in town. Kim played volleyball in college at Western Washington University and wanted to make a point to come out to Bozeman and see me play in our home gym at some point during my career here. She is now a marathon runner and when she went for her 7 mile run on Sunday she came back and told me that the altitude definitely made breathing a little tougher than she had expected, even though she ran it in 45 minutes! I really loved having them here, and got to spend some quality time and go out to some great meals with them!

Thank you all so much for the great support we had this weekend! Can’t wait to see you all again for our senior’s last home matches the 19th (vs. Idaho State) and 20th (vs. Weber State)! Have a good week, and GO CATS!

Sarah Horton #12

This week we worked really hard in practice and in the weight room but unfortunately it didn't pay off as well as we had hoped it would. In practice we worked on playing in game like situations to help us prepare for EWU and PSU and we had a great week of practice! This week we are looking forward to practicing hard and getting some wins on Friday and Saturday.

In this past weekend we lost a couple tough matches to Eastern Washington and Portland State, but we look forward to playing at home this week against UNC and NAU and we plan on working hard in practice to make sure we're prepared for two tough matches this weekend.

So far school has been going well for me. It's nice having so many breaks in between classes(unlike in high school) so I can get lots of stuff done before practice such as study tables and EATING. haha. I'm a freshman so dorm life has been great so far! It's nice and quiet in Hannon Hall which is good for us freshman so we can relax after having such hectic weeks. Traveling takes a toll on me sometimes but it's always fun being with my team. We have so much fun together in the hotel rooms and in the airports. We have one more traveling weekend coming up in my home state California!! I'm so exited to be back in Cali and to play a good match against Sac State in front of my friends and family.

I look forward to seeing you all at our game on Friday and Saturday. Thanks so much for your support, our fans are amazing! Go Cats!!

Meghan Albiston #11

This past week marked the beginning of the second half of conference play. We worked hard all week in practice to prepare for our long anticipated match vs. the grizzlies on Friday night in Shroyer Gym. Our team was pumped for the game. This being Jo’s and my senior year, we were kindly reminded that it was our last cat/griz match ever. I’ve been emotional all season (an ongoing joke with the team every time I cry about the most random things ever…) so it was bitter/sweet running through the smoke before the match to see all 1,639 fans cheering for us. In all my five years playing the grizzlies at home, that’s the biggest turnout I’ve ever seen.

We fought hard, but I still don’t think we gave it our best showing. It was tough losing to Montana in three quick sets. The scores were close, but we just couldn’t pull off the win. Coach gave us the weekend off, and I headed for some solitude at my friend’s ranch. We went hunting, built a campfire, and just enjoyed the great outdoors. After the weekend getaway, I’m wound up and ready for another great week of practices leading up to a road trip to PSU and EWU.

I feel that our team is more motivated than ever to work hard and win. We’re putting our blood, sweat, and tears into every practice, every set, every match in order to come out on top. Right now we’re vying for that 4^th place spot in the conference to get us into the tournament. A few more wins and we’re there!! It’s so exciting to have that hope for a longer season and know we have the talent to conquer.

Thank you all so much for the great crowd and support this past Friday! You can watch online this weekend, but we’ll be back in Shroyer next Friday and Saturday to pound on NAU and UNC!! SEE YOU THERE!!

Jennifer Lundquist #10

It’s been another beautiful week in Bozeman. I’m amazed that it hasn’t snowed yet. I’m pretty sure this is some kind of record.

Last week, we worked really hard in practice to prepare for our home game against Sac State. I was feeling sick half the week, which was a huge bummer, but recovered just in time for the match. We played awesome against Sac State, we executed our game plan, adjusted to what they were doing, and played aggressive the whole game. It was a ton of fun to play up to our potential and stomp Sac State 3 straight.

Feeling pretty good after our conference win, we packed up and headed over to one of my favourite places and home to one of our players, Seattle. Arriving there on Saturday night we were hosted by Lauren Curtis’ family for dinner, which was amazing! Thank-you Curtis’! The next day, we were ready for our game against Seattle U but we couldn’t pull together, make the adjustments or find the energy so we fell 3 straight. Not in the best spirits, we headed over to Pike Place Market. Catching flying fish, having someone chase Mackenzi with a dead fish all around the market, and visiting the original Starbucks (established in 1971) managed to cheer us up a little bit.

So we headed home ready for a hard week of practice and ready to take on our rival team this Friday in Shake the Shroyer. That is all, be sure to come support us against the Griz this Friday!

Kellee Kackman #9

Well it's nice to see all the leaves changing this year considering last year at this time there was snow everywhere. Continuing to be amazed by how beautiful it is in Bozeman. This week has been pretty great. Monday we had a team day which consisted of our team blind folding ourselves and trying to stay on a small plywood board...over at the intramural fields! It was challenging but it was a chance for us to get out of the gym and focus on being a team. Afterwards, we had a "booster dinner" which was really a surprise dinner for Jen because it was Canada's Thanksgiving. Her face was priceless when she walked in the house to Canada's National Anthem blasting! Another great time together sharing a great thanksgiving dinner...in October:)

Practice yesterday was spent working on individual skills. That was so great to break down and focus on your specific skill so that we can bring it all together Wednesday. I'm really excited about the home game this Friday. Cats will finally be able to stay home and bring the heat in Shroyer! Classes have been a bit crazy with mid-terms already! But hanging in.

Well that's all for now!

Go Cats

Assistant Coach - Scott Keister

Hi everyone! Thanks for following our blog and supporting our Cats who are off to a great 9-8 start on the season! The girls tend to be a little shy when they write their blogs (I'll work with them on that), so I will fill in some blanks here and there to give you an up to date view of things.

Our trip to Weber State and Idaho State was a hard fought one. The team knew they were in for close calls on the bus ride down to Utah when the bus almost hit an antelope. Driver Bo was a pro and handled the big rig very nicely, keeping our Cats AND the antelope safe from harm.

Our match vs. Weber State was the most exciting match that we have played this year. Thanks to many members of my family and friends, Macy's family and friends and Taylar's family and friends, we had a fantastic Cat Crowd. They were not as numbered as the Weber fans, but were CERTAINLY LOUDER! We dropped a very close 1st set but played fairly well. We kept that good play going in the 2nd and won. The third set was tough fought the entire time, but we couldn't pull it out, losing 26-28. We won the fourth and went to the fifth. We jumped out to a 6-1 lead before allowing Weber to come back and tie it. Weber eventually would get to match point at 14-11 and then Cat Nation broke out and rattled off 5 straight points to win the match!!! What a great feeling to get a conference win on the road.

The next night we played just north on I-15 at Idaho State. Idaho State is playing well this year and we knew that we would be in for a tough match. We came out strong in the first set, following our game plan but made just a couple of mistakes losing 23-25. Usually when we switch sides between sets, the coaches have several tactical adjustments we need to make to do better. In this case though...no changes needed. We just needed to keep doing what we were doing, but make a few things more crisp....a cleaner dig...a better pass, etc. The Cats did just that, winning set 2 in control. More of the same in set 3 as we had a 24-21 lead but unfortunately could not hold on. The fourth set saw our Cats struggle and we lost the match. However, the first three sets of the match were probably one of the best matches we have played all year. A great sign that Bobcat Volleyball is making a comeback and is a force to be heard!

We had a good week of practice on Monday and Tuesday and that brings us to today. The girls all went to class and then we flew to Denver. Rachelle's family fed the team at their home (THANK YOU) and then we made the short drive to Greeley where we are now. We will practice at 1:00 tomorrow and then play a very good Northern Colorado team.

Please come to the match, but if you can't you can watch us LIVE on Big Sky TV. We will then fly on Friday to Flagstaff, AZ in preparation to play Northern Arizona on Saturday night. That match will be televised on tv...one of the fox sports stations I believe so check your local listings!

GO CATS!!!!

Taylar Barney #8

This past weekend we went to Utah and Idaho! Me, Macy and Scott are from Utah so we were really excited. It was really great to see my family. We played Weber on Friday and we beat them in five games. It was another victory in a five set match. Then we played Idaho State and it was a great game and we are looking forward to playing them again at home. On the bus we busted out the old school backstreet boys and 98 degree’s trying to make up for the tv not working. Back in Bozeman is great the weather has been amazing. It has been really warm and the leaves are changing it is beautiful. We are all really excited for this next weekend playing Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona. GO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chelsea Oemcke #7

Well this weekend was packed with matches every night! We started weekend Saturday night against the Griz, in Missoula. We began the match neck to neck with them in the first set but we unfortunately couldn’t sustain our energy throughout the match and lost to them in three sets. The good thing about our season though, is that we will get to take them on again at the end of October on our court! Can’t wait! After that match we knew we had to pick up our spirits and get ready for two consecutive matches back home. Sunday night we came out strong against Cal-State Bakersfield, winning in three sets. It felt good to get another win at home and generate the winning vibes from the team. On Monday night it was round two as we faced Cal- State Bakersfield again. We expected that they would come out stronger than they did the previous night, hungry for a win. We all knew we needed to stay even keel and consistent throughout the match, in order to produce. A bit shaky at first, we collected ourselves and finished them in three sets again! We tallied another win at home and knowledge of how important mental preparation and confidence in ourselves is. We are ready to build upon these matches and go in strong for this weekend against Weber and Idaho State! GO CATS!

Nicole Baker #6

Hey All!

This weekend was our first home games of the season and seeing as we haven’t played at home in a month it was very exciting. I never expected the amount of fans we get at the games or how crazy they get! Props to the guy who came Saturday night with a half blue and gold fro with a painted face to the match. Friday night we came out strong against Portland in the first set but fell behind in the next 3. At one point in the match I somehow managed to lose a shoe mid rally and just began slipping and sliding all over the court until the point was over. It was a miracle I didn’t eat it in front of the 900 fans that showed up to cheer us on. We rallied together for Saturday night though and came ready to play against Eastern Washington and we won! Wahoooo! It was a great feeling, and is going to be the first of many wins in Shroyer. Anyways have a great week everybody! And Cat/Griz this weekend! Be there!

Bobcats split their home opener weekend

Our Volleyball Bobcats entered their first weekend of home play in Shroyer Gym with excitement to play in front of the best fans in the Big Sky Conference. The faithful Bobcat fans came out in force for our home opener against Portland State, however the 900 fans witnessed a loss to the defending Big Sky Champions.

The following night, 800 more loyal Bobcat fans showed up to yet again support us and they brought the craziness!! Our fans really inspired our team and helped us to a GREAT win for our program over Eastern Washington. The win was MSU's first at home since Oct 26, 2006. A sign the the program is doing good things. Many more home wins are sure to follow as the team works hard every day to return to the top of the Big Sky Conference year after year.

The team is working very hard day in and day out to achieve this goal and the team also loves and appreciates its fans. Keep coming out all you Bobcat fans! Bring your friends as we promise to make every match and exciting one.

Our next match is at Missoula (a SHORT 3 hour drive) against the Grizz. Call your friends, rent a bus, car pool, hitch hike, ride a bike...do whatever it takes to get to Missoula where our Bobcats will be fighting to repeat last years win over the Grizz on their court.

We then play at home again this Sunday and Monday night at 7pm vs. Cal State Bakersfield.

To read the press release for both matches, click on the match below:

MSU vs. Portland State
MSU vs. Eastern Washington

Jodeen Rademacher #5

Hey there everyone, the team just returned from Washington last night and we are ready to get back into the gym today to start off a great week of practice. On the way back to Bozeman last night, the team had some fun to make the long drive go quicker. You put 12 girls on a bus for an extended period of time, expect some crazy/loud games to get played. This particular game helps each girl get more familiar with her teammates.

On a more serious note, all of us Lady Bobcats are super excited about starting off our conference play on our home court. We have been on the road for three weeks now and we are ready to show all you bobcat fans what we have been up to. Well I better get back to my studies and eat some lunch to give me energy for a productive practice this afternoon. I hope to see you all at our home matches this weekend which are Friday (vs. Portland State) and Saturday (vs. Eastern Washington) at 7pm in Shroyer Gym.

For those of you that are out of town, you can see the match live on Big Sky TV via the internet. Just go to

http://www.bigskyconf.com/sports/2009/8/14/BigSKYTV81509.aspx

Mackenzi Campbell #4

Hello, my name is Mackenzi Campbell and I am a freshman setter from Newport Beach, California. The transformation from Southern California is defiantly an extreme but with the help of my team, they have made a dramatic effect on helping me adjust. Also, the 3-1 winning streak we had in Pittsburgh in our first tournament was a good start to our season. Our trip was exciting, eventful and most importantly a great bonding time for our team. I think the best part of this weekend was really getting to know each and everyone of my teammates. I mean don’t get my wrong I have been up here for 3 weeks and I know everyone really well on team due to we all eat, sleep and play volleyball with each other everyday, but this was our chance to get to know each other outside of the one thing we all highly hold in common, volleyball. The weekend started on Friday when we went on a tour to the Pittsburgh Steelers stadium! It was an amazing experience and we were all very excited, yet there were some mixed emotions toward this “men of steel” team…Rachelle going strong with her loyalty to her Denver Broncos, decided to stay clear of picture taking of any legendary Steelers players. Later that day we went 2-0 against Robert Morris and Radford finishing off the day right…with two wins. It was a good day to be a bobcat. The following day, all of us studs woke up to see the view of the beautiful city. We took the incline up to the top of the cliffs to take some very exclusive pictures! After the incline the day went on as we beat Morgan State in 3. As I would like to say the weekend got better when we played our last match, unfortunately I would be pulling your bobcat tail. Your blue and gold bobcats sadly have to inform you that we lost to Duquesne. Heartbroken, we went to our next stop the Spaghetti Wherehouse! All of the calories we burned off that entire weekend we probably managed to put back on within one meal! It was fantastic! We also probably helped the waiter burning quite a few of calories himself with all of our craziness and chaotic behavior. The dinner was filled with more competitions and more laughter; which I think is the best cure for a heartbreak we suffered from a few hours before. The last day we woke up bright and early and our faces were looking very…interested, considering all the events we endure this past weekend and all the balls we got hit in the faces with. To finish off the trip the team decided to document all of my beautiful sleeping faces/positions. I’m glad I can embarrass myself enough for everyone else’s enjoyment! I can reassure everyone; I mean everyone got a good laugh when they saw the many pictures that were taken of me when I was sleeping. Let me tell you we have quite a few photographers on the team as well. Besides the pictures I think we all learned a lot from this trip. We learned that we have a whole other level that we need to reach. We learned that we can all eat a large amount of food and most importantly we learned about each other. We had an amazing time and we are all extremely gratefully we got the opportunity to do all the things our wonderful coaches planned for us. Thank you coaches for all you did for us this weekend!

Rachelle Allen #1

The first week of two-a-days is over and everyone is tired, but having fun. We started off preseason last Sunday passing out posters around Bozeman. We followed that up with some academic meetings and finished the night with dinner at our awesome Booster Larry Kirkpatrick's house. The food was great as usual and a lot of laughs were shared. Monday kicked off our actual practices first starting with jump testing and hiking the M. It was our second year hiking the M and everyone did very well. We got up to the top and enjoyed the beautiful view. We have had a week of practices and the team is feeling and playing great. Everyone is ready to play against the Alumni this weekend, as well as our tournament in Pittsburgh. I know I am very excited to go to Pittsburgh, I love the East :) Well that is all for now!

Rachelle Allen #1

AVP suspends operations

Beach volleyball tour spiked by money woes

LOS ANGELES — The AVP Tour has announced it has shut down immediately because of financial hardship, the US beach volleyball series that began in 1988 a victim of lost sponsorship income.

A scramble to find new investors and complete a 23rd season failed with only seven of 12 US stops played.

"Unfortunately, the time constraints were such that pulling the trigger on the amount of money necessary to salvage this season were too great," said AVP commissioner Mike Dodd.

Next week's 50th anniversary edition of the Manhattan Beach Open might be staged under different management, but other planned AVP events in Chicago, San Francisco, Cincinnati and Hermoso Beach, California, were off.

"The Open has seen its ups and downs over the years and always persevered," Dodd said. "I?m sure our sport will do the same."

The AVP had tried to take advantage of a US gold medal beach volleyball sweep at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, expanding events beyond typical beach areas, but a struggling economy led sponsors to flee and the tour struggled.

The AVP's demise means the US qualifying process for the 2012 London Olympics figures to require US talent to play more events on the global FIVB circuit.

Kellee Kackman #9

This summer has been a bit quiet here in Bozeman. Instead of returning back to the Land of 10,000 lakes (Minnesota), I decided to stay here in beautiful Bozeman, Montana. Over the summer I had knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear. Now that I am slowly getting back to normal it has been awesome to be able to play again and start building back what I lost. Since the team has been back, we have been really enjoying the sunshine by playing sand, floating the river and checking out local events such as: Musics on main, Crazy Days in Bozeman, Gallatin County Fair and the farmers market. Gotta love summer!! Can't wait for fall camp to start up, ready to get this season rolling! Only a couple of weeks till everything begins!!

GO CATS!!

MSU Volleyball wins Academic Award

2009-2010 AVCA Team Academic Award Release

AVCA Rewrites Another Record With 450 Teams Lauded for Academic Excellence

Total overrides the previous mark of 409 schools set in 2008-09

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 20, 2010) - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that 450 teams have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2009-2010 season. This number once again smashes the previous years' total of 409 and sets a new all-time high for this award.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

"There is no better way to gauge the success of a sport than to track the accomplishments of the people who participate," said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. "Each of these 450 teams represents 12-15 really smart kids. What a great day for the sport of volleyball!"

The Team Academic Award has become one of the AVCA's fastest growing awards programs, seeing an impressive surge in teams honored over the past several years. The program has increased by over 300% in the last 10 years and by 79% in the past three years alone. Both NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II recorded their highest-ever total numbers of recipients, with the former honoring 94 programs and the latter honoring 55 programs. The high school division also set a new bar with its 179 honorees.

Prior to 2009-10, only nine teams had attained the pinnacle of volleyball success in both earning the AVCA Team Academic Award and winning their respective collegiate national championship in the same academic year. This year, the AVCA is proud to recognize four programs -- Concordia University-St. Paul (NCAA Division II), Washington University in St. Louis (NCAA Division III), Clearwater Christian College (NCCAA Division II) and Stanford University (NCAA Division I-II men) - all of whom excelled both in the classroom and on the court. Concordia-St. Paul and Washington-St. Louis had both accomplished this feat once before, ironically both in the same academic year (2007-08).

There were 119 first-time recipients of the AVCA Team Academic Award in 2009-10. NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II each saw 15 new teams achieve the honor, while NCAA Division III welcomed 17 newcomers. Thirteen NAIA teams, two NCCAA teams and two Two-Year Colleges garnered recognition for the first time, while 55 high school teams (51 girls' teams and four boys' teams) received their first AVCA Team Academic nod.

Over 1,000 different schools have earned the award in the program's 18-year history, and over 2,900 awards have been given out in all. Only two institutions, both high schools, have earned the distinction all 18 years: Jonesboro High School (Jonesboro, Arkansas) and Ross S. Sterling High School (Baytown, Texas).


BREAKDOWN BY CLASSIFICATION
Division Number of recipients Percent Breakdown*
NCAA Division I Women 94 34%
NCAA Division II Women 55 27%
NCAA Division III Women 75 21%
NAIA Women 34 18.5%
Two-Year College Women 8 5%
NCCAA Women 2 13%
NCAA Collegiate Men 3 13.6%
High School (Girls and Boys) 179 15.2%
High School Girls 164
High School Boys 15
* Percentage is based on the total number of head coach members in each respective category.


TOTAL RECIPIENT HISTORY
2009-10: 450
2008-09: 409
2007-08: 354
2006-07: 308
2005-06: 287
2004-05: 276
2003-04: 305
2002-03: 205
2001-02: 178
2000-01: 130
1999-2000: 140
1998-99: 149
1997-98: 132
1996-97: 134
1995-96: 116
1994-95: 83
1993-94: 98
1992-93: 62

For more information visit www.avca.org

Jennifer Lundquist #10

This week has been pretty crazy with the camps going on but it’s been great being surrounded by volleyball again. Monday, we started team camps and had a blast helping the teams improve their game play. Not only was playing volleyball fun, but the social events in the dorms were a gas for everyone. Tuesday night was skit night and we asked the teams staying in the dorms to come up with a skit and perform it in front of everyone. They did a good job but I must say the MSU team took it to the max by performing both a peanut butter skit and a hypnotizing skit (videos of these will be posted on the blog). After two and a half days of working on skills, we finished with a tournament. But that’s not all, once team camps ended, individual skills campers arrived and so began that two-and-a-half-day event. Working on blocking, hitting, serving, setting and passing we saw big improvements in the campers. On top of the camps, the MSU team had open gym sessions each evening where we had a blast playing with each other, incomers, and recruits. It felt so good to get back into the swing of things and the recruits/incomers stepped up to the plate. Taylar, Coach Jen and I manned the ‘Cat Store’ and embarked on an expedition to sell our favourite item, the bright blue spandex, and be superior DJs for the campers. We succeeded in selling a couple blue pairs of spandex but the ‘DJ’ing could use some work (according to Shann and Rachelle). Overall, this week was fun and a great learning experience for not only the campers but the MSU players as well. We’re all looking forward to the weekend and getting some rest. Peace out.

Taylar Barney #8

I can't believe how beautiful bozeman is in the summer:) I am back in town getting ready for the fall. I am so excited for everyone to get back in town:) I am in bozeman taking a summer math class:) it is awesome and I can't wait for it to be over!! anyway I'm ready for volleyball to start and for camps. I can't wait to see what other wonders Bozeman, Montana holds... Go BOBCATS!!!!!!!!!!

Chelsea Oemcke #7 checks in

Hey everyone!

Wow, I can't believe it is almost time to head back to Bozeman! I am excited to start the new season and to see everyone! I have had a good time here in San Diego over the past month or so...although I can't say the weather has been idealistic. It has been "May grey" and "June gloom", as they say down here. July and August will get sunnier but I am excited to be back in Bozeman and enjoying the sun, my teammates and the outdoors there.

Well in the meantime, I have been hanging out with my family and friends a lot, doing some art, and also working out continuously. My sister, Rachel, graduated from high school a few weeks ago which has been exciting but emotional at the same time. We held a graduation/going away party for her at our house last night, it was a huge success and a lot of fun!

I have also been volunteering a bit at a homeless shelter in downtown San Diego and it has been a very rewarding experience. The one thing I have learned, along with a lot of other things, is that a smile and a few kind words can go a long way to those who do not receive many that often. I am looking forward to volunteering more and to see everyone back in Bozeman in 2 weeks!


Chelsea #7





A little played out? Sure. But if everyone is going to get a picture associated with their blog an Anchorman reference is going to win every time when it comes to San Diego.

Jodeen Rademacher #5

Hey there everybody...

Wow this summer has flown by!! In saying this I can't wait to get back to Bozeman and see everybody again. Things have been pretty crazy here in Nebraska the last couple weeks. As some of you may know, my family has a farm in Nebraska. Well just yesterday we had the worst hail storm I have ever seen in my life and all of our crops are destroyed. Our corn was about chest high and the hail and wind shredded it off to about a foot off the ground. It has definitely been pretty tough to take all in. I just heard on the news the other day that Billings had a tornado, I couldn't believe it when I heard that. The weather just seems to be all out of whack this year. On a happier note, a bunch of us girls will be back fairly early this summer so we can get a jump start on this fall.

Also over the short time I have been home I have been volunteering out at a place here in Nebraska. I help a lady with maintenance (cleaning and feeding) of her horses. She teaches dressage riding, if anyone knows what that is, and she has agreed to teach me a little about the type of riding that she is so great at. Its very interesting to me and its a challenge which I really enjoy. I don't know if anyone knows that I love horses and riding is one of my favorite past times but I haven't ever had the pleasure of riding dressage, I am used to western.

Well it has been great catching up with everyone again and hope to see a couple of you around this summer!!

Jodeen Rademacher #5



Jo also sent a picture along to show her progress in learning dressage riding:

Macy Merrell #3

Hello! Macy here!

Summer in Utah has been a blast! The weather has been nice, but just about as bipolar as Montana I must say. My Brother and I have been working out together. (He is quite muscley so I am often intimidated, but mostly motivated :) ) Every Monday and Tuesday I play ball with some old teammates which has been super fun!

Although I get in workouts and fun, my summer has been mostly filled with wedding plans. It has been crazy busy trying to get everything together and perfect! Only one more week til the wedding! It has been fun to spend so much time with my mom and sisters! They have been amazing help!

I am super excited to be in Bozeman on the 26th for the Open House and for our California trip and cruise afterwards! I am missing the team and can't wait to be in Boze for good for the camps and a new season! :)


Macy #3


Here is a picture of Macy and her fiance Andrew Page:

Rachelle Allen #1

It is a beautiful day here in Colorado and I am enjoying the summer sun very much. I played some beach with some old teammates and friends. We were all soaked by the end of it because we chose to play on a day that was 93 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. I also played at a friend's house who has a gym... Yep, a gym in his house, full size court and everything.. It is pretty fun playing in there.

Other than that I have been working out and trying to eat healthier (coach is not a fan of my eating habits I must say haha). We also just had my brother Ryan's volleyball banquet at my mom's house which was a lot of fun seeing my old high school coach. Ryan's team got 3rd at state, not to shabby. It was also great news that we have another middle coming in!

Great summer so far!

Rachelle Allen #1



Example of the eating habits Rachelle wrote about:

Summer Player Udates - Meghan Albiston #11

Starting off our series of summer blog updates by the players is Meghan Abliston #11.

My summer has been great so far... I have been enjoying time at my boyfriend's ranch and am becoming a regular ranch hand. I am working at the ranch just helping out and doing random jobs. Some may think it's hard work, but i absolutely love it. I may be gardening and look up and see a herd of deer only forty yards away. No cell phones, no cable, no busy traffic to contend with. It's the perfect vacation spot.

At the end of this week, I'm going on a week long road trip with my mom and grandma. We're headed to my cousin's high school graduation, then another cousin is getting married. Extended family will all be around, and I loovvveeeee family reunions!! Once that is over, hopefully I'll be headed to Florida for Junior Nationals with a club volleyball team that I help coach.

I've got lots planned for the summer, but already feel like I'm running out of time! It always seems to be that way though. Summer just flies by, and before I know it, I'll be entering my last semester at MSU. I know I've been working hard to stay in shape this summer, and so has the rest of the team. We're going to make this 2010 season one to remember!! I can't wait for everyone to be back in Bozeman so we can start working out and playing together!

Meghan Albiston #11

Bozeman, MT aka Niketown

The Nike gear is starting to role in as we make the transition to a Nike program and department.

Congratulations to Bobcat Alumna Laura Viren for being named Bozeman High School Head Volleyball Coach

Who thought of this?

So starting our new blog in May (aka one of the only slow...er months during the year) wasn't the best idea. There isn't much to work with when it comes to updating you on Bobcat Volleyball. There is however a lot still going on with recruiting even if it is just preparation on upcoming recruiting classes, big end of the year tournaments, and continued communication with our top PSA's.

We spoke with Chelsea Oemcke yesterday but she had to go b/c she was baking something. We'll find out how that turned out. Also, Meghan Abliston is working on a ranch. I'm interested in finding out exactly what that entails.

Starting a new blog

Looks like we will be switching our blog to a new site. The customer service for our website was just not what it needed to be, and now that www.msubobcats.com is new, improved, and amazing we do not see the need to continue paying for a site that does not meet our needs.