TicketsAug. 28, 2008
State Farm Bearcats Invitational Game Notes
BEARCATS OPEN WITH STATE FARM BEARCATS INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY THE VERNON MANOR: The Bearcats open their 2008 campaign on Friday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in their opening match of the State Farm Bearcats Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor. Cincinnati plays one game each day, Friday, Aug. 29 through Aug. 31, beginning with a 7:30 p.m. showdown with Conference USA foe Marshall on Friday, Aug. 29.
SUNAHARA LOOKS FOR CAREER WIN 200: Heading into the opening game of the 2008 season, Cincinnati head coach Reed Sunahara needs just one more win to reach 200 for his career. Sunahara, who holds a career record of 199-115, has earned 180 of his 199 wins at Cincinnati.
BEARCATS EARN AVCA ACADEMIC AWARD: On Aug. 8, Cincinnati earned its fourth straight AVCA Academic Award, an award presented by the American Volleyball Coaches Association to 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. The Bearcats were one of 70 Division I programs to receive the honor.
RETURN OF THE CATS: Cincinnati returns 11 players from a season ago, including three-time First-Team All-BIG EAST performer, Jessie Nevitt, and 2007 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Stephanie Niemer. Nevitt comes into the season ranking ninth on Cincinnati's all-time career kills chart (1,119), while also ranking sixth on the all-time blocks per game chart (1.47 bpg). Niemer begins her sophomore campaign looking to improve upon a season that earned her second-team all-conference accolades alongside Freshman of the Year plaudits. Niemer finished the season with 402 kills (3.59 kpg), which ranked second on the team behind Nevitt. Niemer also ranked second in the BIG EAST in service aces averaging 0.49 sA/S. Annie Fesl, Julie Guenther, Kimi Nakamura and Lindsay Upton round out the sophomore class, Jamie Frey represents the lone junior on the squad, while Nevitt, Lindsey Peterson, Jessica Elley, Jami Torok and Natalie Dossman enter their final season at Cincinnati.
CINCINNATI RECRUITING CLASS RANKED NO. 15 BY PREPVOLLEYBALL.COM: Cincinnati head coach Reed Sunahara brings in the No. 15 recruiting class in the country according to Prepvolleyball.com to mesh with his 11 returners from last season. Highlighting the freshman class is 2007 Prepvolleyball.com National Player of the Year, Missy Harpenau. Harpenau led Mother of Mercy to a state title during her senior season and also was an AVCA High School Girls All-American selection. Joining Harpenau are Kelsey Brandl, Ashley Nevelle and Natalie Pierce. Brandl, the No. 25 senior ace according to Prepvolleyball.com, was a three-time all-state selection at Lakeville North High School in Minnesota. Brandl's Lakeville North squad finished in the top-three in state on three occassions. Nevelle comes to Clifton from Caledonia, Mich., where she earned all-tournament accolades during the 2006 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior Olympic Invitational Championships in the under-18 division. During her four years at Caledonia High School, Nevelle was a four-time all-conference selection and an all-state selection during her senior season. Pierce rounds out the freshmen class as she comes to UC from Hamilton, Ohio. Pierce played for Talawanda High School where she was a two-time first-team all-district selection and an honorable-mention all-state recipient in 2007.