TicketsAug. 21, 2009
CINCINNATI - With two weeks of two-a-day workouts in the books, the University of Cincinnati volleyball team gets its first taste of competition this weekend when it competes in its annual Alumni Match on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 2 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena.
The 2009 Bearcats squad features six returning letterwinners from last season's BIG EAST Championship season, including 2008 first-team all-conference performer Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) and second-team all-BIG EAST selection Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey). In addition to Niemer and Fesl, senior Jaime Frey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon), juniors Lindsay Upton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) and Julie Guenther (Fairfield, Ohio/Hamilton Badin), and sophomore Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) form a strong nucleus of returners.
Entering his 10th season as the head coach of the UC volleyball program, Reed Sunahara brought in the No. 29 recruiting class according to Prepvolleyball.com to supplement the returners. The group includes Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North), Emily Hayden (Louisville, Ky./Assumption), Megan Turner (Ontario, N.Y., Wayne Central), Becca Refenes (Westland, Mich./Lutheran Westland), and Karen Onuki (Troy, Ohio/Troy).
The alumni team is tentatively scheduled to have 14 players return to campus, including all five seniors from 2008; Jessie Nevitt, Jessica Elley, Lindsey Peterson, Natalie Dossman, and Jamie Torok.
Cincinnati begins its 2009 season on Friday, Aug. 28 at the Utah Classic versus the University of California-Riverside in Salt Lake City. Following the completion of the Utah Classic, UC hosts the Bearcats Invitational Sept. 4-5 at Fifth Third Arena.
Volleyball season tickets are available to adults for $20, and to youth, seniors, and UCATS members for $10. Fans can purchase season tickets by calling 1-877-CATS-TIX.