HELLO, GOODBYE: The Seattle University volleyball team returns to Seattle after ten straight days in California. However, it's just a quick stop, as the team hosts North Dakota on Tuesday, and then heads out on Thursday to face South Dakota and North Dakota on the road.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS: For two straight weeks, sophomore Cristin Richards was named to an all-tournament team, earning the honor at the Pepperdine Asics Classic and the Active Ankle Challenge. In the three matches in Malibu, Richards accumulated 37 kills, two service aces, 18 digs, and six block assists. The previous weekend at Oregon State, she compiled 31 kills, 18 digs, and eight total blocks in the three matches. Jamie Mellies has now repeated Richards' feat after being named to the All-Tournament Team at the Mission Inn of Pismo Beach Invitational. In the three matches at Cal Poly, Mellies collected 89 assists, two aces, 11 digs, and three total blocks. Mellies was also named to the all-tournament team at Pepperdine after notching 85 assists, 24 digs, and eight total blocks.
THE LEADER OF THE REDHAWKS: Shannon Ellis is currently in her sixth season as head coach of the Seattle University volleyball team. She brings a 72-83 record into this week's action. Her best season came in 2006, when she helped the team achieve an 18-9 record, including a 9-2 record in non-conference play. Having been on maternity leave after the birth of Tyler Ellis on August 16, Ellis will be back on the bench as head coach beginning with Tuesday's home match against North Dakota.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA: North Dakota comes into this week's action with a 7-5 record. It has been a season of streaks, as the team won its first four matches, then lost five of the next six, and now has won two straight contests. Devin Trefz leads the team with 166 kills and also has ten aces and 28 total blocks, while Annika Smed has collected 122 kills, 13 aces, 130 digs, and 22 total blocks. Brtta Hanson has earned 103 kills, a .329 hitting percentage, and a team-high 64 total blocks. Setter Megan Langseth has posted 456 assists so far, and Lindsey Vortherms leads the squad with 207 defensive digs.
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA: The Coyotes come into the week with a 4-9 record. Similar to North Dakota, it has been a series of streaks for South Dakota, as the team lost its first three matches, won three of the next four, and then lost five straight before winning a five-set thriller over Houston Baptist on Saturday. Kristin Kritenbrink leads the team with 163 kills, plus she has collected 11 service aces, 97 digs, and 24 total blocks. Bailey Reshel has 115 kills, Jenna Hatfield leads the team with 12 aces plus has 30 total blocks, and Tahnee Reed paces the squad with 40 total blocks.
MOVING UP CAREER CHARTS: In the career kills list, both Cristin Richards and Kaytlyn Dill are moving up the list, with Richards sitting in ninth and Dill just three kills away from moving into tenth place:
8. Amelie Krahn (2001-04) 680
9. Cristin Richards (2008-present) 478
10. Dori Christiansen (2000-03) 403
11. Kaytlyn Dill (2008-present) 401
In the all-time digs category, junior Emily Deleissegues has moved into the top ten and currently sits in ninth place on that list, with Jamie Mellies just outside the top ten:
8. Marissa Vierra (2002-06) 727
9. Emily Deleissegues (2007-present) 685
10. Shelly Anderson (2007-08) 662
11. Jamie Mellies (2007-present) 572
Current SeattleU players Jamie Mellies and Janet Beckerman are in the top ten list for total blocks, with Mellies sitting in sixth place and Beckerman about to advance past her current tenth place:
5. Sarah Sommerman (2002-05) 177
6. Jamie Mellies (2007-present) 168
7. Josie Christiansen (2004-07) 158
8. Erika Brunson (2001-04) 149
9. Emily Powell (2006-08) 147
10. Janet Beckerman (2007-present) 137
Mellies is also second on the career assists list with 2,373, with only Erika Brunson ahead of her. However, Mellies needs 1,532 assists to pass Brunson, who notched 3,904 assists from 2001 to 2004.
INDEPENDENT STANDINGS: There are six Division I programs competing as independent schools this season: Bryant University, Cal State Bakersfield, North Carolina Central, Providence College, Savannah State. and Seattle University. Each week the SIDs at Cal State Bakersfield and Providence are working together to update stat leaders and to name a Player and Defensive Player of the Week. Through the matches of Sunday, Sept. 20, Cristin Richards is fifth among the independent schools in total kills with 146 and third in kills per set with 3.24. Jamie Mellies is third in assists with 362, while Emily Deleissegues is fourth in digs with 164, In the total blocks category, Kelly Biette is fourth with 38, Jordan Keller is seventh with 32, and Mellies stands in a tie for ninth place with 29. At the end of last week, Cal State Bakersfield had the best record among the independent schools with a 7-8 mark.