ATHLETICS
CARLOW VOLLEYBALL HAS SUCCESSFUL SEASON, SETS SIGHTS HIGHER FOR THE FUTURE
USCAA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
KELSEY BONK
Coach Julie Gaul’s Carlow University Celtics volleyball team finished their 2013 season at 21-21, and 5-8 in the conference, but numbers don’t tell the whole story. “When you look at the competitive schedule that we had, we had a really successful season. And we’re still a young team,” says Gaul, who notes that the team only loses two players to graduation, Amanda McKenzie and Leah Stack. “We constantly improved throughout the season, and we had a couple of really successful moments.” One of the successful moments came early in the season as the Celtics defeated crosstown rival Point Park University, a pre-season favorite, to win the KIAC conference, at the “Jam the Gym” event held at Kiski Area High School. “Jam the Gym” is a fundraiser for a scholarship in memory of Kiski’s assistant coach, Jaime Moran, who died of leukemia in 2012, as well as a way of honoring the former head coach, Ellen Toy, who is battling stomach cancer. Toy and Gaul were teammates at the University of Pittsburgh in the 1980s.
WINTER 2013
Another bright spot was Carlow’s post-season showing. Seeded ninth in a 12-team field, the Carlow University Celtics won their first round match in the KIAC Volleyball Tournament at Midway College in Midway, Ky., over eighth seeded Cincinnati Christian, but lost the second round match to the number one seed, Asbury College. Individual honors included McKenzie earning first-team all-conference status for KIAC, and also being named a first team All-American by the USCAA. Carlow’s Volleyball team also had four other USCAA Academic All-Americans, which included McKenzie, as well as sophomores Carly and Kelsey Bonk, and Ashley Grooms.
CARLY BONK
“Since the season ended, I’ve noticed a lot of our volleyball team working out on their own, which I see as another good sign for next year,” says Gaul. Above (L-R): Leah Stack and Amanda McKenzie provided senior leadership to a Carlow Celtics volleyball team that finished the season 21-21.
ASHLEY GROOMS
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