Drury University September 13 • Stewart Center • Sioux Falls, S.D. • 2 p.m. Location: Springfield, Mo. Founded: 1873 Enrollment: 1,600 Nickname: Panthers School Colors: Scarlet and Gray Arena: O’Reilly Family Event Center Capacity: 3,100 Affiliation: NCAA Division II Conference: Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) President: Dr. David Manuel Athletic Director: Pat Atwell Associate Athletic Director/SWA: Barb Cowherd Assistant AD For Compliance: Bryan Beatty Athletic Department Phone: 417-873-6991 Fax: 417-873-4098
Sports Information Director of Athletic Communications: Scott Puryear Office Phone: 417-873-4097 E-Mail Address: spuryear@drury.edu SID Fax: 417-873-4098
Coaching Information Interim Head Coach: Ashleigh Fitzgerald Alma mater: Ole Miss (‘05) Record at Drury: 72-58 (5th Season) Career record: Same Volleyball office phone: 417-873-6824 Assistant Coach: Caira Dortch Alma Mater: Arkansas (09’)
Team Information 2012 Overall Record: 16-17 2012 GLVC Record: 8-10 Letter Winners Returning/Lost: 8/6 Starters Returning/Lost: 5/1
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Season Preview Drury’s volleyball Panthers have been tabbed for a fifth-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division in the preseason poll of league coaches. The squad picked up 59 total points. Coach Ashleigh Fitzgerald’s Panthers return the majority of their key personnel from a squad that finished 16-17 overall last season and 8-10 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. Drury lost seniors Alex Smith, Kylie Inman and Lauren Dorris to graduation and it’s Smith that will be the hardest to replace. A Second Team All-Daktronics Midwest Region and First Team All-GLVC selection, she led the Panthers and was second in the GLVC with 494 kills in 2012. Returning for the Panthers is junior Sara Borneman, who stood second on the team with 431 kills and also chipped in 73 digs and 32 blocks with five blocking assists. Also back for her final collegiate campaign is senior middle hitter Amanda Watson, the team leader in blocks the past two seasons. She has racked up 135 total stuffs in her career. Fifth-year head coach and former Ole Miss standout Ashleigh Fitzgerald signed six players in her 2013 recruiting class. They are Phylicia Hill, a 5-foot-9 middle/outside hitter, Bridget Justis, a 5-foot-4 liber; Maddie Halford, a 6-1 middle-blocker, Kaleigh Cole, a 5-9 utility player, Vicki Schimank, a 5-8 middle-hitter/opposite and Brooke Antenen, a 6-0 setter. The Panthers will open the season at home when they host St. Cloud State, Union University, Northern State and Lindenwood in the LaQuinta Kickoff Classic Sept. 6-7. Fun fact: Drury earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for excellence in the classroom for the 2012-13 school year, the 17th consecutive year the Panthers have accomplished the distinction, most in NCAA-II.
COUGAR VOLLEYBALL • 2013 OPPONENTS