Omaha Battles IUPUI Saturday at Sapp Fieldhouse
Oct 4, 2016 | Volleyball
This Weekend
The Omaha volleyball team returns home this weekend, hosting IUPUI at Sapp Fieldhouse on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. Noah Sullinger and Justin Doering will have the call on the MavRadio student broadcast, and links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Omaha was picked to finish sixth in the 2016 Summit League Preseason Poll. UNO finished as runner-up at the Summit League Championship last November, finishing a game shy of an NCAA Tournament berth.
•Omaha's seven true freshmen on the 2016 roster are the most since 2011.
•Junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy had a team-leading 19 double-doubles in her freshman campaign and led the squad again with 24 more as a sophomore. Her 52 career double-doubles are the most of any active Maverick.
•O'Shaughnessy is the Mavericks' sole returning All-Summit player from last season, as they also lost all-league performers Megan Schmale and Kimberly Bailey.
•Omaha returns seven letterwinners, including three starters in O'Shaughnessy, junior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey and sophomore outside hitter Gessica Gdowski.
•UNO lost six seniors from the 2015 squad to graduation.
•The Mavericks achieved the 1,000th win in program history last year with a 3-0 sweep at Oral Roberts on Oct. 9, 2015. All-time, Omaha is 1,014-585-7.
•O'Shaughnessy, senior outside hitter Elise Brown and sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson were selected as Omaha's 2016 team captains.
Scouting the IUPUI Jaguars
IUPUI, which plays at South Dakota Friday night before coming to Omaha, enters the weekend with a record of 6-13 (2-2 Summit League). Last weekend, the Jaguars defeated Western Illinois, 3-0, and fell to Denver, 3-1. Returning All-Summit selection Kori Waelbroeck paces IUPUI with 3.52 kills per set, which ranks third in the Summit League. Abby Boatman is also third among conference players for blocks per set (1.06), while Alexis Mapes is third for assists per set (9.23).
Head coach Steve Payne is in his 20th season leading the Jaguars with a record of 257-318.
IUPUI leads the all-time series with Omaha, 8-1. The two teams last met in the semifinals of the 2015 Summit League Tournament in Denver, Colo., with Omaha winning 3-2.
Last Time Out: Omaha Outlasts ORU 3-2 for First League Victory
Omaha picked up its first conference win of the season Sunday afternoon, outlasting Oral Roberts 3-2 (15-25, 25-23, 25-14, 22-25, 15-12) at the Cooper Aerobics Center. Freshman Chloe Dousette put together her finest performance of the season to date, finishing with a season-high 19 kills alongside four digs and two blocks.
Junior Sydney O'Shaughnessy tallied her ninth double-double with 45 assists, 10 digs, a season-high six blocks, three kills and two service aces, and freshman Hannah Angeli got her sixth double-double on 10 kills and 12 digs with four aces and two assists.
Sophomore Kayla Torson added 14 kills and eight digs with a pair of blocks, and freshman Ashley Smith chipped in 12 digs with an ace. Freshman Ellie Brown led the way at the net, finishing with a season-high eight blocks plus six kills.
Mavericks Making Their Mark Nationally
Omaha ranks among the top 50 nationally in four categories: fourth for total attacks (2,785), seventh for total digs (1,212), 10th for attacks per set (38.15) and 24th for digs per set (16.6).
Individually, sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson is 31st for total attacks (719), junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy is 43rd for total assists (645) and freshman libero Ashley Smith is 45th for total digs (304).
League Leaders
As a team, Omaha is first in the Summit League in total attacks (2,785), total kills (858), total assists (794) and total digs (1,212). Individually, Sydney O'Shaughnessy leads the Summit League in assists (645).
O'Shaughnessy Races Into Top 10 Assists List
Junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy etched her name into the UNO record books near the end of the 2015 season. Midway through her junior year, she ranks eighth in school history for career assists, having amassed 2,856 since joining the program in 2014. The Omaha native most recently passed Darla Melcher (1986-87), who had 2,628, and currently sits behind Christie Johnson (2002-05), who totaled 3,019.
O'Shaughnessy averaged 10.25 assists per set last season, becoming the first Maverick to average over 10.0 per set since Emily Myers in 2009.
Double-Double Tracker
The Mavericks owned a combined 47 double-doubles last season, led by 24 from setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy. She was the first Maverick in 13 years to register 20 or more double-doubles in a single season, as the last to achieve the feat was Amy McLeay, who had 20 in 2003.
O'Shaughnessy has a team-leading nine double-doubles this season, followed by seven for sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson, six for freshman setter Hannah Angeli, two for redshirt freshman rightside hitter Meagen Roth and one for junior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey.
Torson On a Tear
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson stepped into a starting role at the UND Classic and has started all 17 matches this season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has led the Mavericks in kills in nine matches and owns seven double-doubles, including her latest effort with 10 kills and 16 digs vs. Western Illinois on Sept. 27.
Angeli on the Attack
Freshman setter Hannah Angeli has made 13 straight starts since Sept. 3, first starting as a setter vs. Drake, then filling a hitting role in the last 12. The Maplewood, Minn., native had double-digit kill performances twice at the UMKC Kangaroo Klassic, Sept. 9-10, tallying 10 vs. Bradley and 11 vs. Cornell. Angeli also had a season-high four blocks against the Big Red.
Angeli has achieved four straight double-doubles since the first weekend of league play: vs. Denver (14 kills/18 digs), vs. Western Illinois (12 kills/14 digs), at South Dakota State (season-high 15 kills/16 digs) and at Oral Roberts (10 kills/12 digs).
2016 Slate Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2016 schedule includes 30 matches against 22 different opponents, and the team will play in eight states across the country. UNO will square off with opponents from 12 other conferences, with three from the Missouri Valley and one apiece from the Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big Sky, Big Ten, Big West, Ivy League, MAC, Ohio Valley, SEC, Southland and WAC. Four opponents -- Denver, Illinois, Iowa State and Northern Iowa -- played in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Entering 2016, the Mavericks have never faced four of their opponents: Ole Miss, Ball State, Cornell and Murray State. UNO holds a combined all-time record of 222-163-2 over all teams on the slate this season.
Super Seven
The Mavericks have welcomed seven true freshmen to the roster this season, the most since 2011: defensive specialists Ashley Smith (Iowa City, Iowa) and Olivia Spanton (Savage, Minn.), setter Hannah Angeli (Maplewood, Minn.), outside hitter Chloe Dousette (St. Paul, Minn.), middle hitter Daria Taylor (Rock Island, Ill.), middle blocker Ellie Brown (Holdrege, Neb.) and rightside hitter Macy Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa).
Smith was a four-time all-conference selection at Iowa City High School, while Taylor was a two-time all-conference pick at Rock Island High School. Anderson picked up all-conference honors twice at Kennedy High School, and Brown was a two-time all-conference selection and an all-state honorable mention awardee at Holdrege High School.
The Mavericks' three newcomers from Minnesota -- Angeli, Dousette and Spanton -- come with sterling resumes as well, highlighted by their Northern Lights club program traveling to Italy to play in an international tournament earlier in 2016. In addition, Angeli was a two-time first-team all-state pick and a four-time all-conference honoree at Hill-Murray School, while Dousette won three all-conference and two all-section awards at Cretin-Derham Hall, and Spanton earned two all-conference nods at Prior Lake High School.
Through the first six weeks of play, six true freshmen have seen the court: Brown, Smith, Spanton, Angeli, Taylor and Dousette.
Shires Guides Mavericks as Winningest Coach in School History
Head coach Rose Shires is the all-time winningest coach in 46 years of UNO volleyball history. In her 27th year at the helm of the Maverick program, Shires owns a career record of 479-358 (.572), with the most wins of the five coaches who have served at Omaha.
The 1996 AVCA National Coach of the Year and a two-time conference coach of the year, Shires has enjoyed tremendous success as UNO's guide. The 1996 campaign saw her lead UNO to a national championship as well as its first North Central Conference championship since 1987, followed by an Elite Eight appearance in 1997. In NCAA Tournament play, Shires' squads have combined for 11 appearances and a 10-10 postseason mark.
Shires is assisted by associate head coach Karen Povondra, who is in her 26th season, assistant coach Elena Pietro, in her second year, and volunteer assistant coach Tyler Yanez, who is in his first year on the Maverick staff.
Home Sweet Home Advantage
The 2016 season will see Omaha play 13 home contests, including eight conference tilts. UNO will play at two venues, with nine matches at Baxter Arena and four matches at Sapp Fieldhouse.
UNO has increased its number of home wins in each of the last four seasons, going from one in 2012 to two in 2013, five in 2014 and seven in 2015.
Up Next
Omaha returns to action on Friday, Oct. 14, welcoming South Dakota to Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
The Omaha volleyball team returns home this weekend, hosting IUPUI at Sapp Fieldhouse on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. Noah Sullinger and Justin Doering will have the call on the MavRadio student broadcast, and links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
Quick Hits
•Omaha was picked to finish sixth in the 2016 Summit League Preseason Poll. UNO finished as runner-up at the Summit League Championship last November, finishing a game shy of an NCAA Tournament berth.
•Omaha's seven true freshmen on the 2016 roster are the most since 2011.
•Junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy had a team-leading 19 double-doubles in her freshman campaign and led the squad again with 24 more as a sophomore. Her 52 career double-doubles are the most of any active Maverick.
•O'Shaughnessy is the Mavericks' sole returning All-Summit player from last season, as they also lost all-league performers Megan Schmale and Kimberly Bailey.
•Omaha returns seven letterwinners, including three starters in O'Shaughnessy, junior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey and sophomore outside hitter Gessica Gdowski.
•UNO lost six seniors from the 2015 squad to graduation.
•The Mavericks achieved the 1,000th win in program history last year with a 3-0 sweep at Oral Roberts on Oct. 9, 2015. All-time, Omaha is 1,014-585-7.
•O'Shaughnessy, senior outside hitter Elise Brown and sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson were selected as Omaha's 2016 team captains.
Scouting the IUPUI Jaguars
IUPUI, which plays at South Dakota Friday night before coming to Omaha, enters the weekend with a record of 6-13 (2-2 Summit League). Last weekend, the Jaguars defeated Western Illinois, 3-0, and fell to Denver, 3-1. Returning All-Summit selection Kori Waelbroeck paces IUPUI with 3.52 kills per set, which ranks third in the Summit League. Abby Boatman is also third among conference players for blocks per set (1.06), while Alexis Mapes is third for assists per set (9.23).
Head coach Steve Payne is in his 20th season leading the Jaguars with a record of 257-318.
IUPUI leads the all-time series with Omaha, 8-1. The two teams last met in the semifinals of the 2015 Summit League Tournament in Denver, Colo., with Omaha winning 3-2.
Last Time Out: Omaha Outlasts ORU 3-2 for First League Victory
Omaha picked up its first conference win of the season Sunday afternoon, outlasting Oral Roberts 3-2 (15-25, 25-23, 25-14, 22-25, 15-12) at the Cooper Aerobics Center. Freshman Chloe Dousette put together her finest performance of the season to date, finishing with a season-high 19 kills alongside four digs and two blocks.
Junior Sydney O'Shaughnessy tallied her ninth double-double with 45 assists, 10 digs, a season-high six blocks, three kills and two service aces, and freshman Hannah Angeli got her sixth double-double on 10 kills and 12 digs with four aces and two assists.
Sophomore Kayla Torson added 14 kills and eight digs with a pair of blocks, and freshman Ashley Smith chipped in 12 digs with an ace. Freshman Ellie Brown led the way at the net, finishing with a season-high eight blocks plus six kills.
Mavericks Making Their Mark Nationally
Omaha ranks among the top 50 nationally in four categories: fourth for total attacks (2,785), seventh for total digs (1,212), 10th for attacks per set (38.15) and 24th for digs per set (16.6).
Individually, sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson is 31st for total attacks (719), junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy is 43rd for total assists (645) and freshman libero Ashley Smith is 45th for total digs (304).
League Leaders
As a team, Omaha is first in the Summit League in total attacks (2,785), total kills (858), total assists (794) and total digs (1,212). Individually, Sydney O'Shaughnessy leads the Summit League in assists (645).
O'Shaughnessy Races Into Top 10 Assists List
Junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy etched her name into the UNO record books near the end of the 2015 season. Midway through her junior year, she ranks eighth in school history for career assists, having amassed 2,856 since joining the program in 2014. The Omaha native most recently passed Darla Melcher (1986-87), who had 2,628, and currently sits behind Christie Johnson (2002-05), who totaled 3,019.
O'Shaughnessy averaged 10.25 assists per set last season, becoming the first Maverick to average over 10.0 per set since Emily Myers in 2009.
Double-Double Tracker
The Mavericks owned a combined 47 double-doubles last season, led by 24 from setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy. She was the first Maverick in 13 years to register 20 or more double-doubles in a single season, as the last to achieve the feat was Amy McLeay, who had 20 in 2003.
O'Shaughnessy has a team-leading nine double-doubles this season, followed by seven for sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson, six for freshman setter Hannah Angeli, two for redshirt freshman rightside hitter Meagen Roth and one for junior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey.
Torson On a Tear
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson stepped into a starting role at the UND Classic and has started all 17 matches this season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has led the Mavericks in kills in nine matches and owns seven double-doubles, including her latest effort with 10 kills and 16 digs vs. Western Illinois on Sept. 27.
Angeli on the Attack
Freshman setter Hannah Angeli has made 13 straight starts since Sept. 3, first starting as a setter vs. Drake, then filling a hitting role in the last 12. The Maplewood, Minn., native had double-digit kill performances twice at the UMKC Kangaroo Klassic, Sept. 9-10, tallying 10 vs. Bradley and 11 vs. Cornell. Angeli also had a season-high four blocks against the Big Red.
Angeli has achieved four straight double-doubles since the first weekend of league play: vs. Denver (14 kills/18 digs), vs. Western Illinois (12 kills/14 digs), at South Dakota State (season-high 15 kills/16 digs) and at Oral Roberts (10 kills/12 digs).
2016 Slate Takes Mavericks Around the Nation
Omaha's 2016 schedule includes 30 matches against 22 different opponents, and the team will play in eight states across the country. UNO will square off with opponents from 12 other conferences, with three from the Missouri Valley and one apiece from the Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big Sky, Big Ten, Big West, Ivy League, MAC, Ohio Valley, SEC, Southland and WAC. Four opponents -- Denver, Illinois, Iowa State and Northern Iowa -- played in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Entering 2016, the Mavericks have never faced four of their opponents: Ole Miss, Ball State, Cornell and Murray State. UNO holds a combined all-time record of 222-163-2 over all teams on the slate this season.
Super Seven
The Mavericks have welcomed seven true freshmen to the roster this season, the most since 2011: defensive specialists Ashley Smith (Iowa City, Iowa) and Olivia Spanton (Savage, Minn.), setter Hannah Angeli (Maplewood, Minn.), outside hitter Chloe Dousette (St. Paul, Minn.), middle hitter Daria Taylor (Rock Island, Ill.), middle blocker Ellie Brown (Holdrege, Neb.) and rightside hitter Macy Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa).
Smith was a four-time all-conference selection at Iowa City High School, while Taylor was a two-time all-conference pick at Rock Island High School. Anderson picked up all-conference honors twice at Kennedy High School, and Brown was a two-time all-conference selection and an all-state honorable mention awardee at Holdrege High School.
The Mavericks' three newcomers from Minnesota -- Angeli, Dousette and Spanton -- come with sterling resumes as well, highlighted by their Northern Lights club program traveling to Italy to play in an international tournament earlier in 2016. In addition, Angeli was a two-time first-team all-state pick and a four-time all-conference honoree at Hill-Murray School, while Dousette won three all-conference and two all-section awards at Cretin-Derham Hall, and Spanton earned two all-conference nods at Prior Lake High School.
Through the first six weeks of play, six true freshmen have seen the court: Brown, Smith, Spanton, Angeli, Taylor and Dousette.
Shires Guides Mavericks as Winningest Coach in School History
Head coach Rose Shires is the all-time winningest coach in 46 years of UNO volleyball history. In her 27th year at the helm of the Maverick program, Shires owns a career record of 479-358 (.572), with the most wins of the five coaches who have served at Omaha.
The 1996 AVCA National Coach of the Year and a two-time conference coach of the year, Shires has enjoyed tremendous success as UNO's guide. The 1996 campaign saw her lead UNO to a national championship as well as its first North Central Conference championship since 1987, followed by an Elite Eight appearance in 1997. In NCAA Tournament play, Shires' squads have combined for 11 appearances and a 10-10 postseason mark.
Shires is assisted by associate head coach Karen Povondra, who is in her 26th season, assistant coach Elena Pietro, in her second year, and volunteer assistant coach Tyler Yanez, who is in his first year on the Maverick staff.
Home Sweet Home Advantage
The 2016 season will see Omaha play 13 home contests, including eight conference tilts. UNO will play at two venues, with nine matches at Baxter Arena and four matches at Sapp Fieldhouse.
UNO has increased its number of home wins in each of the last four seasons, going from one in 2012 to two in 2013, five in 2014 and seven in 2015.
Up Next
Omaha returns to action on Friday, Oct. 14, welcoming South Dakota to Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. Links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.
Players Mentioned
RS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
L
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
MH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballTuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
