Iowa State, Omaha Classic Ahead for Mavericks
Aug 31, 2016 | Volleyball
This Week
The Omaha volleyball team makes its home debut with a five-match homestand this week at Baxter Arena. The Mavericks first host Iowa State on Thursday, Sept. 1 for a single match at 7 p.m., followed by the Omaha Classic presented by Aksarben Suites, Sept. 2-3. UNO opens tournament play Friday with Ball State at 1 p.m. and Abilene Christian at 7 p.m., then takes on Drake at 2 p.m. and UMKC at 6 p.m. Saturday. Links to live stats, audio and video, as available, will be listed on OMavs.com.
Schedule Set for This Weekend's Omaha Classic
The tournament schedule has been set for this weekend's Omaha Classic, which features six teams playing nine matches over two days at Baxter Arena:
Friday, Sept. 2
Match #1 (1 p.m.): Omaha vs. Ball State
Match #2 (3 p.m.): UMKC vs. Abilene Christian
Match #3 (5 p.m.): Drake vs. Ball State
Match #4 (7 p.m.): Omaha vs. Abilene Christian
Saturday, Sept. 3
Match #5 (10 a.m.): UMKC vs. Drake
Match #6 (Noon): South Dakota vs. Ball State
Match #7 (2 p.m.): Omaha vs. Drake
Match #8 (4 p.m.): South Dakota vs. Abilene Christian
Match #9 (6 p.m.): Omaha vs. UMKC
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 43 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.
•Omaha was 8-5 in three-set matches, 7-3 in four-set matches and 4-5 in five-set matches last season.
•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 1,010-570-7.
Scouting the Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State enters the weekend with a record of 1-1 (0-0 Big 12) after a 3-0 win over Wichita State and a 3-1 loss to Creighton last weekend in the Iowa State Challenge. The Cyclones were picked third in the Big 12's preseason poll after finishing in the same spot in the 2015 final standings, and they return three All-Big 12 selections in outside hitter/middle blocker Alexis Conaway and outside hitters Morgan Kuhrt and Jess Schaben. Libero Branen Berta ranks fourth nationally with 6.14 digs per set and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch is in her 12th season at ISU and owns a career record of 228-112.
Iowa State leads the all-time series with Omaha, 5-4. The two teams last met on Sept. 4, 2014 in Ames, Iowa, with the Cyclones picking up a 3-0 win.
Scouting the Ball State Cardinals
Ball State enters the week with a record of 0-3 (0-0 MAC) and hosts IUPUI Wednesday night before traveling to the Omaha Classic. BSU was selected third in the MAC West Division in the 2016 MAC Preseason Poll and is led by outside hitter Ellie Dunn's 2.85 kills and 1.00 blocks per set.
Head coach Kelli Miller is in her first season with the Cardinals after spending the last six years as an assistant coach.
Friday marks the first meeting all-time between Omaha and Ball State.
Scouting the Abilene Christian Wildcats
Abilene Christian enters the Omaha Classic with a record of 0-4 (0-0 Southland). The Wildcats were picked sixth in the Southland Conference's preseason poll after finishing fourth last season. Rightside hitter/middle blocker Corinne Grandcolas leads the Wildcats with 2.54 kills per set, bolstered by her season-high 14 kills vs. Arizona State last weekend, while middle blocker Courtney Miller has a team-high 1.10 blocks per set.
Head coach Jason Bibler is in his third year at ACU, carrying a career record of 15-44.
Abilene Christian leads the all-time series with Omaha, 2-1. The two squads last met Sept. 30, 2011 in Topeka, Kan., where the Wildcats picked up a 3-1 decision.
Scouting the Drake Bulldogs
Drake enters the week with a record of 3-1 (0-0 MVC) and hosts South Dakota State Tuesday night before traveling to the Omaha Classic. DU was selected eighth in the MVC's preseason poll and is led by outside hitter Kyla Inderski's 4.20 kills per set. Inderski ranks 10th nationally with 63 total kills from the opening weekend of play.
Head coach Darrin McBroom is in his fourth season with the Bulldogs and has a career record of 31-67.
Drake leads the all-time series with Omaha, 10-8. The two programs last squared off on Sept. 5, 2015 in Omaha, with DU winning 3-2.
Scouting the UMKC Kangaroos
UMKC enters the week with a record of 2-1 (0-0 WAC) and faces South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., Thursday night before traveling to Omaha. The 'Roos were picked fourth in the WAC's preseason poll after finishing fifth last season. A trio of UMKC seniors were named to the All-WAC Preseason Team: setter Kaylyn Brandt, middle hitter Emma Hagedorn and outside hitter/rightside hitter Madison Mosier. Outside hitter Alicia Harrington leads the 'Roos with 3.44 kills per set this season.
Head coach Christi Posey is in his sixth year at UMKC, carrying a career record of 85-64.
UMKC leads the all-time series with Omaha, 6-5-1. The 'Roos and the Mavericks last met on Sept. 12, 2015 in Kansas City, Mo., with UMKC triumphing 3-1.
Last Time Out: Mavericks Fall to UC Davis, Ole Miss at UND Classic
The Omaha volleyball team closed its first weekend of play last Saturday at the UND Classic, falling 3-0 to UC Davis and 3-1 to Ole Miss at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
In the morning match, senior outside hitter Elise Brown paced the Mavericks with a career-high six kills alongside two digs and a block. Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson chipped in five more kills with 10 digs and a block, and junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy narrowly missed a double-double with 20 assists and nine digs.
Torson shined for Omaha in the afternoon match, totaling career bests of 14 kills and 14 digs for her first career double-double while also adding a block. O'Shaughnessy posted a season-high 30 assists, eight digs, four kills and a block for the day, while junior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey Horkey chipped in seven kills, 12 digs and two stops.
O'Shaughnessy Named to UND All-Tournament Team
Junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy was named to the UND Classic All-Tournament Team for her performance last weekend. She averaged a team-high 7.50 assists per set, as well as 2.50 digs per set. O'Shaughnessy registered at least 20 assists in every match, including a season-high of 30 helpers vs. Ole Miss on Saturday.
Mavericks Making Their Mark in the National Rankings
Omaha ranks among the top 55 nationally in two categories: 23rd for attacks per set (39.9) and 51st for digs per set (16.9).
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. Entering her junior year, she ranks 10th in school history for career assists, having amassed 2,286 since joining the program in 2014. The Omaha native passed former Maverick Cheri Pribyl (1995-98), who had 1,768, and currently sits behind Katie Agnew (2004-07), who totaled 2,359.
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.
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson has the first double-double of any Maverick in 2016, which she achieved last Saturday vs. Ole Miss.
Torson Takes On Starting Role
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson stepped into a starting role last weekend at the UND Classic, twice leading the Mavericks in kills. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native averaged a team-high 2.60 kills per set alongside 3.00 digs per set for the weekend, and her performance was highlighted with her first career double-double, achieved with career highs of 14 kills and 14 digs vs. Ole Miss on Saturday.
What Makes Up the Mavericks
•Omaha returns seven letterwinners from the 2015 season, including three from the starting lineup: setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy and outside hitters Mackenzie Horkey and Gessica Gdowski.
•UNO returns 32 percent of its total offensive production from last season, as this year's returners accounted for 520 of the Mavericks' 1,641 kills.
•The Mavs also return 50 percent of their total blocking production from last year, with the returners credited for 135 out of 271 stops.
•Horkey is UNO's top returning hitter, having averaged 2.54 kills per set last year.
•O'Shaughnessy was recognized with an All-Summit award at the end of 2015, while Gdowski was named to the Summit League All-Freshmen Team.
•The Mavericks are made up of seven freshmen, one redshirt freshman, two sophomores, three juniors and two seniors.
•Omaha's roster includes five players from Nebraska, four from Minnesota, four from Iowa and one apiece from Illinois and Arizona.
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 218-151-2 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 weekend of play, four true freshmen have seen the court: Smith, Spanton, Angeli and Taylor.
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 475-346 (.579), 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 at the UMKC Kangaroo Klassic, Sept. 9-10, in Kansas City, Mo. The Mavericks open on Friday, facing Bradley at 10 a.m. and Northern Iowa at 3 p.m., followed by one Saturday match against Cornell at 11 a.m. Links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
The Omaha volleyball team makes its home debut with a five-match homestand this week at Baxter Arena. The Mavericks first host Iowa State on Thursday, Sept. 1 for a single match at 7 p.m., followed by the Omaha Classic presented by Aksarben Suites, Sept. 2-3. UNO opens tournament play Friday with Ball State at 1 p.m. and Abilene Christian at 7 p.m., then takes on Drake at 2 p.m. and UMKC at 6 p.m. Saturday. Links to live stats, audio and video, as available, will be listed on OMavs.com.
Schedule Set for This Weekend's Omaha Classic
The tournament schedule has been set for this weekend's Omaha Classic, which features six teams playing nine matches over two days at Baxter Arena:
Friday, Sept. 2
Match #1 (1 p.m.): Omaha vs. Ball State
Match #2 (3 p.m.): UMKC vs. Abilene Christian
Match #3 (5 p.m.): Drake vs. Ball State
Match #4 (7 p.m.): Omaha vs. Abilene Christian
Saturday, Sept. 3
Match #5 (10 a.m.): UMKC vs. Drake
Match #6 (Noon): South Dakota vs. Ball State
Match #7 (2 p.m.): Omaha vs. Drake
Match #8 (4 p.m.): South Dakota vs. Abilene Christian
Match #9 (6 p.m.): Omaha vs. UMKC
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 43 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.
•Omaha was 8-5 in three-set matches, 7-3 in four-set matches and 4-5 in five-set matches last season.
•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 1,010-570-7.
Scouting the Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State enters the weekend with a record of 1-1 (0-0 Big 12) after a 3-0 win over Wichita State and a 3-1 loss to Creighton last weekend in the Iowa State Challenge. The Cyclones were picked third in the Big 12's preseason poll after finishing in the same spot in the 2015 final standings, and they return three All-Big 12 selections in outside hitter/middle blocker Alexis Conaway and outside hitters Morgan Kuhrt and Jess Schaben. Libero Branen Berta ranks fourth nationally with 6.14 digs per set and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch is in her 12th season at ISU and owns a career record of 228-112.
Iowa State leads the all-time series with Omaha, 5-4. The two teams last met on Sept. 4, 2014 in Ames, Iowa, with the Cyclones picking up a 3-0 win.
Scouting the Ball State Cardinals
Ball State enters the week with a record of 0-3 (0-0 MAC) and hosts IUPUI Wednesday night before traveling to the Omaha Classic. BSU was selected third in the MAC West Division in the 2016 MAC Preseason Poll and is led by outside hitter Ellie Dunn's 2.85 kills and 1.00 blocks per set.
Head coach Kelli Miller is in her first season with the Cardinals after spending the last six years as an assistant coach.
Friday marks the first meeting all-time between Omaha and Ball State.
Scouting the Abilene Christian Wildcats
Abilene Christian enters the Omaha Classic with a record of 0-4 (0-0 Southland). The Wildcats were picked sixth in the Southland Conference's preseason poll after finishing fourth last season. Rightside hitter/middle blocker Corinne Grandcolas leads the Wildcats with 2.54 kills per set, bolstered by her season-high 14 kills vs. Arizona State last weekend, while middle blocker Courtney Miller has a team-high 1.10 blocks per set.
Head coach Jason Bibler is in his third year at ACU, carrying a career record of 15-44.
Abilene Christian leads the all-time series with Omaha, 2-1. The two squads last met Sept. 30, 2011 in Topeka, Kan., where the Wildcats picked up a 3-1 decision.
Scouting the Drake Bulldogs
Drake enters the week with a record of 3-1 (0-0 MVC) and hosts South Dakota State Tuesday night before traveling to the Omaha Classic. DU was selected eighth in the MVC's preseason poll and is led by outside hitter Kyla Inderski's 4.20 kills per set. Inderski ranks 10th nationally with 63 total kills from the opening weekend of play.
Head coach Darrin McBroom is in his fourth season with the Bulldogs and has a career record of 31-67.
Drake leads the all-time series with Omaha, 10-8. The two programs last squared off on Sept. 5, 2015 in Omaha, with DU winning 3-2.
Scouting the UMKC Kangaroos
UMKC enters the week with a record of 2-1 (0-0 WAC) and faces South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., Thursday night before traveling to Omaha. The 'Roos were picked fourth in the WAC's preseason poll after finishing fifth last season. A trio of UMKC seniors were named to the All-WAC Preseason Team: setter Kaylyn Brandt, middle hitter Emma Hagedorn and outside hitter/rightside hitter Madison Mosier. Outside hitter Alicia Harrington leads the 'Roos with 3.44 kills per set this season.
Head coach Christi Posey is in his sixth year at UMKC, carrying a career record of 85-64.
UMKC leads the all-time series with Omaha, 6-5-1. The 'Roos and the Mavericks last met on Sept. 12, 2015 in Kansas City, Mo., with UMKC triumphing 3-1.
Last Time Out: Mavericks Fall to UC Davis, Ole Miss at UND Classic
The Omaha volleyball team closed its first weekend of play last Saturday at the UND Classic, falling 3-0 to UC Davis and 3-1 to Ole Miss at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
In the morning match, senior outside hitter Elise Brown paced the Mavericks with a career-high six kills alongside two digs and a block. Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson chipped in five more kills with 10 digs and a block, and junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy narrowly missed a double-double with 20 assists and nine digs.
Torson shined for Omaha in the afternoon match, totaling career bests of 14 kills and 14 digs for her first career double-double while also adding a block. O'Shaughnessy posted a season-high 30 assists, eight digs, four kills and a block for the day, while junior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey Horkey chipped in seven kills, 12 digs and two stops.
O'Shaughnessy Named to UND All-Tournament Team
Junior setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy was named to the UND Classic All-Tournament Team for her performance last weekend. She averaged a team-high 7.50 assists per set, as well as 2.50 digs per set. O'Shaughnessy registered at least 20 assists in every match, including a season-high of 30 helpers vs. Ole Miss on Saturday.
Mavericks Making Their Mark in the National Rankings
Omaha ranks among the top 55 nationally in two categories: 23rd for attacks per set (39.9) and 51st for digs per set (16.9).
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. Entering her junior year, she ranks 10th in school history for career assists, having amassed 2,286 since joining the program in 2014. The Omaha native passed former Maverick Cheri Pribyl (1995-98), who had 1,768, and currently sits behind Katie Agnew (2004-07), who totaled 2,359.
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.
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson has the first double-double of any Maverick in 2016, which she achieved last Saturday vs. Ole Miss.
Torson Takes On Starting Role
Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Torson stepped into a starting role last weekend at the UND Classic, twice leading the Mavericks in kills. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native averaged a team-high 2.60 kills per set alongside 3.00 digs per set for the weekend, and her performance was highlighted with her first career double-double, achieved with career highs of 14 kills and 14 digs vs. Ole Miss on Saturday.
What Makes Up the Mavericks
•Omaha returns seven letterwinners from the 2015 season, including three from the starting lineup: setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy and outside hitters Mackenzie Horkey and Gessica Gdowski.
•UNO returns 32 percent of its total offensive production from last season, as this year's returners accounted for 520 of the Mavericks' 1,641 kills.
•The Mavs also return 50 percent of their total blocking production from last year, with the returners credited for 135 out of 271 stops.
•Horkey is UNO's top returning hitter, having averaged 2.54 kills per set last year.
•O'Shaughnessy was recognized with an All-Summit award at the end of 2015, while Gdowski was named to the Summit League All-Freshmen Team.
•The Mavericks are made up of seven freshmen, one redshirt freshman, two sophomores, three juniors and two seniors.
•Omaha's roster includes five players from Nebraska, four from Minnesota, four from Iowa and one apiece from Illinois and Arizona.
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 218-151-2 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 weekend of play, four true freshmen have seen the court: Smith, Spanton, Angeli and Taylor.
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 475-346 (.579), 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 at the UMKC Kangaroo Klassic, Sept. 9-10, in Kansas City, Mo. The Mavericks open on Friday, facing Bradley at 10 a.m. and Northern Iowa at 3 p.m., followed by one Saturday match against Cornell at 11 a.m. Links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
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