Courtesy of Albany Athletic Media Relations
Albany, N.Y. -
University at Albany will travel to Stanford, Calif. to take on the
third-ranked Cardinal in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Division I
Volleyball Tournament on Dec. 3, as announced on Sunday afternoon. The
Great Danes also faced Stanford in the first round of the 2008 NCAA
Tournament.
Top-seeded UAlbany (22-8) beat third-seeded UMBC in straight games,
25-20, 25-21 and 25-20 in the America East Conference Championship on
Nov. 20. The Great Danes ran their win streak to seven contests and
claimed their fifth America East title in seven years. UAlbany is led by
senior Teresa Coppiellie, who was named the 2010 America East
Conference Volleyball Player of the Year. Coppiellie averages 3.44 kills
per set along with 3.322 digs per set. Laurie Gonzalez claimed her
third straight defensive specialist of the year honor, after leading the
conference and being ranked among the national leaders, averaging 5.20
digs per set. Gonzalez recently broke UAlbany's single-season digs
record after recording 572 as a junior. Junior Casey Wright, who
averages 1.07 blocks and 3.28 kills per set, was also named to the
all-conference first team to round out the UAlbany award recipients.
Stanford (22-8) won
the Pacific 10 Championship title for the fifth straight season with a
three-set win over Arizona State on Nov. 26. The Cardinal, who have made
an appearance in all 30 Division I volleyball championships, is led by
senior outside hitter Alix Klineman. Klineman is averaging 5.49 kills,
which is the second-best average in the nation, and 2.68 digs per set.
The setting duties for the Cardinal have been split between Cassidy
Lichtman (8.21 aps) and Karissa Cook (6.26 aps), who have led the team
to the top assists average in the country at 14.41 per set. As a team,
Stanford leads the nation with a .320 hitting percentage.
The winner of the
UAlbany-Stanford match-up will advance to face either Cal
State-Fullerton (26-5) or #14 Colorado State (25-4) in the second round
of regional play. UAlbany played Colorado State earlier this season at
the Campus USA Credit Union Invite hosted by Florida, and fell to the
Rams, 3-0. Colorado State claimed its eighth Mountain West Conference
regular season title this season.
-agate-
2010 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship
First Round Regional, at Stanford, Calif.
#3 Stanford (24-3) vs. UAlbany (22-8)
#14 Colorado State (25-4) vs. Cal State-Fullerton (26-5)