Bowling Green State University Athletics
MAC's Winningest Coaches Meet Friday At Anderson
October 18, 2001 | Volleyball
Oct. 18, 2001
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Two of the top coaches in Mid-American Conference volleyball history will meet when Miami University plays at Bowling Green State University Friday (Oct. 19). The match is set for a 7:00 p.m. start at BGSU's Anderson Arena.
BGSU's Denise Van De Walle, the dean of MAC coaches, enters Friday action with an overall record of 349-225. Van De Walle, in her 19th year, already has more wins than any coach in MAC history. Her next win will make her the first-ever volleyball coach to amass 350 career victories at a MAC institution.
The coach on the other bench Friday, Miami's Carolyn Condit, stands in second place on the MAC's victory list. Condit, in her 18th year at the school, is 344-214 at MU.
The Falcons and RedHawks are approaching the midway point of the MAC schedule, and Friday's match is a key contest, as just a single game separates the first- through fourth-place teams in the East Division. BGSU, at 4-3 in MAC action, is just a half-game behind Miami and Akron (both 5-3 in league play).
Individually, the Falcons (11-4 overall) and RedHawks (8-7) each feature players at or near the top of some of the MAC categories. BGSU senior Caty Rommeck entered the week as the MAC leader in kills, with 4.68 per game, and her average remains the same after Tuesday's (Oct. 16) non-league win over IPFW. Rommeck has a league-best 4.76 kpg in conference matches only.
Rommeck, who led the MAC in blocking a year ago, entered the week second in the league in that category, behind Miami's Jennifer Eaton. Eaton had 1.59 blocks per game to Rommeck's 1.47.
As a team, the RedHawks had a MAC-high 2.84 blocks per game, while the Falcons were third in the league (2.56 bpg).
MU junior Kelly McCullough is third in hitting percentage (.321) and fourth in kills (3.84), while teammate Erika Eagan leads the league in digs (3.97). BG's Rommeck is fifth among MAC players in hitting percentage (.314).
Rommeck and classmate Natalie Becker are moving up several BGSU career lists. Rommeck, in just her third year in the Brown and Orange, ranks eighth on all three blocking lists. She has 93 solo blocks, 253 block assists and 346 total rejections.
Rommeck also ranks among the all-time BGSU greats in hitting percentage (.311, third) and kills (872, 10th).
Becker, in her second year as the team's full-time setter, has a total of 2,111 assists to rank sixth in BGSU annals.
Following Friday's Miami match, the Falcons will remain home to face Marshall University in a Saturday (Oct. 20) contest, which begins at 7:00 p.m. Then, after a midweek trip (Wed., Oct. 24) to MAC West Division-leading Ball State, the Falcons will come home for the following four matches, all against league foes.
