Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Fly South to Open the 2008 Season
August 28, 2008 | Volleyball
Aug. 28, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University volleyball team will pack their bags for the 2008 season opener and fly south for the Florida State Invitational to open the 2008 season. This will be only the second trip for the Falcons to the Sunshine State under head coach Denise Van De Walle. The Florida State Invitational will pit the Falcons against three of Florida's finest for the first time in program history, Stetson, Florida State and Florida A&M. The Falcons will open the season against Stetson (Aug. 29) at 2:00 p.m. at Tully Gymnasium. On day two of the invitational they will match-up against host, Florida State (Aug. 30) at 1:00 p.m. and finally against, 2007 MEAC Champions Florida A&M at 4:00 p.m.
FALCONS LIVE FROM TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
For all Falcon fans that can't make it to the live action court side at Tully Gymnasium in Tallahassee, Florida the Falcons will be live on Gametracker via the internet. Falcon fans can log onto Gametracker and get up-to-date information at the tournament central by visiting www.seminoles.com.
FLORIDA STATE INIVTIATIONAL MATCH-UPS
Falcons vs. Hatters • (8/29 • 2:00 p.m.)
The Falcons will open the 2008 campaign against the Stetson Hatters ... this will not only be the first match of the season for the Orange and Brown but will also be the first time the two teams match-up in program history ... the Atlantic Sun opponent was picked to finish eighth in their preseason poll after posting an 11-15 record in 2007 ... the Hatters are returning six letter winners, including three starters.
Falcons vs. Seminoles • (8/30 • 1:00 p.m.)
The Orange and Brown will take on host Florida State on day two of the tournament for the first time in program history ... Chris Poole will be leading the Seminoles this season ... the Atlantic Coast conference opponent was voted to finish fifth in their preseason poll after a 16-14 record in 2007 ... FSU will be returning nine letter winners, including four starters and their libero.
Falcons vs. Rattlers • (8/30 • 4:00 p.m.)
The Falcons will finish their first weekend of play against Florida A&M, match-up for the first time in program history ... the 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Champions were picked to once again with the South division in their preseason poll ... the Rattlers posted an 18-8 overall record and were undefeated (8-0) in the MEAC last season ... head coach Tony Trifonov will return five letter winners including sophomore Jovana Blazeski, the 2007 MEAC Rookie of the Year and a first team All-MEAC selection.
2008 SEASON OUTLOOK
Denise Van De Walle will enter her 26th season at the helm of the Bowling Green State University volleyball team. Van De Walle and the Falcons look to continue the program's history of success after their fourth consecutive winning season and second straight season of 20-plus wins posting a 21-10 overall record and 12-4 record in the Mid-American Conference in 2007.
In her 25th season leading the Orange and Brown, the Falcons set multiple team and individual records. Van De Walle recorded her 450th win and remains the winningest coach in MAC history. As a team the Falcons set new records for hitting percentage (.553) and service aces (19) in a three game match. The Falcons also set individual records as senior Kendra Halm set a new record for block assists (11) in a three game match along with fellow senior Chelsey Meek who set a new record for digs (38) in a five game match as well as breaking the record for career digs (1,624).
The 2008 Falcons are comprised of 14 players, including eight returning letter winners and four All-MAC starters, and six newcomers.
THE STRONG TRADITION CONTINUES...
The 2008 season marks the 33rd campaign of varsity volleyball at BGSU. Over the first 32 years of the program, the Falcons have an overall record of 560-429-3, for a winning percentage of .565. In 25 season in the Mid-American Conference the Falcons have posted a conference record of 218-173, for a winning percentage of .558.
THE ROAD TO GOLD FOR VAN DE WALLE AND TEAM USA
BGSU volleyball's head coach Denise Van De Walle and the USA Women's National Sitting Volleyball Team will begin their road to gold as they head to the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, which will begin on Sept. 6. All Falcon and USA fans can follow Coach Van De Walle and Team USA's journey at the 13th Paralympics by visiting www.BGSUFalcons.com. Live video and highlights of the 2008 Paralympics can also be viewed at www.UniversalSports.com and www.usparalympics.org.
FALCONS HOME OPENER
After defending their home court in Anderson Arena in 2007 posting a 12-1 record, the Falcons look to continue dominating their visiting opponents as they open their 2008 home schedule with the Best Western Invitational (Sept. 19-20) as the defending champions. The Falcons will welcome Binghamton, Rice and Hofstra for the two-day tournament.
MAC POLL RELEASED
The BGSU volleyball team was picked to finish the 2008 season fourth in the Mid-American Conference East division announced by the conference office Monday (Aug. 25). The MAC preseason poll was voted on by the 12 head coaches in the league. The Falcons were seeded fourth behind Miami, the 2008 MAC Tournament Champions, Ohio the defending MAC East Division Champions and Kent State.
FALCONS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS ON THE COURT AND IN THE CLASSROOM
The American Volleyball Coaches Association honored the BGSU volleyball team along with 352 other collegiate and high school volleyball teams with the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2007-08 season. The Falcons were one of 70 Division I women's volleyball teams and one of the five Mid-American Conference teams to receive this honor. The 2007 Falcons' award is the ninth AVCA Team Academic Award in program history and marks the eighth consecutive year the team has received this honor, which is the second longest streak in Division I volleyball.
The 2007 season was a winning and successful season on and off the court for the Falcons as Head Coach Denise Van De Walle and the squad posted a 21-10 overall record and 12-4 record in the MAC, the fourth straight winning season and second consecutive 20-plus win season. In the classroom the five seniors of the 2007 team all graduated with a 3.00 cumulative GPA or higher. The eight veterans that will lead the 2008 team also all posted above a 3.00 cumulative GPA with four players above a 3.5, including one perfect 4.0 during the 2007-08.
THE FALCON FIVE
For the second year in a row five Falcons received All-MAC honors. Falcon middle hitters, Senior Stephanie Swiger and junior Kendra Halm were both named first team All-MAC for the second consecutive season. Teammates junior Meghan Mohr and sophomore Corey Domek were named second team All-MAC with freshman setter Sam Fish rounding out the bunch for the Falcons on the All-MAC Freshman squad. The Falcons will return four of their five All-MAC player in 2008 for the second straight season.
THE RECORD BREAKERS
The 2007 BGSU volleyball team will forever be known as the record breakers, setting seven new records during the season. The Falcons set two team matches records along with five individual records. As a team the Falcons set new records for hitting percentage (.553) and service aces (19) in a three game match as they defeated Buffalo, 3-0 (10/6/07). Juniors Kendra Halm and Chelsey Meek broke individual records. Halm set a new record for block assists (11) in a four game match against Central Michigan (10/12/07). Meek set four new records including all three dig categories, digs in a season (629), digs per game in season (5.62) and career digs (1,624) as well as a new record for digs (38) in a five game match against Eastern Michigan (10/13/07)
#2 BECOMES NO. 1 DIGGER
Chelsey Meek recorded yet another phenomenal season during her junior campaign as she became the best digger in BG history setting new BGSU records for career digs (1,624), digs in a season (629), digs per game in a season (5.62) and digs in a five game match with a career high 38 digs against Eastern Michigan (10/13/07). Meek is only the second player in BGSU history to hold all of the dig records.
25 YEARS + 462 CAREER WINS = VAN DE WALLE
In 2007 head coach Denise Van De Walle celebrated her 25th season at the helm of the Falcons, which included her 450th win leading the Orange and Brown as the Falcons defeated the Miami RedHawks (Sept. 20), 3-2 (30-27, 29-31, 30-19, 22-30, 15-9). Coach Van De Walle finished the season as the winningest coach in BGSU history with 462 wins and leads the MAC as the winningest volleyball mentor.
