08/28/02
Volleyball
STARKVILLE, Miss. --- It's debut weekend for Mississippi State University athletics, and MSU's Volleyball Bulldogs get the honor of ushering in the 2002-03 sports year Friday afternoon in San Marcos, Texas. State opens its 28th season of volleyball against the Southern Illinois Salukis in a 1:30 p.m. opening-round match in the two-day Southwest Texas State's Century Tel/Roger Beasley Honda Premier.

"It's time to test the waters," said sixth-year Bulldog volleyball head coach Brenda Bowlin. "We've had a productive preseason practice period, have managed to stay away from injuries, and now we're looking forward to getting the new season started." Bowlin enters the season with 58 wins, second-most all-time among Mississippi State's eight volleyball coaches.

MSU also takes on the host Southwest Texas State Bobcats Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday faces both North Texas (9 a.m.) and Air Force (1:30 p.m.) to wrap up the first of their four scheduled September tournaments. The Bulldogs launch a 12-match home schedule Sept. 6-7 hosting Boston College, Lamar and Samford in the third annual MSU/Ramada Inn Classic in Humphrey Coliseum.

The Bulldogs open the campaign with a 12-player squad that features three primary returning starters and eight letterwinners who handled nearly 60 percent of MSU's starting duties a year ago. Outside hitter and team captain Misty Hubenthal from Georgetown, Texas, is the lone senior on the squad after pacing the team with 278 kills. Junior opposite hitter Tanika Taylor of Rowlett, Texas, a three-year starter, and junior middle blocker Hilary Chambers of Highlands Ranch, Colo., the team leader with 88 total blocks a year ago, are expected to play key roles for the 2002 Volleyball Bulldogs.

Bowlin said one of the team's five newcomers, freshman outside hitter Rachel Cooper of Roscoe, Ill., is likely to see starting duty on opening weekend. "Our freshmen are adjusting well to our system and the other players, and they should get better and better as the season progresses and they gain experience. They bring a great deal of athleticism to our team and I'm anxious to see how they perform in their first collegiate competition".

Junior Jennifer Hadden of Marysville, Mich., will open the year as the starting setter and junior Jennifer Rousey of Champaign, Ill., is set to join Chambers as a starting middle blocker. Taylor and one other junior, Nicole Broome of Orlando, Fla., are expected to share duties as opposite (right side) hitters.

MSU VB NOTES: This weekend's appearance in the Century Tel/Roger Beasley Honda Premier in San Marcos, Texas, marks the 11th tournament trip to Texas for MSU Volleyball since 1984....Three Bulldogs will be playing collegiately in their home state for the first time this weekend --- Lauren Bounds (Arlington, Texas), Misty Hubenthal (Georgetown, Texas) and Tanika Taylor (Rowlett, Texas)....College volleyball debuts its new "Libero rule" this weekend. The Libero position, a back-row defensive replacement with unlimited substitutions, will be used this fall. MSU's Lauren Bounds is State's designated Libero....MSU has won three of its last four season-openers and 17 of 27 overall. State has opened away from home in each of its last 15 seasons.

MSU'S OPENING WEEKEND SCHEDULE Friday, 1:30 p.m. MSU VB --- vs. Southern Illinois (San Marcos, Texas)
Friday, 4:30 p.m. MSU SOC --- vs. TCU (Waco, Texas)
Friday, 7:00 p.m. MSU VB --- at Southwest Texas State (San Marcos, Texas)
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. MSU VB --- vs. North Texas (San Marcos, Texas)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m. MSU VB --- vs Air Force (San Marcos, Texas)
Saturday, 5:00 p.m. MSU FB --- at Oregon (Eugene, Ore.)
Sunday, 7:00 p.m. MSU SOC --- at Baylor (Waco, Texas)
Monday, 11:30 a.m. MSU BB --- First day of fall practice (Dudy Noble Field)

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department

08/11/02
Volleyball
STARKVILLE, Miss. --- A 12-match home schedule featuring eight Southeastern Conference matches at the Newell-Grissom Building highlight the Mississippi State University Volleyball Bulldogs' 31-match schedule for the 2002 campaign.

"This is another challenging schedule with four early-season tournaments that will help us prepare for a rugged 16-match SEC schedule," said head coach Brenda Bowlin, set to begin her sixth season at Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs, currently engaged in two-a-day practice preseason sessions on campus, usher in Mississippi State University's 2002-2003 season of athletics Aug. 30-31 in the Southwest Texas State Bobcat Classic in San Marcos, Texas. MSU meets Southern Illinois in a 1:30 p.m. match to launch State's 28th season of volleyball.

MSU opens home competition a week later, hosting Samford, Lamar University and Boston College Sept. 6-7 in the third annual MSU/Ramada Inn Classic in Humphrey Coliseum. State later travels to DeKalb, Ill., for Sept. 13-14 for the Northern Illinois University/Country Inns & Suites Invitational and then treks to New Orleans, La., Sept. 20-21 to wrap up inseason tournament play in the University of New Orleans/Wyndham-Metairie Classic.

The Bulldogs open Southeastern Conference play on the final weekend of September, entertaining Georgia Sept. 27 and perennial SEC power Florida Sept. 28 at the Newell-Grissom Building. This year's SEC Volleyball Tournament will be hosted by the University of Arkansas Nov. 22-24 in Fayetteville, Ark.

Senior outside hitter Misty Hubenthal of Georgetown, Texas, leads a collection of eight returning Mississippi State letter-winners, all with starting experience during the 2001 campaign. Hubenthal paced MSU with 278 kills and ranked second on the team with 195 digs last fall. Two other starters from last year's 8-17 edition, outside hitter Tanika Taylor of Rowlett, Texas, and middle blocker Hilary Chambers of Highlands Ranch, Colo., return for their junior seasons.

The 2002 Mississippi State roster includes five talented newcomers who are expected to challenge for playing time early in their collegiate careers. "We've been impressed with the freshmen during our two-a-day practices," said Bowlin. "They certainly give us strength and depth throughout the lineup and will help make us a more physical team this year."

2002 MSU SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Southwest Texas State Bobcat Classic
(San Marcos, Texas)
Aug. 30 vs. Southern Illinois 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 at Southwest Texas State 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 31 vs. Univ. of North Texas 9:00 a.m.
Aug. 31 vs. Air Force 1:30 p.m.

MSU/Ramada Inn Classic
(Humphrey Coliseum)
Sept. 6 Samford University 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 7 Lamar University 10:00 a.m.
Sept. 7 Boston College 4:00 p.m.

Sept. 10 at Middle Tennessee State 6:00 p.m.

NIU/Country Inn & Suites Invitational
(DeKalb, Ill.)
Sept. 13 vs. Saint Louis University 5:00 p.m.
Sept. 14 at Northern Illinois Univ. 2:00 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay 5:00 p.m.

UNO/Wyndham-Metairie Classic
(New Orleans, La.)
Sept. 20 Mercer University 5:00 p.m.
Sept. 21 Centenary 10:00 a.m.
Sept. 21 New Orleans 7:00 p.m.

Sept. 27 Georgia 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 29 Florida 2:00 p.m.
Oct. 4 Auburn 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 6 Alabama 2:00 p.m.
Oct. 9 Birmingham-Southern 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 11 at Florida 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 13 at Georgia 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Mississippi 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 20 Tennessee 2:00 p.m.
Oct. 25 at Arkansas 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 27 at Louisiana State 2:00 p.m.
Nov. 1 at South Carolina 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 3 at Kentucky 2:00 p.m.
Nov. 8 Louisiana State 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 10 Arkansas 2:00 p.m.
Nov. 13 Mississippi 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 17 at Alabama 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 22-24 SEC Tournament (Fayetteville, Ark.)

MSU/Ramada Classic matches held at Humphrey Coliseum; all other MSU home matches held at the Newell-Grissom Building.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department