Long Beach State Opens 2006 Season Friday
49ers Host Tournament, Face No. 13 Missouri
August 21, 2006 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 0-0, 0-0 Big West
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AVCA Rank: RV (64) Quickly
Long Beach State opens the 2006 campaign on Friday, Aug. 25 at home versus the Missouri Tigers, a team that went 25-5 last season and made it all the way to an NCAA Regional Final. The Tigers are ranked No. 13 in the AVCA Top 25 poll released in early August. This year's tournament field also includes Alabama State, CS Fullerton, and Villanova. The 49ers play Alabama State on Saturday in the afternoon match, and concludes the tournament vs. Villanova in the nightcap.
**Tournament Note: Missouri (#13) is the highest ranked opponent Long Beach State has faced to open a season since 1992 (Stanford, #4). 1992 also was the last time the 49ers lost a season-opener (LBSU has won 13 straight season-opening matches).
2006 Long Beach State Tournament Schedule August 25-26
Friday, August 25
2 pm: Missouri vs. Alabama State
5 pm: CS Fullerton vs. Villanova
7:30 pm: LBSU vs. Missouri
Saturday, August 26
Noon: LBSU vs. Alabama State
2 pm: Villanova vs. Missouri
5 pm: Alabama State vs. CS Fullerton
7:30 pm: LBSU vs. Villanova
49ers on CSTV
CSTV (College Sports Television) released its 2006 women's volleyball television schedule, and it features Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara on October 28.
LB Picked to Repeat
The Long Beach State women's volleyball team earned six first-place votes and a total of 61 points to become the favorite to win the Big West Conference title, according to the pre-season coaches poll, released in early August. The 49ers will look to defend their Big West crown, when they enter the 2006 campaign with four returning starters from a squad that went 25-7 (12-2 in conference) and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. Junior Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga) headlines the returnees, as the 6-3 middle blocker earned her second straight first-team All-Big West selection last season. She averaged 3.62 kills and 1.44 blocks per game as a sophomore. The 2006 roster features just two seniors, Mariko Crum (Phoenix, AZ) and Robin Miramontes (Upland). Crum was a Big West Honorable Mention last year, while Miramontes averaged over three kills per game in '05. Long Beach State has won nine conference titles since 1991. Finishing second in the pre-season coaches poll was Cal Poly, followed by UC Santa Barbara, Pacific, CS Fullerton, UC Irvine, CS Northridge, and UC Riverside.
Ohta Joins Coaching Staff
Long Beach State women's volleyball head coach, Brian Gimmillaro , announced in June that Melissa Ohta has been hired as an assistant coach with the 49ers. Ohta was a former player for LBSU (1997-2000), and was a member on the 1998 National Championship team that went 36-0. As a player, Ohta earned team captain status in 2000, and was a three-time Big West Conference All-Academic selection. Ohta has been active in the club volleyball scene since 1997 in Long Beach as a coach and trainer. She has been the head coach for the 14, 16, and 18's Elite Teams, and has produced 13 Junior Olympic All-Americans, one Junior Olympic Most valuable Player, and one Junior National Team member. In 2003 and 2004, Ohta served as the assistant women's volleybal coach with the University of Iowa and was responsible for travel, budgeting, and recruiting.
The Gimmillaro File
Regarded as one of the top volleyball minds in the country, Brian Gimmillaro begins his 22nd season with The Beach. The Long Beach State graduate has continually taken the 49ers to new heights as one of the winningest and most successful volleyball programs over the past two decades. Because of Gimmillaro, Long Beach State has earned a place among the nation's elite. With three National Championships, eight Final Fours, 13 NCAA Regionals and 20 NCAA Tournaments to his credit, it is no wonder that Long Beach State enters every season as a national contender. Over the past 10 seasons, LBSU has won a National title, and has appeared in four Final Fours and six NCAA Regionals. Over that time, the team record is an impressive 286-47 (.859), including a combined 129-30 mark (.811) over the last five seasons. Heading into the 2006 campaign, Gimmillaro has amassed a striking .811 winning percentage (578-135) over 21 seasons. Against one of the toughest conferences in the the country, the Big West, LBSU has won 78 percent (282-80) of their matches, including nine conference crowns. In 18 of the last 19 seasons, Gimmillaro's teams have won at least 20 matches, and in eight of the last 15 years, the team has won at least 30 matches.The 2005 squad won the Big West Conference Championship (co) and produced five all-conference selections (four first-team honors). Gimmillaro was selected as the Co-Coach of the Year. LBSU advanced to its 19th straight NCAA Playoff as well.
Returning Player Notes
Mariko Crum (Opp • 6-2 • Sr. • Phoenix, AZ/Horizon HS)
2005 Big West Honorable Mention… Averaged 2.22 kills and 1.01 blocks (No. 8 in the Big West) per game in ‘05... Her .298 attack percentage ranked ninth in the league as well
Robin Miramontes (Opp • 6-1 • Sr. • Upland, CA/Upland HS)
Averaged a career-best 3.18 kills per game in '05
Alexis Crimes (MB • 6-3 • Jr. • Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda HS)
First team All-Big West selection… AVCA All-West Region… AVCA All-America Honorable Mention… Averaged 3.62 kills and 1.44 blocks per game (No. 1 in the Big West) with a .378 attack percentage (No. 1 in the Big West) in ‘05
Heather Hetzer (OH • 6-1 • Jr. • Mukilteo, WA/Kamiak HS)
Played in 10 games last season
Dyanne Lawlor (S • 6-1 • Jr. • Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS)
Big West Player of the Week (11/21)… Averaged 12.85 assists and 1.81 digs per game in '05
Iris Murray (DS • 5-5 • Jr. • Artesia, CA/Gahr HS)
Played in 22 games… Averaged 2.32 digs per game in ‘05
Nicole Vargas (S • 5-8 • So. • Seal Beach, CA/St. Joseph HS)
Averaged 12.56 assists and 2.80 digs per game in '05
Quincy Verdin (OH • 6-0 • So. • Morgan City, LA/Central Catholic HS)
Played in 27 games in her first season at LBSU and averaged 3.30 kills per game
Naomi Washington (OH • 6-3 • R-Fr. • New Orleans, LA/Warren Easton HS)
Redshirt season in ‘05
Around the Big West (Notes Compiled from the Big West Conference Office)
Big West Volleyball Begins Season With Tournament Action
The 2006 Big West Volleyball season opens with seven of the eight teams competing in a multitude of tournaments which span around the west region. Long Beach State is the lone school to be hosting a tournament this weekend, which will also be attended by Big West foe Cal State Fullerton. Also competing in the Golden State are Cal State Northridge (at San Diego State) and Pacific (at Fresno State). The Tigers will face two top 25 teams in the three-day Fresno State Invitational - No. 6 Santa Clara and No. 25 Kansas State. UC Riverside heads to the Hilton Albuquerque Classic in New Mexico, the Mustangs of Cal Poly travel to the UNLV Classic, while UC Irvine's journey brings them to the Oregon Kickoff Classic in Eugene, Ore. UC Santa Barbara, the only team to not open the 2006 season in tournament play, travels to Fresno State (8/25) and fourth-ranked Stanford (8/26) to kickoff the year.
Final Big West Volleyball Season With Eight-Team Field
The 2006 volleyball season marks the end of the short-lived eight-team field for Big West women's volleyball. The conference will welcome UC Davis as an official member at the start of the 2007-08 season, expanding its field to nine teams.
UC Santa Barbara Looks To Keep NCAA Streak Alive
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are one of three programs in the country that have participated in all 25 NCAA Tournaments since its inception in 1981. Stanford and Penn State are the other two teams to master this feat. Last season UCSB and Long Beach State advanced to postseason play as representatives of the Big West Conference. As a whole, the Big West teams have tallied an impressive 97-55 record (.638) against non-conference opponents all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
Pacific Begins 2006 Season With A New Face At The Helm Of The Tiger Squad
A new era for Pacific begins on Friday, Aug. 25 when the Tigers hit the court for their first match under the tutelage of new head coach Charlie Wade. Wade comes to Pacific after spending the last 11 years at the University of Hawai'i with the Rainbow Wahine volleyball staff, nine as an associate head coach to Dave Shoji. While at Hawai'i, he helped guide UH to 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, six Regional Finals and four Final Fours. The span included a conference record of 160-1 and an impressive overall record of 310-39.
2006 Big West Season Filled With Diaper Dandies
Of the eight schools competing in the Big West Conference, seven of them have a roster compiled of mainly underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores). UC Riverside is home to the most freshmen at 11, while Cal State Northridge leads the pack for sophomores with nine. Long Beach State is the only team that has a roster comprised of veterans with seven juniors and two seniors to lead the five underclassmen.
Junior Heavyweights Return For 2006 Season
Long Beach State's Alexis Crimes and Cal State Fullerton's Vanessa Vella return after a stellar sophomore year, in which both athletes led the conference in various statistical categories. Crimes enters the 2006 season as a two-time All-Big West First Team member, while Vella grabbed her first all-conference honor last season.
In 2005 Crimes, a middle blocker from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., led the league in hitting percentage (.378) and blocks (1.44 bpg), while ranking 23rd in the nation in hitting percentage. For her performance, Crimes was named 2005 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention.
Last season the Titan libero from Castro Valley, Calif., topped the Big West charts in digs with 5.33 per game, while ranking No. 25 in the country. In just two seasons, Vella has already surpassed the 1,000 dig mark and will most likely break the school record for digs this season, as well as etch her way into the top ten in Big West career digs.
Race For Top Spot In Career Digs Heats Up
Three of the top four athletes listed in the Big West's record book for career digs returns for their junior year. Cal Poly's Kristin Jackson leads the charge with an average of 4.89 digs per game. Standing in second place with an average of 4.77 is UC Fullerton's Vanessa Vella, while Pacific's Julie Magud is averaging 4.18 dpg to stand in fourth place.
2006 Season Preview
August 8 marked the day the Long Beach State women's volleyball team began practice for the start of the 2006 season.
And 49ers' coach Brian Gimmillaro approached the day like he always has: With the same emotions and anticipation that he has experienced since he started coaching at Long Beach State 21 years ago. He has the same sense of optimism mixed with a few questions to be answered before he can complete the task of putting a winning lineup on the court.
"We're looking forward, with great anticipation, to the season," commented Gimmillaro. "We have an opportunity to be a very strong team. We've had to face the realities of the last few seasons of dealing with key injuries. So naturally it makes us tentative in our outlook for this upcoming season. However if things go according to plan, we will be very strong in the middle and very athletic on the outsides."
"We're also very fortunate to have two returning setters and a back row player," added Gimmillaro. "And with the additions we've made, we have certainly added a level of maturity."
Anchoring the middle blocker position will be junior Alexis Crimes. "Alexis is certainly one of the premier middles in the country in terms of physical ability and attitude," stated Gimmillaro. Last season, Crimes earned first team All-Big West, AVCA All-West Region, and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selections. She averaged 3.62 kills and 1.44 blocks per game (No. 1 in the Big West), with a .378 attack percentage (No. 1 in the Big West). Crimes exploded on the national scene in 2004 when she was selected as a third team AVCA All-American (one of three freshman in the country to garner All-America honors). the AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year, AVCA All-West Region. Crimes dominted the league that year as well, earning Big West Conference Freshman of the Year honors (she joined Misty May as the second 49er to earn that distinction), and first team all-conference honors (she was the only freshman on the first team ballot). Crimes averaged 3.88 kills and 1.25 blocks per game with a .374 attack percentage in her first season in a 49er uniform.
A new face joins Crimes at the middle blocker position – the 6-4 Michaela Hasalikova. "Mischa (nickname) is a great player and a perfect compliment to Alexis as our other middle," noted Gimmillaro. "Mischa brings experience and a nice athletic ability to the position." Hasalikova earned championships with Masaryks University (located in Brno) in the Women's 1st Liga in 2003-04 and 2005-06, and was a juniors champion in 2001-02.
Gimmillaro will look to platoon sophomore Quincy Verdin, junior Heather Hetzer, and redshirt freshman Naomi Washington on the left side in '06. "Although lacking playing experience, all three bring great physical ability to the offense," stated Gimmillaro. Verdin played in 27 games in her first season at LBSU and averaged 3.30 kills per game, while Hetzer has shown to be a formidable option, averaging nearly 2.50 kills per game in her career. Washington showed signs of great improvement during spring workouts after her redshirt season in '05.
Securing the right side will be seniors Mariko Crum and Robin Miramontes, both of whom Gimmillaro described as skilled and experienced. Crum was a 2005 Big West Honorable selection, and averaged 2.22 kills and 1.01 blocks (No. 8 in the Big West) per game in '05. Her .298 attack percentage ranked ninth in the league as well. Miramontes, meanwhile, averaged a career-best 3.18 kills per game in 2005.
Just like last season, both setters, Dyanne Lawlor and Nicole Vargas, may play extensively. "Both of them greatly improved in skill level and strength in the off-season workouts," said Gimmillaro. Lawlor was a Big West Player of the Week (11/21) and averaged 12.85 assists and 1.81 digs per game last season. Her 12.85 assists per game was the ninth highest per-game average for a single season in school history. Vargas averaged 12.56 assists and 2.80 digs per game in her first season as a 49er, and finished 2005 with seven double-doubles.
The 49ers will try to replace an experienced back row (Heather Laudato, Sara Kroneberger, and Taylor Peyton) with junior veterans Iris Murray, Cynthia Buggs, and Sarah Hudson. "Iris will anchor the back row," explained Gimmillaro. "She will receive excellent support from Sarah and Cynthia." Murray played in 22 games last season and averaged 2.32 digs per game. Buggs transferred from Tennessee and averaged 3.09 digs per game with the Volunteers in '04, and also tallied 31 aces that season (UT went 32-3 in 2004). Hudson, meanwhile, transferred from Golden West College where she was on two state championship teams (2003 and 2004), and she earned first-team all-conference and all-state tournament team selections in 2004.
If the pieces fall into place for Gimmillaro, he hopes that the '06 schedule will provide a healthy challenge for his squad. LBSU opens the season at home versus the Missouri Tigers, a team that went 25-5 last season and made it all the way to an NCAA Regional Final. The Tigers are ranked No. 13 in the AVCA Top 25 poll released in early August. Then the biggest challenge awaits the 49ers on Sept. 3 when they travel to Lincoln to face the pre-season No. 1-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska was the National Runner-up last season and finished with a 33-2 record.
Long Beach State will look to defend its Big West title with a ninth overall in program history when conference play begins Sept. 29 vs. UC Santa Barbara. The 49ers were the Big West Conference pre-season favorites to repeat as champions.
As always, there is a sense of excitement before every season arrives, and for Gimmillaro and company, this team has the potential to keep fans smiling as they make another NCAA post-season run.
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