UAlbany Volleyball Begins 2015 Campaign with Ball State Active Ankle Challenge

UAlbany Game Notes | UAlbany 2015 Media Guide

Live Stats - UAlbany vs. Ball State | New Mexico | Belmont

MUNCIE, Ind. - The UAlbany volleyball team will begin its 2015 season with the first of four in-season tournaments, heading to Muncie, Indiana to compete in the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge for a trio of matches against Ball State, New Mexico and Belmont.

The matches will be held at the John E. Worthen Arena in Muncie.  For those looking to attend, single match tickets prices are six dollars for adults and three dollars for youth ages 2-18.  Matches UAlbany is playing in will not be live streamed online.

UAlbany will take on Ball State and New Mexico on the opening day of the tournament on August 28th at noon and 5 p.m. respectively.  The team follows with a 4 p.m. match vs. Belmont on August 29th.  This is the second time the Great Danes are competing in the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge, playing in 2004.

All teams in the tournament earned double digit wins in 2014.  UAlbany made it to the America East title match last year, finishing the season at 10-17 overall.  Tournament host Ball State went 17-13 in 2014 and was second in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.  Tying for fourth last year in the Mountain West, New Mexico tallied a 19-12 record.  Belmont went 19-14 last year, getting second in the Ohio Valley Conference.  All three teams UAlbany will play with make their 2015 debut during the invitational.

UAlbany will play Ball State and New Mexico for the first time since 2004 and second time overall.  The Great Danes fell in three to Ball State on September 3rd and swept New Mexico on September 11th.  August 29th will see the first-ever meeting between UAlbany and Belmont.

On September 3, 2004, UAlbany fell to Ball State in three sets (16-30, 23-30, 19-30) in the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge.  Sarah Obras led the Cardinals with 16 kills and 13 digs, while Rachel Refenes had 10 kills.  Ashley DeNeal had a team-high nine kills and 16 digs for UAlbany while Shelby Goldman finished with eight kills.

Eight days later, UAlbany took on New Mexico in the Delaware Invitational, sweeping the Lobos in three (30-22, 30-26, 30-17).  UAlbany hit .307 in the match, led by Goldman, who hit .333 with 12 kills, while Susan Spierre had nine kills, five digs and three blocks.  For New Mexico, Nicole Ryan had a near double-double with 10 kills and seven digs.

Two UAlbany players that were selected to the 2014 America East All-Conference Teams return in 2015.  Laini Leindecker earned First Team status, earning 348 kills and 354 digs, each in the top ten of the league.  Amanda Dolan, who hit .251 with 243 kills and 109 blocks, was a member of the All-Conference Second Team.  In addition, Emily Lopes was selected to the America East All-Rookie Team last year, concluding 2014 with 248 digs and 11 aces.  Mikala McCauley was selected to the All-Academic Team, with a 3.93 GPA.

Ball State returns a pair of First Team All-MAC players from last year, including redshirt senior middle blocker Kelly Hopkins, who hit .291 with 273 kills and 64 blocks last season, and senior setter Jenna Spadafora, who earned 1245 assists, 224 digs, 130 kills and 65 blocks in 2014.  Sophomore outside Sabrina Mangapora had the most kills among returners with 289 last year, hitting .217.

New Mexico is looking to replace the production of graduated Chantale Riddle, a three-time All-American.  The team returns three All-MWC players, led by First Team libero junior Julia Warren, who had 389 digs and 125 kills last year.  Junior Cassie House, an outside hitter with 276 kills and 51 blocks, and redshirt senior setter Hannah Johnson, who got 1157 assists and 287 digs, were Honorable Mention All-MWC in 2014.

Belmont sports a team with just three players on junior standing or higher of its roster of 12.  The team's primary attacker as a freshman last year, Preseason All-OVC member Arianna Person finished 2014 with 361 kills and 328 digs.  Senior middle bocker Jocelyn Youngdahl hit .271 with 256 kills and 83 total blocks last year while setter Emma Price was an OVC All-Rookie selection in 2014 with 1206 assists and 271 digs.