DAYTON (OH) — Only one athletic program at the University of Dayton has five NCAA appearances in the last six seasons. Only one program has a pair of NCAA victories, seven All-America honorees, and four A10 championships as well. Leading the wave of success at UD is the women’s volleyball program, and last year was no exception under first year Head Coach Kelly Sheffield.

Finishing 21-13 (11-2), Dayton earned its first-at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. A first round loss at home to Western Michigan however was a bittersweet ending to an otherwise successful season. Now in his second year, Sheffield has the groundwork in place and a bevy of returning conference stars to take another step forward.

PERSONNEL LOSSES

A lot of talent returns, but it was not a painless offseason. Every year UD loses a couple studs to graduation and 2008 was no different. Setter Erin Schroder missed much of last season due to injury yet finished her career as one of the all-time best at her position. The former A10 Setter of the Year tallied over 3,000 assists and ran the show until she was shelved. Outside hitter Kortney Norris had perhaps the most talent on the team but missed her entire season year to injury. When she was healthy, Norris was as good as anybody in the A10 but the loss should be less noticeable since her last appearance was in 2007. Libero/outside hitter Nicole Bateman, a one-time Louisville transfer, finished second on the team in overall kills (371). Her tough-minded play was reminiscent of Adrienne Green as she provided Swiss Army knife flexibility to Sheffield’s lineup. Middle blocker Bethany Akerhielm’s graduation will need addressed as well. Akerhielm finished third in overall kills (350) and was one of the most consistent front line players in the Flyer lineup. The First Team A10 selection brought good size (6-3) to the lineup and was a go-to player when the chips were down. Defensive specialist Mandy Robbe, a local product from Alter HS, led the team in service aces (33). For a program that’s struggled to serve well — especially in big points — her absence shouldn’t be downplayed. Ontario native Erinn Bickle, a redshirted freshman, left the program.

SENIORS

For most programs, losing a senior class as talented as last year’s group would prove overwhelming, but the Flyers have grown accustomed to reloading rather than rebuilding. This year’s senior class consists of just one player, but defensive specialist Chelsy Christoff won’t be asked to do it all alone. She played in 120 of 128 total sets while finishing second on the team with 22 service aces. Christoff started 31 matches as a sophomore and hammered home 39 service aces. Look for her to lead the charge as a serving specialist and provide important leadership as the lone fourth-year player.

RETURNING VETS

One senior on the roster means the Flyers are a young squad with the better part of the next two seasons to glue things together and make history. Fortunately, Dayton returns great talent in the lower classes and most of those players bring experience to the lineup.

Doing most of the damage at the net is red-shirt junior Lindsay Fletemier, a 6-6 tower of talent both offensively and defensively. A member of the USA A2 National Team, the First Team A10 performer led the 2008 squad in kills (408) and hitting percentage (.342). Fletemier has all the tools to be the next superstar in the program, following in the footsteps of All-American Faye Barhorst. She can dominate defensively as well and had 130 blocks last year, 50 more than anyone else on the team. Consistency and better variety in her game are the only things holding her back. When she’s unpredictable offensively and has her timing down on defense, the Garden City, MI, product has the skills to challenge for league Player of the Year honors.

Junior Kacie Hausfeld saved the season for Dayton when Erin Schroeder suffered a career-ending knee injury halfway through 2008. After suffering a pair of losses on the road to Yale and Albany, Hausfeld rounded into form and only got better as the season progressed. In fact, no Flyer improved as much and by season end, Hausfeld led the A10 in assists per set (11.93). The former Alter HS product should assert herself in 2009 and be one of the top setters in the region, let alone the conference. All great teams have great setters and the Flyers have had their share of standouts. Hausfeld can be as good as any of them before her career is over.

Fellow junior Tiffany Gaerke provides instant offense at outside hitter. The Fort Recovery native finished fourth in overall kills (339) last year and was ninth best in the A10 in kills per set. She saved her best play for the end of the season, earning All-Tourney honors at the A10 Championship. Gaerke must step things up and turn into the All-Conference talent she can.
Rachael Broerman, another junior, appeared in 31 of 34 matches last year as a defensive specialist in Sheffield’s lineup. Hailing from Colorado Springs, CO, she serves well and has a chance to earn more playing time given the departed senior class.

New to the Flyers but not new to college volleyball or Coach Sheffield is Albany transfer Amanda Cowdrey. The former America East Conference Rookie of the Year played her freshman season under Sheffield and earned First Team All-Conference honors last season. Cowdrey also led the Great Danes in kills during both seasons and was among the team leaders in digs. The talented transfer should provide immediate help as an outside hitter and push for a starting spot.

Former multi-sport prep star Becky Novacek, a blocker/hitter, stepped it up by appearing in 123 sets covering all 34 matches last season. She finished fifth on the team in kills (150) and third in blocks assists (64). Now an upperclassman herself, Novacek is a strong bet to step up and establish herself as a go-to player. Appearing in just 14 matches and 28 sets in 2007, she had the third-best kill percentage (.304) and finished fifth in blocks per game. Early in her career when her name was called, Novacek made her minutes count rather than counted her minutes. Now she’s at the precipice of turning the corner and becoming an All-Conference kind of player.

In the sophomore class, Valerie Akerhielm has a chance to be as good as her sister Bethany. The two sisters teamed up last season but now it’s Valerie’s chance to showcase her skills on her own. Unlike her taller sister, Valerie (5-8) patrols the back line as a defensive specialist and performed well enough in 2008 to earn A10 All Rookie honors. She finished her freshman year with 271 digs, third-best on the team.

Fans should keep a close watch on redshirt sophomore Yvonne Martin, perhaps the UD’s best talent when completely healthy. The 6-2 hitter is dominating at the net and has unlimited potential – if only she can keep injuries at a distance. Martin sat out all of last season due to injury and has been plagued by nagging aftershocks throughout the offseason. As a freshman in 2007, Martin appeared in all 35 matches while starting four. The only thing holding her back from Flyer greatness is health and playing time. If the trainers can get her on the Frericks Center floor and keep her there, Dayton’s chances improve exponentially.

Anna Eytchison returns for her sophomore year as right side hitter. She saw action in 34 sets over 19 matches and as a former Top-100 prep standout, has a bunch of skills to make the Flyers better.

Fans shouldn’t forget about redshirt freshman Rachel Krabacher. The Cincinnati McAuley HS product sat out last season to learn the ropes but is expected to contribute immediately in her first full season. The 6-3 outside hitter brings the standard things the program is known for – size and athleticism. The former HS All-American has a wealth of potential and is a solid bet to challenge for All-Rookie honors.

NEWCOMERS

Dayton adds a trio of freshmen to the roster: Paige Vargas, a 5-8 defensive specialist/libero from Naperville, IL; Hannah Clancy, a 6-0 setter from Thousand Oaks, CA; Shayne Brown, a 6-0 middle blocker from Lakewood, CO. That’s three time zones worth of talent and perhaps the tallest setter in Flyer history. It remains to be seen how all three work themselves into the lineup.

SCHEDULE

Challenging opponents dot the non-conference and league schedule. Like most volleyball schedules, matches are collated with tournaments at various host institutions and this year is no different. Dayton opens the season by visiting Purdue once again for the Mortar Board Premier. The Flyers battle Coastal Carolina, Ball State, and host Purdue in what’s turned into a terrific rivalry. UD remains on the road with matches against Illinois State, Wake Forest, and Western Michigan, before kicking things off at home on Sept. 11, against UConn. That match is followed by Samford and Creighton to finish out the weekend. Another threesome on the road against Oregon State, Michigan, and Marquette means nine of the first 12 matches of the season are away from the friendly confines of the Frericks Center. A hot start is imperative.

The round robin league schedule follows, with non-league matches against UC and WSU peppered in. Every season the A10 gets more difficult and 2009 should be no different. Conference favorite St. Louis sports a preseason Top-25 ranking and swept the Flyers in three matches in 2008 – winning nine of 10 games in the process. Clearly the Billikens are the team to beat and that’s not a position Dayton volleyball is accustomed to. Perhaps being the hunter rather than the hunted provides an added element of motivation to reclaim the top spot in the A10.

NUTS AND BOLTS

As usual, Dayton should be powerful on offense. Fletemier is unstoppable when she wants to be. Martin, if healthy, can change a match by her lonesome. Gaerke has All-Conference talent and Cowdrey should be an immediate shot in the arm to the Flyer program. Hausfeld was a quick study last season and should be ready to rock and roll at setter. The back line of Broerman, Akerhielm, and Christoff has a load of experience. The Flyers have all the tools to perform well both offensive and defensively, but predictability has been a struggle for the better part of the last four seasons. Too often, opponents have telegraphed UD’s play and won points by scouting the Flyers very well. When the Flyers remain unpredictable and move the ball around the court with different tempos and to different players, they are difficult to stop. When that doesn’t happen, opponents have had a lot of success dominating at the net – especially on defense. More variety will be one of the keys for reaching team goals in 2009.

THE LAST WORD

Dayton made history last season by earning their first-ever NCAA at-large bid. That’s all the more impressive considering the program underwent a coaching change in the offseason. But two lingering realities provided just enough aggravation in the offseason – getting swept (convincingly) by St. Louis and losing at home to Western Michigan in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Firepower both offensively and defensively left town with degrees in hand, leaving holes to fill and questions to answer. But this isn’t just any program. The Flyers know how to replace great players with returnees ready to be great on their own. Young guns waiting their turn in the lineup just seem to step up and blossom into stars. As much as talent dictates success, so do expectations and tradition. These are the hallmarks of the Flyer volleyball program and why Kelly Sheffield is in charge of the most successful program in the Flyer athletic department – at least right now. Staying there and improving upon past success is no easy task however. This team has a chance to be special, but it will take a team effort and a lot of consistency early in the season when UD is forced to win on the road. A good start could be the difference in earning another NCAA at-large bid or putting all eggs into the A10 conference tourney. The good news is the A10 has more respect than ever. While St. Louis is deservedly favored, Dayton is the team that can run them down. The ultimate benchmark is doing damage in the NCAAs however. The players and coaches are adamant about getting to the Sweet-16 for the first time. It’s certainly doable, provided everyone stays healthy and focused through two and a half grueling months of match play.