SEASON IN REVIEW
The University of Denver volleyball team had high expectations for the 2008 season, and did not disappoint. Its overall 25-7 record marked the best record in program history through 32 matches, and its 16-1 record at Hamilton Gymnasium was the best mark at home since the program turned Division I.
After being selected in the preseason poll as the favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference West division, the Pioneers delivered and captured their second consecutive title, fourth in program history, with their 3-0 defeat of Arkansas State on Sunday, Nov. 16 in Hamilton Gymnasium. Denver finished regular season conference play with an impressive 14-4 record.
The Pioneers opened the season with a 6-1 record which included 3-0 routs of Eastern Washington, Arkansas, Virginia, Iowa, and a win over Tennessee that clinched the Pioneer Classic.
After a close 3-2 defeat at the hands of University of Texas-San Antonio in which senior Holly Benson had a remarkable 14 kill, 23 dig performance, Denver tied a school-record with nine straight victories that gave the team an impressive 15-2 record through 17 matches.
Denver’s lone home loss came when conference rival Middle Tennessee visited Hamilton Gymnasium and shocked the Pioneers in a 3-0 loss but the Pioneers were able to bounce back and win the next four conference matches, including a 3-1 win over Arkansas State that featured an 18-kill, 10-dig performance from junior Emmy Davidsmeyer.
The Pioneer’s 14-4 conference record earned them a No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, hosted by Florida International in Miami, Fla. The Pioneers were picked behind No. 1 FIU, a team that finished with a 15-2 SBC record, and No. 2 Middle Tennessee, who posted a 14-3 record in the conference. The team was defeated in the first round of the tournament by Western Kentucky, but head coach Beth Kuwata expressed her pride in the 2008 squad.
“I am very happy with the way this team has handled itself throughout the entire season and the successes that we were able to accomplish,” said Kuwata. “Of course it is unfortunate that we were unable to come away with a win; however I am extremely proud of our seniors and the commitment they made to bring our program to another level. We achieved many of the goals that we set at the start of the season and for that I am extremely pleased with this team’s effort.”
NOTABLE PIONEERS
After being selected as the 2008 SBC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, sophomore Kacie Wikierak’s defensive performance during the DePaul Invitational earned her a conference Defensive Player of the Week honor. In 14 sets, Wikierak compiled an impressive 68 digs for a 4.86 digs/set percentage. She notched a then season-high 27 digs during Denver’s match against UTSA, which followed a 23-dig performance against Ball State on the first day of the DePaul Invitational.
She later won a second Defensive Player of the Week honor when she tallied 37 digs in three matches for the Pioneers and paced them to a trio of home sweeps.
Junior setter Clare Maxwell reached a milestone when she broke the 3000 career assist barrier on Oct. 18 in a loss to Middle Tennessee. Maxwell became only the second Pioneer to surpass that mark, and is currently second on the all-time assists list with 3,399.
Senior Holly Benson earned a number of awards throughout the season. She was named SBC Offensive Player of the Week, named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 7 University Division Third Team, and was named to the All-SBC second team for the second consecutive season.
Benson finishes her career at Denver ranked fifth on the career kills list (1,361), seventh in career kills per set (3.01), third in career attack attempts (3,964), second in career digs (1,485), fourth in career digs per set (3.29), sixth in career service aces (128), and sixth in career sets played (452).
Junior Emmy Davidsmeyer was named SBC Offensive Player of the Week when she recorded 47 kills, six assists, four service aces, 28 digs and five total blocks in three crucial conference matches. Davidsmeyer was also named to the All-SBC first team after playing in all 113 sets for the Pioneers in 2008. She posted 327 kills, 228 digs, and a .340 attack percentage on the season.
LAST TIME OUT
The University of Denver volleyball team (25-7, 14-4 SBC) fell to Western Kentucky (24-9, 12-5 SBC) in the first round of the SBC Volleyball Championships, hosted by Florida International University in Miami, Fla.
The Pioneers were led by junior Emmy Davidsmeyer’s nine kills, while senior Kerry Porter added eight kills on 16 attacks for a .438 hitting percentage. Also turning in eight kills for Denver was freshman Jordan Raines, while setter Clare Maxwell finished with 29 assists.
Defensively, Denver was led by sophomore libero Kacie Wikierak’s 10 digs as Raines also added nine.
SBC WEST DIVISION CHAMPS REPEAT
Denver began conference play as the Sun Belt’s defending West Division champions. The Pioneers claimed the title last year for the first time since 2005, marking their third division crown in the program’s history.
Picked to repeat as the West Division Champions, the Pioneers didn’t disappoint, as they captured their second consecutive title, fourth in program history, with their 3-0 defeat of Arkansas State on Sunday, Nov. 16 in Hamilton Gymnasium. Denver finished regular season conference play with an impressive 14-4 record (.778).
MAKING HISTORY
Denver’s 25-7 mark is the best record that the program has achieved through 32 matches in the Pioneers’ History. Denver also boasts an impressive 16-1 record in Hamilton Gymnasium, which sets another program mark for best home record since becoming Division I.
Only one other team in the Pioneers’ history has posted more wins than this seasons’ squad as the 1991 Denver Pioneers finished with 27 wins.
With their win over North Texas on October 28th, the Pioneers captured their 20th win of the season, becoming only the sixth team in program history to break the 20+ win barrier. In Denver volleyball history, only five teams have finished with 20 or more wins in a season. (1991: 27-12; 1992: 21-14; 1993: 21-16; 1997: 21-11 (Kuwata); 2007: 22-12 (Kuwata))
Since joining NCAA DI in 1998 (SBC 1999), Denver has only posted one other 20+ win season as the Pioneers finished the 2007 season with a 22-12 overall record.
IS THREE THE CHARM?
The Pioneers finished the season 16-3 in three-set matches, but the loss to Middle Tennessee (Oct. 18) marked their first three set loss at home this season. Denver was also an impressive 6-1 in four-set matches.
CERTIFIED FIREPOWER: DAVIDSMEYER EARNS OFFENSIVE POW
Emmy Davidsmeyer earned the offensive POW honor from the SBC on November 3 for her dominant performance in matches against North Texas (10/28), Arkansas State (10/31), and UALR (11/2). She recorded 47 kills, six assists, four service aces, 28 digs and five total blocks during the three conference matches. This was the second offensive POW of her career.
CAN YOU DIG IT? DENVER TALLIES SECOND SBC DEFENSIVE POW OF SEASON
Kacie Wikierak received the defensive POW honor from the SBC for her performance during the weekend of October 3-5. Wikierak paced Denver to a trio of sweeps, while helping to extend the Pioneers’ then perfect record at home (10-0) and tying the program’s-best nine match win streak. Wikierak finished the week with 37 digs in three matches, tallying 17 against ULM and 14 against Louisiana-Lafayette for a 4.11 digs per set average. Wikierak also dished out seven assists and two service aces in the nine sets played.
Senior outside hitter Holly Benson led the way for the Pioneers defensively during week four, as she paced Denver to its second tournament title with a season-high 54 digs in three matches. The Colorado Springs native registered 4.91 digs per set in her three matches played, while also tallying seven total blocks. Benson made quite an impact on the offensive side of the net as well, racking up 34 kills and six assists. Benson earns the second-straight defensive weekly honor for DU as sophomore libero Kacie Wikerak earned last week’s award.
In week three, sophomore Kacie Wikierak’s defensive performance during the DePaul Invitational helped the Pioneers to a 2-1 record for the weekend. In 14 sets, Wikierak compiled an impressive 68 digs for a 4.86 digs/set percentage. She notched a season-high 27 digs during Denver’s match against UTSA, that followed a 23-dig performance against Ball State on the first day of the DePaul Invitational. This is the first player of the week citation this year for Wikierak, who was previously selected as the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Preseason Player of the Year.
PIONEERS IN THE SBC CHAMPIONSHIP
The Pioneers entered the 2008 SBC Championships in Miami, Fla., as the No. 3 seeded team behind No. 1 FIU, a team that finished with a 15-2 (.882) SBC record, and No. 2 Middle Tennessee (14-3, .824). Denver faced No. 6 seed Western Kentucky on Thursday, Nov. 20, falling to the Hilltoppers 3-0.
Since joining the SBC in 1999, the Pioneers have an all-time SBC Championship record of 3-10 and are 0-5 all-time against Western Kentucky.
The Pioneers have made it past the first round three times (2001, 2005 and 2007) before falling in the semifinals each time.
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