Aug. 20, 1999

The 1999 UNC Volleyball Team sees itself as ready to continue the success it achieved last season, the best in Tar Heel history. After winning the ACC regular-season title and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament, the 1999 Tar Heel team features both depth and experience. Carolina returns four starters and 11 letterwinners from a team that tallied a 13-3 conference record and advanced to the championship game of the ACC Tournament.

"I'm excited looking at the good balance of veteran players we have returning, especially with All-ACC players Tori Seibert and Shannon Smith returning to the middle," head coach Joe Sagula says. "That will definitely be the strength and focus of our team. In addition, we return all of our outside hitters, who saw a lot of court time last year. In almost all of our positions, we have a lot more depth and experience than we did last year, which should really help us."

All of this, coupled with Sagula himself, the 1998 ACC Coach of the Year, should have the Tar Heels competing again for the conference title.

Schedule

The Tar Heels early schedule should reveal a great deal about the team. In the first two weeks of the season, the Tar Heels will face at least four teams, and potentially five, ranked in the USA Today/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 preseason poll.

Three of these will come in the first three games as the Tar Heels open with No. 21 Southern California, No .5 Long Beach State, the defending national champion, and No. 14 Illinois at the Long Beach State Tournament.

Following the west coast trip, Carolina heads to Madison, Wis. for the Wisconsin Classic, where it will face No. 8 Florida and then play either Dayton or the ninth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

"We are going to have to rely on our veterans to come through and be ready to play in September," says Sagula. "We'll have to be on top of our game at that point, but no matter what, playing at that level is going to make us a better team."

Sagula knows the way to becoming one of the nation's elite is to challenge his team. "I think that it is important for people to know that we play a national schedule and that we can travel to do so," Sagula says. "I feel confident that if our veterans play at the level we've seen them and our new people are competitive, we will be fine. I am going into every match thinking that North Carolina is going to compete well, and if that happens, we'll put ourselves in position to win some volleyball games."

Travelling to California was a prime target for Sagula when creating the schedule. "Going to the west coast to play a defending national champion is a big plus, but also, three of our players - Malaika Underwood, Kathy Konczal, and Eve Rackham - are from California and it gives their families a chance a to see them play," Sagula says.

The Tar Heels return home to Carmichael Auditorium for the Carolina/Nike Classic on September 17, the latest home opener since 1987. That field will include American University, Tulane, and Northern Illinois.

Outside Hitter

Outside hitter will be the deepest position for UNC this year. Carolina returns two starters in Asa Gustavsson and Casey Simpson and follows that with five other players who should see time at the position.

Simpson, a junior, led the team last year in kills with 486 and will be counted on again for big numbers. "Casey is one of the most dynamic outside hitters ever to play at Carolina," Sagula says. "She is capable of phenomenal games and we are looking for her to become more and more consistent after gaining a lot of valuable experience last year. Her game is becoming more and more well-rounded and she is definitely a force and a go-to player for us."

Gustavsson, a senior, had a solid junior year after being inserted into the starting line-up early in the year. "Asa has become better and better at the game, hitting different shots, and her passing has steadily improved," Sagula says.

Junior Brooke Ruschiensky also could play a role as she moves from the right side to left. Sophomore Kathy Konczal turned in a great spring season and will be a strong force as a blocker and hitter on the right side. Freshman Laura Greene is a versatile player who can play right side or left along with Malaika Underwood, another dynamic athlete with a great future with the Tar Heels. Red-shirt freshman Lindsay Cannon will also compete as an outside hitter this season and could provide a strong net game.

Middle Hitter

The Tar Heels return two of the best middle blockers in the ACC in seniors Tori Seibert and Shannon Smith. Seibert was first team All-ACC last year, while Smith earned second team honors.

Seibert owns the record for best career hitting percentage in Tar Heel history with an average of .348 and also ranks fourth in kill average at 3.59 per game. "Tori Seibert has been a three-year starter and a go-to player at Carolina," Sagula says. "We know it and the opponents know it, and in spite of that she has put up great numbers and great results every year. Her presence is critical because she wants to get the ball in crucial situations and she can win matches for us."

Seibert and Smith stand first and second respectively in career blocking average with marks of 1.10 and 1.07 per game and also rank second and third respectively in block assists with 339 and 272. "Shannon has worked to become one of the top middle blockers in the conference," Sagula says. "For someone who was a part-time player as a freshman, she has started in the middle the last two seasons and become the type of player that makes teams change their strategy to defend her on the slide. She is a solid passer and server and can dominate at the net." Smith led the team last year in solo blocks with 39.

Krista Buchholz has improved a great deal technically and will see more playing time, while freshman Holly Strauss will add to the depth of the middle, giving the Tar Heels four players in the middle this year as opposed to three last year.

Setters

Perhaps the greatest difference in the 1999 Tar Heels will be the absence of ACC Player of the Year Erin Berg at the setter position. However, Sagula thinks freshman Eve Rackham is ready to step up to the challenge of the starting position.

"Eve is the type of player who has always played up and has raised her level of play to compete," Sagula says. "She's already establishing herself as a gamer, she has a good court presence, she knows the game, and she is extremely competitive."

Kathy Konczal will also play some setter and should provide the Tar Heels with the ability to show many different looks.

Defensive Specialists

The defensive specialist position will play a huge role in the success of the ¡99 Tar Heels. The position will be covered by juniors Lisa Fryer and Liz Feldman and sophomore Melissa Higgins. "These players will help us win volleyball matches, just on their defensive ability alone," Sagula says. "Liz and Lisa are two of the best defensive players around, they are going to dig a lot of balls and as DS's they are as important as any position on this team."