Aug. 25, 2008

The University of North Carolina volleyball team is wrapping up their final preparations for the 2008 season this week as they prepare to head to Champaign, Ill. to participate in the Illini Classic. The Tar Heels will take on a pair of nationally-ranked teams in No. 11 Oregon and No. 23 New Mexico State after facing off against host Illinois. Carolina will take on Illinois at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 29 and then play Oregon at 1 p.m. ET and New Mexico State at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 30.

The Tar Heels return a plethora of talent from the 2007 season, losing just one starter from the squad. Four seniors will play their final seasons in the Carolina blue with Stephanie Jansma holding down the setter position for the third consecutive season after posting 1,331 assists a year ago. The kill leader from 2007 is back as well in the form of senior Lauren Prussing who will factor into the outside hitter position once again. A third senior, Brianna Eskola, will begin the season 368 digs shy of the Atlantic Coast Conference career record and as she will provide leadership on the backline from her libero position.

Senior Kelly Davies closed the 2007 season as one of the better servers on the team and could be a viable option off the bench for the Tar Heels as a defensive specialist. Eskola was named to the All-ACC Preseason team along with Carolina's 2007 most improved player Christine Vaughen. Vaughen will likely anchor the middle of the court for the Tar Heels where she led the team in hitting percentage with a .326 mark and ranked second in blocks with 113. Also seeing time in the middle will be juniors Heather Brooks and Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland.

Junior Megan Owens and sophomore Suzanne Haydel are back to battle once again for one of the outside hitter positions along with redshirt freshman Courtney Johnston who opened the 2007 season with an impressive performance at the University at Buffalo Classic that earned her all-tournament honors before suffering a season-ending injury the next weekend.

The Tar Heels will feature six new faces this year with Morgan Fox and Kaylie Gibson joining the team as defensive specialists, Aleksandra Georgieva and Cammy Kleinert coming in as outside hitters, Shelbey Bleke will look to battle for time in the middle and Erica Behm comes to Chapel Hill as a setter.

Carolina will go up against seven teams that made it to the 2007 NCAA Tournament, including two in the opening weekend (Oregon & New Mexico State). The Tar Heels will then host the Carolina Volleyball Classic which will feature NCAA Tournament participant Missouri State before trekking West to take on No. 17 Colorado State the No. 14 national seed a year ago. The Tar Heels will then close out the non-conference slate at perennial Big Ten power No. 16 Minnesota before facing No. 19 Clemson and Duke during the ACC season.

The Tar Heels will be playing in their home away from home this year as their regular home, Carmichael Auditorium, undergoes a massive renovation. The Dean E. Smith Center will play host to all the volleyball action in 2008 as head coach Joe Sagula returns for his 19th season on the Carolina sidelines.