HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - By the time Northern Kentucky University plays its first home volleyball match this fall, Norse head coach Carlos Chia’s youthful squad will be a battle-tested group.
That’s because NKU - which will rely heavily on four freshmen and one sophomore this season - will play its first 11 matches on the road in three different tournaments.
NKU begins the season Aug. 27-28 at the University of West Florida Tournament in Pensacola, Fla. The Norse will meet the University of Montevallo (Ala.), the University of West Alabama, Mesa (Colo.) State College and West Florida during the two-day event.
NKU will then hit the road for tournaments at the University of Findlay (Sept. 3-4) and Ashland University (Sept. 10-11) the following two weekends before playing its home opener Sept. 18 against Bellarmine University.
Defending Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament champion University of Indianapolis will visit Regents Hall on Oct. 16 to meet NKU, which captured the regular-season GLVC title in 2003. The two teams will also play at Indianapolis on Oct. 29.
NKU posted a 26-12 record a year ago and earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the sixth time in the past seven seasons. The Norse advanced to the championship match of the Great Lakes Region Tournament and lost to Grand Valley State University to fall one win shy of a trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
NKU returns senior outside hitter Kristin Koralewski, who earned first team All-America honors in 2003. Koralewski led the Norse with 580 kills, 487 digs and a .328 hitting percentage last season. She was also named the GLVC Player of the Year and recorded 26 double-doubles.
Sophomore setter Andrea Lanham recorded a team-leading 662 assists last year despite missing 22 matches with an injury. Lanham also had 25 service aces and will be a key for the Norse in 2004.
Middle hitter Maggie Pugh (229 kills, 92 total blocks) returns for her senior season with the Norse. Senior defender Amber Timmons (320 digs) is also back for her fourth year at NKU.
The recruiting class features outside hitter Tristen Dye, middle hitters Elizabeth Holmes and Elizabeth Droessler, and right-side hitter/middle hitter Megan Seegert.
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Kristin Koralewski |