ERIE, Pa. - People have taken notice of the Gannon volleyball program’s revival. Four Lady Knights were named to the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division teams Thursday afternoon. In addition, Matt Darling was named PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year and
Morgan Reineke (New Knoxville, Ohio/New Knoxville) was selected PSAC Western Division Freshman of the Year.
Darling received the league’s top coaching honor after turning the Gannon volleyball program from a six-win team three years ago to an NCAA Division II Tournament participant this season. The Lady Knights finished 6-20 during Darling’s first campaign in 2007. He then guided the program to a 13-14 record last season, before improving to 22-9 this season.
Gannon has won 22 matches for the first time since the 1995 squad went 25-7. In addition, the Lady Knights qualified for the conference tournament for the first time since the 2003 edition played in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) tournament. The 2003 campaign also represented Gannon’s last winning season (21-9) prior to 2009.
The NCAA Tournament selection is Gannon’s seventh in the program’s 36-year history. The first five appearances came between 1989 and 1994 under legendary head coach Gerry Burbules Vensel. The Lady Knights won the East Region and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
In addition to being named PSAC West Freshman of the Year, Reineke was the lone Lady Knight to be named to the All-PSAC Western Division first team. The true freshman has averaged 3.46 kills, 0.44 aces, 2.02 digs and 0.45 blocks per game through 29 matches. She ranks second among PSAC players in kills per game.
The New Knoxville, Ohio native has seven double-doubles (kills-digs). Reineke is Gannon’s leader in kills (377) and has reached double digits in kills 23 times.
Maire Prybyl (Mars, Pa./North Catholic),
Kara Cullen (Marstons Mills, Mass./Barnstable) and
Lauren Sazama (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) were named to the All-PSAC Western Division second team.
Prybyl has been Gannon’s starting setter the last four seasons. The senior has averaged 10.3 assists, 0.40 aces, 1.93 digs and 0.36 blocks per game in 28 matches. She ranks second among PSAC players and 41st nationally in assists per game.
The Mars, Pa., native has 1,092 assists this season, equaling the fifth-highest single-season total in school history. Prybyl ranks third all-time at Gannon in career assists (3,240) and fifth in career aces (175). She has recorded seven double-doubles (assists-digs) this season.
Cullen leads the PSAC and ranks 19th among all NCAA Division II players in blocks per game (1.13). In addition, the sophomore middle blocker ranks eighth among PSAC players in hitting percentage (.294). She has averaged 2.19 kills and 1.13 blocks per game through 30 matches.
The Marstons Mills, Mass., native has 105 block assists this season, needing three to break into Gannon’s all-time top-10 single-season totals. She has reached double digits in kills 11 times and hit at least .231 in 22 of 30 matches this season.
Sazama is another fabulous freshman who aided the Gannon volleyball turnaround this season. The outside hitter has averaged 3.12 kills, 0.75 aces and 2.73 digs through 27 matches. She leads the PSAC and ranks sixth nationally in aces per game. In addition, she ranks sixth among PSAC players in kills per game.
The St. Louis, Mo., native has 76 aces this season, representing the fifth-highest single-season total in school history. Sazama has 15 double-doubles (kills-digs) and has reached double digits in kills during 20 of 27 matches.
Gannon (22-9) plays Wheeling Jesuit tonight (November 19) in the first round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional hosted by California (Pa.). Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. The contest can be heard live on 90.5 WERG and via the Internet at
http://www.gannon.edu/athletics/werg/knightsound.html.
For the complete 2009 All-PSAC volleyball teams and major awards, please
click here.