The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference coaches have
overwhelmingly selected Frostburg State University as the favorite to
repeat as conference champions in 2004. The Bobcats have won
six of the seven titles since the league's inception in 1997.
The squad finished 2003 with a 31-4 record and earned an
independent bid to the NCAA Div. III tournament.
Penn State Behrend, the only other squad ever to win the conference
volleyball crown, was selected to finish second, ahead of
Pitt-Bradford. Frostburg State senior outside hitter Lauren Petrick (North Caroline HS/Denton, MD) was
the coaches' pick for Preseason Player of the Year for the second
straight time. Last
season's conference Player of the
Year, Petrick was ranked near the top of the AMCC in kills (368,
3.64 kpg),
hitting percentage (.274) and service aces (71, .70 apg). She was
also a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District selection for Region
II.
The AMCC welcomes three new members to the conference this season:
Hilbert College, Medaille College, and Mt. Aloysius College.
The conference will receive an automatic bid to the national
tournament for the first time in 2004.
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Other players to watch:
FROSTBURG STATE (31-4 overall, 12-0
AMCC)
MB Jodi Carpenter (Linganore HS/Mt. Airy, MD)...All-AMCC
Second Team last season...second in conference in hitting percentage
(.349)..Also averaged 1.06 bpg and 3.07 dpg.
S Carrie Ness (Francis Scott Key HS/Taneytown, MD)...First team all-conference
selection in 2003...Ranked second in the AMCC in assists (9.84 apg).
HILBERT (1-18 overall)
OH Lynn Workman (Newfane HS/Newfane, NY)...2003 stats
included 58 kills, 151 digs and 12 blocks.
MH Jamie O'Connor (Hamburg HS/Hamburg, NY)...Contributed
49 kills, 59 digs and 13 blocks last season.
LA ROCHE (15-14 overall, 6-6 AMCC)
MH Megan Snyder (Shaler HS/Glenshaw, PA)...Two time All-AMCC first
team selection...Ranked first in the AMCC and 15th nationally for
hitting percentage (.399)...Second best in the AMCC last year in
blocks (1.45 bpg) and 19th nationally.
L Tara Dudash (Slippery Rock
HS/Slippery Rock, PA)...Four-year starter for the Redhawks...Ranked
second in the conference in digs last year with 481 (4.58 dpg).
LAKE ERIE (1-25 overall, 0-12 AMCC)
OH Jenn Bartholomew (Berkshire HS/Burton, OH)...Led the
Storm front line with 71 blocks (1.13 bpg), fourth best in the
conference..
MH Heather Sabo (Mayfield HS/Mayfield, OH)...No information
available.
MEDAILLE (15-14 overall)
S Mary Helak (St. Mary's HS/West Seneca, NY)...First
team all-conference in the Northeast Athletic Conference in
2003...helped the Mavericks with 482 assists, 44 aces and 265 digs
(2.6 dpg).
MH Lauren Smith (Kenmore East HS/Tonawanda, NY)...NEAC
Newcomer of the Year last season...contributed 190 kills (1.86 kpg),
37 aces and 47 total blocks.
MT. ALOYSIUS (15-21 overall)
OH Jill McCoy (Roaring Spring, PA)...Led the
team in kills and blocks last season.
S Jill Crum (Summerhill, PA)...Will be depended on to provide
upperclass leadership to a young squad.
PENN STATE ALTOONA (12-16 overall, 7-5 AMCC)
MH Erin Monn (Chambersburg HS/Shippensburg, PA)...Second
Team All-AMCC in 2003...Led the
Lions in blocks per game (.61) and hitting percentage (.354).
S/H Lindsay McGuirk (Thomas Jefferson HS/Jefferson Hills, PA)...Only
freshman to receive all-conference honors in last year (honorable
mention)...Second on team in assists per game (4.66) and blocks per
game (.39)..
PENN STATE BEHREND (17-17 overall, 8-4 AMCC)
MH Elaine Voltz (Knoch HS/Saxonburg, PA)...As a freshman
played in 62 games after sitting out early in season recovering from
an injury...led team with .293 hitting percentage, good for 134
kills...also led team in solo blocks with 24 and totaled 33 block
assists (0.92 bpg).
L Ashley Ordy (Butler HS/Butler, PA)...Ranked fourth in the
conference in digs last season (4.40 dpg).
PITT-BRADFORD (13-12 overall, 7-5 AMCC)
OH Missy Wahlberg (Kane HS/Kane, PA)...Two-time first
team all-conference selection..led the AMCC in kills last season
(4.4 kpg)...also contributed 159 digs and 29 aces.
MB Jennifer Lewke (Central Square HS/Central Square, PA)...ranked
third in the AMCC in blocks (1.2 bpg) and led the Panthers in aces
(45)...also had 208 kills and 172 digs.
PITT-GREENSBURG (3-24 overall, 2-10 AMCC)
OH B.J. Bertges (Plum HS/Plum, PA)...Ranked among
conference leaders last season in blocks (.81 bpg) and assists (6.09
apg).
S/OH Breanne Bell (Beth-Center HS/Marianna, PA)...Starting
setter for the Beth-Center Bulldogs who placed 5th at states this
past year in AA...will probably see a lot of playing time in the OH
hitter position...competed in triple jump and long jump in high
school track. |
