CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

MEDIA NOTES

 

2004 CPP Record: 11-5. 2004 CCAA Record: 6-0

 

Broncos To Battle Two CCAA Heavyweights This Week: Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team, riding a seven-match winning streak, will play two big home contests against nationally-ranked California Collegiate Athletic Association opponents this weekend. The Broncos will host Cal State San Bernardino, ranked 7th in the nation, on Friday night and UC San Diego, ranked 2nd in the nation, on Saturday night in Darlene May Gymnasium. The combined record of the Broncos’ opponents this weekend is 27-3 (UC San Diego is 15-1 and Cal State San Bernardino is 12-2). The Broncos are currently in first place in the CCAA with a record of 6-0, one-half game ahead of UC San Diego. Cal Poly Pomona’s current seven-match winning streak is its longest since 1997. The Broncos are trying to build upon two consecutive winning seasons. Cal Poly Pomona concluded its 2003 season with an overall record of 19-11. The Broncos were also 14-8 in the CCAA and finished in sole possession of fourth place. Coupled with a 20-11 record in 2002, the Broncos won 39 matches over the last two seasons, which equals the best two-year win total since the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Those teams also won 39 matches in two years. Cal Poly Pomona came within one victory of recording back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 1992 and 1993 seasons. The Broncos have won 18 or more matches in four of the last five seasons.

 

Last Week: The Broncos continued their impressive string of victories with two wins last week against California Collegiate Athletic Association competition. Last Friday, Cal Poly Pomona won its sixth match in a row with a thrilling five-game win against Sonoma State, 30-23, 24-30, 31-29, 27-30, 15-13. Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 18 kills to lead the Broncos, including the game-winner. She also had consecutive kills to win Game 3 for the Broncos after the teams were deadlocked at 29-29. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) added 16 kills and five blocks, while Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had 14 kills and four blocks. Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) led the Broncos with 22 digs. On Saturday, Cal Poly Pomona extended its winning streak with a four-game victory against Cal State Monterey Bay, 24-30, 30-14, 30-15, 30-20. With the win, the Broncos moved to 6-0 in the CCAA for the first time ever. Anderson led the Broncos with 15 kills and five blocks, while Francis added 13 kills and two blocks. Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College) had a team-high 12 digs for the Broncos.  

 

Scouting the Opposition: Cal Poly Pomona is 19-13 all-time against Cal State San Bernardino. The teams split the season series last year. The Broncos knocked off the Coyotes in five games in Darlene May Gym on Oct. 1, snapping a 10-match losing streak to Cal State San Bernardino dating back to 1997. The Coyotes were ranked No. 1 in the country coming into that match. Cal State San Bernardino won the rematch in San Bernardino in three games on Nov. 5. Cal Poly Pomona is 8-12 all-time against UC San Diego and lost both matches last season. The Broncos have lost their last six meetings with the Tritons and haven’t beaten the Tritons since 2000.

 

Rankings: Cal Poly Pomona received votes for the third straight week in the American Volleyball Coaches Association, but did not crack the Top-25. Two members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (UC San Diego in second and Cal State San Bernardino in seventh) were included in the national Top-10, while Cal State Bakersfield and Cal Poly Pomona received votes, but were not in the top-25. Five Pacific Region teams were included in the top-25 and seven received votes in the poll. In a preseason poll of CCAA coaches, the Broncos were picked to finish fifth in the conference behind UC San Diego, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield.

 

How About That Schedule: Cal Poly Pomona will once again face a very challenging schedule in 2004. Cal Poly Pomona will face each California Collegiate Athletic Association team twice in 2004 and UC San Diego (2nd) and Cal State San Bernardino (7th) are included in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association’s national Top-25 poll. The Broncos will host Cal State San Bernardino this Friday, Oct. 1 and UC San Diego this Saturday, Oct. 2.

 

Anderson Earns Player of the Week Honors: Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) was named the Molten California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 6-12. Anderson, who earned All-America honorable mention last year, had 29 kills to lead the Broncos to big road wins at Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield. She averaged 3.22 kills per game and hit at a .290 percentage. She also had 1.44 blocks per game. Against Cal State L.A., Anderson had 13 kills, six blocks, four digs, two assists and a service ace. Anderson then added 16 kills on .361 hitting against Cal State Bakersfield to go along with seven blocks, four digs and two aces. With the score tied at 12-12 in the fifth game, Anderson produced three kills to give the Broncos the 15-13 win in the deciding game. It was the first weekly honor of Anderson’s Cal Poly Pomona career. She is the first Bronco to earn CCAA Player of the Week honors since Kellie Francis got the nod last season for the week of Sept. 29 – Oct. 5 after leading the Broncos to a win over then-No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino.

 

On The Bench: Rosie Wegrich, who holds the Cal Poly Pomona standard for most wins by a head coach, will begin her 13th season with the program. Wegrich has compiled a 560-412-10 record in 29 years as a head coach and is one of the most successful Division II coaches in the nation. Before coming to Cal Poly Pomona, Wegrich coached at Division I programs at Minnesota and Arizona. She has a 231-153 mark  at Cal Poly Pomona and picked up her 200th win as Bronco head coach in a thrilling five-game victory over Cal State L.A. on Nov. 15, 2002. Wegrich also picked up her 500th career win when the Broncos posted a four-game win over Grand Canyon in the final match of the 2000 season.

 

Look Who’s Back: The Broncos have seven players and four starters returning in 2004. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the team in kills last season with 442, which is ninth on the all-time single-season list. She also led the team in blocks with 110. Anderson received All-America honorable mention by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, was named to the 10-player All-Pacific Region first team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and received second-team All-CCAA honors. Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) was fourth on the team in kills with 180 despite missing several matches with injury and should be a major contributor in 2004, while Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College), fifth on the team in kills with 167, should play a larger role on the team this season. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) led the team in assists last season with 1,395, which is the second-highest single-season total in the program’s history. After two seasons, Kennedy is already third on the career assist list with 2,646. She should be one of the top setters in the CCAA once again this season. The Broncos also have Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS), who was second on the team in digs with 241, coming back.

 

Look Who’s New: Cal Poly Pomona welcomes another solid recruiting class that should make major contributions for the Broncos. Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) is 6-foot-2-inches tall and the tallest middle blocker on the team since Karla Tate. Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) is a 5-6 libero who has been impressive and Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) is a 5-9 setter with an impressive volleyball background. Stephanie Chen (Fr., Walnut, Walnut HS) is another freshman libero who has been a contributor. The Broncos are also expecting big things from Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC), who will see extensive time at an outside hitter position, and Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS). Both players redshirted last season.

 

Taking The Fifth: Cal Poly Pomona has made an early habit of playing lengthy matches. Of the Broncos’ first 16 contests, eight of them have been decided in five games. Cal Poly Pomona is 5-3 in those matches, including a five-game win over Sonoma State on Sept. 24. The Broncos trailed in the fifth game, 9-6, but rallied and eventually broke a 12-12 tie on a kill by Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) and a block by Kathol and Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS). The match ended on a kill by Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS). Earlier this season, the Broncos endured a program-record five consecutive matches that lasted five games. The old record was four. With eight five-game matches already in the books, the Broncos are closing in on the single-season record of nine set by the 1987, 1991 and 1997 squads. Cal Poly Pomona is 3-0 in five-game matches away from home, going 2-0 against Alaska Fairbanks in Alaska and edging Cal State Bakersfield in Bakersfield. Cal Poly Pomona is 2-3 in five-game matches at home, losing to Seattle Pacific, Seattle University and the University of Indianapolis and beating Sonoma State and Western New Mexico. The Broncos were 2-3 in five-game matches last season, beating then-No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino and Chico State, while losing to Chaminade, Northwest Nazarene and Sonoma State. The Broncos were 2-5 in five-game matches in 2002 and 3-5 in 2001. Cal Poly Pomona was 7-2 in five-game matches in 1997 when the Broncos were 24-8 overall and last qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

 

The Leaders Of The Stats: Kellie Francis (Jr., Ontario, Don Lugo HS) leads the Broncos with 257 kills, while Allison Anderson, a honorable mention All-American in 2003, is second with 239. Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) has 163 kills and Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) has 119 kills. Anderson’s hitting percentage of .320 leads the team. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) leads with 669 assists, while Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) has 116. Kennedy leads with 28 aces, while Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) has 26. Kolar leads in digs with 219, while Jordan has 144. Anderson has a team-high 64 blocks, while Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) has 59 blocks, including 14 solos. Kathol leads the CCAA in blocks per game with 1.39.

 

CAL POLY POMONA

Women’s Volleyball

CPP Schedule

 

8/26     at Alaska Fairbanks!                             W, 3-2

8/27     vs. Findlay!                                           L, 1-3

8/28     vs. Western State!                                W, 3-0

8/28     at Alaska Fairbanks!                             W, 3-2

9/1       vs. Seattle Pacific                                  L, 2-3

9/3       vs. Indianapolis^                                   L, 2-3

9/3       vs. Seattle University^                           L, 2-3

9/4       vs. Western New Mexico^                   W, 3-2

9/4       vs. Chaminade^                                    L, 0-3

9/10     at Cal State L.A.*                                W, 3-1

9/11     at CS Bakersfield*                               W, 3-2

9/14     vs. University of La Verne                     W, 3-0

9/17     at Chico State*                                     W, 3-0

9/18     at CS Stanislaus*                                  W, 3-0

9/24     vs. Sonoma State*                                W, 3-2

9/25     vs. CS Monterey Bay*                         W, 3-1

10/1     vs. CS San Bernardino*                       7:00 p.m.

10/2     vs. UC San Diego*                               7:00 p.m.

10/6     at CS Dominguez Hills*                        7:00 p.m.

10/15   at CS Monterey Bay*                           7:00 p.m.

10/16   at Sonoma State*                                 7:00 p.m.

10/22   vs. CS Bakersfield*                              7:00 p.m.

10/23   vs. Cal State L.A.*                               7:00 p.m.

10/29   vs. CS Stanislaus*                                7:00 p.m.

10/30   vs. Chico State*                                   7:00 p.m.

11/5     at UC San Diego*                                7:00 p.m.

11/6     at CS San Bernardino*                         7:00 p.m.

11/10   vs. CS Dominguez Hills*                       7:00 p.m.

11/12   vs. Grand Canyon*                               7:00 p.m.

 

*Denotes CCAA Game

!= Midnight Sun Invitational, Alaska Fairbanks

^= Holiday Inn-Select Diamond Bar/Cal Poly Pomona Invitational