Volleyball Headed Back to NCAA Championships

For the second-consecutive season the Heidelberg College volleyball team will be making an appearance in the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship. The Berg, runner-ups in the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament, earned a spot via an at-large bid. Heidelberg will take part in the Wisconsin-Oshkosh Regional beginning on Thursday, Nov. 13.
 
Heidelberg earned the fourth seed in the eight-team regional and will face fifth seeded Hope College (26-6) at 6:00 p.m. central standard time on Thursday. Host Wisconsin-Oshkosh (37-2) are the number one seed followed by Carthage College (30-4) and Calvin College (26-4). Rounding out the eight seeds are Wisconsin-Whitewater (29-9) in sixth, St. Norbert College (30-3) in seventh and Lakeland College (25-10) in eighth.
 
The NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Committee announced the field of 61 teams this morning. Thirty-eight conferences were awarded automatic qualification for the 2008 championship.  Four teams were selected from Pool B, which consists of independent institutions and institutions that are members of conferences that do not meet the requirements for automatic qualification. The final 19 berths were reserved for Pool C, which consists of institutions from automatic-qualifying conferences that are not the conference champion and any remaining Pool B teams.
 
Heidelberg, under the guidance of head coach Jason Miller, enters the championship carrying a school record 30-7 overall record.
 
Leading the way on the year is all-conference performer senior middle blocker Emily Hurlburt (St. Mary’s, Ohio / Memorial). Hurlburt has a team-best 435 kills, .371 attack percentage and 110 blocks. Fellow all-league performer junior setter Morgan Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort) has dished out 1,354 assists on the year, while adding 340 digs and 27 service aces. OAC Libero of the Year sophomore Brittany Donelan (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted) will lead the defense heading into the championships. She will look to add to her team-high 782 digs. Adding support to both Heidelberg’s attack game and defense is the OAC Freshman of the Year Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel, Ohio / New Riegel). Reinhart has contributed 535 digs and 262 kills on the year, which rank second and third, respectively. She has also served up a team-best 59 aces.
 
Also providing support to the Berg’s championship run has been All-OAC Honorable Mention honoree Audra Vucic (Lancaster, Ohio / Fisher Catholic), who has provided 227 kills from the right side, while Amanda Atchison (Frankfort, Ohio / Frankfort) backs Hurlburt with 267 kills in her first season as a full-time starter. Providing all-around versatility in her final season has been Kelsey Elliott (Ottawa, Ohio / Ottawa-Glandorf). Elliott has picked up 205 digs, 95 kills and 21 blocks.
 
Providing depth off the bench has been freshman Venessa Haase (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg). Haase has come on strong in her first season to rank second on the team with 40 service aces and fourth with 239 kills and 339 digs. Sophomore Suzy Street (Grafton, Oho / Midview) has increased her court time this season and ranks among the leaders in the back row with 318 digs. Street has also been vital in the Berg’s serving rotation, picking up 21 aces. Also playing a role in the serving in 2008 has been newcomer Natalie Beck (Monroeville, Ohio /Monroeville). Beck has served up 38 aces, which stands third on the team.