Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Mizzou Starts 2010 Campaign Strong



Aug 30, 2010

Lisa Henning posted 31
kills in her first weekend
as a Tiger.

It was a great weekend here in Columbia as we looked to kick the season off with our home tournament...The Tiger Invitational. I think that all the girls were ready to see some new opponents and take the home court in front of a 1,700 person crowd.

The Tigers took the floor Friday evening with the help of a large student group routing them on. Despite Maryland's size we were able to stay in system and run a very quick offense to counteract Maryland's size and physical play on the net. On Saturday we played both Nevada and Utah Valley which were two teams very different from Maryland. They were fairly small but quick and loved to move their hitters around. We did a great job serving aggressively to take them out of rhythm and won both matches in three sets.

Molly Kreklow took home the MVP honors from the weekend and both Vann and Brittany were named first team all tournament. It is great to finally have Brittany firing on all cylinders as she is a tough match up in the middle for anyone that we will play.

This weekend we head out west to play in Pepperdine's tournament which will be a great test for us pretty early in the season. The tournament features us, Pepperdine, Rice, and Eastern Washington. Preseason projections have 3 out of the four teams as possible NCAA tournament teams.

I hope everything is going well with everyone and we are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Zou this year!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Volleyball Wins Tiger Invitational

Caitlyn Vann earned a spot on the All-Tournament team.



Kreklow named Tournament MVP, Brimmage and Vann earn All-Tournament honors.

Aug. 28, 2010

Box Score | Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou volleyball team improved to 3-0 in 2010 after sweeping Utah Valley, 3-0 (25-18, 25-12-25-21), to claim its sixth Tiger Invitational Title at the Hearnes Center on Saturday (Aug. 28). Freshman setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) was named the Tiger Invitational MVP after spreading 109 assists on the weekend - 38 of which came in the Tigers' win over Utah Valley Saturday evening - as she averaged 12.11 per set over the weekend, a mark that currently leads all Big 12 setters.

Senior libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) was also named to the All-Tournament team after anchoring the Tiger back row all weekend. She pulled in 11 digs on Saturday evening to move her weekend total to 45, averaging 5.00 per set. Junior middle hitter Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) also earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as she finished the weekend with 22 kills on .362 hitting. She added seven kills to her ledger while hitting .429 against Utah Valley.

"I was really pleased with how we came out and played tonight," head coach Wayne Kreklow said. "The third match of the tournament is always tough. We played really well at noon and mentally it is hard to regroup and get focused for that third match after playing so well. But I thought we did that against a really good Utah Valley team tonight."

For Kreklow, her weekend was capped off with possibly her best performance as she dished a career-best 38 assists. Overall, Kreklow dished 109 helpers on the weekend, pulled in 22 digs and had nine kills on .250 hitting. She also added two blocks, living up to the billing of Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

"What I noticed about Molly this weekend is that she just seemed to get more comfortable with the hitters as the tournament rolled on," Wayne Kreklow said after the match. "She just does so many things well - her defense is good, she reads well and she is really starting to get to know our hitters. We really felt that tempo that we need to feel in our offense today and she was a big reason for that."

Kreklow was not the only Tiger freshman to put together a solid weekend as classmate Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) finished the three matches with 31 kills on .319 hitting. Her 31 kills on the weekend were second-best on the team to only Preseason All-Big 12 honoree Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) who finished with weekend with 32 on .282 hitting. Ampudia finished the match against UVU with nine kills on .282 hitting, but that was overshadowed by the performance of classmate Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa), who led all attackers with 14 kills on Saturday. She also hit .355 and played well in the back row, corralling eight digs.

Another senior, Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) had a fine match at the net for Mizzou on Saturday as she had nine kills on .571 hitting with just one attack error. She also got caught in a back-row rotation for several long rallies and came up with six digs in the match, one off of her career-high seven which was set against Kansas last season.

Staying in the back row, Vann once again led the charge as she finished with 11 digs while Priscilla Armendariz (Blue Springs, Mo.) pulled in 10. Vann averaged 5.00 digs per set on the weekend. Every Tiger that saw time on the floor on Saturday finished with at least one dig as the Tigers reeled in a weekend-high 51 digs, limiting UVU to .178 hitting. Compare that to Mizzou's .340 clip, the Tigers seemingly controlled the net against the Wolverines throughout the match.

In all, the Tiger offense was the storyline of the weekend along with the play of Kreklow. Four Tigers finished the weekend with at least 20 kills while Wilson finished just two shy of that mark with 18. Both Ampudia and Henning finished with more than 30 as the Tigers hit .326 on the weekend, committing just 38 attack errors in 15 sets (2.53 per set).

Also earning a spot on the All-Tournament team were Nevada's Lindsay Baldwin, Maryland's Mary Cushman and Bethany Springer, and Utah Valley's Kat Stevens.

Mizzou will return to action next weekend as it travels to sunny Malibu, Calif., for the Pepperdine Asics Challenge. For all the latest on Mizzou athletics, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.




Saturday, August 28, 2010

Tigers Blank Maryland to Open 2010


Aug. 27, 2010

Box Score | Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou volleyball team blanked Maryland, 3-0 (25-21, 27-25, 25-21), in its 2010 season opener at the Hearnes Center on Friday night (Aug. 27). The Tiger freshmen - Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) and Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) - shined in the season-opener. Kreklow anchored a well-rounded Tiger attack all night and finished with 36 assists while adding five kills on a team-high .375 hitting with six digs. Henning, despite not playing in back row rotations, led Mizzou with 12 kills on .241 hitting.

"It is always nice to get out there for the first match and play well - like we did tonight," Mizzou head coach Wayne Kreklow said. "Obviously we were thrilled to get the win, but there are still a lot of things that we need to get better at. But looking at what we did tonight, I thought it was a well-rounded team effort and it is hard to not get excited when our two freshmen come out and play the way that they did."

Kreklow was one of many bright spots for the Tigers on Friday night. She anchored a Tiger attack that got point production from six different attackers and combined for 46 kills while assisting on 36 of those. She averaged 12.00 kills per set despite playing with a casted right hand after suffering a pinkie injury during training camp. Kreklow's two favorite targets on the night were Henning (12 kills, .241 hitting) and All-Big 12 Preseason honoree Paola Ampudia (11 kills, .172 hitting). She also spread the wealth all night as senior Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) and junior Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) each tallied seven kills - Klein did so on .333 hitting. Senior Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) pitched in four kills on .286 hitting to round out the attackers.

Mizzou's back row was stellar all night as well, highlighted by the play of libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.). Vann came into the match needing just 12 kills to move into second place all-time on the Tigers' career dig list and she surpassed that on Friday with 19, good for 6.33 per set. She wasn't the only Tiger to play well in the back row as Klein pitched in 12 digs while Priscilla Armedariz (Blue Springs, Mo.) added seven. Kreklow finished with six as Mizzou corralled 46 as a team, helping limit Maryland to a .181 clip for the match.

The Tigers also used their block to stifle the Maryland offense as they tallied eight on the night. Henning led the Tigers with three while Wilson finished with two.

Mizzou will resume play in the Tiger Invitational at noon tomorrow as it will square off with Nevada, who bested Utah Valley, 3-1, in the first match of the Tiger Invitational. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.



Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Volleyball Opens Season Friday


Aug. 25, 2010


Match Info

Date: Aug. 27-28
Time: Complete Schedule Below
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Arena: Hearnes Center
Gametracker (all matches): MUTigers.com
Live Video/Audio: MUTigers.com
Live Blog: MUTigers.com
Game Notes: Complete Release in PDF Format


What You Need to Know

• Mizzou returns five of six starters plus its libero from the 2010 roster that finished with its most wins (18) since the 2005 season. Also, five seniors - outside hitter Paola Ampudia, outside hitter Julianna Klein, libero Caitlyn Vann and middle hitters Weiwen Wang and Catie Wilson - return in 2010. Mizzou was picked to finish fifth in the league by the Big 12 coaches.

• Ampudia put together one of the finest seasons in Mizzou history in 2009 and was rewarded by the league's coaches in the preseason as she was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Over her last 16 matches of 2009, no one in the Big 12 had more kills than Ampudia.

• Mizzou has clashed with each of this weekend's opponents at least once in the past two seasons. Mizzou topped Maryland back in 2008 and then lost to Nevada in the same season. The Tigers topped UVU on the road last season while hitting .354, their best hitting percentage all season long.

• The Tigers' incoming freshmen comprised the nation's No. 14 overall recruiting class due in large part to Molly Kreklow (No. 20) and Lisa Henning (No. 50). The class was ranked No. 14 by PrepVolleyball.com, the nation's most renowned volleyball recruiting hub. Kreklow and Henning are expected to make an immediate impact on the team with the losses of Lei Wang-Francisco (setter) and Rosa Medrano (OH). Kreklow was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches this summer.

This Weekend
The Tigers will open their 2010 campaign on Friday, Aug. 27, inside the Hearnes Center as they will host Maryland, Nevada and Utah Valley in the Tiger Invitational. None of the Tigers' three weekend opponents are ranked in the AVCA preseason top 25. Mizzou has faced each of its three opponents at least once in the past two seasons as well. Mizzou will open the tournament against Maryland on Friday (Aug. 27) at 6:30 p.m. It will continue play against Nevada at noon on Saturday (Aug. 28) and play the final match against Utah Valley at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The complete tournament schedule is below.

Friday: 4 p.m. - Utah Valley vs. Nevada
6:30 p.m.- Mizzou vs. Maryland

Saturday: 10 a.m. - Maryland vs. Utah Valley
12 p.m. - Mizzou vs. Nevada
4 p.m. - Nevada vs. Maryland
6:30 p.m. - Mizzou vs. Utah Valley

Last Time Out
The Tigers hosted the annual black and gold scrimmage in front of nearly 1,000 fans at the Hearnes Center last Friday. The Black team, comprised primarily of the Tiger starters, bested the Gold team, 2-0, in the competition. Freshman outside hitter Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) led the Tigers with 17 kills in the match as she posted a match-high 43 total attacks. Junior middle hitter Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) also added nine kills while the Tiger back row shined, totaling 70 total digs as four Tigers finished with a match high nine.

Kreklow Expected to Play
Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) suffered a dislocation of her right pinkie finger in practice earlier this summer and has practiced sparingly over the last few days. However, the AVCA High School All-American is expected to play this weekend.

This Season
The Tigers are coming off of an 18-14 season in 2009 that likely left them one win shy of qualifying for their ninth NCAA Tournament in the last 10 seasons. Despite not qualifying, there were still plenty of positives for the Tigers as the 18 wins were the most by any Tiger team since 2005. A talented corps of players return to the floor this season, including five of six starters from a season ago and nine letterwinners. Also, the Tigers brought in the No. 14 overall recruiting class to help propel the Tigers back towards the top of the Big 12 and their ninth NCAA Tournament berth. Mizzou was picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 by the league coaches, just two points shy of No. 4 Oklahoma.

Production Returns
With five of six starters back, it is no surprise that the Tigers return the majority of their point production from a season ago. In fact, 76-percent of the total point production from a season ago returns to the floor in 2010 as does 75-perecent of the total defense (digs and blocks). The only three losses for the Tigers are four-year setter Lei Wang-Francisco and middle hitter Amanda Hantouli, who both have graduated from Mizzou. Also, Rosa Medrano exhausted her collegiate eligibility and will not compete with the team this season.

But either way, Mizzou returns its top three attackers - Paola Ampudia, Julianna Klein and Catie Wilson - along with a talented back row that is anchored by libero Caitlyn Vann, who has started the last 52 Tiger matches. Also returning to the floor in 2010 are middle hitters Weiwen Wang and Brittney Brimmage who each finished with 106 kills in 2009. Brimmage finished second on the team with a .303 attack percentage.

Paola Ampudia for All-American
Of the 76-percent of offense that returns to the floor in 2010, a big bulk of that was provided by Paola Ampudia, who enters the 2010 season as one of the favorites for Big 12 Player of the Year and All-America first team honors. Ampudia used a torrid second half of 2009 to make her a household name last season. In fact, she had more kills in her last 16 matches than any other player in the league and shattered three school records and the Big 12 record for kills in a four-set match with her 35 in a win at Kansas last season. Ampudia hopes to continue that pace all season as she looks to become a nationally recognized name.

Ampudia was a first team All-Big 12 selection last season and was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. She led the Tigers in kills (410) and points (463.0) and had 281 kills over her final 16 matches (nearly 18 per contest), more than anyone in the conference, including National Player of the Year Runner-Up Destinee Hooker of Texas. She was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week four times and was awarded Big 12 Player of the Week after her 35-kill explosion against Kansas. She also finished second to Hooker in both kills per set and points per set in the Big 12 during league play.

She has a proven pedigree as well after being named NJCAA National Player of the Year before coming to Mizzou. Ampudia was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason First Team, which was selected by the Big 12 coaches. She was also honored by Cobra Magazine as an All-Preseason First Team selection as well.

Kreklow Earns Big 12 Freshman of the Year
Freshman setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) brought with her plenty of accolades when she arrived on campus in January, but she added another in the preseason as the Big 12 coaches named Kreklow the Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year. Expected to take over the starting setting role this season, Kreklow is a two-time AAU All-American, an AVCA/Under Armour All-American and a three-time AAU National Champion with Mizuno Northern Lights. What is impressive about her nod is that a pair of Texas signees - Ashley Bannister (No. 12) and Hannah Allison (No. 9) - ranked ahead of Kreklow (No. 20) on the PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces list.

Vann Approaches Mizzou History
Senior libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) has compiled 1,360 digs in her first three seasons as a Tiger, good enough for third-most all time. She sits just 12 digs shy of Shen Danru's second-place mark and 645 back of Tatum Ailes' first-place mark. Vann will likely pass Danru in one of the Tigers' first two matches, but the question remains - how close can she get to Ailes' 2,017 career digs? Keep in mind that Ailes played during 30-point sets while the last three years of Vann's career were played with 25-point sets. Should the scoring never have changed, we could potentially be looking at Mizzou's all-time digs leader.

Catie Wilson Hits Her Way Into Record Books
Senior middle hitter Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) enters the 2010 season as the sixth-most efficient hitter in program history with a .279 clip. Her .324 attack percentage in 2009 is a large reason for her jump up the list. In fact, heading into the 2009 campaign, Wilson was hitting just .235. But she posted more kills (220) in 2009 than her first two seasons combined and did it on less errors (54 in 2009, 69 from 2007-08). Another season like that in 2010 and Wilson should rank as one of the elite hitters in program history.

Big Things Expected for Brit
Aside from Wilson, the Tigers also expect big things in the middle of the net from junior Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) as she looks poised for a break-out season. Cobra Magazine selected her to the national All-Preseason third team this summer as a fine spring season has the rest of the nation talking about her ability. Brimmage is one of the most athletically gifted players on the Tiger roster as she possesses great leaping ability, but she has only been playing organized volleyball for a short time. With two full collegiate years under her belt, the Mizzou coaches expect big things from the junior in 2010.

Henning Shines at Black & Gold Match
Although freshman setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) has stolen most of the headlines over the summer, the other half of the Tigers' No. 14-ranked recruiting class stole the show at last Friday's Black & Gold Scrimmage. Outside hitter Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) led the Tigers with 17 kills and had a match high 43 attacks as she led the Black team to a 2-0 win over its Gold counterpart. Henning was seemingly the Tigers' go-to outside hitter throughout the scrimmage.

2010 Freshman Class Earns Praise
Despite having five seniors and two juniors on the 2010 roster, the Mizzou volleyball program will have plenty of fresh faces on the floor in 2010. Aside from Kreklow, who comes to Mizzou as the No. 20 overall prospect in the nation, the Tigers add Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.), Paige Buchanan (Manchester, Mo.) and Ahston Bodenstab (Blue Springs, Mo.). Henning is the No. 50 overall national recruit and will likely make an immediate impact at the outside hitter position. Buchanan and Bodensatb will also bolster the back row as both are defensive specialists. The four freshmen comprised the No. 14 overall recruiting class according the PrepVolleyball.com. The only Big 12 team to rank ahead of Mizzou in the PrepVolleyball.com rankings was Texas.

Klein Plays in Brazil
Senior outside hitter Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) spent 10 days of her summer playing with the Bring-It Promotions/USA Developmental Volleyball tour in Brazil. She, along with 11 of the top collegiate players in the nation, played against some of Brazil's top national teams while taking in the sights that the country has to offer. The program helps line up professional careers for volleyball players after college by providing international experience. It also serves as a pipeline for USA Volleyball and all of those who may be interested in playing for Team USA after college.

Kreklow Sets for Junior National Team
Klein wasn't the only Tiger to spend a portion of her summer south of the American border. Kreklow spent a week in Tijuana, Mexico, as a member of the USA Volleyball Junior National Team at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NORCECA) Continental Championships. Kreklow was the team's starting setter and helped Team USA to a perfect 5-0 record while starting four of the five matches. She also dished out a team-high 61 assists in the tournament. The spot on the Junior National Team was her second stint with USA Volleyball as she also set for the Youth National Team last summer. Kreklow was the only player on the roster to boast collegiate experience after enrolling in classes back in January.

Henning Guides Club to Junior Nationals
Freshman Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) led her KC Extreme Club Team to a Junior Olympic Northeast Qualifier title after winning 10 matches during Easter weekend in Baltimore, Md. The title secured her club a spot in the Junior National Championships. Henning, a 6-1 outside hitter, was KC Extreme's go-to player throughout the tournament as her play was paramount in guiding the team to a National Championship berth. What was even more impressive is that the team had already secured a bid to the tournament, but battled back to beat a very talented Encinitas Wave - a club team based out of San Diego, Calif. - to earn the tournament title. The Wave, led by UCLA signee Kelly Reeves, claimed the first set in the match, but Henning and KC Extreme won each of the final two sets to win top honors at the tournament.

Vann Tries Out for US National Team
Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) recently tried out for the USA Volleyball National Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., and participated with some of the nation's elite talent. On hand were national team coaches Hugh McCutcheon and Karch Kiraly along with the entire USA Volleyball staff, making it a great experience for the tiger libero.

"I thought it would be a good opportunity and I wanted to see where I stood nationally for my position. And it's good for networking and experience. I'm looking to go pro after college and it's already really difficult for my position, so knowing the national team coach and talking to all the different coaches is good networking. The more people you know the farther you can go."

Bodenstab Makes the Transition
Last season, freshman Ashton Bodenstab (Blue Springs, Mo.) competed with the Mizzou track and field program before making the transition to volleyball this season. Bodenstab was training in the combined events under Mizzou assistant coach Dan Lefever. But she specialized in volleyball during high school and when the opportunity presented itself to walk onto Mizzou's team, she did just that. She was an All-State, All-District and All-Area selection in 2008 before coming to Mizzou in 2009.

Tigers Build New Team Room
The Tigers got a surprise when they came to the team's first official practice as the coaching staff spent the summer designing a new team room. The room, which sits across the hall from the current volleyball locker room in the old Hearnes Center interview room, features a sitting area with leather couches, work space for student-athletes to study and a brand new home entertainment center.

Scouting Maryland
The Terrapins finished 10th in the ACC last season and compiled an overall record of 14-19. Despite their struggles in 2009, the Terrapins return 11 letterwinners from a season ago, including five seniors. Maryland is led by head coach Tim Horsmon, who helped establish Dayton as a volleyball powerhouse. A Maryland native, Horsmon has been with UM since 2008. Sophomore setter Taylor Jones leads the offense as she was thrown right into the fray as the Terps' starting setter in 2009 as just a freshman. Senior outside hitter Michelle Kenning returns from a knee injury, giving the Terps an athletic hitter on the outside in 2010. The Tigers last met Maryland in 2008 and claimed a sweep in College Park. Current Tiger Weiwen Wang (Nanjing, China) led the Tigers with 11 kills in that match while hitting .348.

Scouting Nevada
Under the direction of 14th-year head coach Devin Scruggs, the Wolf Pack finished fourth in the WAC last season with a 7-9 mark in league play but finished just 11-20 overall. The good news is that Nevada returns five starters from a season ago and 10 letterwinners. The only position that does not return a starter is the setter spot where Tatiana Santiago, a junior from Hawaii, will step in this season. Outside hitter Kylie Harrington is another member of the Wolf Pack to watch this weekend as she landed on the All-WAC Team last season after averaging 3.55 kills per set and 3.90 points per frame. Mizzou has never defeated Nevada in three previous meetings, the most recent of which came in 2008. Despite 12 kills from current Tiger senior Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa), who was then a sophomore, the Wolf Pack topped the Tigers, 3-1, in Reno, Nev. The match was the Wolf Pack's home opener. Prior to that match, Mizzou and Nevada hadn't squared off since 1994.

Scouting Utah Valley
Utah Valley put together a fine season in 2009, compiling a 20-10 overall record - the best among any team at this weekend's tournament - while finishing with a 10-2 mark in Great West Conference play. Five starters return to the floor in 2010 as the core of the team is still intact. The key returner is Kayli Broadbent-Doxey who led the Wolverines with 494 kills in 2009, which garnered her Great West Conference Player of the Year honors. The Wolverines are faced with the task of replacing their starting libero from a season ago along with their second-best attacker in Cammie Manwill. Mizzou traveled to Orem, Utah, for a road match with UVU last season and defeated the Wolverines, 3-1. Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) led Mizzou with 16 kills while hitting .286. As a team, Mizzou hit .354, their best hitting percentage in match all season. Mizzou is 2-0 all-time against UVU.

Volleyball - Tiger Cup Winners
After spending countless hours in the community last season, the Mizzou volleyball team was awarded the Tiger Cup Trophy. The Tiger Cup recognizes the Mizzou team that earned the most overall points in the team competition. Points were awarded for achievement in academics, athletics and for community involvement. Awarded a prize of $3,000, the volleyball players stayed true to their commitment to the community and immediately donated their entire prize to the Mid-Missouri Susan G. Komen Foundation, which raises funds for Breast Cancer Awareness.

The Tiger volleyball team earned points in a variety of ways, specifically with high performance in the classroom and on the court, but it was the Tigers' dedication to the community that set them apart from the other Tiger programs. In the fall, Mizzou spent time donating holiday cookies to senior citizens at retirement communities throughout the Mid-Missouri community. The team also spent the spring semester doing the same with bags of jellybeans, hoping to spread a little spring cheer.

Also, the volleyball team hosted a Haitian Relief Tournament earlier this year that benefited the American Red Cross and its Haitian earthquake relief funds. During that event, the team raised more than $1,000 for the relief efforts as the collected donations and helping teach the game of volleyball to area youngsters.

During the fall, Mizzou Volleyball also hosted several youth clinics, visited elementary schools for before- school clinics, held a Girl Scout clinic at the Hearnes Center Field House, visited the MU Children's Hospital and provided community service in a variety of other ways during their competitive schedule. The Tigers even took time host a local youngster's birthday party prior to their five-set, comeback win over Texas A&M at the Hearnes Center.

Mizzou also excelled in the classroom, posting a combined 3.11 cumulative grade-point-average. In addition, six Tigers earned Academic All-Big 12 honors last season, adding to their success as student-athletes. Currently, nine Mizzou volleyball players have a GPA that is better than a 3.00.

Competitively, Mizzou earned Tiger cup points in large part thanks to Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) who was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and was honored as the league's Preseason and Postseason Newcomer of the Year. Each of those honors earned the program points in the Tiger Cup competition.

Undisputed Success
In the 10 seasons that Wayne and Susan Kreklow have been at the helm of the Mizzou program, the Tigers have seen an unprecedented level of success. In fact, Mizzou has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in eight of the past 10 seasons, making them one of only 16 teams nationally to accomplish that feat. The Kreklows won their 200th game at Mizzou last season after defeating Texas Tech, 3-0, in Lubbock. That is good for an average of 20 wins per season, a bench mark that usually results in a berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Milestones for the Kreklows
Over the past two seasons, the Kreklows have earned plenty of milestone wins. In their last win of 2008 at Colorado, the Kreklows won the program's 600th win of all time. Last season, Team Kreklow (Wayne and Susan together) won their 200th win at Mizzou after topping Texas Tech. Team Kreklow also claimed its 700th win all-time last season while Wayne Kreklow won his 400th game as head coach as well.

Follow Mizzou on Twitter
Mizzou volleyball has started its own Twitter page. Be sure to follow the Tigers all season long at http://twitter.com/MU_Volleyball. The site will be updated all year long with updates on the team and special insight into what it is like to be a member of the Mizzou volleyball team. Check back all season for updates.

Tiger Volleyball on the Radio
The Mizzou volleyball team will have each of its home and its Big 12 road matches live on the radio at MUTigers.com all season long. At home, the live broadcasts will be streamed with live video on Mizzou All-Access. Also, video updates and highlights from the Tigers' road trips will be posted on MUTigers.com all season long. Ross Taylor of Mizzou All-Access will serve as the voice of the Tigers while former Tiger All-American setter Lindsey Hunter will provide play-by-play.

The Mizzou VolleyBlog
The Mizzou VolleyBlog will be back in 2010 and will offer live updates from each Tiger match. Fans can access the blog at MUTigers.com and it will be an interactive experience for fans as the moderator will take questions and comments from fans at each of the home and away matches. It will also offer exclusive video and student-athlete and coach interviews throughout the season, including video features on each of the student-athletes.

Up Next
The Tigers have had their next road trip circled since the 2010 schedule was announced as they will head to sunny Malibu, Calif., to take part in the Pepperdine Asics Classic. Aside from playing host school Pepperdine, Mizzou will also square off against Eastern Washington and Rice at the two-day event.




Monday, August 23, 2010

Mizzou News - Black & Gold Review


Volleyball News




Henning, Brimmage Lead Mizzou at Black and Gold

COLUMBIA, Mo. Freshman outside hitter Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) finished with a match-high 17 kills as she helped the Black squad top the Gold team in the annual Mizzou Black & Gold volleyball scrimmage at Hearnes Center on Friday night (Aug. 20). Junior middle hitter Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) also had a fine match as she posted nine kills. Both Henning and Brimmage played with the Black team the majority of the night, which was comprised of the Tigers’ presumed starters.


The Black team topped the Gold team, 2-0 (25-22, 15-9), in the scrimmage. The two teams also squared off in a warm-up set prior to playing the two scored sets. The two teams played to a 20-20 draw in that set. The Black team, which was primarily made up of the Tiger starters, rallied from a late deficit in the second set to win, 25-22, thanks in large part to the efforts of Henning and Brimmage. The third set was dominated by the Black team as it bested its Gold counterpart, 15-9, after establishing a well-rounded offensive attack.


Henning, who is the No. 50 recruit nationally coming out of high school, shined all night in her first action as a Tiger. She seemingly was the Tigers’ go-to outside hitter in each of the scored sets and finished with a match-high 43 total attacks. Brimmage was the next-best Tiger with nine kills on 19 attacks as she effectively hit the slide attack all night.


Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.), who is one of five senior on the 2010 roster, compiled five kills on the night while sophomoreLindsey Petrick (Overland Park, Kan.) added three. Preseason All-Big 12 honoree Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) finished the match with two kills as did senior Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa). Klein also did not commit an attack error on 17 total attempts.


The Tiger back row also had a fine performance, totaling 70 digs in the scored action. Priscilla Armendariz (Blue Springs, Mo.), Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) and newcomer Ashton Bodenstab (Blue Springs, Mo.) each finished with nine digs on the night along with Klein, who played very well in the back row. Freshman Paige Buchanan (Manchester, Mo.) and Marissa Ferri(Naperville, Ill.) finished with seven digs each.


Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) did not play in the scrimmage but did see time at setter during warm-ups. She has been slowed by a hand injury over the past week. Weiwen Wang (Nanjing, China) played at the setter position for the Tigers and dished 22 assists. Wang is a middle hitter by trade by took reps at setter to relieve Kreklow.


The Tigers will host the Tiger Invitational next weekend at the Hearnes Center. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Volleyball Prepares for Black and Gold


The Black & Gold match will begin at 6:30 inside the Hearnes Center

Aug. 18, 2010

Match Info
Date: Friday, Aug. 20
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Arena: Hearnes Center

Game Notes: Complete Release in PDF Format


What You Need to Know
• Mizzou returns five of six starters from the 2010 roster that finished with its most wins (18) since the 2005 season. Those five seniors are outside hitter Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia), outside hitter Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa), libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.), middle hitter Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) and Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.). Mizzou was picked fifth in the league by the Big 12 coaches.

• Ampudia put together one of the finest seasons in Mizzou history in 2009 and was rewarded by the league's coaches in the preseason as she was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.Over her last 16 matches of 2009, no one in the Big 12 had more kills than Ampudia.

• The Tigers open play on August 27 as they will host the Tiger Invitational all weekend at the Hearnes Center. Mizzou will play Maryland, Nevada and Utah Valley before hitting the road for two straight tournaments at Pepperdine and Western Kentucky.

• The Tigers' incoming freshmen comprised the nation's No. 14 overall recruiting class due in large part to Molly Kreklow (No. 20) and Lisa Henning (No. 50). The class was ranked No. 14 by PrepVolleyball.com, the nation's most renowned volleyball recruiting hub. Kreklow and Henning are expected to make an immediate impact on the team with the losses of Lei Wang-Francisco (setter) and Rosa Medrano (OH). Kreklow was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches this summer.

This Season
The Tigers are coming off of an 18-14 season in 2009 that likely left them one win shy of qualifying for their ninth NCAA Tournament in the last 10 seasons. Despite not qualifying, there were still plenty of positives for the Tigers as the 18 wins were the most by any Tiger team since 2005. A talented corps of players return to the floor this season, including five of six starters from a season ago and nine letterwinners. Also, the Tigers brought in the No. 14 overall recruiting class to help propel the Tigers back towards the top of the Big 12 and their ninth NCAA Tournament berth. Mizzou was picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 by the league coaches, just two points shy of No. 2 Oklahoma.

Production Returns
With five of six starters back, it is no surprise that the Tigers return the majority of their point production from a season ago. In fact, 76-percent of the total point production from a season ago returns to the floor in 2010 as does 75-perecent of the total defense (digs and blocks). The only three losses for the Tigers are four-year setter Lei Wang-Francisco and middle hitter Amanda Hantouli, who both have graduated from Mizzou. Also, Rosa Medrano exhausted her collegiate eligibility and will not compete with the team this season.

But either way, Mizzou returns its top three attackers - Paola Ampudia, Julianna Klein and Catie Wilson - along with a talented back row that is anchored by libero Caitlyn Vann, who has started the last 52 Tiger matches. Also returning to the floor in 2010 are middle hitters Weiwen Wang and Brittney Brimmage who each finished with 106 kills in 2009. Brimmage finished second on the team with a .303 attack percentage.

Paola Ampudia for All-American
Of the 76-percent of offense that returns to the floor in 2010, a big bulk of that was provided by Paola Ampudia, who enters the 2010 season as one of the favorites for Big 12 Player of the Year and All-America first team honors. Ampudia used a torrid second half of the 2009 season to make her a household name last season. In fact, she had more kills in her last 16 matches than any other player in the league and shattered three school records and the Big 12 record for kills in a four-set match with her 35 in a win at Kansas last season. Ampudia hopes to continue that pace all season as she looks to become a nationally recognized name.

Ampudia was a first team All-Big 12 selection last season and was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. She led the Tigers in kills (410) and points (463.0) and had 281 kills over her final 16 matches (nearly 18 per contest), more than anyone in the conference, including National Player of the Year Runner-Up Destinee Hooker of Texas. She was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week four times and was awarded Big 12 Player of the Week after her 35-kill explosion against Kansas. She also finished second to Hooker in both kills per set and points per set in the Big 12 during league play.

She has a proven pedigree as well after being named NJCAA National Player of the Year before coming to Mizzou. Last Thursday (Aug. 12), Ampudia was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason First Team, which was selected by the Big 12 coaches. She was also honored by Cobra Magazine as an All-Preseason First Team selection as well.

Kreklow earns Big 12 Freshman of the Year
Freshman setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) brought with her plenty of accolades when she arrived on campus in January, but she added another in the preseason as the Big 12 coaches named Kreklow the Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year. Expected to take over the starting setting role this season, Kreklow is a two-time AAU All-American, an AVCA/Under Armour All-American and a three-time AAU National Champion with Mizuno Northern Lights. What is impressive about her nod is that a pair of Texas signees - Ashley Bannister (No. 12) and Hannah Allison (No. 9) - ranked ahead of Kreklow (No. 20) on the PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces list.

Vann Approaches Mizzou History
Senior libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) has complied 1,360 digs in her first three seasons as a Tiger, good enough for third-most all time. She sits just 12 digs shy of Shen Danru's second-place mark and 645 back of Tatum Ailes' first-place mark. Vann will likely pass Danru in one of the Tigers' first two matches, but the question remains - how close can she get to Ailes' 2,017 career digs? Keep in mind that Ailes played during 30-point sets while the last three years of Vann's career were played with 25-point sets. Should the scoring never have changed, we could potentially be looking at Mizzou's all-time digs leader.

Catie Wilson Hits Her Way Into Record Books
Senior middle hitter Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) enters the 2010 season as the seventh-most efficient hitter in program history with a .279 clip. Her .324 attack percentage in 2009 is a large reason for her jump up the list. In fact, heading into the 2009 campaign, Wilson was hitting just .235. But she posted more kills (220) in 2009 that her first two season combined and did it on less errors (54 in 2009, 69 from 2007-08). Another season like that in 2010 and Wilson should rank as one of the elite hitters in program history.

Big Things Expected for Brit
Aside from Wilson, the Tigers also expect big things in the middle of the net from junior Brittney Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill.) as she looks poised for a break-out season. Cobra Magazine selected her to the national All-Preseason third team this summer as a fine spring season has the rest of the nation talking about her ability. Brimmage is one of the most athletically gifted players on the Tiger roster as she possesses great leaping ability, but she has only been playing organized volleyball for a short time. With two full collegiate years under her belt, the Mizzou coaches expect big things from the junior in 2010.

2010 Freshman Class Earns Praise
Despite having five seniors and two juniors on the 2010 roster, the Mizzou volleyball program will have plenty of fresh faces on the floor in 2010. Aside from Kreklow, who comes to Mizzou as the No. 20 overall prospect in the nation, the Tigers add Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.), Paige Buchanan (Manchester, Mo.) and Ahston Bodenstab (Blue Springs, Mo.). Henning is the No. 50 overall national recruit and will likely make an immediate impact at the outside hitter position. Buchanan and Bodensatb will also bolster the back row as both are defensive specialists. The four freshmen comprised the No. 14 overall recruiting class according the PrepVolleyball.com. The only Big 12 team to rank ahead of Mizzou in the PrepVolleyball.com rankings was Texas.

Klein Plays in Brazil
Senior outside hitter Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) spent 10 days of her summer playing with the Bring-It Promotions/USA Developmental Volleyball tour in Brazil. She, along with 11 of the top collegiate players in the nation, played against some of Brazil's top national teams while taking in the sights that the country has to offer. The program is to help line up professional careers for volleyball players after college by providing international experience. It also serves as a pipeline for USA Volleyball and all of those who may be interested in playing for Team USA after college.

Kreklow Sets for Junior National Team
Klein wasn't the only Tiger to spend a portion of her summer south of the American border. Kreklow spent a week in Tijuana, Mexico, as a member of the USA Volleyball Junior National Team at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NORCECA) Continental Championships. Kreklow was the team's starting setter and helped Team USA to a perfect 5-0 record while starting four of the five matches. She also dished out a team-high 61 assists in the tournament. The spot on the Junior National Team was her second stint with USA Volleyball as she also set for the Youth National Team last summer. Kreklow was the only player on the roster to boast collegiate experience after enrolling in classes back in January.

Henning Guides Club to Junior Nationals
Freshman Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) led her KC Extreme Club Team to a Junior Olympic Northeast Qualifier title after winning 10 matches during Easter weekend in Baltimore, Md. The title secured her club a spot in the Junior National Championships. Henning, a 6-1 outside hitter, was KC Extreme's go-to player throughout the tournament as her play was paramount in guiding the team to a National Championship berth. What was even more impressive is that the team had already secured a bid to the tournament, but battled back to beat a very talented Encinitas Wave - a club team based out of San Diego, Calif. - to earn the tournament title. The Wave, led by UCLA signee Kelly Reeves, claimed the first set in the match, but Henning and KC Extreme won each of the final two sets to win top honors at the tournament.

Vann Tries Out for US National Team
Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) recently tried out for the USA Volleyball National Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., and participated with some of the nation's elite talent. On hand were national team coaches Hugh McCutcheon and Karch Kiraly along with the entire USA Volleyball staff, making it a great experience for the tiger libero.

"I thought it would be a good opportunity and I wanted to see where I stood nationally for my position. And it's good for networking and experience. I'm looking to go pro after college and it's already really difficult for my position, so knowing the national team coach and talking to all the different coaches is good networking. The more people you know the farther you can go."

Bodenstab Makes the Transition
Last season, freshman Ashton Bodenstab (Blue Springs, Mo.) competed with the Mizzou track and field program before making the transition to volleyball this season. Bodenstab was training in the combined events under Mizzou assistant coach Dan Lefever. But she specialized in volleyball during high school and when the opportunity presented itself to walk onto Mizzou's team, she did just that. She was an All-State, All-District and All-Area selection in 2008 before coming to Mizzou in 2009.

Tigers Build New Team Room
The Tigers got a surprise when they came to the team's first official practice last Monday as the coaching staff spent the summer designing a new team room. The room, which sits across the hall from the current volleyball locker room in the old Hearnes Center interview room, features a sitting area with leather couches, work space for student-athletes to study and a brand new home entertainment center.

Volleyball - Tiger Cup Winners
After spending countless hours in the community last season, the Mizzou volleyball team was awarded the Tiger Cup Trophy. The Tiger Cup recognizes the Mizzou team that earned the most overall points in the team competition. Points were awarded for achievement in academics, athletics and for community involvement. Awarded a prize of $3,000, the volleyball players stayed true to their commitment to the community and immediately donated their entire prize to the Mid-Missouri Susan G. Komen Foundation, which raises funds for Breast Cancer Awareness.

The Tiger volleyball team earned points in a variety of ways, specifically with high performance in the classroom and on the court, but it was the Tigers' dedication to the community that set them apart from the other Tiger programs. In the fall, Mizzou spent time donating holiday cookies to senior citizens at retirement communities throughout the Mid-Missouri community. The team also spent the spring semester doing the same with bags of jellybeans, hoping to spread a little spring cheer.

Also, the volleyball team hosted a Haitian Relief Tournament earlier this year that benefited the American Red Cross and its Haitian earthquake relief funds. During that event, the team raised more than $1,000 for the relief efforts as the team spent countless hours at the Hearnes Center collecting donations and helping teach the game of volleyball to area youngsters.

During the fall, Mizzou Volleyball also hosted several youth clinics, visited elementary schools for before- school clinics, held a Girl Scout clinic at the Hearnes Center Field House, visited the MU Children's Hospital and provided community service in a variety of other ways during their competitive schedule. The Tigers even took time host a local youngster's birthday party prior to their five-set, comeback win over Texas A&M at the Hearnes Center.

Mizzou also excelled in the classroom, posting a combined 3.11 cumulative grade-point-average. In addition, six Tigers earned Academic All-Big 12 honors last season, adding to their success as student-athletes. Currently, nine Mizzou volleyball players have a GPA that is better than a 3.00.

Competitively, Mizzou earned Tiger cup points in large part thanks to Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) who was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and was honored as the league's Preseason and Postseason Newcomer of the Year. Each of those honors earned the program points in the Tiger Cup competition.

Follow Mizzou on Twitter
Mizzou volleyball has started its own Twitter page. Be sure to follow the Tigers all season long at http://twitter.com/MU_Volleyball. The site will be updated all year long with updates on the team and special insight into what it is like to be a member of the Mizzou volleyball team. Check back all season for updates.

Tiger Volleyball on the Radio
The Mizzou volleyball team will have each of its home and its Big 12 road matches live on the radio at MUTigers.com all season long. At home, the live broadcasts will be streamed with live video on Mizzou All-Access. Also, video updates and highlights from the Tigers' road trips will be posted on MUTigers.com all season long.

The Mizzou VolleyBlog
The Mizzou VolleyBlog will be back in 2010 and will offer live updates from each Tiger matches. It will also offer exclusive video and student-athlete and coach interviews throughout the season.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Tigers Meet the Media


The volleyball team talked about the upcoming season.

Aug. 16, 2010

Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou volleyball program met with members of the media on Monday (Aug. 16) inside the Hearnes Center. MUTigers.com was there to document the action. Click here for a photo gallery of the Tigers' experience at media day or click the link at the top of the page.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Ampudia, Kreklow Earn Preseason Honors

Paola Ampudia">

Paola Ampudia

Tigers picked to finish fifth in Big 12 by the league coaches.

Aug. 12, 2010

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Both Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) and Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) were honored by the Big 12 volleyball coaches as the league released its preseason rankings and awards on Thursday (Aug. 12). Ampudia was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team while Kreklow was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year. The Tigers were also picked to finish fifth this season by the league's coaches as they garnered 63 total points in the voting, just two shy of fourth-place Oklahoma. The Tigers are coming off of an 18-14 season while their 18 wins in 2009 were their most since 2005.

Mizzou returns five of six starters from a season ago and the headliner is Ampudia, who follows her 2009 All-Big 12 first team honors with All-Big 12 Preseason honors in 2010. She was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last season after finishing league play ranked second in kills per set and points per set. Also, she finished the season with 281 kills over her last 16 matches (nearly 18 per match); no player in the Big 12 had more kills in that span.

Ampudia also became the 11th player in program history to post at least 400 kills in a single season and the first to do so in the 25-point set era. She set three school records and broke a Big 12 record for kills in a four-set match with her 35 tallies in a win at Kansas. Those 35 kills are a school record as were her 78 attacks in that match. She also set the school standard for kills in a four-set match with 26 at Texas A&M.

Kreklow comes to Mizzou after being named the No. 20 overall national recruit by PrepVolleyball.com. A 6-0 setter from Delano, Minn., Kreklow is the niece of head volleyball coach Wayne Kreklow and will assume the starting setter job this season; replacing four-year started Lei Wang-Francisco, who graduated last season.



A two-time AAU All-American and three-time AAU National Champion, Kreklow brings with her an impressive résumé. She was named to the AVCA/Under Armour All-America first team and set for both the USA Volleyball Youth and Junior national teams. Over the summer, she was the starting setter for the Junior National team that claimed the North America, Central America, Caribbean (NORCECA) Continental Championship after going 5-0. She started four of the five matches and dished a team-high 61 assists in the tournament. She has been training with Mizzou since January after she enrolled at Mizzou a semester early.

The Big 12 coaches picked Nebraska to win the league as it received nine of 11 first place votes. Texas was the runner-up after picking up a pair of first-place nods. Iowa State and Oklahoma round out the league's top four spots, ranking third and fourth, respectively. Texas' Juliann Faucette was named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year while Justine Young of Texas Tech was voted Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

Mizzou opens its 2010 schedule with the Tiger Invitational on Aug. 27. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Meet Molly

New setter should boost MU volleyball team

August 10, 2010 | 8:03 p.m. CDT
Senior Julianna Klein, top, watches as freshman Molly Kreklow reacts to a ball hit her way during a drill to improve accuracy in a controlled environment on Monday, during the women’s volleyball team's first practice.

COLUMBIA — Molly Kreklow has called Columbia her second home since she can remember. As a child, Kreklow visited MU frequently to attend volleyball camps and to visit her extended family.

But she was caught off guard during her junior year at Delano High School in Delano, Minn., when her uncle, Missouri women's volleyball head coach Wayne Kreklow, offered her a spot on the Mizzou team.

“I always knew the coaches and attended the camps. But I never once thought about playing on the Mizzou team for college,” she said.

After weighing her options, Molly Kreklow, a setter, decided that Missouri was the best fit for her and she agreed to play. She said she hopes to help Missouri gain an NCAA tournament spot this season.

Wayne Kreklow said he has similar expectations for his team and his niece.

As a top-20 recruit, according to PrepVolleyball.com, and an AAU All-American in 2008 and 2009, Molly Kreklow, 18, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program. Most recently, she led the USA Volleyball Junior National team to a North American, Central American and Carribbean (NORCECA) Continental Championship title.

Wayne Kreklow said he hopes the offensive efficiency that has been lacking in the Tigers' play the past few years improves by adding his niece to the team. Molly Kreklow began training with the team in the spring after graduating early from high school.

“One of the positive things I noticed this spring, with the help of Molly, was our hitting percentages as a team going up by as much as 80 points – just like that,” Wayne Kreklow said. “I think this is going to be key for us this season.”

However, Wayne Kreklow said he also realizes his niece is still just a freshman, and he does not want to expect too much out of her.

“My focus with her this year is to make sure she gets acclimated and to not set the bar to high,” he said. “As good as she is and as many great things as she’s already done, she is still a freshman coming through for the first time.”

The setter on a volleyball team orchestrates the offensive attack and places the ball in the air for attackers to score points. As a setter, Kreklow possesses the characteristics required for the position. She is a hard-worker with top-notch leadership qualities, important for working with everybody on the floor, and her quickness is another asset.

Kreklow said the Big 12 Conference is one of the top volleyball conferences in the country, and that she is excited for the season to start.

“It’s going to be really fun facing good competition every single time we play,” she said. “Coming to Mizzou was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I really can’t imagine being anywhere else.”


Monday, August 9, 2010

Mizzou Volleyball Opens Practice


The Mizzou volleyball team opened its 2010 practice season on Monday.

Aug. 9, 2010

Volleyball Video: Practice Updates

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou volleyball team, which returns five of six starters from the 2009 team that tallied 18 wins, opened its official practice schedule on Monday with the start of two-a-days. The Tigers began practice at 9:30 a.m. Monday and worked on several drills, including serve and pass and ball handling exercises. The team returned to the floor in the afternoon for some scrimmages as well.

Prior to the morning practice, the Mizzou coaching staff unveiled Mizzou volleyball's new team room. The room features a sitting area with leather couches and a flat screen television with a complete surround sound system. It also has places for the Tigers to study and complete their homework along with plenty of Mizzou signage.

MUTigers.com caught up with seniors Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) and Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) after practice to talk about the first day of practice. Click here to watch the video with Vann or click here to watch the video with Wilson. Both links are also available at the top of the page.

MUTigers.com will provide volleyball practice updates throughout the preseason and for all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.

VolleyZOU Kicks Off the Season in a BIG WAY!

The VolleyZOU">

The VolleyZOU

Welcome to the VolleyZOU

Aug. 9, 2010

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou volleyball program, with the help of MO Stompin' DJ Beatz and Casey Berner, has put together a video highlighting its student cheering section VolleyZOU. Click here to watch the video.

Membership in VolleyZOU gets you access to a reserved seating section that is always full of energy and spirit. Also other great benefits include:

- Private "Meet and Greet" with the Mizzou Volleyball team 
 - Private tailgate, parties and events before matches 

- Chance to win great prizes at every match
- VolleyZou Volleyball tournament on the Hearnes Center main floor
- Free T-shirt!!!
- A Black & Gold Mizzou Tiger Volleyball if you attend eight home matches
- The chance to win a aate with a Mizzou volleyball player and much, much more.

For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.




VolleyZOU Video.mp4

Friday, August 6, 2010

Volleyball Opens Practice Monday

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Catie Wilson is one of five seniors that return to the court in 2010
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Mizzou returns five starters from a team that earned its most wins since 2005.

Aug. 4, 2010

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou volleyball program will start its preparations for the upcoming 2010 season on Monday (August 9) with the start of official practice. The team will practice daily until the season-opening Tiger Invitational on August 27.

The Tigers are coming off of an 18-14 season while the 18 wins were the most by a Tiger team since 2005. Also, Mizzou returns nine letterwinners and five starters from last year's roster as it will look to make a push towards an NCAA Tournament berth in 2010. The Tigers also return five seniors to the court in 2010. One of those five seniors is Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia), who led Mizzou with 410 kills last season. Over her last 16 matches in 2009, no player in the Big 12 had more kills than Ampudia as she earned first team All-Big 12 honors and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

Mizzou also returns its active leader in kills, points, attacks, service aces and sets played in senior Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa). Klein and Ampudia will serve as one of the best 1-2 punches in the Big 12 this season. Other key returners include libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.), who has started 52 straight matches at libero and ranks third all-time in digs, and Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.), who is the program's sixth-most efficient hitter all time. Wilson had more kills (220) last season than her first two seasons as a Tiger combined.

Also, practice will be the first official action for four Tiger newcomers, including setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.), who will assume the starting setter role after the departure of four-year starter Lei Wang-Francisco. Kreklow is the No. 20 recruit nationally and played with the USA Volleyball Junior National Team over the summer, guiding it to the NORCECA Continental Championship Gold Medal. Kreklow joins freshman Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) - who is the No. 50 overall recruit nationally - to comprise the No. 14 overall recruiting class in the nation this season. Both Kreklow and Henning were Under Armour/AVCA High School All-Americans as well. Henning was the only All-American from the state of Missouri.




For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A Look at Julianna Klein's Trip to Brazil

Klein played for Bring-It-Promotions/USA Developmental Brazilian Volleyball Tour.

July 9, 2010

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Tiger senior Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) spent 10 days in Brazil earlier this summer to play as a member of the Bring-It-Promotions/USA Developmental Brazilian Tour. In what was a rewarding experience for all involved, Klein and her teammates experienced plenty of high-level volleyball while touring some of the Brazil's finest tourist attractions.

While competing alongside some of the best NCAA Division I talent, Klein was able to network with a variety of people at USA Volleyball, along with developing friendships with some of the best volleyball players in the nation. MUTigers.com recently caught up with Klein to talk about her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Brazil. Below is a video interview with Klein that chronicles her trip and previews the Tigers' fall schedule. Also, above is a link to a photo gallery that gives a candid look at the trip to Brazil, all courtesy of Klein herself.

For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, check out Volleyball on MUTigers.com.