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Aug. 27, 2001
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia volleyball team opens its 2001 season by hosting three teams in the Jefferson Cup Tournament at University Hall Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1. The Cavaliers, under the direction of seventh-year head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton, begin the 2001 season by playing three teams that appeared in the 2000 NCAA Volleyball Championship.
UVa commences its 2001 season by hosting Radford on Friday (August 31) at 12:30 p.m. The Jefferson Cup Tournament opens with national powers Minnesota and Stanford squaring off at 10:00 a.m. The evening session on Friday begins at 5:00 p.m. with Minnesota playing Radford. At 7:30 p.m., Virginia plays 10th-ranked Stanford. The tournament concludes Saturday (September 1) with a pair of matches. Stanford and Radford play at 12 noon, followed by UVa against 15th-ranked Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. Admission to the tournament (and all UVa volleyball matches) is free of charge.
Virginia concluded the 2000 season with a 16-15 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The `Hoos tied for fifth in the ACC standings and advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.
The Cavaliers return eight letterwinners and four starters from last year’s squad. Virginia is an extremely young team as only four of 14 players on the roster have more than one year of collegiate playing experience under their belt. Only one player, outside hitter Andrea Fischer (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara), will exhaust their eligibility in the 2001 season. Co-captain and outside hitter Jenny Harmon (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) is the only other senior on the team and she has another year of eligibility remaining.
UVa is playing one of its toughest schedules ever in 2001. The Cavaliers play four matches against three teams ranked in the USAToday/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll and seven more matches against teams in the “Others Receiving Votes” portion of the USAToday/AVCA Poll. In addition to playing #10 Stanford and #15 Minnesota in the Jefferson Cup Tournament, the Cavaliers play a pair of matches against #25 Georgia Tech. Nine of Virginia’s 2001 opponents advanced to the 2000 NCAA Championship.
Second-year outside hitter Paige Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) in UVa’s top returnee in kills (410) and digs (396) and also added 62 blocks and 21 service aces. She was named to the ACC All-Rookie team. Harmon added 217 kills, 147 digs and 73 blocks. Second-year Abby Whittenburg (Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo) returns as UVa’s starting setter after notching 1,337 set assists, 243 digs and 73 blocks in 2000. Second-year co-captain and outside hitter Whitney Ashcraft (Yorktown, Ind./Burris) is the Cavaliers’ fourth returning starter. Ashcraft, who was used mainly as a defensive specialist, notched 277 digs and 26 aces, will be asked to control UVa’s passing game. Other top returnees who will be challenging for starting roles in 2001 include second-year outside hitter Katie Synan (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor), third-year middle Simona Kuipers (Bow Island, Alberta, Canada/Senator Gershaw), and second-year middle Shannon Boyle (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy). Fischer, who sat out the 2000 season, should also see quality playing time in 2001.