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Aug. 31, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

COUGAR VOLLEYBALL TO PLAY FOUR IN UTAH: The Washington State volleyball team (3-0) travels to Utah to play in the Utah Valley La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational at the Shurian Family Activity Center (capacity 2,000) in Orem this weekend, and then will play a single match at Weber State (Ogden) Labor Day...WSU takes on Missouri (3-0) Friday, Sept. 4 at 4:30 p.m. MT, No. 17 Utah (3-0) Saturday, September 5 at 10 a.m. MT, and Utah Valley (3-0) at 7 p.m. MT...Cougs also play Weber State in Ogden, Monday, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m.

COUGAR COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Andrew Palileo is in his second season at WSU after a highly successful tenure at South Dakota State...Palileo has a 13-19 overall record at WSU, and a 13-year career record of 243-160...associate head coach Brian Lamppa and assistant coach TeAna Tramel complete the coaching staff...Kara Kiefer is the coordinator of operations for 2009.

CHA CHING! MONEY IN THE BANK: The Washington State volleyball team won its season-opening match for the 18th time in the past 19 years...for the second consecutive year, the Cougars have started the season 3-0 and won the opening tournament...WSU last lost an opener in 2004 (at UNLV, 3-2).

COUGS WIN NIKE COUGAR INVITATIONAL: Washington State won the Nike Cougar Invite, defeating UC Davis (3-1), Montana State (3-1) and Portland (3-0) in Bohler Gym...UC Davis (2-1) took second place, Portland (1-2) took third, and Montana State finished fourth (0-3)...WSU senior MB Cassie Robbins was named MVP of the tournament and seniors Jackie Albright and Renee Bordelon along with junior Brittany Tillman...also named to the all-tourney team were: Carson Lowden, UC Davis, Jessica Clemens, Portland, Marissa Plummer, Portland, and libero, Avreeta Singh, UC Davis.

ANOTHER TOUGH SCHEDULE FOR COUGS: The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Div. I Coaches Top 25 Poll for Aug. 31, has seven WSU's opponents ranked in the top 17...six are Pac-10 schools so the Cougs will play each twice...the conference teams include Washington No. 3, UCLA No. 9, California No. 10, Stanford No. 11, Oregon No. 14, and USC No. 16...non-conference opponent Utah is ranked No. 17...also receiving votes in this week's poll are Arizona (31) and Oregon State (37)...go to www.avca.org.

DON'T BACK THE COUGS INTO A CORNER: In the 2008 season, the Cougars were undefeated in five-set matches with wins over Cal State Northridge, Seattle University, Gonzaga, Oregon State and Arizona...WSU's record in four-set matches was 2-4 in 2008 while in the 3-set matches WSU went 3-15...in home matches the Cougars were 6-8, with a 2-9 record on the road and a 2-2 record on neutral courts...Cougars won three of their final four 2008 matches, all Pac-10 wins.

NOTEWORTHY FACTS ABOUT THE 2009 WASHINGTON STATE VOLLEYBALL TEAM:
Experience - 4 returning starters plus libero from 2008 squad; a total of 9 returning letterwinners
Height - this is the tallest Cougar volleyball team this century...in 2009 the Cougs have: One player at 6-4 (Conley Kipp) Three at 6-3 (Annie Adams, Meagan Ganzer, Cassie Robbins) Two at 6-2 (Rachel Todorovich and Tangerine Wiggs) Two at 6-1 (Jackie Albright, Brittany Tillman)
Hitting Percentage - after 3 matches in 2009, WSU has a 278 hpct.; WSU's 2008 hpct. was .181

MEET THIS WEEK'S WSU OPPONENTS: ABOUT THE MISSOURI TIGERS (3-0): Located in Columbia, Missouri, the Tigers are members of the Big 12 conference...won their own Invitational tournament last weekend defeating Texas State (3-0), Mississippi (3-0) and BYU (3-1)...Washington State is the only Pac-10 team on schedule...10 letterwinners return from 2008's 13-17 team...5-11 Jr. MB Rose Medrano (4.30 kps) 5-11 Sr. S Lei Wang-Francisco (10.20 aps), 5-6 Jr. L Caitlyn Vann (3.90 dps), and 6-0 Sr. MB Amanda Hantouli (1.30 bps)...Head Coach Wayne Kreklow 76-48/5 years at UM, 185-94/9 years career...SERIES RECORD: First meeting.

ABOUT THE NO. 17 UTAH UTES (3-0* pending 9/1 vs. Cal Poly): Located in Salt Lake City, the Utes are members of the Mountain West Conference...won the Utah Classic tournament last weekend defeating Arizona State (3-0), UC Riverside (3-0) and Cincinnati (3-2)...in addition to Pac-10 schools ASU and WSU, Utah will play Arizona...led by 6-2 Jr. OPP Karolin Bartkowiak (2.91 kps, 2.27 dps, 0.91 pps), 5-7 Jr. L Keisha Fisher (3.55 dps), and 6-3 Rs-So. MB Danielle Killpack (1.30 pgs)...Head Coach Beth Launiere, 394-212/20 years at Utah and career records...LAST TIME: Sept. 5, 2003, Utah defeated WSU 3-2 in Salt Lake City (30-27, 25-30, 31-29, 34-32, 15-7)...SERIES RECORD: WSU leads 8-2 (WSU streak -1).

ABOUT THE UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES (3-0): Located in Orem, Utah, the Wolverines are members of the Great West Conference...coming off winning the Weber State Invite with wins over Gonzaga (3-1), Weber State (3-0) and Utah State (3-1)...led by 6-0 Jr. MB/OH Kayli Broadbent (5.18 kps), 6-0 Sr. OH Camie Manwill (4.09 kps), 5-8 1/2 So. S Chelsea Fa'alogo (12.00 aps), and 5-3 Sr. L Allyce Jones (5.27 dps)...Head Coach Sam Atoa, 91-74/7 years at Utah Valley, 229-105/11 years career...LAST TIME: WSU won 3-0, Sept. 19, 2008 in Pullman...SERIES RECORD: tied a 1-1 (WSU streak +1).

ABOUT THE WEBER STATE WILDCATS (1-2* pending 3 matches at BYU Nike Classic): Located in Ogden, Utah, members of the Big Sky Conference...lost to Utah State (3-1), Utah Valley (3-0) and defeated Gonzaga (3-2)...this weekend plays Kansas State, BYU and Cal Poly...will play Stanford later in season...led by 5-10 Sr. OH Chelsea Bair (2.75 kps, 2.42 dps), 5-11 Sr. L Caitlyn Anderson (2.92 dps), and 6-2 Sr. MB Amy Fackrell (1.17 bps)...Head Coach Al Givens, 194-285/17 years at Weber State, 346-422/24 years career...LAST TIME: Washington State won 3-0, Aug. 26, 2006 in Pullman...SERIES RECORD: Washington State leads 8-2 (WSU streak +7).

For more of the weekly release, click on the PDF version at the top of the page.