Aug. 28, 2008

DETROIT - A new era of Wayne State volleyball begins this season as Phil Nickel takes the helm in his first year as the head coach of the Warriors.

Nickel inherits a squad that went 10-15 a year ago, including a 5-12 conference mark that placed Wayne State fourth in the GLIAC South Division. Despite the team's offense ranking near the bottom in the conference statistically, Nickel believes the biggest aspect that needs improvement is attitude.

"We want to change the attitude of Wayne State volleyball, because I don't think that there's necessarily been an expectation to win," says Nickel. "That's one of the first things I want to do - instill that expectation of winning.

"This is a new chapter of Wayne State volleyball."

With 10 returning players and five newcomers in 2008, Nickel understands that, "it's going to be important to mesh that group together."

Wayne State has three seniors returning, two of which earned All-GLIAC honors in 2007. Libero Mayssa Bazzi (Dearborn, Mich.), an All-GLIAC Second Team selection who set the school single-season record with 656 digs last year, will serve as the team captain this season. She led the GLIAC and finished second in the nation with a 7.45 digs/game average while posting a team-best 38 service aces.

"I wish we had Mayssa for three or four more years instead of just one," says Nickel. "She wants to win in her senior year, and she has the abilities to help us do that."

Kim Gear (Benton Harbor, Mich./Watervliet), Wayne State's top returning hitter and blocker, was chosen to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team a year ago. She totaled 239 kills in 2007 and finished sixth in the GLIAC with a 1.06 blocks/game average.

"We're expecting Kim to come in and be a solid player again. I don't think she'll have to be the best player this year and carry the load, but we will expect her to be one of our steady top players and provide some leadership."

Defensive specialist Marcie Hill (Dearborn, Mich.) finished fourth on the team with 178 digs last year. She also totaled 11 aces and was third on the squad with a .951 serve percentage.

"Marcie could probably start as a libero for a lot of teams," says Nickel. "She's a very talented young lady, and we expect her to contribute a lot as well."

Aside from the seniors, junior Meg Leone (Troy, Mich.) and sophomores Maureen MacDonald (White Lake, Mich./Marian) and Katy Westenberg (Milford, Mich.) will represent the Warrior veteran corps.

Leone amassed 149 kills, second-most on the team, and led the Warriors with a .959 serve reception percentage. MacDonald contributed 71 kills and 157 digs a year ago, and Westenberg finished eighth in the GLIAC with a 9.12 assists/game average as WSU's primary setter.

"Meg is probably going to train at both the left and right side, and Maureen will do the same," says Nickel. "Those two will be battling for a starting position.

"We worked with Katy a lot over the summer. She was just a freshman last year, and it's sometimes hard for a freshman to be a leader, but as a setter it's kind of inherent to that position.

"Katy's very talented, and I'm expecting big things from her as well."

Sophomore middle hitter Mariel VanOverbeke (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay), who played in just four matches last season, and redshirt freshmen Kristen Miles (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) and Ashley Penny (New Hudson, Mich./South Lyon) round out Wayne State's returning roster.

Sophomore Katrina Bezak (Milford, Mich.), a defensive and service specialist who was second on the team with 21 aces and WSU's leader in serve percentage (.957), will miss the 2008 season due to injury.

Among the five new faces on the squad are three transfers from Macomb Community College, all of whom earned All-Region and All-MCCAA honors last year.

Sarha Gosselin (Harrison Twp., Mich./Warren Lincoln) broke MCC's single-season record last season with 645 kills, "which is a ridiculous amount," says Nickel. "I hope she doesn't have to do that here. I don't want it to be a case where we're just setting her every ball, but we're expecting her to add some firepower."

Gosselin, who garnered First Team All-America accolades in 2007, led the nation with 185 aces, another school record. She also set a new MCC career mark with 1180 kills, having collected 535 the previous year and earning All-Region, All-MCCAA, and Second Team All-America awards.

Candis Jenich (Warren, Mich./Cousino) served as co-captain for the Monarchs and was second on the team with 435 kills, 390 digs, 98 aces, and a 2.70 kills/game average last year.

"Everybody that I've talked to about Candis says that she's a good player and has a great attitude," says Nickel. "She's the kind of player that becomes the glue holding a team together."

Lauren Mallast (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay), who Nickel believes will compete with Gear for the starting middle position, was second in the nation and led Macomb with 238 blocks in 2007 while contributing 378 kills.

"She will provide some stability in both blocking and offense in the middle for us."

Freshman Ashley Burgess (Rochester Hills, Mich./Avondale), who was an all-league setter in high school, is the lone rookie on the team. Kent State transfer Jessica Condeni (Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison) will practice with the team but cannot compete due to NCAA transfer regulations.

Wayne State was selected to finish fifth in the South Division in the 2008 GLIAC preseason coaches poll, but Nickel and the Warriors hope to far exceed the expectations of their peers.

"Some of our goals are to make the conference tournament, win the majority of our matches at home - make Wayne State a tough place for our opponents to play - and build a foundation (of success)."

Wayne State's season will commence Aug. 29 at the California State University Monterey Bay Otter Classic in Seaside, Calif. WSU will face Merrimack and Western Oregon, two schools which qualified for their respective NCAA Regional tournaments a year ago, as well as Humboldt State and CSU Monterey Bay on its trip to the west coast.

The Warriors head to Ohio the following weekend for a tournament hosted by the University of Findlay. Bellarmine and Wheeling Jesuit are slated for Sept. 5, while 2007 Atlantic Regional champion California (Pa.) and former GLIAC member Gannon will battle WSU the following day.

GLIAC play opens at home Sept. 12 against Grand Valley State, the 2007 Great Lakes Regional Champion and Elite Eight participant.

"We have Grand Valley right off the bat, which is an immediate test and will give us a gauge of where we need to be to compete at the top of the conference," says Nickel. "I believe if you're one of the top teams in the conference, then that makes you pretty competitive on a national scale."

The Sept. 12 showdown against the Lakers will open a five-match GLIAC homestand for the Warriors, who will also host Ferris State, Northwood, Findlay, and 2007 GLIAC Tournament finalist Hillsdale in that stretch.

Wayne State will participate in the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover, hosted by the University of Indianapolis, midway through the season, with pairings and match times to be determined.

Finally, Wayne State hopes to realize its goal of qualifying for the GLIAC Tournament in November. The Warriors have not received a playoff berth since 2005, but Nickel believes they have a legitimate shot to make it this season.

"I think we'll catch some people off guard and be a team to contend with."