2010 Tournament Schedule
Match Notes
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University will open the 2010 volleyball season this weekend as they host its fourth annual Hilton RTP/NCCU Volleyball Tournament, which will take place Aug. 27-28 in Durham, N.C., at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on the campus of NCCU.
This year’s two-day event will feature some top-notch volleyball action as the Eagles host Charleston Southern, Delaware State, Elon, Gardner-Webb and Texas-El Paso (UTEP). Aside from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Big South, Conference USA and the Southern Conference (SoCon) will also be represented.
“It is our first tournament of the season and we will be opening the season against some tough competition, but it will give us an opportunity to see where we are, what we need to work on and the things we need to continue to do throughout the season,” said NCCU head coach Georgette Crawford-Crooks. “It is going to be a strong tournament, but we are just looking to compete and put what we’ve been working on at practice all together.”
NCCU will compete in five contests this weekend as they open the season with Gardner-Webb at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 27 before facing Big South power Charleston Southern at 3 p.m. The Eagles will conclude day one action with Conference USA-member UTEP in a 7 p.m. nightcap.
Saturday, August 28 will be highlighted with an 11 a.m. matchup with defending champion Elon before closing out the tournament with MEAC foe Delaware State at 7 p.m.
Charleston Southern opens its season in Durham as they look to continue their success from last season, where they finished with a 17-17 record. The Buccaneers return nine from last year’s squad after losing just three. They hope to continue their dominance over the Eagles on Friday as they hold a 3-1 advantage over NCCU.
Delaware State, a conference opponent of the Eagles, is not a familiar face. The Hornets have faced the Eagles just twice in program history, holding a 2-0 advantage in the series. Delaware State, one of the top volleyball programs in the MEAC, opens the 2010 season following a 20-13 finish last year. They return nine from last year’s second place team in the North Division.
SoCon powerhouse Elon returns to Durham to defend its title, as they went a perfect 4-0 in the 2009 tournament, taking home the Hilton RTP/NCCU Volleyball Tournament crown. Elon is led by returning Hilton RTP/NCCU Volleyball Most Valuable Player Traci Stewart, a junior right side hitter from Summerfield, N.C. The Phoenix finished the 2009 season with a 23-8 record and currently hold a 2-0 advantage over NCCU.
Gardner-Webb and NCCU have met just twice since 1995 with their last meeting in 2006. The Lady Bulldogs hold the advantage, standing at 2-0 over the Eagles. Coming into the 2010 season, the Lady Bulldogs are hoping for a more successful season after finishing last year with a 12-22 mark. They return seven from last year’s squad.
UTEP will be a completely new team for the Eagles as the two teams meet for the first time in program history. The Miners, who have struggled among the mighty powerful Conference USA, will open the 2010 season with hopes for a positive jump-start to their season. They return five from last year’s team that went 11-18.
Since the birth of the Hilton RTP/NCCU Volleyball Tournament in 2007, the Eagles have yet to hoist the trophy. NCCU has struggled to stand out each year against some fierce competition as they enter this weekend’s showdown with just a 4-8 record as the tournament host.
NCCU returns nine from last year’s squad that went 9-23, but adds three very talented newcomers to the mix. This year’s Eagle squad is made up of 12 student-athletes, representing five different countries. Brazil, Germany, Jamaica, Switzerland and the United States of America will all be represented in the maroon and gray. For NCCU, 2010 is about 12 student-athletes from five different countries, playing with one heart.
Leading this year’s team will be seniors Belinda Behncke-Biney and Shantel Moore, who must fill the vacancy that was left by senior Avaniki Campbell, the leader of last year’s squad and the blocking power behind the Eagle defense. The senior duo is coming off a successful junior campaign after leading the Eagles in several offensive categories. Behncke-Biney will resume her role on the outside and looks to complete her career at the top of the record books in several categories, while Moore will take on a few different roles this season. She will play a few positions, while still continuing her dominance on the right side.
Eagle fans will get a real treat as three talented newcomers will grace the presence of the NCCU volleyball program. Junior transfer Emanuelle Santos will grace the Eagles’ starting line-up with her ability to play anywhere on the floor. She will be accompanied by freshmen Jzima-Malaki Kalao and Kalin Russell. Kalao, a Switzerland standout will give the Eagles a true setter, while Russell looks to replace the loss of Campbell in the middle as she brings strength in her hitting and blocking.
Eagle fans can catch Friday’s action live on www.NCCUEaglePride.com, where Chris Hooks, the play-by-play voice of the Eagles, will bring you live action from McDougald-McLendon Gym. Catch Eagle Gameday presented by the Hilton RTP, the pre-match show, 15 minutes prior to first serve. Listen to your Eagles at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. as they take on Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern.
Spectators and fans that wish to come out to McDougald-McLendon Gym for this two-day event can park in the lower level of the NCCU parking deck on the corner of Lawson and Lincoln Streets in designated visitor spots. Visitors can access the parking deck from Lincoln Street.
For more information, visit the official website of NCCU Athletics at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
