Oct. 20, 2009
Up Next In Lobo Volleyball
Matches 21-22
vs. Wyoming October 22 7 p.m. (MT)
vs. No. 25 Colorado State Oct. 24 1 p.m. (MT)
Cherry Crush Day
Johnson Center Albuquerque, N.M.
This Week … The Lobos (13-7, 4-4 MWC) begin the second half of MWC competition this week when they host Wyoming, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., and No. 25 Colorado State, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m., at Johnson Center. Wyoming is currently 10-12 overall and 1-7 in MWC action. No. 25 Colorado State is 16-3 overall and 8-0 in MWC play, going into Thursday’s match at TCU.
**Thursday night is Spike Hunger Night in conjunction with Albuquerque Rescue Mission. Fans are asked to bring canned and dry goods to the game. There will be collection bins throughout Johnson Center’s Main Arena.
**Saturday is Cherry Crush. Fans wearing red will be allowed into the game for $3 for adults and $2 for youth (ages 2-18). Fans who can show a ticket for the Lobo football game later that day, get in free. There will be giveaways throughout the match from the UNM Bookstore.
**Also on Saturday – There will be a READ WITH THE LOBOS recognition between Games 1 and 2, as well as a Special Olympics Mixed Team volleyball match. Mixed teams include Special Olympians and their siblings or volunteers.
If You Can’t Make It To Johnson Center … Fans can follow along on the internet at GoLobos.com. UNM provides Gametracker, live video and audio through the site.
Next Week … The Lobos travel to Colorado Springs and San Diego for MWC match-ups at Air Force Academy and San Diego State.
QUICK HITS
Lobos Among Tops In Attendance … New Mexico is currently ranked 21st in the nation with an attendance average of 1,501 fans this season. It is the first time that the Lobos started the season with over 1,000 fans at the first 10 matches of the season. The 1996 team started the season with seven consecutive matches over 1,000. The Lobos’ season-high so far in 2009 is 2,338 vs. San Diego State on Oct. 1. MWC member Colorado State is ranked 16th overall with an average of 1,888 fans per match. Rankings are updated on Monday mornings.
Mark Your Calendars – Only 2 Home Matches Left After Saturday … Only two home matches remain after this week … Think Pink, breast cancer awareness night, is set for Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. against Utah. If you wear pink, adults get in for $3 and kids, ages 2-18, get in for $2. There will also be a silent auction with lots of great items throughout the night … Senior Night is set for Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. against BYU. It will be the final home match for seniors Anna Lehne, Rose Morris and Allie Suiter.
About New Mexico (13-7, 4-4 MWC) … Lobo fans may see UNM sporting a lighter shade of Cherry on the court. UNM has won two big road matches wearing their new pink Nike jerseys on opponents’ breast cancer awareness matches. The pink definitely comes out one more time when UNM hosts Utah on Nov. 5 for the Lobos’ Think Pink Night in conjunction with UNM Hospital and the UNM Cancer Center … Another losing streak came to an end on Oct. 13 as the Lobos beat New Mexico State, 3-0 in Las Cruces, 10-match overall and 8-match road losing streaks … The Lobos beat Utah, 3-1, on Saturday, Oct. 10, the first win for UNM on Crimson Court since 1996 … UNM picked up its first MWC win of the season at Wyoming on Sept. 26 (3-1) and have won three straight after an 0-2 start … Senior Rose Morris made her return to the court on Oct. 3 with 11 kills over two sets … Junior Taylor Hadfield led with 2.65 kills per set, one of five players with 2.00 or more kps on the season … Junior Jade Michaelsen leads UNM in assists with 10.20 per set … Junior Lisa Meeter and sophomore Amy Wong are 1-2 in service aces with 20 and 17 each … On defense, sophomore Allison Buck leads the Lobos with a 4.03 per set average, while senior Anna Lehne and sophomore Ashley Rhoades lead UNM in blocking with 1.01 and 1.08 per set, respectively … UNM placed third at the Arizona Invitational. Jade Michaelsen was named to the all-tournament team … UNM finishes second at the 2009 Comcast Lobo Challenge to now-No. 24 Baylor. Jade Michaelsen and Rose Morris were named to the all-tournament team … UNM won the 2009 Nike Portland Invitational with wins over American and Portland. Jade Michaelsen was named MVP of the tournament, while Lisa Meeter and Allison Buck were named to the all-tournament team … UNM won the 2009 MCM Elegante Lobo Classic to begin the season. It is the third season in a row the Lobos have started the season 3-0 and won the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. Anna Lehne was named the tournament MVP, and joined by Michaelsen and Buck on the all-tournament team … The Lobos were picked third in the 2009 Mountain West Conference Preseason Poll, the same place they finished the 2008 season. The big difference this season is UNM earned three first-place votes from the voting panel of coaches and media … Junior setter Jade Michaelsen was named MWC Preseason Co-Player of the Year by the same voting group … Michaelsen and Morris are the team captains for 2009.
About Wyoming (10-12, 1-7 MWC; Wyoming leads the series, 34-27, UNM has won four of the last five meetings) … The Cowgirls are led by freshman Jodi Purdy with 3.47 kills per set and setter Barbara Lasic with 10.39 assists per set. New Mexico won the first meeting of the season, 3-1, in Laramie. Taylor Hadfield led the Lobos with 14 kills, while Purdy led Wyoming with 13.
About No. 25 Colorado State (16-3, 8-0 MWC; CSU leads the series, 40-21, with the Rams winning the last 27 of 28 meetings) … The Rams jumped back into the BISON/AVCA Top 25 this week at No. 25. CSU made a clean run through the first half of the MWC season and begin the second half at TCU on Thursday night. Megan Plourde leads the Rams with a .374 hitting percentage, while Danielle Minch leads with 3.75 kills per set. Evan Saunders is second in the league in assists with 10.58 per set. CSU won the first meeting of the season, 3-0, in Fort Collins. Jacque Davisson led CSU with 13 kills, while Taylor Hadfield led UNM with nine.
Current RPI rankings … The official NCAA RPI rankings were released Monday afternoon and the Lobos are sitting at 49, second among MWC schools. RichKern.com releases its RPI rankings on Monday nights. The unofficial RPI rankings, that are close to the NCAA’s system, has the Lobos ranked 47 and the Lobos’ Pablo ranking is 56. The Lobos ended the 2008 season ranked 66th in the NCAA RPI report.
Setting Records … Junior setter Jade Michaelsen cracked the Top 10 on the UNM career assists list during the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. Michaelsen, from Tucson, Ariz., took over 7th place on the list in the first set of the New Mexico State match on Oct. 13, passing former teammate Sarah Kwasigroch (2005-09). Moving the next two spots up may take some time. She is now 158 and 163 assists away from taking over sixth and fifth place from former Lobos Monica Meihack (2,840; 2002-04) and Karen Saavedra-Warnock (2,845; 1985-88).
UNM Career Assists
1. Janelle Torres 3,794 1996-992. Alicia Bergmann 3,283 1992-953. Sharon Browning 3,214 1989-924. Jocelyn Funk 3,153 1983-865. Karen Saavedra-Warnock 2,845 1985-886. Monica Meihack 2,840 2002-047. Jade Michaelsen 2,683 2007-present8. Sarah Kwasigroch 2,634 2005-099. Gretchen Gegenfurtner 2,193 1993-9610. Kelly Griffin 2,096 1999-01
Blocking Into The Books … Senior Anna Lehne, in addition to picking up the first all-tournament MVP honor of her career, moved onto the UNM career Top 10 lists for blocking – total blocks and block assists – during the MCM Elegante Lobo Classic. On Sept. 16 against TCU, Lehne added the career solo blocks Top 10 list as well. She is working her way into the top 5 in all three lists. Lehne, a senior from Pueblo, Colo., had a Top 10 season mark with 101 block assists in 2008.
UNM Career Total Blocks
1. Chelsea Sondrup 433 2002-052. Kelly Therkelsen 336 2003-063. Linda Archuleta 326 1980-82, `844. Anna Lehne 322 2006-present5. Laurel Luman 320 1990-936. Robyn Wentworth 313 1992-947. Tammy Lansford 299 1987-90 Pauline Manser 299 1988-91 Zhao Lu 299 1995-9610. Amber Smith 258 1996-99
UNM Career Block Solos
1. Linda Archuleta 120 1980-82, `842. Terri Nelson 107 1980-833. Tammy Lansford 86 1987-904. Pauline Manser 76 1988-915. Sue Guinn 73 1983-846. Robyn Wentworth 68 1992-94 Shannon Vessup 68 1981, `83 Laurel Luman 68 1990-939. Anna Lehne 67 2006-present10. Kelly Knowles 62 1980-82
UNM Career Block Assists
1. Chelsea Sondrup 433 2002-052. Kelly Therkelsen 326 2003-063. Anna Lehne 255 2006-present4. Laurel Luman 252 1990-935. Zhao Lu 249 1995-986. Robyn Wentworth 245 1992-947. Pauline Manser 223 1988-918. Vanessa Shields 216 1998-99, 2001-029. Tammy Lansford 213 1987-9010. Kristine Butler 207 1993-96