-
1 of 10
-
2 of 10
-
3 of 10
-
4 of 10
-
5 of 10
-
6 of 10
-
7 of 10
-
8 of 10
-
9 of 10
-
10 of 10
Bronco volleyball prepares to host tournament
Archive
Comments
Story
2003 marks a fresh start for the Boise State University
volleyball team. Three experienced returnees, 10 new players, a
remodeled practice and competition arena and a revamped coaching
staff combine for a renewed enthusiasm in the Bronco program.
To truly appreciate the work of rebuilding and reloading Coach
Scott Sandel has engineered in his first year on campus, one needs
only look at where he and the Broncos started in 2002. First of
all, Sandel’s first day on the job wasn’t until Aug. 1,
only one week before two-a-days started. He and the Broncos
struggled through the program’s fourth straight losing
season, but were determined to turn their fortunes around quickly
with hard work and fresh faces.
In the off-season, Sandel added new assistants Mark Pryor and
Keisha Demps. Pryor, the Broncos recruiting coordinator, served as
the head coach at Southwest Baptist for two seasons before joining
the Boise State staff. Demps played and coached professionally in
the U.S. Professional Volleyball League in 2000 and 2001 before
coming to Boise.
Also in 2003, Bronco Gym – the volleyball team’s home in
the 70’s, 80’s and first half of the 90’s – has
been renovated to include fresh paint on the walls, new lights, a
new sound system, and a refinished floor. The Bronco volleyball
team is moving back to the facility, where the Broncos were 373-306
from 1975 through 1996, made two post-season tournament appearances
and tallied 14 winning seasons in 22 years. The Broncos are looking
forward to the team’s return from the Pavilion, where the
Broncos have played for the past six years, back into the friendly
confines of Bronco Gym.
The Bronco squad has been reloaded, starting with a setter, a
hitter and a middle blocker in three dedicated returning players,
and mixing in an athletic and excited group of 10 newcomers who add
both offensive power and defense. The three returning players are
comprised of two seniors and one junior. Of the 10 new players, one
is a division 1 transfer, three are junior college transfers and
six are true freshmen. The entire team now has two seniors, four
juniors, one sophomore, and six freshmen that converge on Boise
from eight different states within the United States as well as
Canada.
The Senior Class . . .
The senior class is comprised of outside hitter Megan Tranter and
middle blocker/outside hitter Christina Moore. Tranter has started
for the Broncos full-time since her sophomore season. She is the
team’s top returning hitter averaging 2.95 kills in 2002.
Tranter also averaged 2.42 digs per game as a junior. Moore, a
returning starter in the middle, averaged 2.08 kills, 2.08 digs and
0.52 blocks per game in 2002. Moore was also selected to the WAC
All-Academic Team.
The Junior Class . . .
The junior class is composed of the team’s returning starting
setter, Mindy Bennett, and three newcomers – Idaho Falls native and
Long Beach State transfer Kelsey Young, and junior college
transfers Kim Ramsay and Lacie Heath. Bennett, the team’s
returning starting setter, averaged 9.34 assists last season as a
sophomore and was another Bronco WAC All-Academic honoree. Young, a
6-1 outside hitter, is returning to her home state. She was a
part-time starter for the top 25 49ers and for the Broncos already
was a Preseason All-WAC honoree.
Ramsay, one of the Broncos’ two Canadians, is
Broncos’ tallest player on the roster at 6’4”.
Slated to play on the right side, she received her
associate’s degree from Lake Land College in Mattoon,
Illinois. She went to Nevada as a freshman where she played on the
volleyball team before transferring to Lake Land as a sophomore.
Heath, a 5-10 outside hitter, is another Idaho native who returns
to her home state after playing at Trinidad State Junior College in
Colorado for two years. Both Ramsay and Heath were named to a
number of JC tournament all-star teams.
The Sophomore Class. . .
The Broncos’ lone sophomore is also the team’s final
junior college transfer, Kim Fenneman. She joins the team after a
successful freshman year at Galveston Junior College in Texas.
Fenneman, the team’s second player to call Canada home, was
the captain of the school’s volleyball team and was also
named to two JC tournament all-star teams. Fenneman could play
either outside hitter or middle blocker.
The Freshman Class . . .
The freshman class is the largest on the squad. These six players
will make an immediate impact to the Broncos present and future.
Several played on state championship high school teams. Most were
all-state honorees themselves. Each was honored as an all-league
player and was a starter on their teams. All know the work ethic
involved in bringing a winning attitude to the division one
level.
Lakeview, OR. She played for the Nike Northwest Elite club team and
will be an outside hitter for the Broncos. Kim Ellis graduated from
Papillion La Vista High School in Papillion, Nebraska. A middle
blocker, she was selected to the Nebraska Prep All-Star Team.
Cameron Flunder is a middle blocker out of Kent, WA. She graduated
from Kent Lake High School and played on the Kent Juniors
Volleyball Club.
Sarah Johnson is another freshman and an outside hitter from
Idaho’s neighboring state of Oregon. Johnson graduated from
Gresham High School. Her prep team was the two-time volleyball
state champion. Christina Melvin joins the Broncos as the
team’s freshman setter. Melvin graduated from Green Mountain
High School in Colorado and played on the Front Range Volleyball
Club, which was the 18th Open Junior National Gold Medal Champion.
The Broncos sixth true freshman alphabetically, Jackie Stroud, is
from the same hometown as Coach Sandel – Amarillo, Texas. She is an
outside hitter, played for the Amarillo Juniors and graduated from
Amarillo High School. She was a Texas all-state selection.
Volleyball Regular Season Home Games
08/29/2003
7:30 p.m.
Bowling Green State – Falcons
08/30/2003
1:00 p.m.
Utah Valley State College – Wolverines
08/30/2003
7:30 p.m.
Portland – Pilots
09/25/2003
7:00 pm
Louisiana Tech – Lady Techsters
09/27/2003
2:00 pm
SMU – Mustangs
10/09/2003
7:00 pm
Hawai’i – Rainbow Wahine
10/11/2003
2:00 pm
San Jose State – Spartans
10/21/2003
7:00 pm
Idaho – Vandals
10/25/2003
7:00 pm
UTEP – Miners
11/09/2003
2:00 pm
Wyoming – Cowgirls
11/14/2003
7:00 pm
Nevada – Wolf Pack
11/15/2003
7:00 pm
Fresno State – Bulldog
Lori Hays
Courtesy of Boise State Athletics
Special to The Arbiter
