FanPost

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL UPDATE TIME!


DISCLAIMER: The title of this FanPost is best read in a Joel McHale REALITYSHOWCLIPTIME voice or in tune with the "Peanut Butter Jelly Time" song.

With that out of the way, please to present the 2010 introduction to The Team (to piggyback off of Rosewater's list, The Team is the appropriate way to refer to the Penn State women's volleyball team). We lost some incredible talent after stunning Texas at the end of last season (goodbye Megan, Alisha, and Kelsey), but there is some great talent on the 2010 Team, and as such, the 102 consecutive game streak should continue for some time.

The Honors
Honor #1 - Since we last saw them, Megan Hodge, Alisha Glass, and Nicole Fawcett have been named to the U.S. Women's national team, though the results have not been what the ladies were accustomed to, dropping matches to Germany and Poland, while defeating the Dominican Republic.

Honor #2 - Megan Hodge, in all her glory, was named co-winner of the Honda-Broderick Cup, given annually to the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

The Team
Dig Nittany Volleyball has your rundown of the 20 (20!) players for 2010. Commit these names to memory, at least the ones that aren't already are (e.g., Darcy Dorton, Junny's muse Blair Brown, etc.). Of note: three setters on the team, none of which are higher than a sophomore (a theme for this team; only 8 of the 20 ladies are juniors or seniors) - one of these ladies will have to pick up some of the record breaking productivity of the departed Alisha Glass.; Darcy Dorton busted up her ACL (the football's knee hating gods were traded to The Team for this year) and there is little in the way of news on a possible return date.

The Schedule
DNV also has a rundown of the schedule, which opens in 15 short days in Chapel Hill, NC with matches against UNC, Villanova and Campbell University over two days. The home opener is on 9/03 against Seton Hall.

GoPSUSports has just reported that at least seven matches will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network or ESPN2. Note that the list includes two LIVE matches (expect Open Threads), and the Nov. 13 match will likely be tape delayed to another day. Nevertheless, any chance to see Katie Kabbes on TV is OK by me.

Penn State's TV Broadcast Schedule
Sept. 26 at Wisconsin, 2 p.m., Big Ten Network, Tape Delayed until 7 p.m. on Sept. 26
Oct. 2 vs. Michigan, 6 p.m., Big Ten Network, LIVE
Oct. 15 vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m., ESPN2, Tape Delayed until 1 p.m. on Oct. 17
Oct. 20 at Ohio State, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network, LIVE
Nov. 5 at Michigan, 7 p.m., ESPN2, Tape Delayed until 1 p.m. on Nov. 7
Nov. 13 vs. Illinois, 7 p.m. Big Ten Network, TBA
Nov. 27 at Minnesota, 9 p.m., Big Ten Network, TBA

The Outlook
Losing Megan Hodge and Alisha Glass hurts. Retaining Darcy Dorton (even in injured form), Fatima Balza, and Blair Brown is good. So draw your own conclusions. If you're counting, win number 137 in a row, by my count, will be the win that puts The Team in the Final Four (the regional final match in the NCAA tournament, coincidentally, will be played in Rec Hall). Win number 138 in a row, thus, will be the Final Four match. Why does this matter? Only the University of Miami Men's Tennis won more matches in a row than The Team.

Finally, your 2010 Preseason Prospectus. Read it. Live it. Love it (in a non-creepy way).

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