Volleyball Tapped To Share Sun Belt East Title

Aug. 20, 2001

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - On the heels of a 25-8 record and a share of the Sun Belt Conference East Division title last year, the Western Kentucky University volleyball team has been picked to repeat as the 2001 SBC East co-champions, according to a preseason poll of the league's coaches released Monday.

The Lady Toppers and Arkansas-Little Rock each received 45 points and four first-place votes to share top honors in the East, while Denver picked up 55 points and six first-place votes to edge out New Mexico State (53 points) in the SBC West Division. Ironically, the 2001 Sun Belt preseason poll mirrors the finish in both divisions from last season -- WKU and UALR claimed a part of the East title, while Denver outdistanced the field to win the West crown.

In addition to its team honors, Western also placed two players on the preseason all-conference squad. Senior outside hitters Natalie Furry (Normal, Ill./Normal Community HS) and Tara Thomas (Louisville, Ky./Assumption HS) were both named to the unit after earning first-team all-SBC honors a year ago.

Furry led the team and ranked third in the Sun Belt with a .316 hitting percentage and rang up a career-high 10 double-doubles last season. She was also a standout in the classroom, becoming the first player in league history to earn Academic All-America honors.

Thomas was the only Sun Belt athlete selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-South Region Team in 2000, following a blockbuster junior campaign that saw her lead the SBC with 529 kills (4.48 per game) and a whopping 22 double-doubles. She also ranked among the league leaders with 3.46 digs per game and a .278 hitting percentage.

Under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Travis Hudson, Western Kentucky will open the 2001 season Friday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. (CST) against Cleveland State in the opening round of the Rocket Classic in Toledo, Ohio.

-- WKU --

2001 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll    EAST DIVISION           Points    1.  WESTERN KENTUCKY    45 (4)        Arkansas-Little Rock    45 (4)    3.  Arkansas State      35 (3)    4.  Florida International   21    5.  Middle Tennessee    19
    WEST DIVISION           Points    1.  Denver          55 (6)    2.  New Mexico State    53 (3)    3.  Louisiana-Lafayette 48 (1)    4.  New Orleans     40 (1)    5.  North Texas     18    6.  South Alabama       17        (first-place votes in parentheses)

2001 Sun Belt Volleyball Preseason All-Conference TeamMarijana Bego, Arkansas-Little Rock, MB, Sr., 6-4Natalie Furry, Western Kentucky, OH, Sr., 5-10Clarice Golesh, Denver, S, Sr. 5-9Nirvana Kos, Florida International, OH, Jr., 6-2Angela Lobendahn-Peterson, New Mexico State, OH, Sr. 6-1Corina Marginas, North Texas, MB, So., 6-1Jelena Radovanovic, Arkansas-Little Rock, OH, Sr., 5-11Tara Thomas, Western Kentucky, OH, Sr., 5-9
Preseason Player of the YearAngela Lobendahn-Peterson, New Mexico State, OH, Sr. 6-1

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