Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UNC Wilmington Athletics

Scoreboard

Events/Results

2018 Volleyball Team horizontal

Women's Volleyball Tom Riordan

VB Preview: #12 Illinois / Northern Colorado and #25 Colorado State

WIMINGTON, N.C. – Head Coach Amy Bambenek and her UNCW Seahawks visit the state of Colorado this week when they open their 10th season under Bambenek's direction on Friday against 12th-ranked Illinois in Fort Collins, Colo.

The Seahawks also play Northern Colorado and 25th-ranked Colorado State during the trip. Northern Colorado hosts UNCW on Friday night before the Seahawks head back to Fort Collins for a Saturday match against CSU.
 
 COVERAGE AT UNCWSPORTS.COM
All matches can be followed via live stats
Matches against Northern Colorado and Colorado State will be streamed
 
 QUOTABLE
"When the opportunity arises for our program to play outside of our region, we make it a point to play near the hometowns of players," said Bambenek. "Opening the season in Colorado adds an extra element of excitement, and knowing we will face two top-25 teams has kept the team focused and training hard these past few weeks. Anything is possible when it's early in the season with nothing to lose and everything to gain from this experience."
 
 ABOUT UNCW
UNCW posted an 11-17 mark in 2017 and returns five seniors, including four starters. The lone non-senior starter is sophomore Brynn Montgomery, who earned Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie honors while seeing time as UNCW's setter and at rightside hitter.

Joining Montgomery, a native of Fort Collins, Colo., are libero Katie McCullough, middle Anna Moss and outside hitters Halle Hunt and Maddy Kline.

Montgomery ranked fourth in the CAA as a rookie, averaging 6.73 assists per set. McCullough, who began her career as an outside hitter, continued her transition to libero, finishing sixth in the conference with 4.05 digs per set. Moss, who battled nagging injuries her junior season, managed to post 1.08 blocks per set, ranking seventh in the league. Hunt paced the nine-team circuit in serving at 0.44 aces per set.

The Seahawks topped UNCG in their lone exhibition match, 3-1. Hunt led the Seahawks with 15 kills as dropped the first set to win the next three.
 
 OPPONENTS
Illinois enters the season ranked 12th in the AVCA preseason poll and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season. The Fighting Illini was picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten, the toughest conference in the nation, and is led by preseason All-Big Ten selections, Ali Bastianelli and Jordyn Poulter.

Northern Colorado was picked sixth in the preseason Big Sky Conference poll. The Bears return just three seniors and are looking to freshman class of six to make immediate contributions.

UNCW sophomore Anna Weissmann, who hails from nearby Loveland, Colo., is familiar with the UNC program. Her older sister Kim was a four-time letter winner for the UNC program and concluded her career win the Bears last season.

Colorado State rounds out the opening weekend for the Seahawks. The Rams were picked to win the West Division of the Mountain West Conference and had four players selected to the preseason All-MWC team. Setter Katie Oleksak, a junior, was the MWC Player-of-the-Year in 2017 as the Rams reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
 NEXT UP
The Seahawks compete against Norfolk State, Penn and Georgetown at the Hoya Invitational (Aug. 31 – Sept. 1)
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Halle Hunt

#13 Halle Hunt

OH
5' 10"
Senior
Maddy Kline

#9 Maddy Kline

OH
6' 1"
Senior
Katie McCullough

#16 Katie McCullough

OH
5' 10"
Senior
Brynn Montgomery

#8 Brynn Montgomery

S
5' 11"
Sophomore
Anna Moss

#4 Anna Moss

MB
6' 0"
Senior
Anna Weissmann

#2 Anna Weissmann

L
5' 7"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Halle Hunt

#13 Halle Hunt

5' 10"
Senior
OH
Maddy Kline

#9 Maddy Kline

6' 1"
Senior
OH
Katie McCullough

#16 Katie McCullough

5' 10"
Senior
OH
Brynn Montgomery

#8 Brynn Montgomery

5' 11"
Sophomore
S
Anna Moss

#4 Anna Moss

6' 0"
Senior
MB
Anna Weissmann

#2 Anna Weissmann

5' 7"
Sophomore
L