Women’s Volleyball Sets Sights on 2011 NECC Title

For fourth-year head coach Sheila Gisbrecht and the 2011 Elms College women's volleyball team, the quest for the 2011 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) championship will be fueled by a talented group of five upperclassmen and a solid collection of newcomers.

In 2010, Elms made its third straight appearance in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship tournament behind the play of outside hitters Stacy Croteau (Agawam, Mass.) and Jennifer Rego (Fall River, Mass.) who each garnered Second Team All-NECC honors. This season, the Blazers will look to both Croteau and Rego as well as senior opposite/outside hitter Annette Dzidek (Chicopee, Mass.), senior libero Anne Blanchette (Byfield, Mass.) and junior outside hitter Christina Martin (Chicopee, Mass.) to spark Elms' attack.

In addition to a strong corps of returning upperclassmen, the Blazers will also turn to a young, but talented contingent of underclassmen including sophomore setter Ashley Fuller (Amherst, Mass.) who was named the 2010 NECC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-NECC.

Here is a look at how the squad breaks down by position:

Hitters

Croteau is ranked third on the program's all-time kills list with 570 and will look to ignite Elms' offensive attack during the 2011 campaign. She is also tied for second on the program's all-time digs list with 644 and is third all-time in service aces with 122. She leads a veteran group of hitters that includes Dzidek, Martin, Rego and sophomore middle/opposite hitter Rachel Cowan (Ellington, Conn.).

Freshman Jacqueline Brault (Chicopee, Mass.) will see time playing opposite as well as in the middle this season, while classmate Felicia Houle (Agawam, Mass.) will patrol the middle and the outside in 2011.

Sophomore Tricia Hutchinson (Springfield, Mass.) is a third new face in the crowd of Blazers hitters who will provide a force at the net. 

Defensive Specialists/Liberos

Blanchette is the lone upperclassmen in Elms' defensive specialist unit and is coming off a season that saw her tally 119 digs, while freshman Caitlyn Larvey (Greenfield, Mass.) will look to provide some depth in the back row this season.

Setters

Fuller, the reigning NECC Rookie of the Year, totaled 486 assists in 2010 and is ranked third on Elms' all-time assists list. She and Rego will see time directing the Blazers' offense this season as the team embarks on its journey to make its fourth-straight postseason appearance.

2011 Schedule

Elms will compete in two regular season tournaments in 2011, and for the second consecutive season will host the Blazer Challenge Tournament which includes Husson University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and SUNY Cobleskill.

The Blazers will also travel to upstate New York to participate in the Plattsburgh State Tournament in mid September.

Elms fills out the rest of its slate with local non-conference opponents in addition to its traditional NECC schedule which now includes new member Regis College.

Wrap-Up

The 2011 version of the Blazers' women's volleyball team features a talented squad that has a solid blend of upperclassmen and newcomers who will combine speed and athleticism with experience and poise. With that, Elms has set its sights on the 2011 NECC title.