The dawning of a new era in Drake Volleyball begins on Friday (Aug. 29) as first-year head coach Phil McDaniel will take his team to Huntsville, Texas, to compete in the Comfort Suites Sam Houston State Invitational. The Bulldogs open their campaign with a 9 a.m. encounter with Centenary before winding out their first day of competition versus Ball State at 4:30 p.m. Drake closes out the weekend with a pair of tilts on Saturday (Aug. 30) against the host Bearkats at 11:30 a.m. and then Green Bay at 4:30 p.m. The Bulldogs then open the home portion of their schedule with a 7 p.m. tilt against Western Illinois on Tuesday (Sept. 2).

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Centenary (0-0) comes into play this season looking to make amends for a 2-28 campaign a year ago. The Gents feature one of the youngest rosters in the nation with one senior and 11 newcomers. The lone returning starter is senior middle blocker Ashlee Freeman, who registered 2.78 kills, 0.99 digs and 0.71 block. As a team, Centenary recorded 10.53 kills, 14.32 digs, 9.73 assists and 1.63 blocks per game in 2007.

Ball State (0-0) enters the weekend looking to rebound after a disappointing 5-25 campaign last season, including 4-12 in the Mid-American Conference. Junior outside hitter Julie Breivogel leads two returning starters for the Cardinals. A year ago, Breivogel registered 2.83 kills, while fellow returning starter Elaina Kakatolis averaged 2.39 kills and 0.78 blocks. Ball State has six letterwinners back and welcomes 10 newcomers to this year's roster. As a team, the Cardinals netted 12.11 kills, 17.41 digs, 11.23 assists and 2.39 blocks per frame in 2007.

Sam Houston State (0-0) finished 11-19 a year ago, including a 5-11 mark in the Southland Conference. The Bearkats return five starters and seven letterwinners, led by sophomore outside hitter Brittanie Wallace, who registered 2.75 kills. Senior setter Megan McNamara also returns as the squad's leader in assists, posting 9.7 assists. As a team, Sam Houston State registered 13.26 kills, 18.00 digs, 11.75 assists and 1.91 blocks per frame in 2007.

Green Bay (0-0) concluded the 2007 campaign with a mark of 6-20, including 4-12 in the Horizon League. The Phoenix return five starters and their libero to the court this season. Directing Green Bay's success is Liesl Tesch, who averaged 3.53 kills and 2.00 digs in 2007 as a junior, while senior Megan Elfering recorded a team-best 4.84 digs. The Phoenix as a team recorded 14.61 kills, 18.21 digs, 13.47 assists and 2.29 blocks per game in 2007.

Western Illinois (0-0) compiled a 15-15 overall ledger in 2007, with an 11-5 mark in the Summit League. Senior outside hitter Monique Houston paces the Westerwinds after averaging 2.81 kills and 1.87 digs a season ago. Senior setter Sarah Trimpe returns this fall after posting a team-best 9.82 assists. Western Illinois as a unit registered 14.28 kills, 19.25 digs, 13.30 assists and 2.29 blocks per game in 2007.

SERIES RECORDS
Drake meets Centenary and Ball State for the first time in school history, before tangling with Sam Houston State for only the second time. The Bulldogs own a 1-0 series lead over the Bearkats, posting a 3-0 (15-13, 15-13, 15-11) road win on Oct. 13, 1995.

Drake faces Green Bay for the first of two meetings this season and the ninth time overall with the Bulldogs holding a 6-2 series advantage. Drake bested the Phoenix, 3-0, on Aug. 31 of last season at the Hampton Inn Invitational in the Knapp Center.

The Bulldogs own an 18-14-1 series mark against Western Illinois, with Drake notching a 3-2 road triumph last season on Sept. 16. The two teams will be meeting for the eighth consecutive campaign.

THE COACHES
Dan Gwitt is in his first full campaign as head coach at Centenary after taking over during the 2007 season and leading the Gents to a 1-9 (.100) mark.

Dave Boos is in his second season leading Ball State and has posted a 5-25 (.167) record.

Brenda Gray is in her 25th campaign as head coach at Sam Houston State and has registered a 508-351 (.591) mark.

Debbie Kirch is in her 12th year as head coach at Green Bay and has notched a 117-217 (.350) record.

Kym McKay is in her seventh campaign guiding the Western Illinois program and has posted a 69-110 (.385) record.

Phil McDaniel is in his first season at Drake with the matches this weekend marking his first as a collegiate head coach.

HEAD COACH PHIL MCDANIEL
Phil McDaniel, an assistant coach the last three seasons at South Dakota State, is in his first campaign leading Drake after being named the 10th women's volleyball coach in Bulldog history by athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb on April 7, 2008.

An assistant coach at South Dakota State for three seasons (2005-07), McDaniel helped the Jackrabbits claim the 2007 Summit League title as well as a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

During his tenure in Brookings, S.D., he spearheaded recruiting efforts for the SDSU program as well as monitoring academic progress for the Jackrabbits, who were honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) with its Game Plan/AVCA Team Academic Award in 2005 and 2006.

During his last three years at South Dakota State, McDaniel played a part in helping lead the Jackrabbits to a 63-42 record, including the first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in school history in 2007. He helped further the development of Amy Anderson, the Summit League Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
McDaniel, 34, came to South Dakota State after spending three seasons (2002-04) as an assistant coach at New Mexico State. The Aggies were 86-15 during his tenure and claimed the Sun Belt Conference crown in each of his three campaigns and won berths in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004.

While in Las Cruces, N.M., he coached Stevi Adams (2004 Sun Belt Conference Most Outstanding Player and 2004 AVCA South All-Region Team), Trinia Cuseo (2003 AVCA South All-Region Team and 2003 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention) and Jackie Godber (2003 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and 2003 AVCA South All-Region Team).

In addition to his duties at New Mexico State, McDaniel was head coach of the Diamondback Volleyball Club in Las Cruces.

The Mt. Zion, Ill., native served as head coach at J.H. Rose High School in Greenville, N.C., from 2000-02, where he was twice named as the Big East Conference 4A Coach of the Year (2000 & 2001) in directing the school to a 42-7 ledger. He also served as director of coaches for the East Carolina Junior Volleyball Club.

He earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Culver-Stockton College in 1996 and a master's degree in counselor education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1998.

THOUGHTS FROM THE COACH MCDANIEL
Impression of your team heading into the opening weekend?

“Our team is shaping up nicely as we begin our first week of classes. We have a competitive edge about us that is very exciting. The players are working hard to challenge one another on the court. The reserve players are competing to get on the starting side of the net and the starters know that the reserves are breathing down their necks. As a coach, I appreciate the efforts by all of our players to make the team better.”

Thoughts on opening the season and the competition at the Sam Houston State Invitational?

“The opening tournament down at Sam Houston State will be a very good test for us to begin the season. A couple of the teams are younger in Green Bay and Centenary; while Sam Houston State returns five starters. Ball State is a bit of an unknown with several transfers on their roster. Coach Boos (who I used to play against while at Platteville) is a solid trainer, and it will be interesting to see how that team grows together.”

IN SEASON OPENERS (SINCE 1995)
The Bulldogs will be in search of their first season-opening victory since a 3-1 win over Evansville at the Eastern Illinois Invitational in 2003 when Drake faces Centenary on Friday (Aug. 29). Since 1995, the Bulldogs are 4-9 in season lidlifters, including 4-4 on neutral courts.

IN HOME OPENERS (SINCE 1995)
Drake is eying its initial win in a home opener since downing Iowa, 3-0, in 2003. Since 1995, the Bulldogs are 6-7 in home debuts.

BULLDOGS NAME 2008 CAPTAINS
Juniors Emily Madden (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn) and Chelsea Lauersdorf (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) and sophomore Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) have been selected as team captains for the Drake volleyball squad this season.

Madden appeared in all 30 matches for the Bulldogs a year ago, including making 28 starts. She finished second on team in kills (311), kills per game (2.80), total attacks (1,075), digs (281) and digs per game (2.53).

Lauersdorf overcame injuries to register 6.74 assists, 1.53 digs, 1.34 kills and 0.45 blocks in 25 matches last season, while making 23 starts.

Wittenburg stepped in immediately as a freshman and soared in her role by recording a team-best 3.78 digs per game in 30 matches. Her 423 digs were the third-highest single-season mark in school history.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE CLUB
Chelsea Lauersdorf turned in some remarkable performances last season as she finished tied with Alisha Polite of Indiana State for the MVC lead in triple-doubles with two. Lauersdorf separated herself from Polite, turning the feat in a pair of conference matches. She recorded her first career triple-double with a 30-assist, 22-kill, 10-dig effort in a 3-2 road victory at Bradley. Two matches later, she duplicated the accomplishment with a 22-assist, 11-dig, 10-kill outing in a 3-1 win over Indiana State.

BULLDOG BITES
? The Bulldogs registered 28 double-doubles last season, led by Emily Madden (Furman - Sept. 1; Iowa - Sept. 7; Creighton - Sept. 11; Western Illinois - Sept. 16; Bradley - Sept. 21; Illinois State - Sept. 29; Evansville - Nov. 2; South Dakota State - Nov. 5) with eight; Chelsea Lauersdorf (Iowa - Sept. 7; Creighton - Sept. 11; Western Illinois - Sept. 16; Bradley - Sept. 21; Indiana State - Sept. 28; Southern Illinois - Oct. 5), Bys (Creighton - Sept. 11; Southern Illinois - Oct. 5; Missouri State - Oct. 12; Northern Iowa - Oct. 19; Bradley - Oct. 20; Evansville - Nov. 2; Creighton - Nov. 16) with seven, Sarah Schuster (UMKC - Aug. 28; Green Bay - Aug. 31; Furman - Sept. 1; Wichita State - Oct. 13; Evansville - Nov. 2) with six; and one courtesy of Samantha Nelson (Western Illinois - Sept. 16).
? The Bulldogs garnered 12 performances of 20 or more kills in a match last season, led by Bys, who did the feat versus Iowa (Sept. 7), Western Illinois (Sept. 16), Illinois State (Sept. 29), Southern Illinois (Oct. 5), Missouri State (Oct. 12), Northern Iowa (Oct. 19), Bradley (Oct. 20) and Evansville (Nov. 2). She is joined by Madden (Western Illinois - Sept. 16; Illinois State - Sept. 29), freshman Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa/East) , who matched her feat against Western Illinois (Sept. 16) and Lauersdorf, who did so against Bradley (Sept. 21).
? Lauersdorf has registered 1,147 career assists, good for 10th place all-time.

BY THE NUMBERS
Drake found varying degrees of success by game last season. The Bulldogs finished 6-7 in game four, 11-19 in game two, 7-23 in game one, 8-22 in game three and 3-5 in the deciding game five.

BULLDOGS SELECTED EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL
The Missouri Valley Conference released its preseason volleyball poll on Aug. 21 and Drake was selected eighth in a vote of the league's coaches.

The Bulldogs garnered 31 points in the poll, just three points behind Evansville (34 points) for the seventh position.

Wichita State was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 91 points, receiving four first-place votes, and was followed by Northern Iowa (84 points, two first-places votes), Creighton (81 points, three first-place votes), Missouri State (73 points, one first-place vote), Illinois State (67 points) and Southern Illinois (52 points). Rounding out the poll was Bradley (25 points) and Indiana State (12 points).

WINS VERSUS LOSSES
In their seven victories last season, the Bulldogs averaged 15.36 kills, 16.04 digs and 14.00 assists per match, while limiting the opposition to 13.25 kills, 15.61 digs and 12.29 assists a contest. Conversely, in its 23 setbacks, Drake averaged 12.93 kills, 14.77 digs and 11.69 assists per match, while seeing the opposition register 16.13 kills, 16.95 digs and 14.49 assists.

IN OUR LAST MEETINGS
Drake 3, Sam Houston State 0
In the first match of a three-tilt Texas road trip, the Bulldogs registered a 3-0 (15-13, 15-13, 15-11) victory over the Bearkats on Oct. 13, 1995, in Huntsville, Texas.

Drake 3, Green Bay 0
The difference between winning and losing is often the little fundamentals which a team can overlook in the heat of competition. Drake responded to the adversity of its season-opening setback to UMKC on Aug. 28, 2007 as the Bulldogs fired on all cylinders in a 3-0 (30-22, 30-23, 30-24) triumph over Green Bay in the opener of the Hampton Inn Invitational on Aug. 31, 2007 at the Knapp Center.

The Blue and White dominated the pace of play as the Bulldogs registered a .227 attack mark, while limiting the Phoenix to a .097 hitting percentage. Drake bettered in the Phoenix in kills (48-38), assists (44-35), service aces (3-1) and digs (62-52).

The Bulldogs executed their individual roles from the start of the match to its conclusion, as Drake didn't trail by more than three points the entire evening. The Blue and White rode momentum to 30-22 and 30-23 triumphs in game one and two, respectively, before recording 12 of the final 17 tallies in game three to overcome a 19-18 deficit to take the stanza, 30-24.

Turning in her second consecutive stellar performance was Angela Bys, who registered a .400 attack mark en route to posting 11 kills. Senior Samantha Nelson chipped in a match-high 13 kills, while Mikayla Sims smacked down 10 kills.

The fuel that drove the Bulldogs' engine in their victory was a 24-dig performance from Alana Wittenburg. Her efforts allowed senior Sarah Schuster to distribute a match-best 38 assists, en route to her fifth straight double-double as she added 11 digs. Joining Wittenburg and Schuster with double-digit digs was Emily Madden, with 13.

Drake 3, Western Illinois 2
Emily Madden's career-best 29-kill, 16-dig effort provided the spark Drake (3-9) needed to snap a seven-match losing streak with a come-from-behind 3-2 (37-35, 20-30, 26-30, 30-13, 21-19) victory at Western Illinois (3-8) on Sept. 16, 2007.

Madden was one of three Bulldogs to register a double-double in the affair, being joined by a 76-assist, 11-dig contribution from Chelsea Lauersdorf and Samantha Nelson's 14-kill, 18-dig effort.

Madden, Sims and Bys directed the Blue and White in triumph with 29, 22 and 20 kills, respectively. Five Bulldogs recorded double figures in digs, with Lindsay Schryver (Williams Bay, Wis./Williams Bay) matching a career best with 19 digs. Joining her in double digits was Nelson, Madden, Alana Wittenburg and Lauersdorf with 18, 16, 14 and 11 digs.

Drake concluded the affair recording a .225 hitting percentage, while the Westerwinds attacked the ball at a .202 clip. The Bulldogs finished with an advantage statistically in kills (90-67), assists (83-63), digs (96-85), while blocks were all square at nine apiece. Western Illinois registered nine service aces to seven by the Blue and White.

UP NEXT
Drake travels to Green Bay, Wis., to compete in the four-team Green Bay Comfort Inn and Suites Classic. The Bulldogs open tournament play against the host Phoenix on Sept. 5 before battling Northern Arizona and Fresno State on Sept. 6.