Headlines 2009

 

11/30/09  Kelsey Chipman: All-Big 12
Sports Information announced today the selection of senior middle blocker Kelsey Chipman to the 2009 All-Big 12 team. You'll also want to have a look at the announcement on the Big 12's site. In conference matches, Kelsey ended the season #2 in blocks at 1.23 per set. She was #6 in hitting percentage, at .323, and #10 in service aces, at .23 per set. She's been turning in big numbers throughout her K-State career, and while she was at it, made Academic All-Big 12 three times.
11/30/09  Kelsey Chipman: Big 12 Player of the Week!
In the last round of Players o' the Week, the Big 12 announced that Kelsey Chipman was selected for her defensive play, probably in no small part for the seven blocks (four solo) she laid on Nebraska the other day. The announcement from Sports Information points out that the Cats' total 17 blocks in the Nebraska match was the most they'd allowed in 11 years. As of December 2, by the way, Kelsey is 2nd in the Big 12 in blocks. Thanks to Kelsey for her tremendous contributions to her teams throughout her four years!
11/29/09  NCAA Tournament
Here's a text version of the NCAA Tournament pairings and locations. The NCAA's interactive bracket allows you to mouse over pairings to learn more. I've kept my own NCAA Tournament bracket since 2000. It will be updated on each day of play, December 3 - 19. I must say that the NCAA does a much better job these days of updating their bracket promptly.

Regular visitors to Ahearn Field House who made the tournament include: Baylor, Iowa State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas and Wichita State. The committee went straight through the list of the top six teams in the Big 12.

11/29/09  K-State closes its season with a win over Texas Tech
You had to know Texas Tech was hungry for a victory, and would come to compete. The Red Raiders have gone 0-40 in the Big 12 in the past two seasons, and 1-59 in the past three. Set one was a battle, with almost equal hitting percentages (.196 to .189), leading to a final score of 31-29 in favor of the Cats. Set two would be a different story, as the Cats outhit Tech, .367 to .000, winning 25-13. Any volleyball fan knows to watch out after a set with that lopsided a score. The Cats lost set three, 25-16, but came back stronger to win the fourth set, 25-22.

JuliAnne Chisholm and Kathleen Ludwig led in scoring with 18.5 each, followed by the now-legendary Kelsey Chipman, with 15 points. Kathleen hit .250, had seven digs, five block assists, and tossed in three service aces. She'll probably register a triple-double sometime next season. JuliAnne hit a very solid .318, leading the team with 17 kills. The team combined for nine aces in the match.

Lauren Mathewson had another big defensive morning/early afternoon, as she finished with 29 digs. Caitlyn Donahue was busy as well, with 16 digs.

Thanks, Cats, for another fun season. We have some great talent coming back. We'll miss you in the off-season.

11/25/09  Cats give the Huskers all they can handle
Nebraska squeaked by K-State tonight in Ahearn Field House, 32-30, 26-24, 25-22. This one was a classic. For example, in set 1 there were 16 tie scores and seven lead changes. In set 2, there were 15 tie scores and two lead changes. Blocking was the story of the match. K-State had 17 to NU's six, led by Kelsey and Alex, each with six block assists. Sports Information reports that Kelsey's four solo blocks amounted to second-place in the record books for three sets. In her last match in Ahearn, Kelsey led the Cats with 12 points. While the Cats scared Nebraska to death in November of 2007, 2-3, in some ways this seemed as close as we have played them since sweeping them in 2003, our championship year. This match is sure to provide some motivation and food for thought during spring training. I was very proud of our team tonight.
11/24/09  Time change for the Texas Tech game on Nov. 28
The season finale for the Cats on Saturday has been moved from 3:30 P.M. to 11:45 A.M. I assume that means radio coverage will begin at 11:15 A.M.
11/23/09  JuliAnne Chisholm is an Academic All-American!
Our junior outside hitter from Hillsboro has been named to the ESPN Magazine Academic All-America Volleyball Team. She has a 4.000 in pre-medicine. Here's the announcement from Sports Information.




11/21/09  Cats observe Senior Day with a victory over Colorado
First things first... that is to recognize three seniors for their tremendous contributions to the program. Middle blocker Kelsey Chipman, setter Sori Pacheco and manager Melissa Watson were honored this afternoon. The Cats were in control of each set, with no lead changes and only one tie score. K-State recorded at least double Colorado's hitting percentage in each set, and .280 to .122 for the match. Not surprisingly, Kelsey Chipman led the match with 16 points (hitting .444), followed by Kathleen Ludwig (hitting .333) with 10.5 and Vanessa Murray (hitting .308) with 10 points. Kathleen had three ace serves. Nebraska's next up for the Cats, on Wednesday.
11/17/09  Four Cats named Academic All-Big 12









The Big 12 Conference announced its All-Big 12 Academic honorees today. Abby Fay, Kelsey Chipman, JuliAnne Chisholm and Lauren Mathewson are on the list. JuliAnne has a 4.0!! Abby has a 3.8. Here's the announcement from Sports Information. Nice work, ladies.
11/14/09  Iowa State gets by K-State
The Cats gave the Cyclones (#8 AVCA) all they wanted in the first two sets tonight, recording scores of 25-19 and 25-19, before losing ground in the third set, falling 25-10. It seemed as if Iowa State was digging very efficiently. The box score tends to support my feeling, as they outdug the Cats 64-47. The Cats started competitive in each set, but eventually lost ground. There were 19 tie scores and 10 lead changes in the match. But, while at least two of the scores seemed quite competitive, Iowa State outhit K-State .306 to .090 for the match. Alex Muff was the most efficient on offense, hitting .400 with zero errors, adding six points. Blocking was an issue, with Iowa State logging 13 block assists to K-State's four. Attendance was excellent at 2,369, especially considering that a women's basketball game was being played concurrently. I hope the Cats understand from that number that their fans are 100% behind them!
11/12/09  Senior Day set
K-State Volleyball has announced a time change for the Colorado match on November 21, from 7 P.M. to 2 P.M. This will be Senior Day for middle blocker Kelsey Chipman, setter Soriana Pacheco and manager Melissa Watson.
11/11/09  Caitlyn Donahue has a strong performance in Lawrence
While the outcome of the match in The Shanty was not what we'd hoped for, we want to recognize Caitlyn Donahue. Once again, the versatility of the high school All-American was highlighted tonight. Caitlyn played extensively in the match, with both defensive and offensive duties. She had 26 attacks, and contributed a team-high 13.5 points on .346 hitting. We're very fortunate to have such a skilled player with us for another three seasons. Kelsey Chipman was next on the list in hitting percentage at .333. She totaled 10.5 points. Overall, the Squawks outhit the Cats .314 to .222. Set scores were 25-19, 25-19 and 25-23. We love you, Cats. Keep after it!
11/09/09  Lauren Mathewson: Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
Here's the announcement from the conference on Lauren's selection: "Lauren Mathewson, Kansas State, L, Jr., 5-6, Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill South — Mathewson tallied a school-record 41 digs in a five-set victory over No. 23 Texas A&M in Manhattan. The Wildcats battled back from an 11-6 deficit in the fifth set to win the match. The Kansas City, Mo. native followed that performance with 19 digs in four sets against Texas Tech on Sunday. Mathewson also contributed three aces in KSU's sweep of the Red Raiders. For the week, she averaged a Big 12-leading 6.67 digs and 0.33 aces. Mathewson has posted 15 or more digs in seven of the last eight matches and 5.95 digs per set during that time. She is tied for seventh on the career digs list at K-State with 1,121.
11/08/09  Volleyball Cats defeat Texas Tech
Kathleen Ludwig led all scorers with 22½ points, as she hit .433, recorded seven digs, had seven block assists and even a couple of service aces. Kelsey Chipman had her usual fine match, contributing 14½ points on .522 hitting! Alex Muff had a solid offensive day, too, with 11½ points and .385 hitting. She had seven block assists. The second set was relatively close in scoring, 25-17, but the Cats outhit Tech .312 to .000. The Red Raiders had had enough at that point, and came back in set three to outhit K-State .407 to .235 and win it. That set didn't set well with the Cats, who turned up the burners and outhit Tech .625 to .107, winning the fourth set 25-13. Good luck against the Squawks on Wednesday, Cats!
11/04/09  Cats defeat #23 Texas A&M 112 to 108
   Nice job, Cats! I'm no kind of volleyball expert. I look at the game by the numbers quite a bit. While I didn't have the box score in front of me during the match, I could see the scoreboard. The Cats were leading in total points at the end of each set. They went into set five leading 96-94. I felt that if they could keep their confidence and composure they could put this one away, and that's just what they did! Kelsey Chipman led the team in points at 23.5. She hit a blistering .500 with zero errors. JuliAnne Chisholm came in next on offense, with 20.5 points. Lauren Mathewson played the very best match of her career, I thought. She registered an amazing 41 digs, breaking the K-State record, and coming within one of the Big 12 record. Sori Pacheco tied her career record with 61 assists! I also want to salute Caitlyn Donahue, who moved to the front row in the last part of the match, adding 7.5 points on .500 hitting!

This was the Cats' first victory over a ranked team at home in two years. Tonight's ranked opponent, A&M, defeated Nebraska in September. The legendary Jack Hartman, who coached Kelsey's dad 25 years ago, often used the phrase "find a way to win," and that's what our determined Wildcats did tonight. They were behind 6-11 in the fifth set before putting together a 5-1 run. By the way, Coach Hartman also talked a lot about anticipating, and knowing where you are on the court. Lauren Mathewson did a fine job of that tonight. Finally, thanks to Suzie Fritz for a tremendous job of coaching.

Don't forget that the Cats' next action is on Sunday the 8th at 6 P.M.

10/31/09  A wild and crazy Halloween in Oklahoma
JuliAnne led the match in scoring in Norman this afternoon with 23 points, hitting .236. She had an incredible 72 attacks! Kelsey Chipman was next with 14.5 points. She hit a very solid .297. Overall, Oklahoma outhit the Cats, .246 to .182. Lauren Mathewson tied a career-high 30 digs. Some of the sets were totally back and forth. The match had 38 tie scores and 12 lead changes. Set one was nuts, with the final score 31-29. Ultimately, Oklahoma prevailed, 3-1. Keep on sawing wood, Cats. Some good things happened in this match.
10/21/09  Cats victorious in the Rockies
   Kelsey Chipman delivered a match-high 20 points in a 3-1 victory over Colorado. She hit an amazing .696, by the way! Freshman Alex Muff had a career night, adding 12 points on excellent .435 hitting. Overall, K-State hit .248, to Colorado's .154. Lauren Mathewson had an excellent defensive outing, with 25 digs. This moved her into ninth place in the all-time book 'o digs. JuliAnne Chisholm was a major contributor, with 17.5 points, and Vanessa Murray had 11.5 points. Soriana Pacheco had 48 of the Cats' 53 assists. Kacia Turner played her first K-State match tonight, with action in one set. Thanks, Cats, for a nice performance out west!
10/14/09  Abby Fay hits 1.000 in the Cats' victory over Missouri
K-State got past a very good Missouri team tonight, by way of aggressive serving and some long rallies. Kelsey Chipman led with 17.5 points, hitting an excellent .394. Kathleen Ludwig added 16 points, hitting .256. Vanessa Murray and JuliAnne Chisholm each contributed 12.5 points. In game 4, Lauren Mathewson had seven straight serves, helping the Cats seal the victory. Caitlyn Donahue was on fire tonight, with several outstanding plays. She led with 22 digs. Soriana Pacheco had 16 digs, and Lauren added 15. Attendance was an excellent 2,160. The Cats were outhit slightly by the Tigers, but won the match by being able to string points together and get some momentum swings. Bring on the Hawks!
10/02/09  K-State plays #2 Texas close
K-State made the Longhorns earn their victory Friday night, in a 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 outcome. My fan friends all believed that this was the Cats' best performance of the season. By the way, in spite of Friday night football and the beginning of fall break, 1,675 were in Ahearn for this great match. Vanessa Murray led with 12.5 points on .364 hitting. Kathleen Ludwig added 10.5 points, hitting an impressive .350. JuliAnne Chisholm also added 10.5 points. Kelsey Chipman hit .250. It's important to note that the Cats hit .300 for the match, and the best a Texas opponent had produced to date was .250. (Texas hit .392.) I said to Dan, sitting next to me, that with the gigantic players Texas puts on the court, we needed to surprise them with our attacks. I really think the Cats did just that on many occasions. There were nine lead changes in the match. Lauren Mathewson led the defense with 12 digs. The Cats need to take a look at serving. There were nine service errors. Given the difference of only 13 points in the set scores, this will probably be a focus over the days to come. It was nice to see Alex Muff get a start, by the way. I saw every game her dad played in Ahearn, back in the day. She hit .667 in her first start.
9/08/09  K-State handles South Dakota
JuliAnne Chisholm led the team with 22.5 points and .463 hitting in a 3-1 victory over a good South Dakota team. Kelsey Chipman also had a strong night, hitting .400, adding 13 points and three aces. The Cats were outhit by 0.2% in set one, escaping with a 25-22 outcome. Set two was a different story, with K-State hitting .308 to South Dakota's -.032, resulting in a score of 25-15. The scale tipped slightly in the Coyotes' favor in set three, as they won 25-23. Set four was impressive for the Cats offensively, hitting .480 vs. .130, leading to a score of 25-14. Attendance tonight was a solid 1,433.
9/05/09  Cats bring home the Brigham Young invitational trophy
Kelsey Chipman earned MVP honors in the Brigham Young Nike Classic as the Cats outlasted BYU, 3-2 in Provo. Our senior middle blocker led the match with 22 points, hitting .405, and over .400 for the weekend. Suzie Fritz cited Lauren Mathewson's defensive leadership as she registered 22 digs, and Caitlyn Donahue added 21, along with 17.5 points. Kathleen Ludwig and JuliAnne Chisholm each had 16 points. Soriana Pacheco and JuliAnne Chisholm were also named to the all-tournament team. It was a long match, at 2 hours and 15 minutes, which I presumed after repeated efforts to find the score! The week's four wins should solidify the Cats' place in the AVCA poll on Monday.
9/05/09  Cats over Cal Poly 3-1 at Brigham Young
JuliAnne Chisholm had an outstanding morning vs. Cal Poly at the Brigham Young invitational. How about 18 kills with one error, for .415 hitting? She added a match-high 18 points. Kelsey Chipman was definitely part of the winning formula, as she hit .478, with 16.5 points. Freshman Caitlyn Donahue contributed 13.5 points and six digs, and Kathleen Ludwig had nine points. Game three was huge for the Cats, as they hit .438 as a team. Lauren Mathewson led on defense, with 15 digs. Coach Fritz credited effective passing as a key to the Cats' success.
9/04/09  Chipman leads the Cats past Weber State
K-State's own Kelsey Chipman hit .667 and had 15.5 points in a sweep of Weber State in Provo tonight. JuliAnne Chisholm had a big evening, with 12 kills, .290 hitting and 13 points, and Kathleen Ludwig hit an excellent .471 in on the way to 11.5 points. Lauren Mathewson led the defense with 14 digs. Sori Pacheco added nine digs, and Kathleen Ludwig had six. Coach Fritz singled out Sori's play in setting up Kelsey.

The Cats hit .356, while holding Weber State to .186. Up next is Cal Poly at 11 A.M. CDT on Sept. 5.

8/28/09  Cats drop a barnburner with Minnesota
Kathleen Ludwig had an incredible first match for the Cats, in the season opener vs. #11 Minnesota in Omaha. She hit a solid .267, led the team with 25 points, and logged five service aces and five digs. JuliAnne Chisholm was huge for the Cats, with 21.5 points, .264 hitting and some big plays at critical times. Lauren Mathewson was digging all over the place, totaling 27 for the match. Not only that... she added three aces!

A bit of a late start was an issue, as the game scores were 25-19, 25-16, 29-31, 24-26 and 15-11. The Cats are not afraid of playing top-notch teams early in the season, and this approach has served them well in the past. Next up is #16 Michigan, who stunned #3 Nebraska this evening in the Qwest Center.

8/19/09  Reserved seating's available for home games.
In a release today, the athletic department announced that fans can come early (as in at 5:30 p.m.) to the games on September 1 and 8 and claim a reserved seat for the 2009 season. A season ticket is required. It's first-come, first-served. Follow the links elsewhere on this site for ticket purchase information.
8/18/09  Cats predicted #22 in the preseason AVCA poll
The AVCA posted the Coaches' Preseason Poll today. Penn State scooped up most of the first-place votes, with Texas in second place, Nebraska in third place, and Jim McLaughlin's Washington Huskies in fourth. The Big 12's also represented by Iowa State at #13 and K-State at #22. Texas A&M, Missouri, Baylor and Oklahoma were RV. As usual, KU didn't receive a single vote in this poll.
8/13/09  Cats predicted as sixth in the Big 12
It seems we'll be taking the Big 12 by surprise. K-State, the team with the third-most wins in the history of the Big 12 Conference, has been picked to come in sixth. Seriously... after Texas A&M? After Baylor? We shall see. Here's something that won't surprise you: Kelsey Chipman is on the preseason all-conference team.
6/28/09  Suzie's coaching T-ball this summer.
Coach Fritz is back from coaching the A2 team, but for a little while, she's coaching T-ball instead of volleyball, with younger son Jake on the team. Here's the story in the Mercury.
6/26/09  Jeff Hulsmeyer named assistant coach
Suzie Fritz has announced that Jeff Hulsmeyer will replace Justin Ingram as assistant coach. He has had several coaching positions, including Georgetown College, Arkansas State (where Justin is now), Western Kentucky and four years as head coach at Purdue. Here's the release from Sports Information, and a story in the Manhattan Mercury. Best wishes to Coach Jeff for an enjoyable and successful stay in Manhattan!
4/22/09  Justin Ingram is moving south
It is with sadness that I report that Assistant Coach Justin Ingram has left the program. On April 17, Justin was named the head coach of the Arkansas State Red Wolves volleyball program. Here's the official announcement.

Justin was a tremendous recruiter, and a very successful offensive coordinator for the Cats. I had the opportunity to visit with him several times over recent years. He was always happy to take a little time and talk volleyball with me, and he had no need to do so... he just took the time because he's a real good guy.

I want to wish Coach Ingram the very best of everything as he begins his head coaching career in northeast Arkansas, and I congratulate the folks at Arkansas State on a very smart choice.

2/06/09  KC to be site of 2010 NCAA volleyball championship
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City will be the site of the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship. The NCAA made the announcement Friday for the event that will be staged Dec. 16 & 18, 2010 at Sprint Center. The championship will be held in conjunction with the American Volleyball Coaches Association annual convention. Last December, the championship drew a record crowd of 17,430 for the semifinals in Omaha, Neb., a lineup that included Nebraska against Penn State. The two largest draws in the history of the event were in 2008 and 2006, both tournaments at the Qwest Center in Omaha.