UMES Hawks Volleyball Earns 1st Trip to NCAA Tourney; MEAC Champions!!

BALTIMORE, MD -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship for the first time ever with a five-set victory over Florida A&M (15-25, 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-12) at the Physical Education Complex at Coppin State University.

With the win, UMES has earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks continue their winning streak with their 19th straight victory, improving to 24-6. Florida A&M falls to 13-13.

After Kaveinga Lea'Aetoa (Salt Lake City, Utah) earned the first kill of the match, the Rattlers came strong with a 5-0 run with two aces from Maria Ceccarelli. FAMU built up an 18-6 lead in the game. UMES took five of the next six points including aces from Lea'Aetoa and Zoe Bowens (Long Beach, Calif.) and a kill and two blocks from Ndidi Ibe (North Richland, Texas), but ultimately it was not enough as the Rattlers won set one 25-15.

Game two started back and forth as the score was tied at five each. The Hawks put together a 3-0 run capped by a Lea'Aetoa ace for an 8-5 lead. UMES kept a lead when the Rattlers took three of four points late to get within three at 17-14. The Hawks surged ahead with five straight points including kills from Victoria Williams (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Maline Vaitai (Salt Lake City, Utah), plus a Bowens ace, to take a 22-14 lead. UMES took the set 25-17 to even the match.

At 4-4 in the third game, Saitaua Iosia (Long Beach, Calif.) went to work on a personal 3-0 run with a kill and two aces for a 7-4 UMES lead. The Hawks did not allow any back-to-back points against them until the Rattlers got two to put UMES's lead at 17-14. After FAMU got to within one at 19-18, Iosia got a kill and solo block to put the advantage back to three. At 22-20 UMES, the Hawks took three of the final four points, including two kills from Vaitai, to win the set 25-22 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

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UMES Announces 2011 Recruiting Class

Hawks adds four transfers, five freshmen to four-time defending MEAC Northern Division champion

Princess Anne, MD - UMES head volleyball coach Don Metil has announced the addition of nine players for the 2011 season, joining five returners from last year after the Hawks won the MEAC Northern Division for the fourth time in a row.

"UMES will definitely have a different look on the court this upcoming season," says Metil, "we will need our recruiting class to make an immediate impact due to the loss of Samantha Chukwura and Stephanie Sierra."

Four players join the Hawks with collegiate experience plus five freshmen will suit up at the college level for the first time.

Coming from Indiana State University, Auriel Armstrong (Long Beach, Calif.) transfers to UMES with two years of eligibility remaining. With the Sycamores, the 6-2 middle blocker played in 31 matches in 2010, leading the team in solo blocks with 14 and finishing with 69 total. She also notched 177 kills with a hitting percentage of .224 plus 22 aces and 95 digs.

"I saw Auriel play in 2009 for MLB out of California and wanted her to join us then. Now that she's decided to finish her career with us, she'll make an immediate impact with her athleticism, ability to play back-row, aggressive serve, and her setting ability."

Also providing a boost at the middle blocker position, Ndidi Ibe (North Richland, Texas) joins UMES after two years with the United States Naval Academy. The 6-0 junior started 25 matches last season with 28 appearances overall, leading the Mids and ranking third in the Patriot League in total blocks with 96, also adding 174 kills. Last year, UMES defeated Navy 3-2 during the Kristen Dickmann Memorial Tournament in Annapolis, with Ibe notching 14 kills and eight blocks against the Hawks.

"When we played Navy in 2010, Ndidi hurt us offensively, so when the opportunity became available that she could join us, I definitely wanted her to be playing for us, and not against us."

Corey Haynes (Falls Church, Va.) will look to boost the setter position, coming in with junior standing after two years at St. Peter's College. She is the tallest setter to play for Coach Metil at UMES, standing at 6-3. Hayes played in all 31 matches for the Peahens in 2010, starting 29 of them, leading the squad with 436 assists. She contributed in a variety of ways, including offensively with 160 kills and 18 aces and defensively with 72 blocks and 218 digs.

"Corey touches a great ball and has the height we have needed in this position for a long time. She has experience running 5-1 as well as 6-2 which will give us some flexibility in our offensive systems we plan on using."

Rounding out the transfers is Raquel Rogers (Baltimore, Md.), the lone representative from the state of Maryland. Coming from CCBC-Essex, the 5-9 Rogers will contribute as an outside hitter. For the Knights in 2009, Rogers contributed 186 kills and dug out 171.

"Raquel has worked hard to become a part of the Hawk program, and we look for her to contribute on the right and left sides."

Saitaua Iosia (Long Beach, Calif.) will join the Hawks as a freshman, coming from the same high school as Zoe Bowens, Long Beach Poly. The 5-10 hitter led the Jackrabbits, ranked as high as #3 in the nation, to the state finals, averaging 12 kills and digs a match and will help bolster the outside.

"Sa has played club ball for MLB and TCA as well as for a highly success high school team and brings international experience, too. She jumps well, hits a very heavy ball, plays all the way around, and is a true leader. Sa has the skill set and drive to be one of the best athletes to come through our program here at UMES."

Also hailing from California, Victoria Williams (Los Angeles, Calif.) will play her first season for UMES. The tallest outside hitter on the team at 6-3, the left-handed Williams, who also played for TCA, will contribute primarily from the right side and is in her second year in Princess Anne.

"Tori trained off the court during the 2010 campaign and made huge gains. She is long, lean, left-handed, powerful, jumps well over 10' and is an incredible blocker. She could potentially develop into a key six-rotational player."

Finishing out the freshman outside hitters, Emily Shannon (Cross Junction, Va.) joins the maroon and grey standing six feet tall. She was the first player in James Wood High School history to record 1,000 kills, getting 344 her final season, and was named to the 2010 Winchester Star All-Area Volleyball Team.

"Emily jumps well, hits a heavy ball, is a primary S/R passer, and a six rotational player. Emily is level-headed on the court and will give us some consistency on the outside. She also has experience in the middle which gives us the flexibility to do some creative plays offensively."

With the final freshmen of the class, the Hawks bring in two international players to boost the team's strengths.

Hailing from America's neighbor up north, Jessie Vicic (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada) arrives in Princess Anne after playing for the Forest Heights Collegiate Institute, leading the Trojans to league championships all four seasons plus earning First Team All-Star status in Central Ontario. At 5-9, Vicic was the primary setter for the KW Predators in Ontario.

"Jessie has the drive, determination, ability and knowledge to run our offense. She has been trained by some well-known, respected individuals of the game, and her experience, even though a freshman, will prove invaluable to our success."

The final player of the class is Nadja Nemeth (Bettlach, Switzerland), becoming the second European player to suit up for Coach Metil, the other being Karin Vikterlof from Sweden in 2009. The 5-9 Nemeth, coming from Kantonsschule Solothurn, will serve as a utility player for the Hawks. She played in the Swiss Junior Championships, where her teams took first place three times.

"Nadja has played at a very high international level and has great S/R passing, is defensively quick, and shows great range when attacking. Nadja will be an integral part of our team play and will swing from both pins."

With these nine newcomers joining a team that went 20-12 last season and won the MEAC Northern Division, the future looks bright for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

"I'm eager to see the growth in this young squad," says Metil, "This team has the potential to achieve some of the best results since my time here at UMES."

By UMES Sports Information

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