Sept. 1, 2000
Four teams will arrive, six games will be played, and one champion will be crowned. The 2000 Wildcat Classic kicks off at 4:30 PM on September 1st at Villanova University. The round robin tournament will be held over two days, Friday and Saturday, with each team playing three games.
THE SCHEDULE
Friday Sept. 1 4:30 PM Villanova vs. Rider
Friday Sept. 1 7:00 PM American vs. Akron
Saturday Sept. 2 10:00 AM American vs. Villanova
Saturday Sept. 2 12:00 PM Akron vs. Rider
Saturday Sept. 2 2:00 PM Villanova vs. Akron
Saturday Sept. 2 4:30 PM American vs. Rider
THE VENUE
In its third season, the Wildcat Classic is annually held in the Jake Nevin Field House. Officially opened on April 1, 1932 as the Villanova Field House, the Field House was renamed to honor long-time Wildcat Athletic trainer John "Jake" Nevin on November 22, 1985. Once the home of both the Wildcat men's and women's basketball teams, the building is currently home to the women's volleyball squad, as well as administrative offices and training facilities. Originally built at a cost of $350,000, the field house has hosted Villanova's commencement exercises, numerous high school commencements, concerts, lectures, funerals, masses, dances, and plays.
UPGRADES
In the summer of 2000 the Jake Nevin Field House experienced several changes. The most significant was a complete refinishing of the floor with a new Villanova logo at center court. In addition, new office space was added at the rear of the stage that houses the volleyball office. Also, the stage itself was refinished as well.
"The enhancements made to Nevin Field House are going to be a boost to both our current players and prospective student-athletes. These improvements show that Villanova is committed to having a successful volleyball program," volleyball Head Coach Heather Hoehn said of the renovations.
VILLANOVA'S TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
Look for the Wildcats to build on their 9-21 campaign in 1999. The key to their success will be filling the voids left by graduated senior Stacey Moline at setter and medical redshirt Erin Birunas at right side hitter. Hoehn expects 6-1 junior Libby Sybilrud to fill in for Birunas and senior Erin Pfotzer and a pair of freshmen to see time at setter. The growth of the 2000 Wildcats will depend largely on the leadership qualities of senior standouts Breen Eddinger, Ruth Ann Blankenheim, and Tina Zitterich. The three combined for 890 kills, representing 60 percent of the team's offense. Expect the seniors to groom the team for the future, especially junior Lisa Trumball and sophomore Leah Mathews. Trumball worked harder than anyone in the spring and her dedication will be rewarded with more playing time. Mathews accumulated 175 kills and 337 digs as a freshman. She figures to be the offensive powerhouse of the future.
NEWCOMERS
Villanova volleyball welcomes four new players to their family in 2000. All are expected to contribute immediately in different roles. Leading the way is Charleston Southern transfer Courtney Starbuck. The sophomore's collegiate experience will be a welcome addition to the injury-plagued Wildcats. Joining Starbuck are 5-9 freshmen Jennifer Edwards and Amanda Guralski. Both underclassmen are expected to challenge at the setting position, with Guralski also focusing on the right side hitting position. Rounding out the newcomers is outside hitter Kate Tucker. Hoehn describes Tucker as a true terminator that also puts up a devastating block. Look for Tucker to add much needed depth to the outside hitting position.
OBSTACLES LIE AHEAD
While optimism abounds for the 2000 season be aware of the stiff competition that lies ahead. In Villanova's path to revitalized success is defending National Champion Penn State and an always-potent Big East schedule. This weekend's Wildcat Classic should be an excellent test for Villanova. While Rider is coming off a 5-18 season, both Akron and American finished well above .500. Any questions about the Wildcats resurgence should be answered at this tournament. Expect the Wildcats to play hard to set the tempo for the upcoming season.
HISTORY OF THE WILDCAT CLASSIC
Villanova is 3-3 all time in the Wildcat Classic. The tournament was originated in 1998 and has seen five different teams do battle on the Nevin floor. The round robin format allows for every team to play three matches. In the three years since its inception, including this year, no team has attended the tournament twice. The previous competitors include Montana State, Murray State, Colgate, St. Peter's, and Cornell.
ADDING AREVALO
Meet Stewart Arevalo the new assistant on Coach Hoehn staff. Arevalo is the former coach at Muhlenberg College, where he accumulated a 20-18 record. Along with his coaching tenure at the Division III institution, Arevalo spends his summers tutoring aspiring volleyball stars at collegiate camps across the nation, including Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Villanova. The Allentown, Pa. Resident gained his playing experience internationally with the South American junior national program.
