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https://ucasports.com/news/2021/8/11/volleyball-uca-selected-eighth-in-preseason-asun-volleyball-poll.aspx



ATLANTA, Ga - The ASUN Conference announced today the preseason voting results for the upcoming volleyball season. In those results, the University of Central Arkansas was selected to finish eighth in their inaugural season.

The ASUN coaches decide upon the preseason voting as they determine the projected standings for the year. The Sugar Bears were selected eighth out of 12 teams with 64 points for their first appearance on the ballot. UCA was selected second amongst new members to the conference as Jacksonville State claimed the top honor at No. 5.

Florida Gulf Coast was given the top spot as they received 133 total points and five first-place votes. Another new addition to the ASUN, Eastern Kentucky, claimed the bottom spot with 31 total points.

Quote from head coach John Newberry:

"We are not sure what to expect for what each of our conference opponents look like. I do know that we definitely have things to prove for ourselves. Our expectation is to always be on top."

Preseason Player of the Year: Erin Shomaker, FGCU
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Rocio Moro, North Florida
Preseason Setter of the Year: Chelsey Lockey, FGCU

Preseason All-Conference Team
OH Erin Shomaker, FGCU Jr.
OH Lauren Chastang, Kennesaw State Sr.
S Chelsey Lockey, FGCU Sr.
L Lena Kindermann, Jacksonville State Sr.
S Delaney Dilfer, Lipscomb So.
MB Meg Mersman, Lipscomb So.
OH Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana, North Florida Gr.

Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
1. FGCU (5) 133
2. Lipscomb (5) 128
3. Kennesaw State 108
4. North Florida (1) 103
5. Jacksonville State 94
6. Liberty 85
7. Stetson 71
8. Central Arkansas 64
9. Bellarmine 46
10. Jacksonville 41
11. North Alabama (1) 32
12. Eastern Kentucky 31

Not sure how to compare volleyball other than the NCAA RPI....not sure how that is computed....so below is the 2021 ASUN Pre-season Rankings with the 2021 NCAA D1 RPI shown (as of 4/3/21) and season conference in parens...looks like rankings have SugarBears a couple spots low.....looks like a pretty tough season...need so start fast....Go VolleyBears!!

Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
1. FGCU (5) 133 = #51 (10-2)
2. Lipscomb (5) 128 = #78 (11-1)
3. Kennesaw State 108 = #65 (10-2)
4. North Florida (1) 103 = #113 (8-4)
5. Jacksonville State 94 = #4 (15-1)
6. Liberty 85 = #230 (5-7)
7. Stetson 71 = #212 (5-7)
8. Central Arkansas 64 = #124 (8-4)
9. Bellarmine 46 = #181 (3-9)
10. Jacksonville 41 = #275 (1-11)
11. North Alabama (1) 32 = #305 (1-11)
12. Eastern Kentucky 31 = #246 (2-14)

https://ucasports.com/news/2021/8/12/volleyball-uca-adds-aryn-moura-to-sugar-bears-coaching-staff.aspx

Welcome to new Asst Coach Moura.....young but pretty interesting looking background...

Maybe I missed an announcement earlier but it looks like Marissa Collins moved from coaching to volleyball operations director.....glad she is still with the team....huge contributor to the program over the years....a SEC head coach told me that a good team operations director is like a force multiplier in freeing up head coach and top assistants from the routine admin and logistics and keeping the train on the rails....so to speak....


CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas Volleyball head coach John Newberry announced Thursday the newest edition to the Sugar Bears coaching staff. Aryn Moura, a young prospect of the coaching game, is set to join the UCA staff as an assistant coach.

Moura comes to the Sugar Bears after spending time at East Tennessee State University as an assistant coach. Moura entered into that position with a variety of experience as he was a volunteer assistant coach at High Point University and was a graduate assistant at Southwest Minnesota State University before that.

While his resume is not long in years, his experience will be influential for the program's future. Moura has coached five DII All-Americans and the 2017 and 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year at SMSU. He also coached outside hitters at High Point and helped propelled two outside hitters to All-Freshman Team honors, while one also earned Big South Freshman of the year. His ability to develop players and help recruit young talent is one of his most significant assets that will help the Sugar Bears for years to come.

"We are thrilled to have Aryn to be a part of this program. This comes at a crucial time for us transitioning to the ASUN Conference. He has great experience and has great connections when it comes to recruiting. He has high expectations for this program and will continue to carry on this legacy," Newberry said.

Moura is set to join the coaching staff of Newberry and assistant coach Lexi Maclean. Moura will fill an open role as Marissa Clements moved from associate coach to Director of Volleyball Operations for the Sugar Bears.

"I'm excited and honored to be a part of UCA's athletic community in their inaugural season in the ASUN. As soon as I stepped onto campus, I felt the support from the community in Conway and the traditions set by alumni. I'm excited to get to work. Go Sugar Bears," Moura said.

https://www.eldoradonews.com/news/2021/aug/20/williams-aiming-build-2020-season/

Williams aiming to build off 2020 season
by Tony Burns | August 20, 2021 at 9:15 p.m.
El Dorado’s Anna Williams got her initial taste of college volleyball last season at the University of Central Arkansas. The West Side Christian graduate played in 57 sets for the Sugar Bears, who went 12-8 overall and 9-4 in the Southland Conference.

It’ll be a new year with new opponents for UCA, which moves into the ASUN Conference this season. The Sugar Bears open play on Aug. 27 in the Bearkat Invitational in Huntsville, Texas.

“I’m looking forward to playing in a new conference with all new teams. I think it will be interesting to see how we do considering ASUN is a more difficult conference than Southland,” said Williams. “We have seven new freshmen and they add a lot of depth to our team so I can see us doing very well this season. We have been working hard this preseason to change and adjust a few things in our offensive and defensive systems so I can’t wait to see us put together everything we’ve been working so hard on this summer.”

The 6-foot-1 junior setter was second on the team with 282 assists last season along with 87 digs. Williams said she’s becoming more and more comfortable in that role at the Division I level.

“My role as a setter is very important. You could say that I am the quarterback of the team,” she said. “My role is to make smart decisions on who to set and when to set them depending on our opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. It will be very important for me to watch film on our opponents before every game, in order to come up with a successful game plan.”

Williams didn’t play as a freshman before taking on an important reserve role a year ago. She goes from newcomer to veteran quickly with UCA’s roster turnover.

“Being an upperclassman comes with the expectation to be a leader,” she said. “I definitely feel like I’ve taken on more of a leadership position on the team this year and that is something that I look forward to continuing through the rest of my collegiate career.”

UCA opens the season against San Diego State and Houston Baptist.

The ASUN includes Bellarmine, Eastern Kentucky, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville State, North Alabama, North Florida, Liberty, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb and Stetson.

With the VolleyBears cancelling out on the BearKat Invite, they will open the season in the UCA Invite vs UALR in the I-40 Showdown series on Thursday, 9/2 at 6pm in The Prince Center.....then takes on Missouri State on Friday at 6:30pm and ends up vs Memphis on Saturday at 3pm.....hoping for big crowds..

For volleyball fanatics, the Invite also will have games among UALR, Mo State and Memphis....

https://ucasports.com/news/2021/9/2/volleyball-sugar-bears-secure-five-set-victory-over-little-rock.aspx

VolleyBears win 25-17, 25-14, 25-27, 17-25, 16-14

A little too close but a good start on the season and a win in the I-40 Showdown series...Alexis Stumbough gets 17 kills, 15 digs and shoots 310....

Probably gets steeper hill to climb tomorrow vs Mo State....

Go VolleyBears!!

Great start to the season! UALR had 3 games under their belt and were 3-0 (even beating the UofA in Fayetteville). One of UALR's players was an absolute beast with 31 kills, 2 aces, 3 blocks and 11 digs!
This UALR team is solid and this win gives me a great deal of confidence going into the rest of the season!

VolleyBears lost 1-3 to Mo State then 0-3 to Memphis to end the tourney .....now off to Vermillion, SD (700 miles) for two games Friday vs South Dakota and Bradley and one on Sat vs Milwaukee.....sounds like a tough test....USD lost on NCAAs round 1 by 3-0 to Mizzou....Bradley was 12-7 last season including a split of games vs Mo State....but are 1-4 so far in 2021 with their only win over Eastern Michigan and losses to SEMO, Central Michigan, Oakland and DePaul.....Milwaukee was 8-6 last season....they are 2-4 this season but the wins are over Notre Dame and Cincinnati....Go VolleyBears!!

This young bunch of Sugarbears picks up 1 win at the Redhawk's Invitational:
W 3-1 vs Southern Illinois
L 0-3 vs Tulsa
L 0-3 vs SEMO

Non-conference is over with a harsh 2-7 record. It was a rough slate, but this is a very young team and it will hopefully pay dividends in the future.

We open conference play at the ASUN-Crossover in Jacksonville, AL vs North Florida on Friday, Kennesaw State on Saturday, and Stetson on Sunday.

Good Luck ladies!!

ASUN welcome pretty rude to VolleyBears in Jacksonville, AL.....

North Florida won 3-1 (14-25, 25-19, 25-23,25-16

Stetson won 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-20)

but VolleyBears topped Kennesaw State by 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-22)

Tough OOC should have helped them get better.....now that they have a taste of ASUN play so hoping for getting it going....next up...

10/1- @Lipscomb in Nashville
10/8 at Prince Center vs EKU
10/10 at Prince Center vs Bellarmine

Go VolleyBears!!