South Alabama volleyball opens its 2012 season this weekend at the Southern Miss Invitational in Hattiesburg, Miss., the first event under new head coach Amy Hendrichovsky.
Tournament Schedule
The two-day, three-match tournament begins Friday.
- Friday: Central Arkansas, 11 a.m.
- Friday: Southern Miss, 7 p.m.
- Saturday: Louisiana Tech, 3 p.m.
Hendrichovsky Emphasizes Fewer Errors
Hendrichovsky said early-season success depends on limiting mistakes.
“First-and-foremost, I would say that it’s going to be about minimizing unforced errors,” she said. “Leading into the first weekend any year, it’s about the team that’s making the least amount of errors that’s going to win the match.”
“Something we’ve also been focusing on during the spring and the summer is just about competing for each point,” she said. “I think our team’s excited and ready to go and start this year’s new journey.”
Coach Came From Middle Tennessee
Hendrichovsky was hired in December from Middle Tennessee, where she was an assistant coach focused on player development, game preparation, scouting and recruiting. During her time there, Middle Tennessee made six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, won four Sun Belt tournament titles (2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010) and three regular-season championships (2006, 2007 and 2010). The Blue Raiders had 24 All-Sun Belt honorees, eight Sun Belt all-tournament selections and nine AVCA All-Region and All-America selections in that span, and she coached two Sun Belt Players of the Year (2007 and 2010).
A native of Boca Raton, Fla., Hendrichovsky was a four-year starter at North Alabama in Florence, Ala., which was regularly among the top 10 programs in NCAA Division II. She graduated from North Alabama in 2001.
Returning Players
South Alabama returns eight letterwinners and three starters from last season.
- Setter Katariina Kananen ranked third in the Sun Belt in assists per set with nearly 9.9.
- Sophomore outside hitter Melissa Waelter had 244 kills, nearly 2.6 per set.
- Junior libero Jenna Hassell averaged 3.8 digs per set, seventh in the Sun Belt.
- Olivia Mohler started all 28 matches and played every set in 2011. After moving from middle blocker to outside hitter as a junior, she had 232 kills (2.34 per set), third on the team, and led the team in solo blocks (7), block assists (76) and blocks per set (0.84). She was fourth on the team with 22 service aces and was named to the UCF Classic and Colonel Classic all-tournament teams.
- Redshirt sophomore Torlandria Jones returns after missing the 2011 season with a knee injury. She had 74 blocks as a freshman.
- Lindsay Schwartz returns after two seasons focused on track and field, where she earned All-America honors and won several Sun Belt titles in multiple events. She ranks among South Alabama’s career leaders in block assists and blocks per set.
