Aug. 7, 2006

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The ECU volleyball team is less than three weeks away from the season opener against William & Mary, Friday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. in Minges Coliseum. Second-year head coach Chris Rushing leads a squad that returns seven letterwinners from last year's team that finished 20-11 (9-6 C-USA). Coach Rushing took time to answer some questions about his team, the upcoming season, and the success the team had in his first year at the helm.

Talk about the success you and your team had in your first season.

"We, Eve and I, felt a lot of satisfaction and great pride that we could come into the program our first year and have the best winning season ECU has had since 1982 and the first winning season since joining Conference USA. The players were very open to the things we taught them and they worked hard every day to get better.

"They too felt very good about what we accomplished throughout the season. The seniors especially enjoyed the way they finished their career at ECU. We had 3 players on the All-Conference list, something that has never been done by ECU players. We also had the highest Conference USA finish for ECU. We had a 20 win season, one of only three 20 win. They finished the season knowing they belonged at the top of the conference and that we have done some amazing things last season. It was definitely a rewarding experience for all of us. It was a wonderful and special group."

How will your large incoming freshman class affect the team?

"Seven freshmen is a lot for a volleyball team. That is half of our team. But we have seven real good players coming in and they are going to compete for playing time immediately. There are a couple big gaps to fill with the departure of two of our all-conference selections, Pam Ferris and Erica Wilson. There is an immediate need for two of our freshmen to step in as starters. They have the talent. It's just going to be interesting if they are going to have the maturity to be immediate impacts to help us on our upward climb. I don't think that having seven freshmen will affect the team negatively. If fact, I believe that the practices and such will be delivered with greater intensity because of the energy the young ones possess. I'm truly looking forward to blending the new with the old. It's two great ingredients that are going to make something sweet."

How has your off-season training been?

"I would have to say that our spring season was a success because I can honestly say that we are much better now than we were at the end of the fall season. We are in better shape and we are getting smarter. We are more focused to win a conference championship. I believe a lot of this has to do with how the fall season ended. They now know that they can win a bunch and that they can win it all. They have carried this attitude over through the summer months as I hear that they have been doing a great job in the weight room and running. We've been working hard over the past several months and we are all excited that the new season is upon us."

What are your overall thoughts on ECU volleyball heading into the 2006 season?

"We can't wait to get into the gym and start competing with our new group. The returners are excited and the incoming freshmen can't wait to compete in East Carolina volleyball attire. This time of year is always exciting as everyone is ready to show off all their hard work and see if they can make it onto the starting team. We as coaches are very interested to see how things are going to pan out also. With a big new group, the new and the old want to prove themselves, and this only breeds stronger and more intense workouts as everyone is trying to obtain that starting role. I'd be surprised if some of our freshmen could knockout some of the returners from their roles, but anything can happen when you work hard for it. We will all work our hardest to be the best that we can be, and if that means winning a conference championship, I'll take it."

It seems like Conference USA will be pretty wide open this season. How do you see C-USA shaping up?

"Last year's champions, Marshall, lost two very good middles and their setter. However they are still returning the conference player of the year and they have some other real good talent as well. Houston, last year's runner-up, lost a couple real good players, but add a couple. Their setter transfer will run the show and will definitely give them a shot for the title. Last year we lost three real close five gamers. Had we won two of them, we would have finished in 2nd place. We are right on the verge of becoming conference champions, but at the same time there are a lot of teams in our conference who are thinking the same thing. It's a really fun conference to play in because any team can win on any given night. We must play at our top every night in order to finish the way we would like to finish. I don't want to publicly make any predictions, but I hope we finish as conference champions and go to the NCAA tournament. I know we will be working hard towards that goal."

Talk about the addition of Molly Pyles to your coaching staff?

"Molly Pyles played with Eve at North Carolina. I've seen her play and I've seen her coach. I am very impressed with her on both occasions. Her playing experience will help us in drills and games. Because she too was a student athlete, Molly will also be able to mentor the players on how to get all the things done that a student athlete needs to get done. She will bring all of this experience with her to help her teach our athletes how to become better and help us learn more on how to be champions. She will also help us with coordinating camp and running sessions. She helped this past summer and I was very excited to see how she taught and how she handled certain situations, and how much the kids respected her and enjoyed her as their coach. I too am going to enjoy having Molly here to help us achieve many good things."

Thoughts about the liberos...

"Trish Monroe did a wonderful job as our starting libero last season. She beat out our senior, and record breaking defender, Johanna Bertini, for that spot and ran with it. She had surgery on her shoulder this past winter and has been unable to practice since our season ended last fall. But Trish is one of the hardest workers I've coached and wants to play and win more than anything. She is also doing a great job as one of our team captains.

"There are others that want her position. Caitlin Daly, another player coming off of shoulder surgery this past winter, played in every game last year in the defensive role is ready to come into the gym and compete for the job again. She to is a very hard worker and I know she will put forth her full effort to help the team. Breathing right down their backs are some incoming freshmen. We have a few players who could play the libero/defensive role if they are not starting in the position we recruited them for. The ones that really stick out in our head are Hannah Fenker, Katie Prast, and Holly Paton. All three have the potential to knock off one of the two good returners we have in Trish and Caitlin."

About the setters...

"It's nice, and a huge relief, that we have two setters on the team this year. Last year it was just Heidi Krug and we would panic whenever she fell or landed funny or even say something like an ouch because we had no other setter to fill her shoes. Heidi had a fabulous season last year as she finished the season nationally ranked for assists. We changed a couple things in her setting technique 1/3 of the way through the season and then all of a sudden she became a super star. She too has been a good captain and is a very good vocal leader on the court.

"Hannah Fenker is coming in to give us some relief in having another good setter in case something happens to Heidi. Not only is Hannah going to help us have that piece of mind, she is going to honestly compete for playing time. I would look to Hannah to give Heidi a real run for her money by mid-season. However, whether it's setting or defense or hitting, Hannah is going to find herself on the court somewhere."

About the middle blockers...

"At the middle position we have extraordinary athletes. Kim is the strongest, fastest and the highest jumper I have coached. She has learned and improved so much since last August. As she learns more and improves on her technique and choices, nobody will be able to even come close to touching her.

"Mignon is also extremely quick and probably the smallest middle in the conference, but she showed last season that she is also one of the best middles in the conference. She just goes out there and does her job. She's not flashy, but is effective.

"Jaime has a great arm. She is one of the best slide hitters I have coached. When she pushes herself to win, it is extremely difficult to stop her. All three of these players will battle it out for the starting roles, and all three will be significant in out team's success. Freshman Erica Banning impresses me every time I see her step on the court. She could play for us right now, but we will probably red-shirt her because of the talent we have in the other three. We will be able to use her more down the road and we are very pleased about that."

About the outside hitters...

"I am mixing the left side and right side hitters together as outside hitters because we really don't know what positions they will end up at. All of them have played both the left and right side and most of them have played middle too. But as of now, the front runner for left side is Kelley Wernert. She is very big and physical. She is a very good player and I know she is only going to get better. I believe she has matured a lot this past year and is really going to flourish as an upperclassman. Look for her to make big plays. All the other outside hitters are incoming freshmen.

"Peyton Thompson, Stephanie Turner, Melissa Zentner, and Katie Prast are going to see who can fill the shoes of our graduated senior as a right side and left side. All have the potential to be the starter for us, but it's all up in the air and we'll see what happens in preseason practices and throughout the season. We are very happy all of them chose ECU and it's going to be a good dog fight as to who will fill those big shoes."