Nov. 17, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
FRESNO, Calif. - For the first time in WAC history the 2008 WAC Tournament will be held on the campus of the University of Hawai'i in Honolulu, Nov. 20-23 at the Stan Sheriff Center. All nine Western Athletic Conference teams qualify for the tournament with the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds playing first in the play-in match.
WAC Tournament Pairings/Schedule
Hawai'i had won the WAC Regular season title the past 10 years, and 10 out of 12 years they have been a member of the WAC. This season however, New Mexico State, who has finished second the past three out of four years earned a share of the title with the Rainbow Wahine as both teams swept each other on their opponents home courts. Due to NMSU sweeping Idaho in both contests and Hawai'i dropping a set to the Vandals, NMSU earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament while Hawai'i will take the second seed. The third seed goes to Idaho, followed by Utah State with the fourth seed, San Jose State as the fifth seed, Nevada as six, Boise State as seven, Fresno State as eight and Louisiana Tech as the nine seed. Fresno State opens the tournament in the play-in match vs. La Tech at 11:30 a.m. PST. The winner of that match will play New Mexico State at 7 p.m. PST on Thursday with a berth to the Semifinals on the line.
WAC Tournament History
The WAC Tournament began in 1996 and was held the first three seasons in Las Vegas. Since, it has been hosted in San Jose once, Reno five times, Las Cruces for the first time last year and will be in Honolulu also for the first time. Fresno State has competed in all 10 WAC Tournaments with a 6-10 overall record. The Bulldogs last tournament win was in 2006 in the first round over Louisiana Tech. Fresno State is 1-0 all-time vs. La Tech in the WAC Tournament and 1-0 in the play-in matches. Hawai'i has won the last eight WAC Tournament Championships and has played in all 10 Championship matches.
Louisiana Tech
La. Tech and Fresno State will meet for the third time this season with the Bulldogs having won the first two matches, both by scores of 3-1. Fresno State has also defeated La. Tech in the last six meetings and the only time the two played in the WAC Tournament back in 2006. La. Tech finished the regular season with a 4-23 overall record and ninth in the WAC with a 0-16 conference record. This will be the fourth WAC Tournament appearance for the Lady Techsters and they have yet to win a match in the tournament.
New Mexico State
New Mexico State earned the No. 1 seed for the first time in tournament history. The Aggies have played in the last two WAC Championships, falling to Hawai'i in five sets in 2007 and in four sets in 2006. They finished with a 21-7 regular season record and a 15-1 record in conference play. The Aggies are looking for their first WAC Tournament Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Netherby-Sewell Looks for 50th Career Win
Head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell is in her third season as a head coach after coaching two years at Hofstra and now this being her first year at Fresno State. She has 49 wins in her career and is looking for career victory number 50 against La.Tech in the WAC Tournament. Netherby-Sewell is a perfect 2-0 vs. Louisiana Tech in her career.
Six Bulldogs in 100 Kill Club
Six Bulldogs have recorded 100 or more kills on the season: Kelly Leonardo (119), Kasey Van Grouw (127), Lacey Gera (147), and Lauren Berger (142) have all reached the 100 kill mark while freshmen Brianna Clarke (220) and Baylee Platt (286) both have over 200 kills a piece. In WAC play alone, Platt (201) and Clarke (114) lead the way for the 'Dogs.
Platt's 286 kills on the year rank her fifth on the Freshman kills list at Fresno State, just one shy of fourth place set by Kasie Spencer in 2005. Fellow Bulldog Lacey Gera is third on the list with 317 kills that she tallied in her freshman campaign. The Freshmen kill leader is Paola Paz-Soldan who recorded 630 kills in 1991.
Platt also has 793 attempts on the season, just six shy of cracking into the top five. Spencer is currently in fifth with 798 attempts.
Blocking Into Record Books
Junior Kelly Leonardo has been a blocking sensation for the Bulldogs in her two-and-a-half years at Fresno State. With 239 total blocks, Leonardo ranks 10th all-time at Fresno State, passing Bulldog great Kristin Fenton on the top 10 career blocking list. Now Leonardo will chase Anamie Buckelew who is in ninth with 251 total blocks that she recorded from 1996-99. The all-time leader at Fresno State is Suzie Regul who had 437 total blocks from 1989-92.
With 12 block solos on the year, freshman Brianna Clarke is tied for fifth on the Fresno State Freshman list with Bulldog legend Paola Paz-Soldan. The Freshman record is 31, set by Kelli Dyer in 1982. Clarke is just two block solos out of fourth place.
Munson On Pace for Records of her Own
Junior setter Allanah Munson, in her first season with the Bulldog program has 902 assists for an average of 9.40 per set at the end of the regular season. Her per set average currently ranks her eighth on the Bulldog career list and she is on pace to also break into the top 10 her senior season in career assists.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The Bulldog volleyball team will take on Louisiana Tech in the play-in game of the WAC Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 20 in Honolulu, at 11:30 a.m. PST. For complete times and WAC Tournament action log on to www.gobulldogs.com and www.wacsports.com.
