Aug. 11, 2003

After advancing to the quarterfinals of the A-Sun Tournament for the seventh straight season in 2002, Florida Atlantic University's volleyball team hopes to improve its streak to eight and reclaim the A-Sun title.

Like the old cliché, you see the glass as being half full or half empty, the squad could enter this season in the same scenario. After losing two starters to graduation that accounted for over 25 percent of the offense and 40 percent of blocking, the situation might look bleak and the glass might seam half empty. The addition of two transfers and three freshmen onto the scene could put a new perspective on the situation and challenge current players for playing time.

Setter
Jeana Boyle (Boca Raton, FL) and Krista Klawitter (Bowmanville, Ontario) both return to run the team from the setting position. Boyle, a senior from Olympic Heights High School, had an outstanding season in 2002. She broke the single-season assist record by more than 100 when she posted 1,257 and increased her career total to 2,296, which is second in the record books.

"I thought Jeana had the best spring season of any setter that I have ever worked with," Brown said. "She trained hard and did a great job of running the offense in the spring. Jeana really worked hard on her blocking and improved tremendously to make her a complete player."

Klawitter showed great potential as a freshman when she stepped into her first collegiate match and collected a season-high 18 assists. Klawitter has the ability to jump in and take charge of the team after she gained experience in 12 matches last season.

"Krista has worked hard all summer to expand her knowledge of the game. She adds great depth at setter and will continually push Jeana for the starting role," said Brown.

Outside Hitter
After accumulating 1,031 attack attempts in her first season at FAU, Abby Miner (Largo, FL) is ranked fourth in single-season attempts. The senior will again be a mainstay in the FAU offense. Challenging for the chance to beat Miner's team leading 419 kills in 2002 will be Kelly Paiva, a transfer from the College of Southern Idaho. The two-time JUCO All-American comes from a winning program. Placing third and fifth in the nation the last two seasons was a new experience for the Golden Eagles who won the National Title seven of the last nine years. Paiva (Minas Gerais, Brazil) helped guide CSI to a 79-8 record the last two seasons.

"She (Paiva) brings a lot of court experience to the team. Keliane is a very smart hitter in that she court checks but she also brings power. She is not just an offensive player but can also play excellent defense. Her Brazilian background makes her competitive and she will be a team leader."

Junior Lindsey Bell saw some action from the left side last season but will vie for a starting role this year. With great ball control, she will play a huge role on defense and in serve reception. Last season, Bell (Colorado Springs, CO) was third on the team with 2.09 digs per game.

Middle Blockers
With only one returning middle blocker from the 2002 squad, opposing teams might look at the middle as a weakness. But with the A-Sun Freshman-of-the-Year returning after adding another year of experience to her short volleyball career, the position could be a strength of the squad. Iana Andonova (Margate, FL) picked up freshmen honors last season after finishing second on the team in kills (345), hitting percentage (.273) and blocks (75). The 6'1", sophomore finished 11th in the conference in hitting percentage and fourth in conference play with a .361 hitting percentage and third with 0.52 aces per game.

With three very capable and athletic newcomers vying for the second spot, this could be the first season since Jody Brown joined the university in 1995 that the team could have depth at middle blocker.

Cayse Kaveny (Cupertino, CA) enters her junior season after transferring from the University of New Mexico. Last season with the Lobos she finished second on the team with a .206 average. Her experience at both New Mexico and her high school, Archbishop Mitty, have provided her with valuable experience. Archbishop Mitty is thought to be one of the best volleyball high schools in the nation.

"She has seen such a high level of play since the ninth grade that she will have the edge as far as experience goes," Brown said.

Janelle Sarauw (Virgin Islands) might be the shortest of the middle blockers at 5'10" but her athletic ability will make up for the height disadvantage. A member of the Virgin Islands National volleyball team, Sarauw's all-around game and athleticism would allow her to play other positions if needed, but she saw extensive time in the middle in high school.

"Janelle is an excellent blocker. Her strong point is her ability to terminate a point, either blocking or attacking."

Another freshman to make her way onto the scene will be Mindy Szarowicz (Tarpon Springs, FL). Brown watched Szarowicz over the spring while she played for the Pinellas Heat Elite club team.

"We watched her all spring long and she just kept getting better and better. She will be an excellent addition to the team because she is big, athletic and quick."

Right Side
A senior and freshman will battle it out on the right side. Giovana Milaneze hails from Lake Worth, FL but also has a Brazilian background. She is one of three seniors on the squad and will bring ball control and maturity to the court.

"Giovana is a smart player and is able to execute our game plan very well. She is not a power hitter but places shots and knows when and where to tip," added Brown.

Renee Grenon will battle for the position with Milaneze. Grenon will bring height and blocking to the right side position. The 6'0" freshman will join Klawitter as the two Canadians on the squad. Brown believes that her blocking ability will make her a huge asset on the right side. "Renee's blocking is definitely her strongest skill right now. She is able to get high above the net and penetrates well."

Libero
The libero was not utilized at FAU like it was at other universities in the position's first year of existence. Makra Condill (Crystal Lake, IL) and Lauren McHugh (Lighthouse Point, FL) both entered their collegiate careers with good defensive skills and McHugh possessed a tough serve, which allowed her to finish third on the team with 29 aces. All of these factors led to playing time for both freshmen, unlike other universities that used primarily one defensive specialist.

The libero will still not be a tradition role on the 2003 team but will be used for more than just defense.

"I would like to use the libero very sparingly and use her more as a passing specialist," said Brown." This would allow us to spread our offense out and allow for more back row attacks."

The Schedule
The Owls will open the season in a familiar place, on the road. The team opened the season at home in 2002 for the first time since 1992 but will again find themselves away from FAU Gymnasium. The FSU Tournament will feature three NCAA Tournament Teams from 2002 in Florida State, Michigan and the number 23 team in 2002, Kansas State. KSU head coach Suzie (Wiemers) Fritz played for FAU in 1993 and acted as an assistant coach in 1994 just one season prior to Brown joining Florida Atlantic.

"The FSU tournament will be a tough tournament. It will be a great learning experience and will be a great way to start the season," said Brown. He got the chance to know Fritz in the spring of 1995 when he was hired and before she left for KSU. "It will be fun to play Suzie and a top-25 program."

Florida Atlantic will host Maryland, USF and The Citadel, September 5-7 in the Double Tree Boca Bash. USF finished last season ranked no. 31 after advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The team will participate in two other tournaments to wrap up the first month of the season. On September 12-13 the team will play Clemson, Wofford and Coastal Carolina at the Coastal Carolina Tournament in Conway, SC. The following weekend, FAU Connecticut, Maine and UMBC will compete in Storrs, Connecticut at the University of Connecticut.

The other non-conference opponent the team will need to play well against is the University of Miami. Ranked in the top-25 last season, the Hurricanes will again make a run for the post season. UM will travel to Boca Raton in the midst of a seven-match FAU homestand.

Conference play should again favor the perennial top three teams in UCF, Georgia State and FAU. Florida Atlantic has the advantage of hosting both of those teams at home this season.

The liquid in the glass will gain clarity on November 21 as the squad heads to the Atlantic Sun Tournament in Orlando, FL. The question will then be answered if the glass is really half full or half empty.