FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Sept. 3, 2015)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside volleyball team opens the lid on the 2015 campaign this weekend, traveling eastward to Michigan for the Ferris State Invitational.
 
The Rangers open the season on Friday at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time) with a match against Metropolitan State University of Denver inside the Ewigieban Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Michigan. UW-Parkside returns to the court at 3:30 p.m. (ET) with a match against Mercyhurst University at Big Rapids High School.
 
The tournament resumes on Saturday with UW-Parkside facing Saginaw Valley State University at 9:30 a.m. (ET) at Big Rapids High School before closing the weekend against Missouri Western State University at 2:30 p.m. (ET) inside Ewigieban Sports Arena.
 
About the Rangers: UW-Parkside returns eight student-athletes from the 2014 squad that tallied a 15-13 overall record and an 8-10 mark in Great Lakes Valley Conference action. The Rangers return four of the top five attackers from a season ago, including kills leader Jackie Langer. As a freshman, Langer led the Rangers with 336 kills on the year, averaging 3.05 per set. Also back is Rebecca Roembke who was second on the squad in kills (2.67) along with Jeni Heller (2.09 kills/set) and Lexi Turek (1.54 kills/set). Roembke additionally paced the team in service aces with 25 on the season and was second in digs with 306 on the season (2.78 per set). Digs leader Meghan Conley returns for her senior campaign after racking up 378 digs in 2014 (3.60 per set) along with Lauren Hickson who was second on the team in assists with 210.
 
Joining the returners is five freshmen with four hailing from the Badger State. Katie Adams, Lexi Calloway, Elizabeth Mavis, and Abby Verheyen all join the Rangers from Wisconsin while Illinois native Lyndsie Anders is the lone out of state signee.
 
About the Roadrunners: Metro State was selected to finish second overall in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this season and first in the Rocky Division after closing 2014 with a 23-7 overall record and a 15-3 mark in RMAC play. MSU Denver made its 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance last season and its 15th consecutive trip, which is the longest active playoff streak in Division II.
 
The Roadrunners return All-RMAC selection Brandi Torr (11.3 assists/set and 2.26 digs/set) along with three other starters.
 
About the Lakers: Merychurst was picked to finish fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division after closing the 2014 campaign with an 18-13 overall mark and a 13-9 record in league play. The Lakers most notable returner is two-time All-PSAC honoree Lexi Stefanov who led the squad in total blocks and was third in kills.    
 
About the Cardinals: Saginaw Valley State was picked to place third in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division after going 17-11 overall and 12-6 in GLIAC action. The Cardinals return several weapons from a season ago including Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection Kaylee Schmitt who was second on the team in blocks with 59 while collecting 157 kills.
 
About the Griffons: Missouri Western was selected to place fifth in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2015 after having a banner campaign in Head Coach Marian Carbin's first season at the helm. Carbin guided the Griffons to a 22-8 overall mark, the program's most wins since 1998 while establishing a program record for wins in league action with a 16-6 record in MIAA play.
 
Highlighting the returners from the 2014 squad is All-MIAA selections Jessie Thorup (3.6 kills/set) and Jordan Chohon (1,296 assists).
 
GLVC Prognostications: The GLVC released its annual coaches' poll on August 26 with UW-Parkside picked to finish fifth in the East Division. The Rangers racked up 64 points in the poll, finishing 14 points shy of fourth place University of Southern Indiana and 14 points clear of sixth place Bellarmine University. Defending East Champion University of Indianapolis secured the top spot, collecting 110 points and seven first place votes. Lewis University nabbed the No. 2 spot with 109 points and five first place nods followed by McKendree University in third with 97 points and four first place votes. Southern Indiana was fourth (78 points), followed by Parkside (64), Bellarmine (50), Saint Joseph's College (32) and University of Illinois Springfield (28).
 
In the West Division, Rockhurst University landed the preseason No. 1 position, raking in 115 points and 10 first place votes. Defending division and tournament champion Truman State University was slotted at No. 2 with 110 points and the remaining six first place endorsements. Missouri University S&T was third with 89 points while the University of Missouri-Saint Louis secured fourth with 77 points. Drury University was fifth with 60 points, followed by Quincy University in sixth (55 points), Maryville University in seventh (38 points), and William Jewell College in eighth (25 points).
 
Parkside's Paciero: Head Coach Christine Paciero begins her fifth season at the helm at UW-Parkside, owning a career mark of 132-90 and a 69-52 record with the Rangers. Paciero compiled a 63-38 record in three seasons at Dominican University (2008-2010) before taking over the reins at Parkside. She notched her 100th career win in the 2013 season opener, downing Anderson University on Sept. 6.
 
All-Academic: The UW-Parkside volleyball squad earned both the Team Academic All-GLVC Award and the AVCA Team Academic Award for the second straight year this offseason, boasting an impressive 3.44 team grade point average. Additionally returning student-athletes Meghan Conley, Jeni Heller, Lauren Hickson, Rebecca Kuske, Jackie Langer, Rebecca Roembke, and Lexi Turek were all honored as Academic All-GLVC honorees.
 
Three and counting: UW-Parkside posted a winning record for the third consecutive season in 2014, marking the first time since 1990 the program has strung together back-to-back-to-back winning campaigns. The Rangers streak began in 2012, posting a 21-10 record in Head Coach Christine Paciero's second year at the helm. Parkside followed it up with an 18-13 record in 2013 and a 15-13 mark last season. Under the direction of Terry Paulson the Rangers accumulated six consecutive winning seasons from 1985 to 1990 including a program-best 34-win season in 1986.