2003 Volleyball Season Review

The St. John's women's volleyball team enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in the program's 10-year history. The Red Storm finshed regional ranked and set a record for wins in a single season going 26-9 overall and tying for fourth in the BIG EAST at 7-5. The Red Storm posted an overall record of 13-2 at Alumni Hall, including winning the 10th annual SJU Classic. St. John's was tournament tough all year adding victories at the Sheraton Penn Invitational and the Iona College Tournament and finishing second at the Stony Brook Holiday Inn Express Tournament.

Individually, the Red Storm enjoyed a record-breaking season all around. Sophomore Jackie Ahlers set the BIG EAST conference and St. John's record for kills in a single season with 608 total kills. She ranked 23rd in the country and first in the BIG EAST in kills per game, averaging 5.02 and ranked first in the conference in total points. During the season Jackie was named to the four different all-tournament teams, including being named the 10th Annual SJU Classic Most Valuable Player. For her efforts over the course of the season, Jackie was named BIG EAST player of the week three times and earned all-BIG EAST first team postseason honors. It was only the second time in Red Storm history that a player was named to the first team.

Robyn Kurasaki

Also having a record-breaking season was senior Robyn Kurasaki. Robyn finishes her career as the all-time career leader in assists at St. John's. She broke the record in a match versus Robert Morris and finishes her career with a total of 4,451 helpers and is the only player in Red Storm history to record three consecutive 1,000-assists seasons. She finished the season with 957 helpers and when her team called on her to move to the outside and back row for defensive purpose, Kurasaki answered without skipping a beat. She finished second on the team in digs with 328 and totaled a career-high 137 kills, more than doubling her kills total for any other season.

Making an immediate impact for St. John's this season were freshmen Puna Richardson and Nicole Colaluca. Colaluca, a libero, made a run at he single season digs mark but fell short by 16 digs finishing with 474 total digs. She ranked second in conference games, averaging 4.23 digs per game. Richardson was a dominant force in the middle recording 279 kills on 603 attempts for a team-high .333 hitting percentage. The hitting percentage ranked sixth in the conference and was the second best single season hitting percentage in St. John's history.

Rosalyn Dang

Also making contributions this season was junior Yana Ruban and senior Rosalyn Dang. Ruban had a breakout year, tallying 242 kills playing in the middle and on the right side. Dang, a four year starter, finishes her career ranked second all-time in service aces with 131, one behind the all-time mark

The St. John's women's volleyball team tied or fourth in the conference but lost out on a bid to the conference tournament due to a three way tie breaker. The Red Storm return a solid foundation next season and will be one of the teams to beat in the BIG EAST.

St. John's University Athletics

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