2008 St. John's Volleyball Preview

8/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Aug. 22, 2008

QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's women's volleyball team enters its 15th season in 2008 and has come a long way since the program's inception in 1994. With a combined three BIG EAST championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances, head coach Joanne Persico-Smith has turned the Red Storm into perennial NCAA contenders and has created a name for the squad on the national level.

In 2007, St. John's had its most successful campaign ever as the team compiled a program-best 33-4 record, and finished tied atop the BIG EAST standings with a 13-1 record to win its second straight regular season conference title. At the conference tournament, the Red Storm defeated Louisville in the final match to capture its first ever BIG EAST Championship and earned the team's second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. For the first time ever, St. John's earned a ranking in the national event - No. 12 - and had convincing wins while hosting the first and second rounds, earning a trip to the regional semifinals. At the Gainesville Regional, the Red Storm battled No. 5 USC, but fell to the Women of Troy in the decisive fifth game.

After the dream season of 2007, this year's Red Storm squad will look to continue the recent success of the program as a BIG EAST powerhouse and a national standout. The squad will enter the campaign just eight victories shy of Persico-Smith's and the program's 300th win.

"The bar has been set extremely high," said Persico-Smith. "We understand that we will get every team's best performance when they play us this year. For the first time in two years we will have freshmen in our starting lineup. We know that when this happens on a team there is always a learning curve that accompanies the growth and consistency of the team's play."

The 2008 squad has been picked to finish second in the BIG EAST preseason coaches poll behind Louisville. Setter Wioleta Leszczynska was chosen as the conference's preseason Player of the Year, while she and 2006 and 2007 BIG EAST Libero of the Year, Lena Yee, earned spots on the preseason All-BIG EAST team. It was the highest that the Red Storm has been selected to finish in the league's preseason poll.

Several key players from the record-breaking 2007 squad return, including Leszczynska, Yee and two other starters: seniors Casie Brooks and Valeria Kovaleva. However, key losses include AVCA All-America third team selection and 2007 BIG EAST Player of the Year Hui Ping Huang and honorable mention All-American Latoya Blunt. The experienced players on the 2008 Red Storm understand the important role they will have this season and will be looked upon to provide leadership both on and off the court.

OUTSIDE HITTERS
Returning to the outside for this year's squad will be Brooks, Kovaleva and junior Jia Yue Zhai. They will be joined by freshmen Darlene Ramdin and Jordan Haskins.

A 2007 National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American, Brooks had a breakthrough season at the outside hitter position in 2007. Initially a setter when she began with the Red Storm as a freshman, she has become a strong attacking force at the net. Appearing in 115 of the team's 125 games, Brooks finished last season ranked fourth on the team with 32 service aces and fifth on the squad with 261 kills, 250 digs and 2.72 points per game. "Casie has always tried hard and given everything she has to ensure that she was on the court," said Persico-Smith. "She has been a primary part of what the program has accomplished on and off the court over the last three years. Her ability to play multiple positions is an incredible asset. Casie has become a student of the game which will help her performance during pressurized moments."

Kovleva enters her second season with the Red Storm after transferring from St. Peter's College. She was another integral part of the 2007 squad as she provided a spark in the front row along with tremendous defense in the back. She had a career performance for the Red Storm in the BIG EAST Championship title match, registering a double-double with 18 kills and 14 digs. Kovaleva finished the season ranked third on the squad with 2.88 digs per game and 0.63 blocks per game, while ranking fourth with 2.88 kills per game.

"Valeria keeps improving every day," said Persico-Smith. "She has worked very diligently on and off the court to make sure her senior year is her best one yet. Val will give us some hitting power and blocking stability. Her ability to play many positions is a tremendous asset, and her off-season training has allowed her to stay fit and get stronger. Also, I look for her to be more of a leader this year as a senior."

Zhai is also returning for her second season with the Red Storm. In 2007, she played in five matches and registered three digs and two total kill attempts. She can be called upon to add experience on the floor and depth in the lineup for St. John's in 2008.

Freshman Ramdin joins the team from Trinidad and Tobago, where she was a part of the junior and senior national teams. She was named best attacker and MVP of the Junior Caribbean Cup, leading her team to a first place finish in 2007. Ramdin could be a replacement in the lineup for the graduated Dana DeMayo. Freshman Haskins is available to spend some time on the outside.

RIGHT SIDE HITTERS
The versatility of Brooks will be felt at right side hitter as she will join junior Ruisa Scheffel at the position.

Scheffel saw action in 20 matches last season and contributed in important spots off the bench. She had 29 kills, 5 assists, 5 total blocks and 4 service aces for the Red Storm. The lefty is always a threat at the net as she registered a season-high seven kills in a match against Fairfield last year.

"Ruisa has improved in all areas of training this past year," said Persico-Smith. "She is one of the fittest and fastest members of the team and her hitting and blocking has improved as well. We will look to see Ruisa getting more playing time this season."

SETTERS
The Red Storm finished 2007 ranked first in the nation in assists per game thanks in large part to the play of grad student Leszczysnka. The Bielsko-Biala, Poland, native ranked third in the country with 14.19 assists per game and was named an AVCA All-America honorable mention selection. She was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 BIG EAST Championship as she dished out 167 assists over three matches.

The expectations are already high for Leszczysnka, as she was named the 2008 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, and also earned a spot on the preseason All-BIG EAST team. She broke the program's single-season assists record with 1,760 helpers last year and currently sits third on the all-time career assists list with 3,056.

"Wioleta makes everyone around her better by her ability to make great setting decisions under pressure on a regular basis," said Persico-Smith. "She will contribute leadership and poise to the squad this year. She has been working hard to get stronger and increase her lateral speed and vertical jumping ability. She is a wonderful player to coach."

Leszczysnka also has solid backup at the setter position as both Kovaleva and Brooks have both spent significant time as setters in the past.

MIDDLE BLOCKERS/MIDDLE HITTERS
The middle will be a tough position to fill with the loss of Huang and Blunt from last year's squad, but the Red Storm will combine experience with youth to pick up where it left off. Returning in the middle is senior Chen Chen and sophomore Diana Banya. The pair will be joined by first-year sophomore Kun Song and freshman Haskins.

Chen stepped up big for the Red Storm last season in pressure situations as a middle hitter and middle blocker. She played in 19 matches and wasted no time hitting for double-digit kills as she recorded 11 in her first match vs. North Carolina Central. She ranked fifth on the team with a .262 hitting percentage and registered 23 total blocks. She might be the go-to-player to replace Huang in the middle.

"Chen will be one of our primary middle blockers on the team this year," said Persico-Smith. "She will also be looked to provide some offense out of the middle hitter position."

Banya missed some time in 2007 with a knee injury, but has made a full recovery and will be ready for the beginning of the 2008 season. She played in 12 matches last year and provided a big wall at the net with 13 total blocks to rank third on the team with 0.68 blocks pre game.

"Diana was getting so much better last year and then got hurt late in the season," said Persico-Smith. "I am looking forward to Diana getting strong and getting back on the court as soon as possible."

Sophomore Song has experience playing with the team as she competed in the spring tournaments in early 2008. The transfer from the University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, China, will provide height in the middle hitter position.

Entering her first year with St. John's is freshman Haskins out of Marriotts Ridge High School in the Baltimore-area of Maryland. A highly decorated player, Haskins will be looked upon to be a big blocker for the Red Storm as she has earned defensive MVP and best blocker awards in the past for her team.

DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS/LIBEROS
Yee has been a fan favorite for all three years at St. John's thus far as her remarkable defensive play at the libero position has provided the Red Storm faithful with awe and delight. She was named the BIG EAST Libero of the Year in 2006 and 2007 as well as an honorable mention All-American for the 2007 campaign. Last season, she ranked first on the team and third in the BIG EAST with 4.75 digs per game, and set a new program single-season record with 594 digs. She was also selected to the All-BIG EAST second team and received honorable mention All-America honors from the AVCA.

Yee will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore Kayla Motoyama. Kovaleva and Brooks will also be heavily relied upon on the Red Storm's backline, as the team will look to fill the void left by DeMayo.

"Lena is the quarterback of our defensive system," said Persico-Smith. "She has made more `ESPN highlight-reel' digs in her first three years than most athletes accomplish in a lifetime. We look to Lena to set a practice, pre-game, game and postgame example with her work ethic and personality during the match."

Motoyama returns for her second season with St. John's. She came off the bench last year to provide some key serves for the Red Storm and also racked up 14 digs, while playing in 27 matches. The Honolulu, Hawaii, native is a workhorse in practice and during games.

"Kayla has been wonderful to coach," said Persico-Smith. "She is really fit and fast and should see more time this year."