FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8-21-00

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, August 21
Welcome Back Staff and Students !

Tuesday, August 22
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, August 23
No Events Scheduled

Thursday, August 24
No Events Scheduled

Friday, August 25
• Volleyball at Mesa State Coca-Cola Invitational (Grand Junction, Colo.)
vs. Western State, 3 p.m.
vs. UC Davis, 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 26
• Volleyball at Mesa State Coca-Cola Invitational (Grand Junction, Colo.)
at Mesa State, 11 a.m.
vs. CS Chico, 3 p.m.

Sunday, August 27
No Events Scheduled

Volleyball

The 2000 AASU Volleyball squad begins the season looking to continue the tremendous progress shown last season when the Pirates improved from an 9-27 record in 1998 to a 36-5 mark in 1999. All six starters and 10 letterwinners in all return from last season's squad for Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year Alan Segal, and the conference coaches have picked AASU to capture its first PBC title this season in a preseason poll.

Leading the way for the Pirates in 2000 will be junior Kris Bringewatt (5-11, MB, Jr., Hershey, Neb.), the 1999 PBC Player of the Year and sophomore Lindsay Ehlers (5-10, OH, Soph., Boulder, Colo.), the 1999 PBC Freshman of the Year. All-Conference performers Colleen Fitzsimons (5-11, RS, Sr., Channel Islands, Calif.) and Micah Roman (5-10, OH, Sr., Wichita, Kan.) also return for coach Segal.

The Pirates also welcome several newcomers, including Georgia Southern transfer Jamie Burrell (5-7, OH, Sr., Hull, Ga.) and Arizona Western College transfer Amanda Taylor (5-6, S, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.).

AASU received 33 votes in the AVCA Preseason Division II Top 25 poll, ranking the Pirates just out of the top 25, but the team will have a chance early on to see top competition as they travel to Grand Junction, Colo., to open the season at the Mesa State Coca-Cola Invitational. AASU will face No. 22-ranked Western State in its first match of the season on Friday, then play UC Davis. The Pirates will finish up the tournament with matches on Saturday against host Mesa State and Cal State Chico.

- Pirates -