Published: September 05, 2008 12:33 pm         

ECU volleyball team to play first-ever game today

Ada — Dave Thorn is excited about leading a volleyball team out on the floor for the first time in two years.

Thorn, who was formerly the head coach at NCAA Division I Texas Pan-American University, now guides East Central University into a new era in Division II athletics.

ECU opens its first season of volleyball Friday in the St. Edward's University Tournament in Austin, Texas. The Lady Tigers face Southern Arkansas at 10 a.m. and host St. Edward's at 4:45 p.m. before playing twice more on Saturday.

He was picked as the Lady Tigers’ first head coach nearly a year-and-a-half ago and now will see how a year of recruiting and preparation can set the stage for ECU’s newest sport.

“It was a long-time coming, but it was great to have a year of recruiting,” said Thorn, who was part of the Texas Pan-Am program for 11 years, nine of which were as the head coach. He guided the Broncs to 112 victories, the most in school history and was voted independent coach of the year in 2000. Two of his teams also posted 19-win seasons in 2000 and 2003, a school record.

Now Thorn hopes some of that success can rub off on the Lady Tigers’ inaugural squad.

“All of our players are very excited to get the first season underway. I think we’ll put a young, but very exciting team on the floor,” Thorn said. “People around here will learn how fast-paced and exciting the game of volleyball can be. We will definitely put on a good show for everybody.”

Though expectations won’t be high, Thorn likes the young talent pool he has. It’s just a matter of the team coming together.

“The preseason (pre-Lone Star Conference) will afford us the opportunity to try different lineups and see how some of our younger players can perform under pressure,” said Thorn. “Hopefully, by the time we play Texas Woman’s (on Sept. 18) in our league opener, we will have come together as a team. All of our players have played at a high level on different club teams.”

Perhaps the most experienced of all will be junior setter Holly Hicks, a transfer from Division I Texas Tech of the Big 12 Conference.

Hicks, who was ECU’s first volleyball signee, sat out last season after coming to campus in the fall of 2007.

“She’ll run our offense and have the best opportunity to have a positive effect on the game. Holly is strong, quick and a great athlete,” Thorn said. “Her best attribute is that she understands the game and is able to adjust quickly to changing situations.”

Thorn was well aware of Hicks’ abilities after they contended with one another – he as the coach at Texas-Pan Am and her at Texas Tech two years ago in a tournament in Edinburg, Texas.

“It’s been great working with her the last year. Her leadership will be big to this program,” said Thorn. “She leads by example and with her voice. She picks things up so quickly that before I begin to tell her something, she tells me the same thing. She certainly has a competitive drive too.”

Thorn also expects three junior college transfers – Chelsea Whitmire, Emily Holombek and Jacqueline Sparks – to make an immediate impact.

Whitmire, a middle blocker and transfer from Seminole State College, has a good sense and awareness of the game, according to Thorn.

“She’s a very smart volleyball player. She’s usually in the right place at the right time to make the right play,” said Thorn. “She’s not the flashiest player, but she’ll be a real solid addition to the team.”

Holombek, another middle blocker out of Navarro Junior College (Texas), is well adapted to the leadership role as well as she was the only sophomore and a team captain at Navarro.

“Those attributes will definitely help our team, considering how young we are,” Thorn said. “She can hit a variety of sets around the net and is a very physical blocker. She gives us a physical presence at the net.”

Sparks is an outside hitter who transfers in from Lee Junior College (Texas).

“She played in a very tough Region 14 in South Texas. I think she’ll make an immediate impact. She can hit a wide variety of shots and can make strong defensive plays. She’ll be a primary passer on the team and her skills will work well with what we’ll be trying to do as a team,” said Thorn.

Thorn is also excited about a mix of six freshmen – Shayla May, Patricia Underwood, Katy Fields, Sarah Henry, Jessica Bell and Megan Kimak – who could all make an impact immediately.

“These freshmen have the potential to contribute immediately and we’ll depend on one or two to step up right away,” Thorn said. “We’re looking to Shayla as the future of the setting position at ECU. Patricia, a middle blocker, has played a little outside hitter and gives us another strong presence at the net. If she can transition to the college game, we’ll be stronger offensively and defensively.”

Fields, Henry and Bell will vie for an outside hitter slot.

“Fields is a real good ball-control player and Henry is another strong ball-control player, who should be big for us on defense,” said Thorn. “Bell is a lefty which naturally could make her a good right-side hitter. Because she’s a lefty, it will allow us to do some things from the right side that we normally couldn’t do.”

Kimak, ECU’s only freshmen recruit from Oklahoma (Enid High School), has some experience as a setter and outside hitter, but will likely play the libero spot.

“She’s a very strong defensive player, who can play a little emergency setter. She’s very versatile and quick. We expect her to help in the backcourt, whether it’s as libero or at another defensive position,” Thorn said.

Sophomore Madison Bolton — will provide depth on the squad. She was discovered by Thorn in ECU’s intramural program.

“She is a hard worker and will push everyone in practice,” said Thorn.

Daria Paunovic will help Thorn and serve as graduate assistant coach for the Lady Tigers in 2008.

“She comes from a good volleyball background (at Lyon College in Arkansas) and is a very smart student of the game,” Thorn said. “I think she’ll relate well to our players, especially our younger players as they adapt to the college game.”

Thorn picks West Texas A&M, a national semifinalist last season, as the favorite in the LSC race with the University of Central Oklahoma close behind.

“Midwestern State was third last year, but lost a lot of people and Texas A&M-Kingsville is a team on the rise,” said Thorn. “There are some new (coaching) faces, besides myself, in the conference. I like the talent mix in this league and there is a lot of depth. It will be tough. There will be no easy games.”

ECU's first home games are next Tuesday inside the Kerr Center. ECU meets Arkansas Tech at 4 p.m. and St. Gregory's College at 8 p.m. in a festival.

     

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