Western State Mountaineers (0-0) Lockridge Arena Golden, Colo. Fri., Aug. 28 11 a.m.

Adams State Grizzlies (0-0) Lockridge Arena Golden, Colo. Fri., Aug. 28 3:30 p.m.

Mesa State Mavericks (0-0) Lockridge Arena Golden, Colo. Sat., Aug. 29 11 a.m.

Fort Lewis Skyhawks (0-0) Lockridge Arena Golden, Colo. Sat., Aug. 29 5:30 p.m.

Complete Game Notes

Previewing Washburn
The 11th-ranked Washburn Lady Blues kick off their 2009 campaign, the 41st season in school history, with four games at the Colorado School of Mines Oredigger Classic on August 28-29. The Lady Blues return 12 letterwinners from the 2008 squad that went 30-6 and qualified for the schools fifth straight NCAA Tournament. For Tournament website click Here

Scouting the Oredigger Classic Opponents
The four teams that Washburn will play in the 2009 Colorado Mines Oredigger Classic are members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). The schools went a combined 59-53 in 2008. Fort Lewis finished the season 18-10, 13-6 in the RMAC. Mesa State was 16-13 overall, 12-7 in conference action. Adams State went 15-13, 11-8 in the RMAC, while Western State finished the season 10-17 overall and 9-10 in conference action. The four teams finished second through fifth, respectively, in the RMAC's West Division in 2008 and are picked to finish in that exact order in the 2009 RMAC Coaches Preseason Poll.

The Series: Washburn vs. Colorado Mines Classic Opponents
The Lady Blues are a combined 11-11 against their four opponents at the Colorado Mines Oredigger Classic. The Lady Blues are 4-0 against their season-opening opponent Western State. The two teams last met in 2005. WU is 3-3 against both Adams State and Fort Lewis. Washburn is 1-5 against Mesa State. The last meeting between the Lady Blues and Adams State was a 1998 victory by Washburn. WU defeated Fort Lewis in 2001 to even that series at 3-3 and beat Mesa State in 2005 for the first victory in the series.

Notes of Interest:
• Chris Herron is 7-0 in season openers and WU has won its last 11.
• The last time Washburn lost its season-opener was a 3-1 defeat to Mesa State in 1997.
• Washburn is ranked No. 11 in the AVCA preseason poll. The Lady Blues finished the 2008 season ranked 13th in the nation. It was the first time Washburn had been ranked outside the top 10 since the week one poll of the 2007 season.
• Washburn opens the season with 12 straight matches away from Lee Arena, the most to start a season in school history. Last season, the Lady Blues started the season 11-0 with 11 straight road contests.

Lady Blues start season ranked just outside the Top 10
    After finishing the season out of the top 10 in the rankings for the first time since week one of the 2007 season the Lady Blues will start the 2009 campaign at No. 11 in the AVCA rankings. This is the 70th straight week that Washburn has been ranked in the Top 25.
    The Lady Blues received 468 points. Emporia State was the highest ranked MIAA team at No. 3 with 710 points, Truman was ninth with 530 points. Central Missouri was ranked 12th, while Pittsburg State came in at No. 17 to give the MIAA five top-20 teams.
    2009 opponent and 2008 NCAA South Central Regional participant West Texas A&M was ranked fifth.

Washburn picked second in MIAA preseason coaches poll
    The Lady Blues were picked to finish second in the MIAA in the preseason coaches poll. Washburn returns 12 letterwinners and experience at every position from a team the went 30-6 last year and advanced to the school's fifth straight NCAA tournament. Emporia State was voted to win the league with 94 points and five first place votes while Washburn received 92 points and five first place votes. Central Missouri was third, with Nebraska-Omaha coming in fourth and receiving the other first place vote.

Herron begins eighth season at Washburn
    Washburn head coach Chris Herron brings a 214-44 (.829) record into his eighth season at Washburn after moving into first in career wins at WU in 2007. He is a three-time MIAA coach of the year and was named AVCA South Central Region coach of the year in 2007
    Herron has been a huge part of the Lady Blues program turn-around. Before he came to WU in 2002 the Lady Blues had never gone to the NCAA national tournament and they had a .389 winning percentage in 12 years as an NCAA-II school. Herron has won 83 percent of his games and has led WU to the NCAA postseason six of his seven years, including the last five in-a-row, and he has led WU to its first two MIAA titles.

Herron unbeaten in season openers
    Chris Herron is 7-0 in season openers at Washburn, having won all seven in tournaments on the road. Washburn has won its last 11 season openers with the last loss coming in 1997 against Mesa State.

Season Preview:
    For the first time since the 2003 season the Lady Blues do not have a returning All-American from the previous season on the roster. Three-time All-American outside hitter Monica Miesner has graduated and leaves some big shoes to fill. That, however, doesn't change the expectations for a program that has qualified for the NCAA tournament five straight seasons and six out of the last seven.
     “I don't think you can replace Monica, she did so many things so well. If she didn't have it offensively on a given night she'd block a ball or vice versa, she always found a way to contribute,” said eighth-year head coach Chris Herron. “To get to the NCAA tournament and make a long run you have to have All-Americans. The question for us is who is going to step up and be that All-American and contribute at that level.”

Season Preview: The Outside Hitters
    One of the players that the Lady Blues will look to is junior all-region outside hitter Ashley Shepard. The most experienced returner at outside hitter, Shepard was second on the team in 2008 with 298 kills and averaged 2.95 kills per set.
    Junior Caitlin Conley looks to improve on her sophomore season when she was fourth on the squad in kills. According to Herron, Conley has all the tools to be a very good player for the Lady Blues.
    Sophomore Courtney Wallman earned valuable time down the stretch of her freshman season as did Jennifer Kolarik and both will look to build on that solid foundation as they begin their second season with the Lady Blues.
    Herron brought in some talented high school players in Hillary Hughes and Jessica Kopp to challenge the returners for playing time. Both players were first team high school All-Americans and Kopp was awarded the Evelyn Gates award, which is given annually to the top high school volleyball player in the Kansas City area.

Season Preview: The Middle Hitters
    Sophomore Mollie Lacy is the top returning middle hitter for Washburn after earning all-MIAA accolades as a freshman. She was third on the team last season with 289 kills and averaged 2.7 per set.
    Junior Kelci Wigger and sophomore Jessica Wade also return at the middle hitter position and each brings a different skill set to the table. Herron thinks Wigger may be the Lady Blues' best blocker, while Wade is the most athletic player in the group. Freshmen Jessica Fey and McKayla Gowen come to Washburn after successful high school careers and will push for playing time.
   
Season Preview: The Rightside Hitters
    Sophomore Breanna Lewis returns at rightside hitter. At 6'5” she is a real presence and Herron looks for more improvement out of Lewis after a solid spring season.
    Junior Ali Ward also returns after playing most of last season in a backup role. She has a wide array of shots in her offensive arsenal with tremendous touch. According to Herron, she has a good grasp on what Washburn is trying to do.

Season Preview: The Setters
    The Lady Blues return two capable setters from last year and have added another outstanding setter to the mix.
    Senior Kate Hampson and sophomore Amanda Guess return after solid 2008 campaigns. Hampson recorded 1,248 assists last season to move into first place on Washburn's all-time assists list with 4,448. She earned third team all-MIAA honors after being named an All-American in 2007. Guess had a solid freshman season splitting time at setter and defensive specialist. According to Herron, Guess has a good intensity and focus about her.
    Freshman Abby Wittman is another solid addition who will be a great setter for the Lady Blues in the future, but will more than likely redshirt in 2009.

Season Preview: The Liberos/Defensive Specialists
    Molly Smith returns to anchor the libero position. The junior-to-be led the team with 534 digs in 2008 and earned honorable mention all-MIAA honors.
    Freshmen Tessa Brophy and Sami McHenry join the Lady Blues after solid high school careers. Brophy should challenge for time right away, while McHenry will redshirt this season.
   
Season Preview: The 2009 Schedule
    The schedule is once again loaded with tough games, including the always tough MIAA slate.  The Lady Blues open the season at the Colorado School of Mines Oredigger Classic. Washburn will also travel to Denton, Texas and to the Rockhurst Fall Classic. WU will once again host the Lady Blues Fall Classic on October 2-3.
    “Anytime you set up a non-conference schedule you hope it will prepare you for the MIAA. All of the teams we'll play in the non-con are high caliber teams, there are no guaranteed wins at any of those tournaments,” Herron added, “The MIAA will be tough again. We had five teams finish in the top 15 the last two years. If the fifth place team in your conference is finishing 15th in the nation that's pretty tough.”

Coming up next
    The Lady Blues will continue their season-opening 12-match road trip with four matches at the Texas Women's University Tournament in Denton, Texas, September 4-5. Washburn will play East Central and the host-school, Texas Women's University on Friday and Texas A&M-Kingsville and Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday.