Complete Game Notes (PDF)
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Micro-Blogging The Blues
(Around 140-character or less tweets highlighting the season)
- WU will enter 2012 t-7th in the nation. This is their 109th straight ranking and 3rd straight yr in preseason top 10 #NationalRecognition
- The Lady Blues were picked to win the MIAA by the conference coaches after sharing the title with UCM two straight years #ConferenceRecognition
- Coach Herron is in his 11th year with a 311-55 record. He's got 9 NCAA appearances, 4 MIAA titles and 15 All-Americans #GreatDecade
- Sr. MH Jessica Fey was an honorable mention AVCA All-American last year. She enters the year with 810 kills and 251 blocks #ReturningAA
- Washburn returns five all-MIAA picks from last year and all five could potentially be on the court when the year starts #FabFive
- Washburn is 4-1 against USI and 1-0 against PBA. The Lady Blues have never played Barry or Saginaw Valley State #FreshFish
- Washburn has won every season-opener since 1998 and Herron is 40-0 in season-opening weekend tournaments #SolidStarts


Getting Things Started
No. 7 Lady Blues begin year with four matches in Florida

One year after going 32-3 and winning their second straight MIAA title, the seventh-ranked Lady Blues will open the 2012 season with four matches at the Palm Beach Atlantic Hyatt Place Sunshine Classic. Friday they'll open the year at 12 p.m. Central against Barry and then they'll play Southern Indiana at 4 p.m. Saturday they'll play Saginaw Valley State at 9 a.m. and PBA at 3 p.m.

Head coach Chris Herron will start his 11th season with five returning all-MIAA players, including All-American senior middle hitter Jessica Fey. He's 40-0 in the 10 season-opening tournament he's played in and he'll begin this year with four fairly unfamiliar foes. The Lady Blues have never faced Barry or Saginaw Valley State. They're 4-1 against USI and 1-0 against the Sailfish.

Washburn shared the MIAA title last year with Central Missouri with 17-1 conference records. Each team won its home match in the regular season. The Lady Blues made their eighth straight trip to the NCAA tournament and lost to the Jennies in the NCAA South Central Region final.


109 Straight In The Polls
Lady Blues ranked seventh in AVCA preseason poll

The Lady Blues earned their 109th consecutive spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll as they were tied for seventh in this year's preseason poll. The Lady Blues have been in every weekly poll since week one of the 2004 season and they have been in the top 10 for 40 consecutive weeks going back to week one of 2009. This is the third straight year they opened the season ranked in the top 10.

The NCAA realigned its regions this year and the MIAA will be placed with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Great American Conference to form the Central Region. Washburn, No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 5 Central Missouri represent the MIAA while No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State, No. 7 Minnesota Duluth, No. 12 Wayne State (Neb.) and No. 23 Minnesota State of the NSIC give the region eight teams in the top 25 and six teams that make up the top eight in the nation.


Right Where They Left Off
Lady Blues picked first in MIAA preseason poll

Washburn will start the 2012 season right where it ended in each of the last two years. The Lady Blues were picked to finish first in the MIAA preseason volleyball poll released August 8 by the conference office.

With one All-American and four others who earned all-MIAA last year, head coach Chris Herron will begin his 11th year looking to defend the conference title. The Lady Blues earned seven of 13 first place votes with No. 2 Central Missouri getting four and newcomer Nebraska-Kearney getting two. Washburn edged UCM in voting 137-131 and the Lopers earned 129 points. Emporia State and Truman rounded out the top five.

Washburn and UCM tied for the MIAA championship last year with 17-1 records. Nebraska-Kearney also finished 17-1 in league play to win its final season in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. All three teams made it to the NCAA tournament last year.


About Coach Chris Herron
Head coach Chris Herron building solid program in 11th season

- Head Coach Chris Herron is 311-55 (.850) in his 11th season at Washburn and 386-84 (.821) in 14 years overall as a head coach.
- He's won more games (311) in the last 11 years than any other program that has been in the MIAA during that time. Truman is second with 302.
- He's turned Washburn volleyball completely around. The program went 169-265 (.389) in its first 12 years as an MIAA school from 1990-2001 and had never been to the NCAA tournament.
- Herron has earned Washburn its first 11 NCAA tournament appearances and four conference titles.
- The 1980 College of the Ozarks graduate went 75-29 in three years at Benedictine before coming to Washburn.