NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans volleyball team had one of the most successful seasons in program history at the Division I level in 2008 and will look to add another successful season to their count when they hit the court again in 2009.
Second-year head coach
Jozsef Forman directed the team within one win over reaching the NCAA tournament, after the team had a memorable weekend at the Sun Belt Conference volleyball tournament. The team seeded fourth, defeated fifth-seeded UALR 3-1 in the opening round before winning their first semifinal match since 2000 with a 3-0 sweep of top-seed and tournament host Florida International.
The victory over the Golden Panthers put the Privateers in a regionally-televised volleyball match against sixth-seeded Western Kentucky, where the team ended up on the wrong side of a 3-0 score.
“I could not be more proud than I was after this season," said Forman. “The team worked well together through challenging and supporting each other. They continued to improve throughout the season and I was very happy that they finished as the runner-up in the conference tournament."
While short of their team's goal, both
Dobrilla Kovacevic and
Lindsey Loyd were named to the all-tournament team, the first since 2000 that two UNO players were on the unit.
Kovacevic and Loyd were no strangers to accolades throughout the season. Kovacevic, an outside hitter from Belgrade, Serbia was named to the SBC and All-Louisiana first-team. The designations were the second for the senior, who was named to both first-team units in 2006.
On the season, Kovacevic ranked 27th in the nation in kills per set (4.12) while ending her career ranked fifth in kills, kills per game and service aces. She also finished fourth in aces per game, sixth in digs per game and eighth in digs.
Loyd, an outside hitter from Houston, Texas joined Kovacevic on the all-SBC first-team. The duo represented the first in school history to both be on a conference first team in the same year. The junior was also named to the all-Louisiana second team in addition to receiving SBC Player of the Week in early November, becoming th efirst Privateer to do so since 2004.
Entering her senior year with 992 kills for her career, Loyd will assuredly become just the 12th Privateer to reach 1,000 for her career. Rounding out her accolades, Loyd was named MVP of the 2008 Auburn War Eagle Classic, directing the team to its first in-season tournament win since 2006.
"I am very pleased and thrilled with the conference's recognition of our team and players," said Forman. "For Loyd and Kovacevic to be selected out of such an outstanding group of players around the league just shows the level of respect that UNO volleyball is receiving."
As a whole, the team set a new standard for UNO volleyball with the fourth-best winning percentage in the 26 years the program has played at the Division I level. With their final conference win against Louisiana-Monroe, the Privateers set a record for the most wins in conference play in school history with 13, eclipsing the previous mark of 12 from 2006.
Out of conference, wins over Texas Tech and Auburn on those team's home floors, represented the first time since 1982 and 2002, respectively, that UNO defeated present member institutions from the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences.
Nationally, the team set a school-record for RPI, ranking 60th in the nation, more than 50 spots higher than their previous best placement. Statistically, the ranked 17th in hitting percentage (.268), 20th in service aces per set (1.67) and 26th in kills per set (13.84).
There were more accolades to be found around the court, highlighted by those of freshman outside hitter
Maria Szivos. The native of Hungary ranked 23rd nationally in service aces per set (.46) while also hitting .297 on the season. With over 500 attacks to her name, Szivos will enter 2009 ranked third in school history in hitting percentage.
Sophomore libero
Nicky Valenti had the sixth best single-season in digs with 472 digs to her name, becoming the seventh UNO player to pass 1,000 digs for a career when she did so in the final match against WKU.
With 1,003 digs over two years and the top career average in school history of 4.32 digs per set, the River Ridge, La native is well on her way to reaching
Jayne Duncan's (2002-06) school-record of 1,757 digs.
Off the floor, setter
Jaci Bayley was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Six second-team, the first Privateer volleyball player since 1987 to receive All-Academic honors.
A native of Irvine, Calif., added to her off the court acknowledgments by finishing her career ranked third in school-history in assists (3,804) and assists per set (9.01). Known for her sneak attack, Bayley also finished her career ranked seventh in hitting percentage, attacking at a .254 clip.
With the goal of reaching the NCAA tournament and having a program routinely ranked within the top 50 in the nation, the second-year coach is in the process of building a lineup and a schedule that will aid the program in doing just that.
“We have an outstanding volleyball team right now and working towards a very strong 2009 recruiting class," said Forman. "We have a great relationship with the community and we know that good things are going to happen with our program. We are positive that UNO's volleyball future looks bright.”
Team Highlights* Second-place finish at Sun Belt tournament, equaled best finish in school history (2000)
* Most wins in conference play in school history (13, previous mark 12 from 2006)
* School-record RPI. UNO was ranked #60 at the end of the season, more than 50 spots higher than the previous best. During the SBC tournament, the Privateers defeated the team with the then-24th best RPI, Florida International on their home floor to advance to the finals. Team began the season ranked #176.
* Fourth best winning percentage for UNO as a Division I program in 26 years as a Division I program.
* Two players named All-Sun Belt Conference first-team for the first time in school history (
Lindsey Loyd,
Dobrilla Kovacevic)
* Wins over teams from the Big XII (Texas Tech) and SEC (Auburn). Wins represented the first time since 1982 and 2002, respectively, that the Privateers had wins over present member institutions from those conferences.
Player Accolades* Freshman
Maria Szivos finished the regular season ranked 23rd in the nation in service aces, aiding the team to a 20th ranking nationally.
* Szivos hit .297 on the season and presently ranks third all-time in the category, having amassed over 500 attack attempts.
* Senior setter
Jaci Bayley was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Six second-team, the first Privateer volleyball player since 1987 to receive All-Academic honors.
* Senior
Dobrilla Kovacevic finished her career ranked fith in kills, kills per game and service aces in school history. Also finished fourth in aces per game, sixth in digs per game and eighth in digs.
* Kovacevic ranked 27th (4.12) in the nation in kills per set while
Lindsey Loyd ranked 55th (3.74) on a team ranked 26th nationally (13.84).
* Team ranked 17th nationally in hitting percentage (.268)
* Senior setter
Jaci Bayley finished career third in UNO all-time assists and assists per game. Also finished seventh in career hitting percentage.
* Sophomore libero
Nicky Valenti had the sixth best single-season in digs. Last year, she had the third-best season and in the final match of the season passed 1,000 digs for her career. Valenti is well on pace for breaking the school-record for career assists with two years of eligibility remaining.
* Junior outside hitter
Lindsey Loyd named Player of the Week in November by the Sun Belt Conference on Nov. 9 in addition the Collegiate Volleyball Update's Top Performer's list the same week. First UNO player since 2004 to receive honor.
