From Staff Reports
Southeastern volleyball will open the 2013 season on the road Sept. 6-7 at the Pittsburg State Classic in Pittsburg, Kan.
Friday the Savage Storm will face Pittsburg State University followed by a matchup against Rockhurst University. Saturday the Storm will take on Missouri Southern State University and Quincy University.
The Storm will open home play when it hosts the South Central Classic Sept. 13-14, beginning with a 1 p.m. matchup with Mid-America Christian on Sept. 13.
SE was picked eighth in the 2013 Great American Conference Preseason poll as announced by the league office on Thursday, Aug. 15.
The eighth place selection mirrors the Savage Storm seed in last season’s GAC Tournament. However, SE finished ninth in the 2012 standings but reached the tournament thanks to provisional member Southern Nazarene finishing in a higher position but not being eligible for the tournament.
The Storm finished with 35 points in the poll, four points ahead of ninth-place Arkansas-Monticello and 14 points behind seventh-place Ouachita Baptist.
This season, SE returns six players with starting experience and lost just one regular starter from last year’s squad. The 2013 team features three seniors, libero Taylor Benner, setter Marina Dias and opposite Kristin Martin.
The team has also welcomed a slew of new additions to the 2013 roster, including three new signees as well as a new graduate assistant coach.
Kelsey Zerkel, a junior transfer student from UT-Dallas, is a defensive specialist. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Zerkel played two seasons at UT-Dallas before making the move to SE.
“Kelsey will add much needed defensive depth to our roster this season as a transfer student,” said head coach Jenn King. “She brings great energy and communication to the team, and can fight for playing time immediately.”
The Storm also added two freshmen to the team, Cassie Frazer and Jessica Baker.
Frazer, a native of Lakewood, Colo., joined the Savage Storm as a true freshman after playing her high school volleyball at Lakewood High School. She is an outside hitter and opposite.
“Cassie made a great defensive impact on us during her recruiting process,” said King. “She has a tremendous amount of potential and could see time in multiple positions this year and in the rest of her Southeastern career.
Baker, a native of Van Alstyne, Texas, comes to SE after playing her high school ball at Van Alstyne High School. She was an Academic All-State selection in 2013 and was a two-time honorable mention all-conference player. She entered the program as an outside hitter.
“Jessica is one of our most local recruits,” said King, “And our second player coming from Van Alstyne, Texas. She is learning our system quickly and is becoming one of the most vocal players on our roster. That energy will serve us well this season.”
Brianna Barry joined the coaching staff after a three-year stint playing professionally in Switzerland for Volleyball Franches-Montagnes, finishing her run as team captain and serving a season as an assistant coach.
“Having Brianna join our staff is a huge step forward for our program,” said King. “With her experience at Florida State in the ACC and playing professionally for three years in Switzerland, she brings a wealth of information and a new perspective on the game for both the players and our staff. She’s already made an impact in the short time she has been with us, and will be a great representative for Southeastern Athletics.”