Volleyball Begins 2014 Campaign at Green Bay Tournament
WEEK 1 (AUG. 29-30): WISCONSIN TOURNAMENT // Green Bay, Wisc.
Arizona Wildcats vs. South Dakota Coyotes, Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix, Kansas State Wildcats
THE GAMES
Date Time (CT) (Rank) Opponent Location
Friday, Aug. 29 4:30 p.m. South Dakota Kress Events Center
Saturday, Aug. 30 12:00 p.m. Wisconsin-Green Bay Kress Events Center
Saturday, Aug. 30 4:30 p.m. Kansas State Kress Events Center
THIS WEEK: Arizona heads to Green Bay, Wisc., kicking off its 2014 season at the Wisconsin Tournament, hosted by Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Cats will take on South Dakota and Kansas State, along with the hosting Phoenix. The Cats are looking to build on a 2013 season that saw the Cats post a 21-13 record and advance to their fourth postseason in the last five years. Arizona welcomes back the majority of its significant contributors last season, highlighted by a star-filled senior class. The Wildcats open the season against South Dakota on Fri., Aug. 29 at 4:30 p.m. CT before playing two games on Saturday. The Cats play host Wisconsin-Green Bay at noon and Kansas State at 4:30 p.m. CT.
SERIES HISTORY
South Dakota: Arizona and South Dakota have never met.
Wisconsin-Green Bay: Arizona and Wisconsin-Green Bay have never met.
Kansas State: Arizona is 2-0 all-time against Kansas State, though the teams have not met in 27 years. In the clubs’ last meeting on Sept. 11, 1987, Arizona defeated Kansas State 3-0 (15-3, 15-2, 15-11) in Fort Collins, Colo.
HEAD COACH DAVE RUBIO: The longest tenured volleyball coach in the Pac-12, Dave Rubio is set to begin his 23rd season at the helm of the Arizona volleyball program. Rubio has led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in 16 of his 22 seasons as the head coach, including four of the last five seasons. Rubio, who guided the 2000 club to a Pac-10 title and the 2001 squad to the Final Four, holds a 416-247 (.627) all-time record at Arizona.
RESPECT YOUR ELDERS: Arizona’s success this season will hinge greatly on the play and leadership of its senior class. All-American outside hitter Madi Kingdon will again be Arizona’s force on the outside while Ronni Lewis (libero), Rachel Rhoades (middle blocker) and Taylor Arizobal (outside hitter) provide Arizona with strength in experience and ability. The four, four-year Wildcats are joined this season by Kennedy Wesley (defensive specialist) a graduate transfer from Gonzaga who will be in the mix at libero for the Wildcats.
THE MADI KINGDON FILE: The citations keep coming in for senior outside hitter Madi Kingdon, who was named to the preseason all-Pac-12 team by the conference’s coaches for the second straight season. The senior is on pace to leave Arizona in the career top 10 in six different categories (matches played, sets played, kills, 10+ kill matches, 20+ kill matches and attempts). Should Kingdon, who has played in all but two matches in her Arizona career, play in 31 matches this season (Arizona has 31 regular season matches scheduled), Kingdon will leave Arizona as the all-time leader in matches played. Additionally, Kingdon (332 sets played) is 85 sets from cracking the Arizona top 10 and 115 sets from catching Bre Ladd for Arizona’s all-time record. For reference, Kingdon played in 116 sets in 2013. The senior has registered 1,309 kills as a Wildcat, already the sixth most in UA history. Kingdon has recorded 10 or more kills in 77 of her career 95 matches, fourth most in Arizona history, while her 15 20-plus kill matches rank fifth all-time. Additionally, Kingdon’s 3,843 attempts rank fifth. Below is a complete list of Kingdon’s awards:
2014
Preseason All-Pac-12
2013
AVCA All-America (Honorable Mention)
AVCA All-Region (First Team)
All-Pac-12 (First team)
Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week (10/21 & 9/23)
2012
All-Pac-12 (Honorable Mention)
UP NEXT: Arizona will host the first event in the newly renovated McKale Center when it welcomes Alabama State, Loyola Chicago and Cal State Northridge for the Arizona Invitational Sept. 6 and 7. The Cats open the Invitational against Alabama State at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 5 before taking on Loyola Chicago later that night at 7 p.m. PDT. The Cats conclude the event against Cal State Northridge on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. PDT.