2014 Volleyball Media Guide
Centenary College Athletics Our Athletic Philosophy
Every coach’s mission is to provide the student-athlete with a competitive program and the opportunity to achieve excellence individually or as part of a team. The phrase “the teaching coach,” committed to the students, best describes our philosophy while maintaining a strong academic profile. As coaches, we serve as both educators and leaders. Centenary’s goal is to maximize the human potential of our student-athletes. Our holistic approach stresses the fundamentals of the games we play as well as the values of responsibility, discipline, and commitment. We know that these principles will translate into victories, but more importantly, they will develop young people with character. Those who compete and graduate become true champions, for they will understand what it means to be committed to excellence.
About Our Athletic Program
At Centenary College we nurture and encourage true competitive integrity. Our school adheres to a strict code of conduct from the recruiting process all the way to the NCAA Championships. Our coaches, administrators and staff members all take an active role in monitoring and insuring our compliance with all NCAA, Conference and College regulations. Centenary sponsors 13 men’s and women’s teams at the Division III level, and our athletic department continues to grow. We remain committed to developing our athletic department into one of the best small-college programs in the country. With the help of our dedicated coaches, staff and student-athletes we can see that dream come to reality. As a student-athlete, we will ask you to represent the College’s intercollegiate athletics program both on and off the field with integrity, professionalism and competitiveness. During your years at Centenary, you will be asked to make sacrifices, but these sacrifices will be well rewarded by relationships and memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Table of Contents
General Information Table of Contents Athletics Information Media Information Administrative Staff Athletic Training/Conditioning
1 2 3 4 5
2013 Volleyball Volleyball Team Info Head Coach Dinu Dan Assistant Coach Rebecca Prado Season Preview 2013 Schedule 2013 Roster
6 7-9 10 11 12 13
2013 Player Information Returners 14-16 Newcomers 17-22 History Career Records Single-Season Records
23 24
Other Information Athletic Turf Fund
25
Centenary College Mission Statement Centenary College is a community of learners distinguished by a diverse student body, a dedicated faculty and staff, and stimulating educational opportunities. Centenary College is committed to a quality liberal arts and career studies education with a substantial international dimension to engage students in learning and prepare them for satisfying careers, successful lives, community service and lifelong intellectual pursuits.
Media Information Note to the Media:
The Centenary College Athletic Department welcomes all members of the press and other media outlets to attend any and all athletic events. Please contact the Sports Information Office at least 24 hours prior to any athletic event for information and access to the event.
Interview Policies
All interviews with any student-athletes or coaches must be arranged through the Sports Information office. Please send any interview requests directly to the Sports Information office with at least 24 hours notice. The media relations staff will work with the student-athlete to find a time that is mutually convenient for both the student-athlete and the media representative.
Post-Game Information
The Centenary College Sports Information will provide all press releases, box scores, and statistics online at www.centenarycyclones.com. Fans and media outlets can also sign up for sport-specific news updates at www.centenarycyclones.com/news.
Credits
The 2014 volleyball media guide was written, designed, and edited by the Sports Information Office at Centenary College. All photos are courtesy of Centenary College Athletics and Lors Studio Photography.
Quick Facts General Information
Location...........................................Hackettstown, N.J. Founded................................................................1867 Enrollment............................................................2,694 Colors............................................Navy Blue and Gray Nickname........................................................Cyclones Affiliation............................................NCAA Division III Conferences.........Colonial States Athletic Conference ............................Eastern College Athletic Conference President.......................Dr. Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite Athletic Director.................................Billie Jo Blackwell
Contact Information
School Phone Directory........................(908)-852-1400 Athletic Department.............................................x2297 Athletic Department Fax.......................(908)-813-8295 Office of Admissions............................................x2217 College Website.................www.centenarycollege.edu Athletics Website.............www.centenarycyclones.com Athletics E-Mail..........athletics@centenarycollege.edu
Athletic Communications
Sports Information Director...........................Iris Correa Office Phone..............................(908)-852-1400 x2372 E-Mail...........................correar@centenarycollege.edu
Social Media Information
Facebook..........................Centenary College Athletics Instagram.........................................CentCyclones_NJ Twitter...........................................@CentCyclones_NJ YouTube......................................CentenaryNJAthletics
Administrative Staff
Director of Athletics Billie Jo Blackwell
Associate Athletic Director Josh Huber
SWA / Sports Information Dir. Iris Correa
Athletic Recruiting Coordinator Keith O’Connor
Athletics Facility Manager Dinu Dan
Head Athletic Trainer Dana Baffuto
Associate Athletic Trainer Kevin Davies
Assistant Athletic Trainer Eddie Giroux
Athletics Equipment Manager Matt Klank
Athletic Training and Conditioning The Sports Medicine program at Centenary College provides students with an opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics in the safest and healthiest way possible. A well-rounded program for student-athletes directed toward the prevention, evaluation, management and rehabilitation of athletic injuries is enhanced by team physician Dr. Mike Kelly and orthopedic surgeons Dr. Louis Rizio and Dr. Robert A Defalco. The athletic training staff includes Head Athletic Trainer Dana Baffuto, Associate Athletic Trainer Kevin Davies and Assistant Athletic Trainer Eddie Giroux. The fitness center, located in the John M. Reeves Student Recreation Center, gives Centenary students and student-athletes a safe workout environment where they can improve their agility, speed, flexibility, strength and conditioning. Using the fitness center gives each athlete a chance to improve their overall fitness, therefore making them more competitive in their sport of choice. In 2006, the fitness center was expanded to include a separate cardio room as well as the weight machine and free weight areas. The renovation also brought in brand new state-of-the-art strength and fitness equipment that should fill all our student-athlete’s seasonal fitness needs.
2013 Volleyball Team Coaching Staff Head Coach....................................Dinu Dan Alma Mater.......................................Kean ‘96 Career Record.............292-265 (18 seasons) Centenary Record.....72-171 (eight seasons) Phone Number............(908)-852-1400 x1295 E-Mail...............dand@centenarycollege.edu Assistant Coach.....................Kelsey Walters Alma Mater..................Centenary College ‘12 Phone Number............(908)-852-1400 x1295 Email.............walterk@centenarycollege.edu
2013 Team Information
2013 Overall Record................................1-26 2013 CSAC Record/Finish.......1-10 (11th of 12) Letterwinners Returning/Lost.....................2/9 Starters Returning/Lost.............................2/5 Newcomers..................................................7
Dinu Dan opens his ninth year with the Centenary College volleyball program in 2014. During his time with Centenary, the volleyball program has made tremendous strides toward becoming a conference and regional competitor. Under Dan’s guidance, the Cyclones have compiled 72 victories over the last eight seasons, including 33 against Colonial States Athletic Conference competition. Dan played a critical role in the development of Jelena Markovic ‘13, who led NCAA Division III in aces per set during the 2011 and 2012 seasons and set Centenary’s career records for aces and assists. During those two seasons, the team finished ranked in the top 16 in Division III in aces per set. Since coming to Centenary in 2006, Dan has produced five All-CSAC performers, 29 conference all-academic team honorees and two USCAA Academic All-Americans. Dan’s 2013 squad featured 11 newcomers, including five freshmen. Those newcomers were productive for the Cyclones, accounting for 93 percent of the team’s assists, 51 percent of aces and 47 percent of kills. The 2012 season was filled with tough competition for Coach Dan and the Cyclones as they competed against top national foes, including #17 Salisbury University. The Cyclones also finished the season ranked 16th in the nation in aces per set (2.79), while Jelena Markovic ‘13 claimed her second consecutive individual statistical championship as the NCAA Division III leader with 1.13 aces per set. Markovic also was named Second Team All-CSAC, NJAIAW and CSAC Woman of the Year and became Centenary’s all-time assist leader with 2,093. Despite a 8-25 overall record, the Cyclones finished the season 6-5 in conference play for their second consecutive +.500 season in CSAC action. Off the court, the Cyclones posted three CSAC All-Academic Team recipients for their hard work in the classroom. In 2011, Centenary returned to the Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament, earning the fifth seed. The Cyclones fell in their first-round match to Baptist Bible College 3-1, ending the season 15-20 and 7-5 in CSAC play. The Cyclones won their first five CSAC matches, giving them a leg up on the conference. Centenary would slide a bit in the back half of the season before finishing with a three-game winning streak.
The 2010 season saw the team come one game short of its second consecutive CSAC Tournament. Despite an tough schedule, the team was able to reach a double-digit victory total for a programrecord fourth consecutive season. CC saw three of its players receive All-CSAC accolades, a program-first. Sophomore Jelena Markovic, the 2009 CSAC Rookie of the Year, took home First Team All-CSAC honors, as did junior Devon Paffendorf. Classmate Kelsey Walter was named honorable mention. It also marked the first time in program history that two players were named to the first team during the same season. Paffendorf finished the season with a CSAC-leading 484 kills, setting a new single-season Centenary record. Markovic led the Cyclones with 755 assists, the second-highest, single-season total in Centenary history. Walter finished with 543 digs, also a single-season team record, to become the program’s all-time leader in that category with 1,506. Through the course of the season, the Lady Cyclones competed in eight matches that went to the fifth and deciding set, finishing 2-6 overall in those contests. Despite the tough non-conference schedule, the team was 5-5 in conference action on Saturday, Oct. 30, when it hosted Philadelphia Biblical in what amounted to be a one-game playoff for the final spot in the CSAC Tournament. CC dropped a hard-fought first set, 26-24, and eventually succumbed to the Crimson Eagles, losing the match 3-0. Off the court, seven student-athletes earned CSAC All-Academic Team honors. In 2009, CC earned a berth to the Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time in five years thanks to a 7-4 CSAC mark, marking a program-record for conference wins. The team fell in three closely fought sets at Baptist Bible (25-17, 25-23, 25-19). Freshman Jelena Markovic was named CSAC and Centenary Rookie of the Year and also earned Second Team All-CSAC honors. The team also achieved success off the court, finishing with a team GPA above 3.3 to earn the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award. Moreover, eight student-athletes were named to the CSAC All-Academic Team. Dan led the team to double-digit victory totals in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history (2006-08). In 2008, Victoria Rice earned All-CSAC Honorable Mention accolades. The Cyclones’ 11 victories in 2006 marked the first time in the program’s history that they reached double-figure wins for a season. Prior to coming to Hackettstown in the 2006, Dan was the head women’s volleyball coach at Long Island University, where in two seasons he totaled a mark of 40-28. In addition to the tremendous record, he took the Blackbirds to the Northeast Conference (NEC) championship game in 2002, their first appearance in the NEC playoffs in nine years. The women followed that with an appearance in the semifinals in 2003.
Prior to his two seasons with LIU, from Dan was the head women’s coach at Pace University from 1996-2001. He was a two-time AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year while leading the program to an impressive 148-60, including two NCAA Division II quarterfinal appearances in 1998 and 2000. The Lady Setters also notched four consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Championships (1997-2000) and were NE-10 regular-season champs in 1997 and 2000. While at Pace, Dan was named both the NE-10 Conference Coach of the Year and the AVCA Division II Northeast Coach of the Year in the 1998 and 2000 seasons. Entering the 2009 season he holds a career record of 258-202. Dan’s coaching career began in 1990 with the girl’s volleyball team at Montclair High School. He then continued on to Montclair State and Rutgers in 1991, as an assistant. Then in 1995 he took over the head coaching responsibilities at College of St. Elizabeth before moving to Hunter in 1996. At Rutgers, Dan worked with both institutions’ men’s programs. A native of Romania, Dan has numerous years of playing experience to go along his wealth of coaching knowledge. Before he began his college coaching career, he participated in volleyball tournaments throughout Europe and played for a Division I professional team in Romania. Along with his abilities in the sport of volleyball, Dan has also competed in marathon running, specifically at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle. Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in administration recreation from Kean University (1996), along with a diploma of engineering from Romania. He is currently working toward his master’s degree in leadership and public administration from Centenary and is on pace to graduate in May 2014. He is a long-time practitioner of the Japanese style of martial arts known as Kyokushnkai. He holds a black belt in Kyokushnkai and has owned his own dojo in Romania. In addition, Dan was Romania’s Amateur National Tennis Champion and currently is a member of the USTP (United States Tennis Professionals). In 2011, Dan won gold medals in the New Jersey Garden State Olympic Games in singles and mixed doubles. He continues to work with adults and children teaching the game of tennis. He is the founder of the NYC/NJ Volleyball Open Court (VOC) Experience housed at the Armory Tennis Center in Manhattan (Harlem), N.Y. Dan also works outside of the athletic realm, serving as a coordinator of Body/Mind Empowerment Therapy in Bloomfield, N.J. There he plans and implements therapy programs for specific disabilities such as spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy.
2014 Season Preview The Centenary College volleyball team will feature a number of new faces as
it enters the 2014 season. The Cyclones’ roster is comprised of 10 newcomers, with just four returning players from last year’s squad. Coach Dan believes that there is enough talent among the newcomers to mesh well with the returning nucleus and return to the postseason for the first time since 2011. With only four players with collegiate experience, the Cyclones were projected eleventh in the CSAC preseason coaches’ poll. Senior Myriah Cockburn (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon) will be looked upon to provide leadership for the young group. Cockburn saw action in 21 matches, pacing the team with 237 digs. She also finished second in aces (22) and aces per set (0.35). Sophomore setter Na’imah Spells (Irvington, N.J./Irvington) will have the opportunity to build on a strong rookie season. Spells dished out 101 assists for an average of (1.29 assists per game), while seeing time in 26 matches. Centenary begins the 2014 campaign at the 12th-annual Greyhound Premiere Invitational hosted by Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., on August 29-30.
2014 Schedule Date Opponent Time Aug. 29/30 Moravian Tournament 4:00 pm Sept. 4 King’s (Pa.) 6:00 pm Sept. 5/6 Kean Cougar Classic 4:00 pm Sept. 9 at William Paterson 7:00 pm Sept. 11 Rutgers-Newark 7:00 pm Sept. 19 Neumann* 7:00 pm Sept. 23 at Keystone* 7:00 pm Sept. 27 at Rosemont* 1:00 pm Sept. 29 Brooklyn 7:00 pm Sept. 30 at Delaware Valley 7:00 pm Oct. 1 Gwynedd Mercy* 7:00 pm Oct. 4 Immaculata* 1:00 pm Oct. 7 New Jersey City 7:00 pm Oct. 10/11 at Rowan Invitational 5:00 pm Oct. 15 at Cairn* 7:00 pm Oct. 18 Cedar Crest* 1:00 pm Oct. 18 Notre Dame (Md.)* 4:00 pm Oct. 21 at Cabrini* 7:00 pm Oct. 27 Marywood* 7:00 pm Oct. 29 Baptist Bible* 7:00 pm Home matches in BOLD * - denotes Colonial States Athletic Conference match
2014 Volleyball Roster No. Name
Yr. Pos. Ht.
Hometown/High School
6
Andrea Martorana
Fr.
MB/OH
5-9
Franklin Lakes, NJ / Indian Hills
7
Samantha Stevens Fr. MB
6-0
Vernon, NJ / Vernon Twp.
8
Na’imah Spells
So. S
5-0
Irvington, N.J./Irvington
10 Myriah Jade
Sr. OH/L
5-7
Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon
11 Brianne Allender
Fr.
MB/MH
5-10
Toms River, NJ / Central Regional
14 Alethia Anderson
Fr.
DS
5-5
Montclair, NJ / Montclair
17 Tianna Watson
Fr.
OH
5-3
Montclair, NJ / Montclair
18 Nicolle Siebens
Fr.
DS
5-6
Andover, NJ / North Warren Regional
20 Jasmine Townsend Fr.
OH
5-5
Lakewood, NJ / Lakewood
*Denotes Captains
By Position
Roster Breakdown
By Year
Defensive Specialists (3) - Anderson, Siebens
Seniors (1) - Jade
Outside Hitters (4) - Martorana, Jade, Watson, Townsend
Sophomores (1) - Spells
Middle Blockers (3) - Martorana, Stevens, Allender
Freshmen (6) - Allender, Anderson, Martorana, Siebens, Stevens, Townsend, Watson
Setters (1) - Spells Liberos (1) - Jade
Returners
2013 (Junior): Played in 62 games...tallied 12 kills...was second in the team with 22 aces...led the team with 237 digs. 2012 (Sophomore): Played in 100 sets...contributed to the Cyclones with 14 assists, 17 kills and 15 aces...led the team with 368 digs...second on team in aces (53) and aces per set (0.53) 2011 (Freshman): Played in 121 sets...was third on the team with 60 aces... also third on the team with 201 digs. High School and Personal Data: Played four years of volleyball at North Hunterdon High School‌named Second Team All-Conference following senior season... also played softball and track during her freshman year in high school‌recipient of the Senior Volleyball Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship
Returners
2013 (Freshman): Competed in 26 matches, starting 15...posted a team-best 101 assists...compiled 55 digs, 16 kills and six aces. High School and Personal Data: Daughter of Dietrich Spells...majoring in social work
Newcomers
High School and Personal Data: Played four years of volleyball at Central Regional High School...led the team in blocks and 2nd in kill...named first team All-Ocean and Honorable Mention, as well as All-State...Majoring in Education.
High School and Personal Data: Played all four years of volleyball at Indian Hills High School... Majoring in Fashion Merchandising.
Newcomers
High School and Personal Data: Unknown
High School and Personal Data: Played all four years of soccer at North Warren Regional High School...Majoring in Early Childhood Education.
Newcomers
High School and Personal Data: Unknown
High School and Personal Data: Played Volleyball for four years at Montclair High School... also participated in Cheerleading and track...Majoring in Biology.
Newcomers
High School and Personal Data: First-year member of Cyclones’ volleyball team…Fashion Design major
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Career Records Kills (Top 5)
1) Devon Paffendorf - 1,293 (‘08-’11) 2) Jelena Markovic - 946 (‘09-’12) 3) Erica Chu - 916 (‘09-’12) 4) Christina Boyer - 770 (‘03-’05, ‘07) 5) Kelly Zegarowitz - 671 (‘07-’10)
Blocks (Top 5)
1) Erika Chu - 260 (‘09-’12) 2) Jelena Markovic - 170 (‘09-’12) 3) Nadia Reinosa - 169 (‘02-’05) 4) Rosariene Correa - 154 (‘99-’00, ‘02) 5) Kasana Akridge - 119 (‘03, ‘05)
Aces (Top 5)
1) Jelena Markovic - 462 (‘09-’12) 2) Kelly Zegarowitz - 265 (‘07-’10) 3) Jolyn Veres - 203 (‘06-’09) 4) Chrystie Cassino - 164 (‘99-’02) 5) Victoria Rice - 162 (‘07-’08)
Digs (Top 5)
1) Kelsey Walter - 2,076 (‘08-’11) 2) Christina Boyer - 973 (‘03-’05, ‘07) 3) Tomomi Kise - 945 (‘05-’07) 4) Nikola Henner - 840 (‘01-’04) 5) Jelena Markovic - 790 (‘09-’12)
Assists (Top 5)
1) Jelena Markovic - 2,093 (‘09-’12) 2) Jolyn Veres - 1,941 (‘06-’09) 3) Kelly McMenamin - 922 (‘11-’12) 4) Maggie Burdick - 918 (‘03-’05) 5) Brooke Midgley - 774 (‘97-’99)
Kills Per Game (Top 5 - Min. 100 Kills) 1) Victoria Rice - 2.95 (‘07-’08) 2) Devon Paffendorf - 2.83 (‘08-’11) 3) Christina Boyer - 2.55 (‘03-’05) 4) Nikola Henner - 2.48 (‘01-’04) 5) Christine Crone - 2.38 (‘99)
Hitting Percentage (Top 5)
1) Christine Crone - 0.382 (‘99) 2) Johanna Nilson - 0.321 (‘97-’98) 3) Christina Boyer - 0.317 (‘03-’05) 4) Rina Lladoc - 0.314 (‘98) 5) Rosariene Correa - 0.299 (‘99-’00, ‘02)
Aces Per Game (Top 5 - Min. 50 Aces)
1) Jelena Markovic - 1.04 (‘09-’12) 2) Chrystie Cassino - 0.63 (‘99-’02) 3) Kelly Zegarowitz - 0.61 (‘07-’10) 4) Jamie Tarnacki - 0.59 (‘99, ‘01-’02) 5) Nadia Reinosa - 0.57 (‘02-’05)
Digs Per Game (Top 5 - Min. 100 Digs)
1) Tomomi Kise - 5.43 (‘05-’07) 2) Kelsey Walter - 4.56 (‘08-’11) 3) Nikola Henner - 3.75 (‘01-’04) 4) Glynese Justice - 3.63 (‘01) 5) Rina Lladoc - 3.34 (‘98)
Assists Per Game (Top 5 - Min 100 Ast.)
1) Jolyn Veres - 5.64 (‘06-’09) 2) Jelena Markovic - 4.77 (‘09-’12) 3) Brooke Midgley - 4.37 (‘97-’99) 4) Maggie Burdick - 4.04 (‘03-’05) 5) Kelli McMenamin - 4.01 (‘11-’12)
Single Season Records Kills (Top 5)
1) Devon Paffendorf 2) Devon Paffendorf 3) Jelena Markovic 4) Christina Boyer 5) Victoria Rice
484 309 305 302 278
Blocks (Top 5)
1) Rosariene Correa 2) Erika Chu 3) Kasana Akridge 4) Erika Chu 5) Erika Chu Nadia Reinosa
96 81 76 72 57 57
Aces (Top 5)
1) Jelena Markovic 2) Jelena Markovic 3) Christine Crone 4) Victoria Rice 5) Jelena Markovic
197 106 91 87 80
Digs (Top 5)
1) Kelsey Walter 2) Kelsey Walter 3) Kelsey Walter 4) Kelsey Walter 5) Myriah Jade
570 543 514 449 368
Assists (Top 5)
1) Jolyn Veres 2) Jelena Markovic 3) Kelli McMenamin 4) Jelena Markovic 5) Jelena Markovic
777 755 502 489 460
Kills Per Game (Top 5)
2010 2011 2011 2007 2008
1) Devon Paffendorf 2) Nikola Henner 3) Heather Domotor 4) Victoria Rice 5) Chrystie Cassino
2002 2010 2003 2011 2009 2002
1) Christine Crone 2) Pepsi Jackson 3) Rosariene Correa 4) Christina Boyer 5) Nadia Reinoso
2011 2012 1999 2008 2010 2011 2010 2009 2008 2012 2007 2010 2011 2009 2011
4.40 3.23 2.83 2.78 2.70
2010 2003 2006 2008 2001
Hitting Percentage (Top 5) 0.38 0.37 0.36 0.35 0.34
1999 1999 1999 2004 2005
Aces Per Game (Top 5)
1) Jelena Markovic 2) Christine Crone 3) Jelena Markovic 4) Jamie Tarnacki 5) Victoria Rice
1.64 1.20 1.09 0.98 0.87
2011 1999 2012 2001 2008
Digs Per Game (Top 5)
1) Nikola Henner 2) Chrystie Cassino 3) Kelsey Walter 4) Kelsey Walter 5) Kelsey Walter
5.87 5.22 5.03 4.77 4.67
2001 2001 2010 2011 2009
Assists Per Game (Top 5 - Min. 15 Ast.)
1) Jelena Markovic 2) Maggie Burdick 3) Jolyn Veres 4) Jolyn Veres 5) Brooke Midgley
6.62 5.91 5.57 5.07 4.58
2010 2004 2008 2005 1999