Lucy Charuk Ranks Eighth In Hitting
Percentage In NCAA
When the first 2011 NCAA RPI rankings were released this
week, the University of Houston volleyball team debuted at No. 44, the
program’s highest ranking since 2008.
“I am very happy about being in this spot,” head coach
Molly Alvey said. “Scheduling worked out for us this year, the team was
prepared to do what we expected them to do going into the season and we’ve been
winning big time matches and playing well together. It is exciting for our
program, the University and the Athletic Department. There are very positive
things going on with the volleyball program.”
At the conclusion of the 2008 season, Houston was ranked No.
43 in the final RPI after going 20-12 and finishing fourth in league play. Last
season the Cougars were 91st in the final rankings and 192nd
in 2009.
The team had an off day on Monday so Alvey will address the
ranking with her team prior to practice today. She is positive the team will
use this as motivation against this weekend’s competition.
“They will be incredibly excited,”
Alvey said. “It is almost a 50-point jump for us. We finished last year at 91
and to be sitting at 44 is pretty impressive, so they will be very excited. It
translates to all the hard work they have been putting in. This will be
exciting news for them, especially going into this week’s match, which is very
important for us in the conference standings.”
The Cougars are 14-5 this season and 7-2 in Conference USA
play. They are tied for second place in the league standings with UAB, their
opponent Friday at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
In addition to the team honors, senior Lucy Charuk and
freshman Caitlin Ogletree found themselves ranked among the NCAA leaders in
multiple categories.
Charuk ranks eighth in the NCAA with a team-leading 1.30
blocks per set and 29th in hitting percentage with a .413 clip.
“This is very important for Lucy,”
Alvey said. “She has done a lot of things to get prepared for the season from
playing for the Canadian National Team to traveling overseas. Those are part of
her future goals and she knew it was going to help her this season. Being a
senior captain, Lucy hasbeen doing the things she needs to put her team and
herself in this position. She is playing well right now.”
After earning back-to-back C-USA
Setter of the Week awards, Ogletree is averaging 11.18 assists per set, ranking
20th in the NCAA.
“The setter’s role is like the
quarterback of a football team and it takes a very mentally tough athlete to
perform at that level,” Alvey said. “Her coming in as a freshman and performing
at that level is pretty impressive.
“This stat has made me step back
and take a closer look and appreciate her and what she is doing a little more.
Not that I didn’t before, its just you lose sight when that is your driving
force to running the team and executing. You are constantly talking to that
person and getting them engaged, and sometimes you need to step back and see
all they are accomplishing. She is doing a great job. I am so proud of her.”
UP NEXT
Houston will play host to UAB at 7 p.m., Oct. 21 at the
Athletics/Alumni Center before heading to Memphis for a 1 p.m. match against
the Tigers on Oct. 23.
“The setter’s role is like the
quarterback of a football team and it takes a very mentally tough athlete to
perform at that level,” Alvey said. “Her coming in as a freshman and performing
at that level is pretty impressive.
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