Hayes set to surpass previous records
Volley Frogs led by junior setterŐs playing ability

By Colleen Casey
skiff staff

It didn’t come as a surprise to head volleyball coach Sandy Troudt that junior Lindsay Hayes would play in every match during the Miami JustBalls.com Classic this weekend. Troudt expected nothing less from Hayes, who was playing with a fractured nose.

Hayes was taken out of the game only because she was dehydrated, which was caused in part by a Miami-Ohio gymnasium that was not air conditioned.

“Hayes is one tough kid,” Troudt said. “She definitely gave all she could this weekend.”
Although Troudt was pleased with her team’s performance at this weekend’s tournament, she said she was especially impressed with Hayes’ play.

Hayes, the anticipated starting setter, said she simply wants to improve her game.
“I want to get better, stay consistent and also stay disciplined,” Hayes said.

Hayes has made strides, but freshman Tori Barlow continues to mount a challenge for her position. Troudt said the competition has made Hayes a stronger player.

Hayes needed 271 assists at the beginning of the season to break Annie Gant’s all-time assists record. She averaged 10 assists through the first three games this season, and Troudt believes she can pass Gant’s record next weekend at the Tiger Invitational.

Last year Hayes broke another of Gant’s records, averaging 11.23 assists per game compared to Gant’s 10.37 in 1997.

“I just think that I am a team player,” Hayes said. “My job is to hustle and have a good work ethic.”

Hayes has inherited the leadership role of the offense — a position that Troudt said she feels is well suited for Hayes. Troudt said Hayes’ leadership stems from her relaxed, fun-loving nature.

“Lindsay has really been the team cheerleader,” Troudt said. “She’s always the first one to tell people when they do a good job.”

Troudt relies on Hayes to be a strong all-around player, as Hayes has put up strong numbers in digging, blocking and serving, along with setting, her specialty. Last season she finished third on the team in digs with a total of 204. She was also third on the team with 62 total blocks, and held the second-best serving record with 28 aces last season.

Hayes reached the 50-assist mark five times during the season and she holds a school record with 75 assists in a four-game win over Rice University last November.

Troudt said Hayes has shown improvement in the weakest aspect of her game — defense — because of hard work during practices.

“She’s not our superstar,” Troudt said. “She would never even think that way because she’s too focused on our team as a whole.

“But Lindsay is definitely our main-stay.”

Colleen Casey
cmcasey@tcu.edu

By Danny Horne
sports editor

Historically, the TCU volleyball program has not been a picture of success, but after last weekend’s JustBalls.com Classic in Oxford, Ohio, things might be looking up.

Volleyball assistant coach Barbara Kovacs called the weekend the best volleyball TCU has ever played.
“We played three teams that all had records above .500 last season,” Kovacs said. “We didn’t win all three matches, but we played well enough to know that winning for this program will happen. We left our hearts out on the court in Oxford.”

The Frogs went 1-2 for the tournament and senior Amy Atamanczuk received all-tournament honors, but Atamanczuk said the results do not begin to say what the team brought away from the weekend.

“We came away from Ohio knowing we had some level of consistency to our game,” Atamanczuk said. “I won an individual award, but that doesn’t compare to how our team, as a whole, came away.”

Kovacs said the good showing in the tournament should do wonders for the team’s confidence level.
“It makes us believe that we do have the ability to win,” she said. “We’ll still go into future games as the underdog, but we don’t care because we expect to start winning.”

The Frogs started the tournament at 0-2 after losing consecutive five-set matches to host Miami, Ohio and Tennessee. TCU jumped out to a two-game advantage in the first match against Miami, but could not hold off the RedHawks’ surge. Atamanczuk led the Volley Frogs with 23 kills, 18 digs and six blocks in the loss.

Kovacs said the individual performances of Atamanczuk, senior Lindsey Hayes and junior Marci King were all impressive.

“But those performances are just a part of what gets us where we want to be,” Kovacs said. “We probably have 10 players who we would like to see perform on a regular basis, but we recognize someone will have to pick up the slack if one doesn’t perform.

“Atamanczuk made the all-tournament team, but she’d be the first to tell you that she wouldn’t have gotten that recognition without the help of her teammates.”

TCU recovered in the third match, a three-set victory over Denver, and brought home what Kovacs called the possible start of an uphill climb for the program.

“We’re not completely satisfied just based on one weekend,” she said. “We can’t be satisfied. For example, our players through the middle need to get more involved in the offense. That’s something we plan to work on.”

Danny Horne
bravestcu3116@mindspring.com

By Chris Gibson
staff reporter

One of the most widely used buildings on campus, the Rickel Building, may be next in line for a major face-lift.

The Rickel serves as the primary recreation facility for students and is the home to the volleyball team and both men’s and women’s swim teams.

Steve Kintigh, TCU’s Director of Recreational Sports, said updating the Rickel has been a goal for many years but serious discussions and meetings have begun just recently.

“Starting over a year ago we did eight student surveys and focus groups, and until the last stages, there have been students on the planning committee,” Kintigh said. “We began to develop a program (pertaining to what the students might want).

“Students rated things in order of importance: basketball, volleyball, swimming, tanning and food service. We want something that really fits the students’ needs.”

Preliminary designs include the addition of an indoor running track, six all-glass racquetball courts and an outdoor recreation pool for students and faculty.

Also included in the proposed renovations are the varsity athletic facilities. The volleyball and swimming coaches said they have been involved throughout the planning stages.

“We have seen the plans and if the proposed improvements are made, they should definitely impact our recruiting,” assistant volleyball coach Barbara Kovacs said. “We have a great floor right now, but we need to improve on seating. We can only seat about 600, but our crowds are growing.”

Head swimming coach Richard Sybesma said a new pool may not fit in the university’s plans at the moment.

“After meeting with a pool consultant they basically told us that it would be cheaper to put in a new pool rather than add to the one we currently have,” Sybesma said. “Looking at the overall plans, TCU is trying to build the best recreational facility they can, and a new pool is just not cost effective.

“Anything they do is better than nothing but in the long run we hope to have a world class natatorium in five years.”

Chris Gibson
c.j.gibson@student.tcu.edu

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