Championship Time
The Big South Conference Tournament runs Nov. 19-21 at Radford's Dedmon Center. Coastal enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed after finishing conference play with a 10-6 record.
When In The Big South Tournament
In the Big South Conference Tournament, Coastal holds a 20-20 all-time record. The Chants have advanced out of the first round 14 times. Under Head Coach Kristen Bauer, the Chants have advanced out of the first round in eight of her 10 years, including the last seven. Meanwhile, Coastal has played in the championship match four times, having won the Big South title in 1996 and 1998.
Second Time In Fourth
This year's Big South Tournament marks the second time the Chants are seeded fourth. In previous years, Coastal has been seeded first (1987, 1996), second (1989, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005), third (1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2008), fourth (2007), sixth (1991, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2006), seventh (1992) and ninth (1993).
Chants Play Spoiler...Twice
In both meetings with UNC Asheville this season, the Chanticleers have come up victorious. In the first meeting in Conway, the Chants snapped the Bulldogs seven-match win streak and handed them their first Big South loss of the season. In the second meeting, Coastal rallied back after dropping the first two sets to beat the Bulldogs in the Justice Center, snapping a three-match win streak. Both matches went to five sets and two of the three Bulldog losses in conference action were to the Chants.
Jilllllllexcelent!
Hitting the books has paid off for senior Jill Nyhof. The Alpharetta, Ga. native was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III University Division First Team for the second year in a row. In 2008, she was also selected the Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year and in 2007, Nyhof was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III Division Second Team. Nyhof carries a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a political science major at Coastal.
Coastal Celebrates Senior Night
Seniors Meagan Tracey, Megan Pollard, Jill Nyhof and Rachel Bonertz were recognized at Senior Night on Nov. 6. Tracey entered the week ranked second in the Coastal Carolina history book with 3,924 career assists while Pollard entered the week averaging 3.68 digs per set and ranked fifth overall in the Big South. Meanwhile, Nyhof currently is ranked second in Chanticleer history in total blocks with 418 and led the Big South. Bonertz medically redshirted this season, but has served as student manager.
Pollard and Kimes Hit 1,000
Senior Megan Pollard and junior Chelsy Kimes reached the 1,000 dig and kill club this season and were honored for their achievements. Pollard recorded her 1,000th dig against Dayton on Aug. 28 and is fourth in career digs in Coastal Carolina history. She currently has 1,373 digs with two matches left in the regular season. Kimes recorded her 1,000th kill against Western Carolina on Sept. 19 and is fifth in career kills in school history. She currently has 1,264 kills.
Triple Aces
Seniors Meagan Tracey and Megan Pollard and junior Megan Bickford not only share the same first name, but also seem to have a strong tendency to hit service aces. Combined, the trio has 70 aces on the season and account for roughly 43 percent of Coastal's aces.
Movin' On Up
This season, three Chanticleers have moved up in the Coastal Carolina record book. Junior Chelsy Kimes finished the 2008 season ranked 10th in career kills and is currently ranked sixth all-time with 1,225 kills. Meagan Tracey moved from third in career assists to second with 3,924 assists and Jill Nyhof went from being ranked fifth in total blocks to second with 418 total blocks.
Liberty Plays Spoiler...Twice
In both meetings with Liberty this season, the Chanticleers have entered with a winning streak that has been halted by the Lady Flames. The Chants carried three consecutive wins into the match Sept. 26, but Liberty erased it with a 3-1 win. In the second meeting, Coastal Carolina had five wins under its belt, but a tight Liberty defense blanked the Chants 3-0. The Chants have not beaten the Lady Flames since Nov. 14, 2006, where they won 3-1 in the Big South semi-final match.
Five Sets
The Chanticleers are 4-2 in five-set matches this season. After winning the first two sets against UNC Greensboro (Sept. 4), the Spartans produced a comeback sending the match to a deciding set. UNC Greensboro prevailed defeating Coastal 15-11 in the final frame. Coastal Carolina outlasted Gardner-Webb on Oct. 16, after winning the first two sets sending the match to a fifth set where the Chants won 15-13. The Chants rallied to a 3-2 victory over UNC Asheville on Oct. 17, handing the Bulldogs their first conference loss of the season. To end the home season, the Chants forced the final two matches into five sets against Winthrop and Presbyterian. Against Winthop, the Eagles took the first two sets, but the Chanticleers came back to win the next three and beat Winthrop 3-2. Against Presbyterian, the Chants took the first set, but the Blue Hose came back to win the second and third sets. Coastal Carolina won the fourth set, forcing the match into a deciding set, which Presbyterian won 15-8. In the second meeting of the season against UNC Asheville, the Chants rallied back after dropping the first two sets to defeat the Bulldogs 3-2. Two of the Bulldog's three losses were to the Chants.
Kills the Thrill for Kimes
Junior Chelsy Kimes has recorded 425 kills, averaging 3.70 per set. She has 25 double-digit kill matches, including 14 double-digit kill performances in a row and 15 double-doubles. The Chants are 11-4 when Kimes has a double-double.
Double-Double Matches:
vs. Ball State (Aug. 29) - 14 kills, 14 digs
vs. UNC Greensboro (Sept. 4) - 14 kills, 10 digs
vs. Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 5) - 10 kills, 10 digs
at Georgia Southern (Sept. 12) - 18 kills, 13 digs
vs. Wake Forest (Sept. 12) - 12 kills, 14 digs
vs. UNC Wilmington (Sept. 19) - 14 kills, 13 digs
at Liberty (Sept. 26) - 12 kills, 10 digs
vs. Radford (Oct. 2) - 13 kills, 12 digs
at Presbyterian (Oct. 10) - 20 kills, 11 digs
vs. Gardner-Webb (Oct. 16) - 23 kills, 14 digs
vs. UNC Asheville (Oct. 17) - 15 kills, 19 digs
at South Carolina State (Oct. 20) - 12 kills, 14 digs
at Charleston Southern (Oct. 27) - 14 kills, 16 digs
at Radford (Oct. 31) - 23 kills, 14 digs
at UNC Asheville (Nov. 13) - 22 kills, 10 digs
The Great Wall of Nyhof
In 30 matches, senior Jill Nyhof has totaled 47 solo blocks and 95 block assists. Nyhof leads the Big South in blocks with 142, averaging 1.28 blocks per set this season. She posted a career-high 13 blocks against Dayton at the Mortar Board Premier on Aug. 28. This season, she has been ranked as high as second in the NCAA in blocks per set.
Bickford Boasting Solid Numbers
Junior Megan Bickford has tallied 265 kills on 577 attempts for a .322 hitting percentage and is averaging 2.30 kills per set. Bickford has registered 20 solo blocks and 65 block assists in the Chanticleers' 30 matches. She posted a season-high 15 kills against UNC Asheville (Oct. 17) and a season-high three service aces against Western Carolina (Sept. 19).
What An Honor
Listed below are Coastal Carolina's individual accolades from the 2009 season. As of Nov. 2, Coastal has garnered six All-Tournament honors, one Big South Choice Hotels Player of the Week, two Big South Defensive Player of the Week and two Big South Freshman Player of the Week.
All-Tournament:
Jill Nyhof (Mortar Board Premier, Gamecock Invitational)
Megan Bickford (Gamecock Invitational)
Chelsy Kimes (Bash in the `Boro Tournament)
Megan Pollard (Myrtle Beach Comfort Suites Invitational)
Sierra Livesay (Myrtle Beach Comfort Suites Invitational)
Big South Choice Hotels Player of the Week:
Megan Bickford (Oct. 19)
Big South Defensive Player of the Week:
Jill Nyhof (Aug. 31 and Oct. 12)
Big South Freshman of the Week:
Sierra Livesay (Sept. 21 and Oct. 19)
Welcome Back to the 50+ Assist Club
Senior Meagan Tracey recorded her first 50-plus assist match of the season against Presbyterian on Oct. 10. Since the Presbyterian match, she has tallied four more 50-plus assist matches this season against Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb and twice against UNC Asheville. Last season, Tracey registered three 50-plus assist matches and in her career has posted 24 50-plus assist matches.
Coastal's Overall Leaders
Listed below is where the Chanticleers ranked among the Big South's overall leaders at the end of 2008.
Hitting Percentage: Megan Bickford, .322 (5th)
Kills: Chelsy Kimes, 3.70 per set (4th)
Assists: Meagan Tracey, 8.71 per set (8th)
Blocks: Jill Nyhof, 1.28 per set (1st)
Digs: Megan Pollard, 3.56 per set (7th)
Service Aces: NR
Familiar Names and Faces
Coastal Carolina returns 11 of 14 players from 2008. The veterans include seniors Meagan Tracey, Megan Pollard, and Jill Nyhof, juniors Megan Bickford, Chelsy Kimes, Amanda Russell, Kristin Cozzens and Becky Stowers and sophomores Erika Lightsey, Kelsie Mauck and Simone Autry.
Welcome, Freshmen!
Two freshmen are on Coastal Carolina's roster for the 2009 season. New to the team this year are Sierra Livesay and Samantha Palka.
Coastal Carolina Second in Preseason Poll
In the Big South Conference Preseason Poll, Coastal Carolina was picked second by the league's coaches. The Chanticleers collected 67 points in the poll. Liberty claimed the top spot in the poll with 81 points and nine first-place votes.
Kimes Named to Preseason All-Conference
Junior Chelsy Kimes was one of seven players to be selected to the Preseason All-Big South Conference Team. Kimes, known as one of the Big South's most lethal attackers, ranked number one in both kills and service aces in the Big South.
When In November
Coastal Carolina is 44-27 in the month of November under head coach Kristen Bauer. Not including the Big South Tournament, Bauer has guided the Chants to a 35-17 November mark. The most overall wins by Coastal in November was eight in 2008.
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