Temple University Athletics
Gabriella Matautia
Photo by: Dave Denoma
Gabriella Matautia Named to All-American Athletic Conference Preseason Team; Owls Picked Seventh in Poll
8.21.13 | Women's Volleyball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In the first-ever preseason voting among the 10 head volleyball coaches of the American Athletic Conference, Temple senior Gabriella Matautia was named to the All-American Athletic Conference Preseason Team and the Owls were picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll.
Matautia was an Atlantic 10 First Team selection as a junior and was also named to the A-10 All-Championship Team. With 437 kills (4.05 kills per set, second in the A-10), she was instrumental in leading Temple to its best season in years in 2012. She led the team and all players in the conference with 41 service aces (0.38 aces per set), and ranked second on the team with 3.09 digs per set (334 total). She recorded 14 double-doubles last season, and had a career performance in November with 32 kills and 21 digs in a win at Saint Louis.
"I think it's great that Gabby got on the all-conference preseason team," said third-year head coach Bakeer Ganes. "The coaches in the league are acknowledging her achievements from last year. She is one of our seniors and one of our leaders, and we're looking forward to her proving that she deserved this honor and the ones she got last year."
Temple is coming off a 19-11 season in which it ranked as the seventh-most improved team in NCAA Division I after going 8-20 the season before. The Owls were picked to finish 11th of 12 teams in the Atlantic 10 in 2012, but placed fifth with a record of 8-6 to earn the program's first trip to the A-10 Tournament since 2009.
"I'm aware that this is a very competitive conference," said Ganes, "and it's going to be really tough, but the standings don't tell us much until we start playing. We're just going to focus on one match at a time and see what the outcome is."
Louisville has been selected as the favorite in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. UCF was picked second, edging UConn, which was selected third. The votes were cast by the league's 10 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams. Louisville's Brooke Mattingly and Emily Juhl were named co-Preseason Players of the Year.
Louisville had an impressive season in 2012, capturing its second consecutive BIG EAST regular season title, posting a 30-4 overall record and a 13-1 conference mark, and recording the fifth season in program history with at least 30 wins. In 2012 the Cardinals finished ranked No. 7 in the RPI and No. 17 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Louisville advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a first round victory over Belmont. They return a talented roster that features four members of the preseason All-Conference team, including the Co-Preseason Players of the Year, Brooke Mattingly and Emily Juhl. Mattingly, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection last season, posted 209 kills, 85 blocks, and a .337 hitting percentage in 2012. Juhl, a senior outside hitter, recorded 159 kills, 67 blocks, and had 55 digs on the season.
UCF was selected to finish second behind the Cardinals, garnering 69 points and two first place votes. The Knights posted an 18-15 record last season under head coach Todd Dagenais, who enters his sixth season at the helm. UCF returns a strong core of players, including Preseason All-Conference Team selections junior DeLaina Sarden (a unanimous selection) and senior Angelica Crump. Sarden recorded 269 kills and 127 combined blocks last season en route to being named First Team All-Conference USA and an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. Crump was named to the Conference USA Second Team and has 1,094 career kills.
Claiming the third spot in the preseason poll was Connecticut, which earned 59 points and a first place vote. The Huskies return 10 letterwinners from last year's 19-12 squad, including six players that recorded at least 100 kills. Head Coach Holly Strauss-O'Brien enters her ninth season as coach at UConn with 126 career victories at the school.
Cincinnati was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, notching 53 total points after a 12-20 record in head coach Molly Alvey's debut season. The team's lone senior, Emmi MacIntyre, has been named to the Preseason All-Conference Team after being named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team last season. MacIntyre enters the season third in Bearcats' history with 1,607 career digs and second with 4.24 career digs per set.
USF is predicted to finish fifth, receiving 49 points after recording a 17-15 mark in 2012 in head coach Courtney Draper's debut season. The Bulls are led by the 2012 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Erin Fairs. After leading the team with 316 kills last season, the sophomore was a unanimous selection for the Preseason Team.
SMU was picked for sixth place, and had two players named to The American Preseason Team. Junior Caroline Young was a unanimous selection after being named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region Team and the All-Conference USA First Team, and leading Conference USA with 51 aces. Senior Maddie Lozano was also selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. The middle blocker finished third in Conference USA last season with 132 blocks and was second on SMU with 238 kills.
The Owls, 19-11 last season, were picked seventh, while Houston, 9-19 in 2012, was predicted to finish eighth.
Rutgers and Memphis round out the conference poll. Rutgers, who was picked ninth, was 18-12 last season as the squad won their most matches since 2000. Memphis, selected to finish 10th, was 12-19 last season and graduated three of their top four hitters.
The American Athletic Conference, based in Providence, R.I., rebranded on July 1, 2013. In its inaugural year, The American is fortunate to be able to draw from the previous successes and traditions already established in its 10 inaugural women's volleyball programs. The volleyball season will start on August 30, with team's facing nonconference opponents. There is no championship tournament for women's volleyball in the inaugural season of the conference. The regular season champion will be rewarded with an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
The American Athletic Conference comprises the following 10 member institutions: the University of Central Florida; University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, University of Houston, University of Louisville, University of Memphis, Rutgers University, Southern Methodist University, University of South Florida, and Temple University. In 2014-15, East Carolina University, Tulane University and the University of Tulsa become full members. The U.S. Naval Academy joins in football only in 2015. The American Athletic Conference is a member of the Bowl Championship Series. For more information on the Conference and its membership, please visit www.TheAmerican.org.
2013 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
School (First Place Votes) Points
1. Louisville (7) 79
2. UCF (2) 69
3. UConn (1) 59
4. Cincinnati 53
5. USF 49
6. SMU 41
7. Temple 36
8. Houston 26
9. Rutgers 21
10. Memphis 17
2013 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
American Athletic Conference Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Brooke Mattingly, Louisville, Sr., MB
Emily Juhl, Louisville, Sr., OH
All- American Athletic Conference Preseason Team
Angelica Crump, UCF, Sr., OH
* Erin Fairs, USF. So., OH
Emily Howard, Houston, So., MB
* Emily Juhl, Louisville, Sr., OH
Hannah Kvittle, Louisville, Sr., S
Maddie Lozano, SMU, Sr., MB
Emmi MacIntyre, Cincinnati, Sr., DS
Gabriella Matautia, Temple, Sr., RS
* Brooke Mattingly, Louisville, Sr., MB
* DeLaina Sarden, UCF, Jr., MB
* Caitlin Welch, Louisville, Sr., DS/L
* Caroline Young, SMU, Jr., OH
* - unanimous selection
Matautia was an Atlantic 10 First Team selection as a junior and was also named to the A-10 All-Championship Team. With 437 kills (4.05 kills per set, second in the A-10), she was instrumental in leading Temple to its best season in years in 2012. She led the team and all players in the conference with 41 service aces (0.38 aces per set), and ranked second on the team with 3.09 digs per set (334 total). She recorded 14 double-doubles last season, and had a career performance in November with 32 kills and 21 digs in a win at Saint Louis.
"I think it's great that Gabby got on the all-conference preseason team," said third-year head coach Bakeer Ganes. "The coaches in the league are acknowledging her achievements from last year. She is one of our seniors and one of our leaders, and we're looking forward to her proving that she deserved this honor and the ones she got last year."
Temple is coming off a 19-11 season in which it ranked as the seventh-most improved team in NCAA Division I after going 8-20 the season before. The Owls were picked to finish 11th of 12 teams in the Atlantic 10 in 2012, but placed fifth with a record of 8-6 to earn the program's first trip to the A-10 Tournament since 2009.
"I'm aware that this is a very competitive conference," said Ganes, "and it's going to be really tough, but the standings don't tell us much until we start playing. We're just going to focus on one match at a time and see what the outcome is."
Louisville has been selected as the favorite in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. UCF was picked second, edging UConn, which was selected third. The votes were cast by the league's 10 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams. Louisville's Brooke Mattingly and Emily Juhl were named co-Preseason Players of the Year.
Louisville had an impressive season in 2012, capturing its second consecutive BIG EAST regular season title, posting a 30-4 overall record and a 13-1 conference mark, and recording the fifth season in program history with at least 30 wins. In 2012 the Cardinals finished ranked No. 7 in the RPI and No. 17 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Louisville advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a first round victory over Belmont. They return a talented roster that features four members of the preseason All-Conference team, including the Co-Preseason Players of the Year, Brooke Mattingly and Emily Juhl. Mattingly, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection last season, posted 209 kills, 85 blocks, and a .337 hitting percentage in 2012. Juhl, a senior outside hitter, recorded 159 kills, 67 blocks, and had 55 digs on the season.
UCF was selected to finish second behind the Cardinals, garnering 69 points and two first place votes. The Knights posted an 18-15 record last season under head coach Todd Dagenais, who enters his sixth season at the helm. UCF returns a strong core of players, including Preseason All-Conference Team selections junior DeLaina Sarden (a unanimous selection) and senior Angelica Crump. Sarden recorded 269 kills and 127 combined blocks last season en route to being named First Team All-Conference USA and an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. Crump was named to the Conference USA Second Team and has 1,094 career kills.
Claiming the third spot in the preseason poll was Connecticut, which earned 59 points and a first place vote. The Huskies return 10 letterwinners from last year's 19-12 squad, including six players that recorded at least 100 kills. Head Coach Holly Strauss-O'Brien enters her ninth season as coach at UConn with 126 career victories at the school.
Cincinnati was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, notching 53 total points after a 12-20 record in head coach Molly Alvey's debut season. The team's lone senior, Emmi MacIntyre, has been named to the Preseason All-Conference Team after being named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team last season. MacIntyre enters the season third in Bearcats' history with 1,607 career digs and second with 4.24 career digs per set.
USF is predicted to finish fifth, receiving 49 points after recording a 17-15 mark in 2012 in head coach Courtney Draper's debut season. The Bulls are led by the 2012 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Erin Fairs. After leading the team with 316 kills last season, the sophomore was a unanimous selection for the Preseason Team.
SMU was picked for sixth place, and had two players named to The American Preseason Team. Junior Caroline Young was a unanimous selection after being named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region Team and the All-Conference USA First Team, and leading Conference USA with 51 aces. Senior Maddie Lozano was also selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. The middle blocker finished third in Conference USA last season with 132 blocks and was second on SMU with 238 kills.
The Owls, 19-11 last season, were picked seventh, while Houston, 9-19 in 2012, was predicted to finish eighth.
Rutgers and Memphis round out the conference poll. Rutgers, who was picked ninth, was 18-12 last season as the squad won their most matches since 2000. Memphis, selected to finish 10th, was 12-19 last season and graduated three of their top four hitters.
The American Athletic Conference, based in Providence, R.I., rebranded on July 1, 2013. In its inaugural year, The American is fortunate to be able to draw from the previous successes and traditions already established in its 10 inaugural women's volleyball programs. The volleyball season will start on August 30, with team's facing nonconference opponents. There is no championship tournament for women's volleyball in the inaugural season of the conference. The regular season champion will be rewarded with an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
The American Athletic Conference comprises the following 10 member institutions: the University of Central Florida; University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, University of Houston, University of Louisville, University of Memphis, Rutgers University, Southern Methodist University, University of South Florida, and Temple University. In 2014-15, East Carolina University, Tulane University and the University of Tulsa become full members. The U.S. Naval Academy joins in football only in 2015. The American Athletic Conference is a member of the Bowl Championship Series. For more information on the Conference and its membership, please visit www.TheAmerican.org.
2013 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
School (First Place Votes) Points
1. Louisville (7) 79
2. UCF (2) 69
3. UConn (1) 59
4. Cincinnati 53
5. USF 49
6. SMU 41
7. Temple 36
8. Houston 26
9. Rutgers 21
10. Memphis 17
2013 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
American Athletic Conference Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Brooke Mattingly, Louisville, Sr., MB
Emily Juhl, Louisville, Sr., OH
All- American Athletic Conference Preseason Team
Angelica Crump, UCF, Sr., OH
* Erin Fairs, USF. So., OH
Emily Howard, Houston, So., MB
* Emily Juhl, Louisville, Sr., OH
Hannah Kvittle, Louisville, Sr., S
Maddie Lozano, SMU, Sr., MB
Emmi MacIntyre, Cincinnati, Sr., DS
Gabriella Matautia, Temple, Sr., RS
* Brooke Mattingly, Louisville, Sr., MB
* DeLaina Sarden, UCF, Jr., MB
* Caitlin Welch, Louisville, Sr., DS/L
* Caroline Young, SMU, Jr., OH
* - unanimous selection
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