College | Volleyball season ready to roll

Washington’s season launches this weekend in Idaho; Seattle U takes on Texas

It’s August, when soccer athletes are happy they play an outdoor sport and volleyball players find themselves inside hot gyms. By December, of course, many cold and wet soccer players will look longingly indoors …

Washington's Kaleigh Nelson attacks against
Boise State last season
-photo courtesy Shutter Geeks

Washington launches 2014 season in Idaho

Every season since 2003, the Huskies have always scheduled at least one preseason weekend with other Northwest Division 1 schools from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and/or Montana. This weekend, UW travels to Boise, where it faces Portland State Friday evening, Gonzaga Saturday afternoon and Boise State Saturday evening.

Local athletes on UW’s opposing rosters this weekend include Gonzaga’s Sarah Bradley (Holy Names Academy), Portland State’s Leigh-Ann Haataja (Jackson HS) and Boise State’s Sarah Baugh (North Kitsap HS).

Washington—consistently one of the nation’s powerhouse programs—is 37-0 against its Northwest preseason rivals since 2003; UW won the first 35 of those matches in 3-0 sweeps. The Huskies’ 107-set preseason winning streak against Northwest rivals came to an end last August in Portland when Gonzaga took set three 28-24 and set four 32-30, before UW came back to win set five 15-9.

During Jim McLaughlin’s tenure as Washington coach, Washington is 120-5 in preseason play against all opponents, including the past 48 in a row, dating to 2008.

UW's Northwest preseason streak since 2003:

W	3	0	09.10.03	Idaho St	Pocatello
W	3	0	09.12.03	Idaho	Moscow
W	3	0	09.18.04	Montana	Boise
W	3	0	09.18.04	Boise St	Boise
W	3	0	08.27.05	Montana St	Seattle
W	3	0	09.03.05	Portland	Portland
W	3	0	09.07.06	Portland St	Seattle
W	3	0	09.09.06	Gonzaga	Seattle
W	3	0	08.31.07	Gonzaga	Spokane
W	3	0	09.01.07	Boise St	Spokane
W	3	0	08.29.08	Montana St	Bozeman
W	3	0	08.30.08	Portland	Bozeman
W	3	0	09.04.08	Gonzaga	Seattle
W	3	0	09.05.08	Boise St	Seattle
W	3	0	09.05.08	Portland St	Seattle
W	3	0	09.18.08	Seattle U	Seattle
W	3	0	08.29.09	Seattle U	Seattle
W	3	0	09.04.09	Boise St	Portland
W	3	0	09.05.09	Gonzaga	Portland
W	3	0	09.05.09	Portland St	Portland
W	3	0	08.28.10	Eastern Washington	Seattle
W	3	0	09.03.10	Portland St	Boise
W	3	0	09.04.10	Boise St	Boise
W	3	0	09.04.10	Gonzaga	Boise
W	3	0	09.02.11	Portland St	Spokane
W	3	0	09.03.11	Gonzaga	Spokane
W	3	0	09.03.11	Boise St	Spokane
W	3	0	09.08.11	Seattle U	Seattle
W	3	0	08.24.12	Boise St	Seattle
W	3	0	08.25.12	Gonzaga	Seattle
W	3	0	09.06.12	Seattle U	Seattle
W	3	0	08.25.12	Portland St	Seattle
W	3	0	09.11.12	Portland	Portland
W	3	0	08.30.13	Boise St	Portland
W	3	0	08.31.13	Portland St	Portland
W	3	2	08.31.13	Gonzaga	Portland
W	3	0	09.03.13	Seattle U	Seattle
			08.29.14	Portland St	Boise
			08.30.14	Gonzaga	Boise
			08.30.14	Boise St	Boise
			09.11.14	Seattle U	Seattle

Seattle U to lock ‘Horns

Seattle University—a preseason pick to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference—opens at the Lobo Classic in Albuquerque. The Redhawks face host New Mexico and UTEP Friday, then face powerhouse Texas on Saturday. Seattle U opens at home next Thursday, September 4 against Pacific.

INTERNATIONAL NOTES

• Three of Washington’s recent graduates have found homes with professional teams in Europe.

Gabbi Parker is in Couvet, Switzerland, with Val-de-Travers Volleyball Club. Parker is writing a blog about her journeys called Swiss Adventures and Pro-Volleyball.
Jenna Orlandini has signed with the Vannes Volleyball Club in France’s A League. Her hometown newspaper has a feature.
Kylin Munoz is now in Germany with Aurubis Hamburg, competing in the top Bundesliga.

• Brazil won the 2014 Women’s World Grand Prix over the weekend, defeating host Japan 3-0 in the finals. It was the tenth time the Brazilians have won the annual event.