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Lions Take First National Ranking Into UT Showdown

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By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

ST. LEO - Monday was a historic day for the Saint Leo volleyball program, which made its first appearance in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Top 25 poll.

Now comes the hard part - defending that spot against chief conference rival and perennial powerhouse University of Tampa.

The No. 22 Lions (12-0) and the No. 4 Spartans (9-0) will face off at the Bowman Center on Friday at 7 p.m. in a match that could be critical in determining Sunshine State Conference standings and the seeds for the NCAA II South Regional. Saint Leo's sports information department is encouraging all students to wear white at the game, contrasting UT's red and black colors.

Both squads are in line to make the eight-team regional field, but they have played less than a third of their respective seasons, including their entire 16-match conference schedules, so much work remains to be done.

Tonight, Saint Leo will first travel to St. Petersburg for its SSC opener at Eckerd (8-3). The Tritons swept last year's season series, both five-set matches. UT also swept Saint Leo last year, taking six of seven games.

But the consensus is that the Lions are much tougher and experienced this year, led by OH Kaitlin McKenna, who enters this week with a stellar .508 hitting percentage. Saint Leo is hitting .286 as a team, holding opponents to a .114 attack percentage and has out-aced the opposition 93-49 from the service line. They are also 1-0 against ranked opponents.

Nevertheless, the national recognition comes late, as they are the newest and lowest-ranked undefeated team in the poll, below several teams with multiple losses.

GETTING REVENGE: The women's soccer team (5-1) avenged last year's season-ending loss to Montevallo with a 1-0 double-overtime win in Montevallo, Ala. The game-winner was scored by Hannah Beard, who leads the team with 10 goals and six assists. Goalkeeper Lauren Hudson, the former Mitchell High star, got the shutout with nearly 108 minutes in net.

The Lions take a four-match winning streak and two-match shutout streak into a Thursday match against Robert Morris in Orlando. The Lions have outscored opponents 24-2 during the streaks. Saint Leo opens the SSC schedule at home against Tampa next Tuesday.

WADE PROMOTED: Saint Leo softball coach Christi Wade was named the Lions' associate athletic director on Monday, adding to her numerous duties in her 13th year at the school.

Wade was previously an assistant director of internal communications, but she was promoted in part because she will be handing the assistant director of external operations role vacated by Eddie Kenny, who left the school to become athletic director at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High in Shady Hills.

"This promotion was the next logical progression in what has been an impressive coaching career, and an equally impressive performance as a top administrator," said Saint Leo AD Fran Reidy in a release. "She has managed to execute both duties with excellence and integrity."

In addition to those duties, Wade is also the school's senior woman's administrator, dean of female coaches, advisor for the Saint Leo student-athlete advisory committee and the facilities coordinator.

Correspondent Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.

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