2008 Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball

If you are looking for information about this year's team, go to
Current Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball Information.

In 2007 Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball had the best single-season turnaround in school history, winning 17 matches. After just six wins in 2006, Georgia brought in head coach Joel McCartney, who guided the Lady Bulldogs volleyball program to 17 wins in his first season.

Under McCartney, the Bulldogs have their sights set improving upon last year's success to establish Georgia Volleyball as a consistent winner. They would have liked to make the 2008 NCAA V-ball Tourny. However, given the Lady Dogs' 0-4 start in the SEC, it doesn't look like this will be the year for that step. Still, they are 7-8 overall, so that's substantially better than 2006. But, at this point it doesn't look like they'll match last year's 17 win club record.

UGA's 2008 volleyball schedule is challenging because it includes three non-conference tournaments, including the return of a home tournament, the Georgia Bulldog Invitational, along with tournaments at Duke and Texas.

The team is led by Maria Taylor and the squad consists of just four upperclassmen and 11 underclassmen including six freshmen. Taylor gained valuable experience during the off-season when she helped the United States National A2 Blue Team to a bronze medal finish in the open division of the USA Volleyball Championships.

The Bulldog Volleyballer's not only includes the returning kills leader in Taylor, but also includes the returning hitting percentage and blocks leader Lindsay Gehan, and assists leader Martin. Also returning to the court for their second season with the Bulldogs are Kelsey Burkett, Erika Clark and Valentina Gonzalez.

Clark was named an All-SEC Freshman Team selection last year. Joining the team in 2008 is a group of six freshmen that were ranked as the 30th-best recruiting class in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com. Those freshmen include two PrepVolleyball Fab 50 players in Kathleen Gates and Ann Dylla, and Briana Bahr, Tomoka Matsuyama, Michele Simmons and Carla Tietz join them.

Certainly Georgia volleyball fans were pleased with the dramatic improvements of last season, but the way they finish out this year will determine if that was a one year blip or a more permanent improvement.

Discussion from last season: Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball has enjoyed great success since beginning play in 1978. They have made eight NCAA tournament appearances and earned an SEC Championship title in 1985.

Georgia Volleyball then experienced several years of lackluster performance; and so, Joel McCartney was brought in to be the Lady Dogs' new head volleyball coach in 2006. McCartney is known for his success at former institutions, and has a reputation as one of the more successful college volleyball coaches. However, McCartney is still struggling to turn Georgia's team around.

The Lady Dogs had a disappointing season last year with a 6-25 record and last place in the SEC East. In fact, with only 2 SEC wins, Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball ended up with the worst record in all of the SEC. Georgia had to rebuild their team last year after losing two star players: Julia Petruschkle and Alexandra Oquendo. This put pressure on their young team consisting of five freshmen and four sophomores. In 2007, The Lady Dogs are going to have to work hard to pull off a winning season and finally earn their 700th win.

Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball

Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball. Thanks to http://www.briggsphoto.net at flickr.com for the picture.

Maria Taylor, who earned over 800 kills in her first two seasons, will return this year after being deemed the Dogs' star in 2006. Taylor stepped up to the plate last season and proved her status as a power player, leading the team in double-doubles and ranking second in the SEC for kills per game. Both Josefine Ehmke, who was voted SEC Freshman of the Week last season, and Brooke Peugh, who excelled in kills, digs, and blocks, were able to play hard last year and will likely join Taylor as imperative team members this season.

The Dogs will be adding five new players to their team for 2007. It will be the first recruiting class for new coach McCartney and will give him a chance to show Georgia how good his recruiting skills are. One of the new standouts will be junior Mara Martin, who is coming to Georgia after one season with the University of Michigan where she had over 1,000 assists, making it into the university's record books.

Although Georgia has plenty of new additions this year, they will have to stand one loss. Assistant coach Deitre Collins-Parker left the team to return as head coach for Cornell University. Collins-Parker came to Georgia in January to help improve the Dogs' standings after her success with Cornell, making it to the NCAA Tournament two years in a row. She has recently been replaced by Jennifer Gandolph, who was the former assistant coach at the University of New Orleans.

Since Georgia has had a year to grow and develop their game, they should have a better season than last year. Georgia Volleyball fans are expecting big things from Coach McCartney this year, and if the ladies are able to pull off some key wins over their SEC competition and some tough competitors on the road, they could have a winning season.

Georgia Volleyball dig

Georgia Volleyball dig. Thanks to http://www.briggsphoto.net at flickr.com for the picture.

However, we don't think this will happen. They will improve, but we still think it will be another losing season for Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball. They'll battle it out with South Carolina for last place in the SEC East. We do think the Bulldogs will win that battle.

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Read more about 2009 Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball Information.

2007 Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball Schedule:

August 24 Stetson Away
August 25 North Florida Away
August 25 Georgia Southern Away
August 29 Mercer Away
August 30 Jacksonville Away
August 31 Presbyterian University 1:00 pm Away
September 04 USC Home
September 07 Western Carolina Away
September 07 Georgia Tech Away
September 11 Wofford Home
September 14 Florida Away
September 16 South Carolina Away
September 21 Kentucky Home
September 23 Tennessee Home
September 28 Mississippi Home
September 30 LSU Home
October 03 Auburn Home
October 05 Arkansas Away
October 12 Mississippi State Away
October 14 Alabama Away
October 19 South Carolina Home
October 21 Florida Home
October 26 Tennessee Away
October 28 Kentucky Away
November 02 Alabama Home
November 04 Mississippi State Home
November 07 Auburn Away
November 11 Arkansas Home
November 16 LSU Away
November 18 Mississippi Away

2007 Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball Roster:

1 Sam Lum DS/L 5'7" Sophomore Suwanee, Georgia
2 Anjelica Partridge MH 6'1" Junior Chattanooga, TN
4 Alexis Morgan OH 5'11" Senior Champaign, Illinois
5 Erika Clark OH 5'9" Freshman Frisco, Texas
6 Brooke Peugh MH 6'1" Junior Glendale, Arizona
7 Maria Taylor OH 6'2" Junior Alpharetta, Georgia
8 Lindsay Gehan OH 6'2" Freshman Dallas, Texas
10 Chelsea Young S 5'10" Senior Fountain Valley, CA
12 Simone May MH/OH 5'9" RS Freshman Guntersville, Alabama
13 Britta Buethe MH/OH 6'2" Freshman Bohl-Iggelheim, Germany
14 Renee Johnson OH 5'10" Senior Hallettsville, Texas
15 Katie Winschel DS/L 5'7" Sophomore Lawrenceville, GA
17 Mara Martin S 6'2" Junior Monroe, Michigan
18 Valentina Gonzalez MH 6'0" Freshman Monterrey, Mexico
19 Kelsey Burkett DS/L 5'9" Freshman Alpharetta, Georgia

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2008 Georgia Bulldogs Volleyball