2012 Women's Volleyball Season Preview

AURORA, N.Y. – The Wells College athletic department will be celebrating a "Sweet Sixteen" of sorts this fall. The newly-formed women's volleyball team begins play this Friday, Aug. 31 and becomes the 16th NCAA Division III varsity sport on campus. Second year Head Coach Richard Gary has experience with inaugural programs, having piloted the men's volleyball squad last year as the 15th program in history.

"It's exciting to see how these first few weeks work out," explained Gary when pressed for his thoughts on the season. "We've got all of these various pieces and we're going to get them into the gym, play and push to try and find some gel."

"Hopefully we can lay down a foundation for great things to come. It's a great time to be a part of Wells College volleyball," concluded Gary.

The Express will have five upperclassmen on their roster, as seniors Caitlyn Copfer (Clinton, N.Y.), Gina Laungani (St. Maarten) and Claire Stevens (Ithaca, N.Y.) will partner with juniors Angelee Camacho (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Stephanie Leung (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to provide leadership to a roster composed primarily of freshman.

Copfer, also a member of the women's tennis program at Wells, was a North Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season champion while helping the Express to a 6-0 mark within conference play. Laungani, the president of the school's Collegiate Cabinet, served as an assistant with the men's program this past Spring and will look to guide her team through their growing pains. Stevens, a 6'2 middle hitter from Ithaca, N.Y., will provide the team much needed height on the right side of the court this season.

Brooklyn natives Camacho and Leung are juniors at Wells and will provide Gary with experienced depth heading into the season. Leung also partnered with Laungani this past spring to assist the fledgling men's program.

The remainder of the roster is comprised of freshmen, including defensive players Evelyn Abbott (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Nicole Loeven (Pawling, N.Y.). Abbott, a 2012 graduate of Charles W. Baker High School, was a member of both the marching band and the volleyball program. Loeven, a three-sport athlete for the Tigers of Pawling High School, was a captain during her senior season and will serve primarily as a libero for the Express.

Zakarra Butts (Cortland, N.Y.) joins Loeven as a three-sport athlete in high school, playing field hockey, volleyball and softball for the Tigers, earning a scholar-athlete award at Cortland Junior-Senior High School. Helping Butts up the middle will be freshman Katie Curtain (Cassville, N.Y.), a middle hitter out of Mount Markham High School whom Gary describes as an extremely "athletic hitter".

Freshman Leilani Yasutake (Germantown, N.Y.) will provide an intimidating net front presence alongside Stevens and Curtain, as all three players stand at 5'11 or taller. Outside hitter Gina Cairns (Delhi, N.Y.) and right side hitter Courtney Wein (Martville, N.Y.) each played volleyball in high school, with Cairns serving as a captain at Delaware Academy for the Bulldogs.

In addition to Wein, Leung and Loeven, freshman Taryn Heath (Homer, N.Y.) will earn playing time as a setter for the Express. A 2012 graduate of Homer High School, Heath was a three-sport athlete for the Trojans and earned both First and Second Team honors in volleyball. She was also named to the All-Central New York team for her efforts under Head Coach Brian Fox.

With their season opening against Oswego State University on Friday, the Express return home on Saturday, Sept. 22 as they host Penn State Abington, Penn State Harrisburg and Gallaudet University in the Wells College Crossover, a four-team tournament hosted in both gymnasiums in the Schwartz Athletic Center.

For the latest news regarding the new women's volleyball program at Wells College, bookmark the team's home page by using the following link: http://www.wells-express.com/sports/wvball/index.

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