The Book 2005-06 UL Lady Cajuns Volleyball

[DaddyCajun]

Great, it must be the new Maple wood court advantage.

DaddyCajun!

[NewsCopy]

A star volleyball player in her homeland, Salomaki last represented Finland in the 2003 European Championships. But it's been years since she has called that Scandinavian nation home. She first left home for Australia, where she learned English and met future UL basketball center Chris Cameron - two crucial elements to her eventual arrival in south Louisiana. Shortly after she got here, UL coach Chris Campbell left for Mississippi University for Women and Salomaki followed - staying for a year before returning to the Cajuns. Now she's a senior helping newcomers to understand the challenges ahead. "I was in Australia for two years," Salomaki said. "It was kind of awkward at first because I couldn't speak the language. But it was a motivating thing, too. "My mom was OK with it. She let me go. I had expected to stay for six months and I stayed for two years. I had a good job, and had no reason to leave until I got the opportunity to go to college." By the time she got to Australia, Salomaki was tired of competitive athletics. "I had traveled a lot, had played for a lot of teams, and I was worn out," she said. "I did a lot of things in Sydney. I got into coaching and I started to miss it. I couldn't help it." Meeting Cameron helped shape Salomaki's future. "I had quit, and Chris kept pushing me to play again," Salomaki said. "Now we're both playing our senior years here. Chris is a good friend of mine, and having him here makes me feel at home." She also feels a connection with her younger teammates. "I love the freshmen," Salomaki said. "They're like little sisters, and I'm very protective of them. We're all like sisters. We're very close." The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[Turbine]

Wish I could say I saw a win but I did see a hard fought game

[DieHard1280]

Wish I could say I saw a win but I did see a hard fought game

Who needs the Ragin Jazz when you can go watch a volleyball match. Wouldn't you love to be in the middle of that huddle??!! You gotta love volleyball shorts!

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!!!!!!!!

[JMV JustMyView]

Who needs the Ragin Jazz when you can go watch a volleyball match. Wouldn't you love to be in the middle of that huddle??!! You gotta love volleyball shorts!

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!!!!!!!!

I second that..

[Turbine]

Volleyball is non stop action. Think we will ever see a Lady Cajun on an Olympic team?

[cajunvbmom]

I'm a proud Mom of a VB player...this is our first year..it's been a tough season so far but I have confidence this team will get it together and be a force to reckon with next year. Thank you for the photos...I live out of state and am not able to attend the games on a regular basis. I will be in Louisiana for the last two home games...hopefully we'll have a packed house.

[NewsCopy]

TROY, Ala. – Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns volleyball team took the first step toward getting back into the Sun Belt Conference Tournament picture by collecting a 3-1 win at South Alabama on Friday. The win improved the Ragin’ Cajuns’ Sun Belt Conference mark to 2-6 – the exact record of Troy University, whom the Cajuns will face here on Sunday at 1 p.m., in Trojan Arena. Both teams are tied for the eighth and final slot in the race for a spot in the SBC Tournament. Now, the Cajuns (5-16, 2-6 Sun Belt) take aim at leapfrogging the Trojans (9-10, 2-6 Sun Belt) and into sole possession of that eighth spot. Following Sunday’s match, only two weekends remain in Sun Belt play. UL and Troy will be meeting in Trojan Arena for the first time. The Cajuns have a score to settle with the Trojans following an earlier meeting this season at Earl K. Long Gym in Lafayette. UL held a 2-0 lead in the match before Troy rallied for a 3-2 (25-30, 25-30, 32-30, 30-28, 15-11) victory which currently allows the Trojans to be in a tie with the Cajuns. UL is in search of its first Sun Belt Conference Tournament bid since the 2002 season. A win over Troy would give the Cajuns a sweep of the Alabama road trip and the two wins the squad needed to have a chance to battle for a tournament seed down the stretch run. On Friday, UL opened its Alabama road trip in Mobile, Ala., against South Alabama in Jag Gym. The Cajuns scored a 3-1 (26-30, 30-18, 30-27, 31-29) victory for their first win on the opponent’s home court this season (1-6). LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

TROY, Ala. - The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team could not capitalize on the momentum of their Friday win at South Alabama, falling to Troy on Sunday. The Ragin' Cajuns (5-17, 2-7 Sun Belt) fell 3-1 (28-30, 30-19, 24-30, 29-31), missing out on forcing a fifth-and-deciding game after letting a 28-20 lead in game four slip away. Trailing 28-20, Troy (10-10, 3-6 Sun Belt) rolled off nine straight points to take a 29-28 lead. The loss pushes the Cajuns one full game behind Troy heading into the final two weekends of conference action. The Trojans, who defeated the Cajuns 3-2 (25-30, 25-30, 32-30, 30-28, 15-11) in a win in Lafayette on Oct. 7, now own the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Ragin' Cajuns for Sun Belt Tournament seedings. The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

Kim Rodgers has an eye for fashion. It's a gift she's hoping to utilize in her career as a designer. "I've been interested in that as a career, probably since grade 12," Rodgers said. "Physics and chemistry were not as attractive to me. "I've always been making my own stuff. I like to think ahead of the curve. You've got to be innovative." A junior at the University of Louisiana, Rodgers was attracted to UL because of its computer-aided design program. "That's the main reason I came here," said Rodgers, whose grade point average regularly hovers in the high 3 range. "I'm a pretty hard worker. I've learned that if you pay attention in class, it will reinforce what you learn." When her design degree is safely tucked away, Rodgers plans to start her own business, "although not necessarily designing right away," either in her native Canada or the United States. "I've worked in retail with people who have stores of their own now, and I've picked up pointers from them," Rodgers said. "There are do's and don'ts. I'm not really sure what works yet. It's all pretty vague to me at the moment." Rodgers is busy enough in school (carrying 21 hours is not unheard of) and with career plans, but she has another occupation that adds to her daily calendar. The 6-foot-2 Rodgers is a standout middle blocker for the Ragin' Cajun volleyball team, which visits North Texas today in a Sun Belt Conference makeup match. She had a team-best 123 blocks last season (21 solos, 102 assists), Becky Madden's final one as the UL coach, and is pacing the squad once again with 17 blocks and 72 assists (89 total) for first-year head coach Amy Kraljev. For her college career, Rodgers has 289 blocks. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns athletics family added a new member on Monday when Jonathan Newman-Gonchar was introduced as the volleyball team’s new assistant coach. Newman-Gonchar replaces Summer Campbell who left the program during the offseason to pursue personal interests. His hiring is pending approval from the University of Louisiana Board of Trustees. Newman-Gonchar spent the previous three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Northern Arizona - the past two seasons under former UL coach Chris Campbell. More recently he was working with the Thompson Rivers University men’s volleyball team in Kamloops, B.C., Canada. In his new position, Newman-Gonchar will assist UL head coach Amy Kraljev with drills, help plan practices and train the Cajuns setters. A native of Claremont, Calif., he played prep volleyball at Claremont High School before attending Northern Arizona. He was a setter at CHS playing on the varsity team in 2000 and 2001. While at NAU he was a member of the men’s club volleyball program. Newman-Gonchar was involved in the volleyball scene of Flagstaff, Ariz., while working at NAU. He worked with setters on the High Altitude Volleyball Club as an assistant coach and eventually head coach and also spent time with Flagstaff High School’s girl’s volleyball team. Newman-Gonchar has worked several volleyball camps including the UCLA Summer Camps from 1998-2000. In the summers he also returned to Claremont to work with the CHS boy’s volleyball team. Newman-Gonchar received his bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Northern Arizona in December 2005. LOUISIANA SI

[cajunvbmom]

You have a soccer ball icon instead of a volleyball icon associated with this thread...there may not be many of us fans but we are indeed proud...looking forward to an exciting season...the teams been through a lot and are stronger for it...We would love to see a packed house next season...

GEAUX CAJUNS!