The Book 2005-06 UL Lady Cajuns Volleyball

[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!

[Zeebart21]

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!

Mom, Im sure that icon will be changed soon enough..

All of us appreciate how hard the Volleyball team works!

Keep us updated on the goings on, if you can...

Former UL basketball star, T. Lyles keeps us updated on womens tennis....his daughter plays...I believe we have all become bigger fans because of his postings

Look forward to hearing from you in the near future!

Z.

[NewsCopy]

"I take personal pride in error, detection and prevention from the standpoint of a teacher and the subject is volleyball. My role as a coach is to teach lessons that extend far beyond the gym.” These were the words of Jonathan Newman-Gonchar, the new assistant coach for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns volleyball team. The 23-year-old Claremont, Calif., native takes his job seriously, acting more as a teacher than a volleyball coach. “I approach the game from the standpoint of a teacher, and the players are my students. With every opportunity, I coach from the standpoint that I am a personal instructor of volleyball,” Newman-Gonchar said. Newman-Gonchar, whose office is adorned with Ragin’ Cajun colors and pride, makes it his goal to ensure that every student he coaches graduates and takes the lessons they learn on the court on with them in life. “I take personal pride in that every student-athlete that plays for me graduates, and with that I take even more pride in the fact that they will want to give back to, and support, the sport that helped make them into the people they have become,” he said. Newman-Gonchar also said he practically jumped at the opportunity to coach Division-I volleyball, and after having a “great conversation” with head coach Amy Kraljev, he knew he would be a perfect fit. Kraljev said she knew Newman-Gonchar was the perfect addition to help her team be successful before they even met. “I knew he was the right one just by talking on the phone,” Kraljev said. “We had many of the same goals and the same coaching philosophies that would help achieve those goals.” Newman-Gonchar said that he cannot wait for volleyball season to start and is excited about his team’s work ethic and desire to win a tournament title. “This team has not made it to the Sun Belt Conference tournament in three years, and with that brings a sense of determination from the players that can only come from desperately wanting to achieve a goal with every fiber in your body,” he said. “When you have players with that focus, coaching becomes a truly enjoyable experience!” Originally from Southern California, Newman-Gonchar’s dark features, tanned skin and tousled curls make him look like he would be found on a Pacific beach rather than in a volleyball gym. Still, Newman-Gonchar has begun to make Lafayette his home. “Lafayette is a wonderful city full of diversity, great food, great music and most importantly, great people. I love it!” Newman-Gonchar exclaimed. “The Cajun lifestyle is unique and takes a little getting used to, yet I am finding that I enjoy it more and more every day.” Newman-Gonchar graduated cum laude from Northern Arizona University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences. Newman-Gonchar has held positions as an assistant coach at numerous universities and high schools, including his most recent stint as first assistant coach of the men’s volleyball team at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. Growing up, Newman-Gonchar played various sports, including baseball and volleyball. He even spent a year on the wrestling team at Claremont High School. In the end, he found his passion in volleyball, which he still plays whenever he gets the chance. “I still play beach and grass [volleyball] tournaments as much as possible,” Newman-Gonchar explained. Newman-Gonchar said he is glad he could bring his love and passion of volleyball to the players at UL Lafayette. He said he feels at home in Lafayette and knows this is the university where he belongs. “The university atmosphere is very laid-back, whether it is the way I see students interacting or from the fact that there are alligators in a pond in the middle of campus,” he quipped. “It seemed like this university was a great place for a Southern Californian!” The rest of the story Heather L Warren

[RonMexico]

Dearest Heather Warren,

Are you brain dead? Wasnt there a vote a few months ago determining that the students, by an overwhelming margin, preferred to known as UL or Louisiana?

This paper was pretty decent way back when C Debaillion and Paul Angelle ran that muthu.

what a comedown....

Ronnie

[RaginDave]

Mom, Im sure that icon will be changed soon enough..

All of us appreciate how hard the Volleyball team works!

Keep us updated on the goings on, if you can...

Former UL basketball star, T. Lyles keeps us updated on womens tennis....his daughter plays...I believe we have all become bigger fans because of his postings

Look forward to hearing from you in the near future!

Z.

Hey I keep everyone on tap of the men's tennis team. No luv for a brutha!!!!!

[El Sidonio]

Dearest Heather Warren,

Are you brain dead? Wasnt there a vote a few months ago determining that the students, by an overwhelming margin, preferred to known as UL or Louisiana?

This paper was pretty decent way back when C Debaillion and Paul Angelle ran that muthu.

what a comedown....

Ronnie

Ronnie,

The sad part about it is that the Daily Sadvertiser does a better job of promoting us as UL than the Vermilion does. It's a ____ shame because you'd figure of all publications, the Vermilion would support the name change. Why? Well first of all, IT'S THE FREAKING PUBLICATION OF UL!!!! WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T IT SUPPORT THIS? Second of all, media is (stereo)typically liberal, and always fighting for the small guy. Well, UL is the small guy while aLm is the big nasty fat cat. Why a liberal media outlet would NOT support the small guy, especially considering that this "small guy" pays the bills for the Verm, is beyond my comprehension.

God Bless

GEAUX UL!!!!!!!!