2022 Vincennes University Volleyball News
VINCENNES, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University Volleyball team picked up another big addition to the 2023 recruiting class with the signing of middle blocker Elisa Dalla Pozza from Vicenza, Italy. Pozza is a six-foot-one middle who comes to VU after playing for IIS “S. Boscardin” in Italy, while also playing for the Cavazzale VolleyLab Club Team. Pozza began training with the Italian National team at the age of 14 and played for the club U.S. Torri, a high-level club team in Italy, in 2019.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 champion Vincennes University Trailblazers volleyball team made another big splash this week with the signing of six-foot one middle blocker Isadora Dias de Melo from Brazil. Dias de Melo comes to Vincennes University from the same high school in Brazil as Trailblazer alum Jaddy Duarte (Brasilia, Brazil), who played at Vincennes University in 2019 before transferring to Peru State College in Nebraska. Duarte was a Heartland of America All-Conference Honorable mention at Peru State, as well as being an First-Team Academic All-American at VU and graduating Summa Cum Laude from Peru State.
VINCENNES, Ind. – 30 Vincennes University student athletes were recognized Friday morning with the release of the Vincennes University Dean’s List for the Spring 2023 semester. To be recognized on this list, each student must be enrolled in at least 21 credit hours and earn a grade point average of 3.50 or high during the Spring semester. The Vincennes University Athletic Department is proud to recognize the following student-athletes named to the Spring 2023 Dean’s List.
LOUISVILLE, Ill. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University Trailblazer volleyball program picked up another big signing Monday afternoon in six-foot middle blocker Allison Czyzewski out of North Clay High School. Czyzewski comes to VU after a tremendous two-sport career on the Cardinals’ volleyball and basketball teams and the Integrity Volleyball Elite club team. “Allison’s club coach approached us a couple of months ago, just to introduce her to us,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “Allison was going back-and-forth between playing basketball or volleyball and I think that’s why this all got done so late. Her club coach had said that she was beginning to draw more interest this past year in volleyball, which is why she was playing club volleyball instead of travel basketball.”
VINCENNES, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University volleyball program is proud to announce another sophomore signing with setter Josephine Mulligan (Saint John, Ind.) signing with NAIA Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “I chose Keiser University to continue my volleyball career because the program is a winning team and hard working in every practice,” Mulligan said. “I feel that I will end my volleyball career reaching my potential.” “Joie is a long, athletic player with good individual skills,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “We generally like to recruit tall setters who can play in the front row if needed for a 5-1 offense. Joie has played some front row for two years and can hold her own at the net. She has developed her blocking skills, which she was never coached with before coming here. She is also left-handed, so she can hit the ball on the second contact when she is in the front row.”
VINCENNES, Ind. – Vincennes University volleyball sophomore Lara Gomes de Castro (Sao Paulo, Brazil) officially signed to continue her volleyball career at the next level Wednesday afternoon, signing with NAIA Union College in Barbourville, Ky. “One of the main reasons for choosing Union College was the high quality of the Psychology department,” Gomes said. “But my meeting with Coach Wise also played a big role in my decision. As well as the large amount of International Students in their community. Coach Sien and I also talked a lot about the program since two other VU athletes have gone there and had successful volleyball careers and did well academically.” Gomes really came into her own this past season for the Trailblazers, finishing with 215 digs, 34 aces and six set assists.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University volleyball team made another big addition to their 2023 recruiting class this week with the addition of libero Grace Flexter from Oblong High School in Illinois. Flexter is a five-foot two defensive specialist/libero who joins the Trailblazer volleyball program as a recipient of VU’s Val-Sal Scholarship. “Grace initially contacted us due to her interest in our Nursing major and volleyball program,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “She had quite a bit of interest from a number of other programs and was highly recruited. We needed to recruit at least one person in the DS/L position for 2023. We wanted to get another experienced person like Morgan Netcott who has played their entire career in that position. Grace, who comes from the same club program as 2021 Region 24 Player of the Year Grace Earp, fits the bill with her skillset and athletic potential. Not only is she experienced but she has been well coached.”
VINCENNES, Ind. – The No. 1 seed Vincennes University volleyball team successfully defended their Region 24 crown Saturday afternoon at the P.E. Complex with a sweep over No. 2 seed John A. Logan College 25-16, 25-21, 25-23. The Trailblazers completed their second straight 12-0 Region 24 season, moving their winning streak to 24 matches against Region 24 opponents. The win Saturday was also Vincennes Head Coach Gary Sien’s 700th career victory, as Coach Sien came away with the NJCAA Region 24 Coach of the Year award.
VINCENNES, Ind. ? The honors roll in for the 2022 Region 24 Champion Vincennes University Trailblazers volleyball team, with freshman Paige Parlanti (Las Vegas, Nev.) being named Region 24 Player of the Year and sophomore Hannah Graber (Montgomery, Ind.) and freshman libero Morgan Netcott (Montague, Mich.) receiving First Team All-Region honors. Parlanti is the third Trailblazer to be named Region 24 Player of the Year since Vincennes joined the Region in 2018, joining Allison Smith (Oakland, Ill.) in 2018 and Grace Earp (Mattoon, Ill.) last season. ?This award means a lot because it shows off all of my hard work and dedication that I have put into the sport of volleyball,? Parlanti said. ?I just want to thank my coaches and teammates because they helped push me every day to be the best volleyball player I can be.?
VINCENNES, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University Volleyball team picked up their second member of the 2023 recruiting class in preferred walk-on Libby Mehringer. Mehringer is a five-foot 10 setter from Jasper High School and joins Metro Club Teammate Dylan DeCoursey in the Trailblazer recruiting class. Before being forced to sit out her senior season with an injury, Mehringer led the Wildcats to a 21-12 record her junior year.
MONTGOMERY, Ind. – The two-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University Trailblazer volleyball team picked up their first signing of the 2023 recruiting class Friday afternoon in Barr-Reeve High School setter Dylan DeCoursey. “I chose Vincennes University because I had two classmates that were a couple of years older than me and when VU first started showing interest in me earlier this year, they both reached out to me and it helped give me an inside view of not only the team but the school,” Dylan DeCoursey said. “Usually, you only see the outside of the school and they told me how things really are on the inside and that they really liked it there.” DeCoursey is a five-foot nine setter, who helped guide her Vikings to a 33-2 record this past season, while finishing the year with 505 set assists, 307 kills on a .467 hitting percentage, 160 digs and 42 aces.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The 2022 Region 24 Champion Vincennes University volleyball team hit the floor for the first time since their Region 24 tournament win last weekend for the Midwest District B Championships at VU Sunday afternoon. The Trailblazers faced off in the District Semi-Finals against Iowa Western Community College. The Reivers picked up the win over the Blazers in four sets, 15-25, 25-22, 18-25, 17-25. The opening set began as a back-and-forth battle, with each time trading side outs before Iowa Western picked up a massive 9-0 scoring run on their way to closing out set one 25-15.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazer volleyball team survived the first step in defending their Region 24 crown Friday afternoon after defeating Kaskaskia College 29-27, 20-25, 14-25, 25-20, 15-8 in the NJCAA Division I Region 24 volleyball semi-finals. Vincennes began their day in the afternoon semi-final round after the Trailblazers earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament with a 10-0 regular season Region 24 record. The early stages of the opening set really showed how close this matchup is between VU and the No. 4 seed Blue Angels.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University volleyball team celebrated Sophomore Recognition Day Saturday at the Physical Education Complex in style, finishing out the 2022 regular season with a 25-9, 25-19, 25-22 sweep over Region 24 opponent Kaskaskia College and a 25-10, 25-12, 25-11 sweep over Kankakee Community College. Vincennes began the day in the final Region 24 regular season game of the year against Kaskaskia College. VU set the tone early for the day with sophomore setter Josephine Mulligan (Saint John, Ind.) beginning the game with an 8-0 scoring run.
PARK HILLS, Mo – The Vincennes University Trailblazer volleyball closed out their tough weekend tournament Saturday afternoon with a pair of tough losses. Vincennes fell in the first game of the day to No.3-ranked Indian Hills in four sets 19-25, 13-25, 25-23, 7-25 and closed out the weekend with a hard-fought five set match against Barton Community College, 19-25, 26-24, 25-22, 17-25, 9-15. The Trailblazers began the day with a very tough matchup against NJCAA No. 3-ranked Indian Hills Community College.
PARK HILLS, Mo. – The Vincennes University Trailblazers set off for their final weekend tournament away from the P.E. Complex Friday afternoon to take part in the Cardinal Classic hosted by Mineral Area College. VU began their weekend Friday by taking on host and No. 20-ranked Mineral Area and fell to the host Cardinals 22-25, 18-25, 22-25. Vincennes got off to a hot start against Mineral Area, jumping out to an early four-point lead midway through the opening set.
