The volleyball team takes to the court on this Friday in San Diego, Calif. to begin their 2007 campaign and quest for a fourth-straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Regular Season Championship. The Stags will open the season against Long Island University on August 24 at 4 p.m. (PST) during the first day of play at the Aztec Invitational at San Diego State.

Fairfield lost just two Stags from last season's 24-8 squad (18-0 MAAC) and returns all of its offensive weapons, including senior Lindsey Lee, the MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, and sophomore Barbie Thistle, the MAAC Setter of the Year. Fairfield will also have All-MAAC Second Team honorees, senior Jazmin Pa'akaula and sophomore Katie Mann, back on the court.

To complement the nine letterwinners, 2006 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year, Jeff Werneke has brought in four freshmen who are familiar with top-caliber volleyball. Not only will the quartet add depth, but each is expected to make an impact as she becomes acquainted with the new offensive system the Stags have installed.

Outside/Right Side
The theme on the outside and right side is experience and freshness as the strength, talent, and depth is once again among the top in the MAAC.

"We have seven people vying for three spots in a 5-1 system," Werneke said. "I think the competition in that position is going to be great and will only help our team." Led by seniors Lindsey Lee, Jazmin Pa'akaula and Kelly Oliver, the Stags' offense will continue to flourish.

Lee, a First Team All-MAAC pick, had another outstanding season for the Stags. She appeared in all 104 games, leading the team with 425 kills (4.09/g) and 422 digs (4.06/g). Lee also was second in hitting percentage with a .268 mark and third in aces per game (0.27). In addition, she posted 21 double-doubles in 32 matches.

Lee has left her mark in the Fairfield record books becoming only the fifth Stag to have tallied 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. She ranks fourth in career kills with 1,197 and in career digs with 1,280.

Also leaving her mark is Pa'akaula, who became the eighth Stag to reach 1,000 career digs and currently stands sixth all-time with 1,232. She also has 976 career kills, good for eighth all-time, and is on pace to become the sixth Stag to reach the 1,000 mark in both career categories.

In 2006, Pa'akaula, an All-MAAC Second Team and MAAC All-Tournament Team pick appeared in 99 games, finishing second on the team in kills (2.85/g) and third in both digs (3.02/g) and assists (0.95/g).

Oliver has also been a consistent hitter on the outside and right side for the Stags. She appeared in 89 games averaging 2.55 kills per game and 2.70 digs per game.

Junior Karlie Urbaniak added solid offense and defense on the outside for the Stags. In her first season, she appeared in 52 games, averaging 1.38 kills per game and 0.38 blocks per contest.

Adding "freshness" will be newcomers Alex Lopez, Lauren Hughes, and Lauren Wagner. Lopez, a 5-9 outside hitter, was an All-State honorable mention and was named "Best of the Best" outside hitters in Colorado by the Rocky Mountain News. Lopez also played club volleyball for Front Range, a nationally competitive squad, and for Club One, a top level club.

Hughes, a native of Costa Mesa, Calif., is coming off of an outstanding senior campaign at Mater Dei High School in which she averaged 7.5 kills, 6.6 digs, and 1.7 blocks per game as a senior. The 5-10 hitter played club volleyball for the Cal Juniors, one of the top club teams in California and top-25 in the nation.

While Lopez and Hughes will take to the outside, Wagner's focus will be on the right side. Wagner, a 6-0 native of Eagan, Minn., helped Cretin-Derham Hall to a 24-6 overall record and a spot in postseason play. She averaged 5.3 blocks per game and 7.7 kills as a senior and earned All-Conference honors. Wagner played club volleyball of the M1 Juniors, a top five club in the nation.

Middle
Fairfield will continue to be strong in the middle as senior Lauren Campbell and sophomore Katie Mann return for the Stags. The pair will be joined by rookie Kayla Hughes. All three will have to step up to fill the void left by Natalie Barba.

"Traditionally this has been the most competitive part of our program because two middles start," Werneke said.

Campbell, who was plagued by injury last season, appeared in 31 games, averaging 1.55 kills and 0.74 blocks per contest. Campbell has always been reliable in the middle as she has the ability to play a variety of positions, and her ability to hit off of one foot adds another element to her attack.

Mann, an All-MAAC Second Team pick, appeared in all 104 games and led the team in hitting percentage (.377), block solos (13), block assists (85) and total blocks (98). The 85 block assists ranks sixth on the single season chart. The four-time MAAC Rookie of the Week finished second in aces per game (0.34) and third on the team in kills per game (2.69).

Hughes, a 6-2 middle hitter from Portland, Ore., had a stellar senior campaign helping Jesuit High School to a fourth place finish in the state and earned an All-State honorable mention. The two-time Metro League All-Star, also played club volleyball for Rose City, a top-10 team in the nation which also finished fourth at the Reno Volleyball Festival.

Libero
Junior Brandi Higa will return as the Stags' primary libero although the Stags have several options at defensive specialist.

"We have a ball-control-oriented team, so if we have outsides who aren't starting, we will put them on the court because of their knowledge of our defensive systems and their abilities to play defensively."

Last season, Higa appeared in 101 games, averaging 3.68 digs per contest, good for second on the team and tenth in the MAAC. She also enters the season in tenth place on Fairfield's career assists list with 706.

Lopez, who was recruited by many as an elite libero, will also see time on the defensive side in addition to her outside duties.

"If she doesn't crack the lineup on the outside, she will be on the court in a defensive capacity either as a libero or defensive specialist," Werneke said.

Setters
The setter position is literally in good hands with sophomore Barbie Thistle, the 2006 MAAC Setter of the Year. Thistle dished out 1,279 assists one year ago total for the program's fourth-highest single-season total, and sets her seventh on Fairfield's career assists list. She led the MAAC in assists per game (12.30) and was third in aces per game (.50). She was outstanding on the serve recording five or more aces in a match, four times, including a nine-ace performance against Iona. Thistle also posted 68 blocks, 236 digs, and 131 kills en route to five MAAC Rookie of the Week selections, along with All-MAAC Second Team and MAAC All-Tournament Team accolades.

Backing up Thistle will be senior Ashley Hanohano. The Hawaii native saw limited action last season due to injury, appearing in 13 games and averaging 2.69 assists per game. Over her career she has appeared more than 70 matches and stands fifth on the Fairfield career assist chart with 1,514. Hanohano has also been a great leader both on and off the court for the Stags and Werneke expects that to continue.

Higa also possesses setting abilities and may also see action at the position.

"Having three setters give us more options to run a 5-1 or a 6-2," Werneke said. "All three have played a lot at the college level, know and understand our system and have run the offense."