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Aug. 26, 2009

Champaign, Ill. -

Complete Match Notes in PDF Format

Bluejay Invitational

When: Aug. 28-29
Where: D.J. Sokol Arena, Omaha, Neb.
The Field: Creighton, Illinois, Tulane, Texas Tech
Schedule: Illinois vs. Tulane (8/28, 4 pm); Texas Tech vs. Creighton (8/28, 6:30 pm); Illinois vs. Creighton (8/29, 10 am); Tulane vs. Texas Tech (8/29, Noon); Texas Tech vs. Illinois (8/29, 5 pm); Tulane vs. Creighton (8/29, 7 pm) Radio: WDWS (1400 AM), fightingillini.com, Dave Loane (play-by-play), Mike Koon (analysis). All Illinois matches on internet. Illini vs. Tulane and Texas Tech on radio.

Kevin Hambly Era Opens
Illinois will play its first matches under new head coach Kevin Hambly. The native of Simi Valley, Calif., becomes the seventh head coach in Illinois history.

Hambly has served the last five seasons as an assistant under retiring coach Don Hardin. Prior to that he spent four seasons as the lead assistant to Toshi Yoshida and USA Volleyball.

His wife, Mary, played for Illinois from 1995-98, and ranks second on Illinois' all-time kills list

From the Beginning
Of the previous coaching changes, Hambly inherits the best situation. Terry Hite inherited a team in 1975 that went 19-9 the previous season, Chris Accornero (1977), a team that went 25-14; John Blair (1980), a team that went 18-20; Mike Hebert (1983), a team that went 17-21; and Don Hardin (1996), a team that went 24-9. Illinois was 26-8 last year and advanced to the Sweet 16.
• Kathleen Haywood, Hite, Accornero, and Blair all won their first matches as head coach. Hebert won his first match five matches into his career. Hardin won his first match two matches into his career.

Illinois picked third in the Big Ten
The Fighting Illini were picked third in the Big Ten by the conference coaches. Illinois went 15-5 and finished third in the league in 2008. Defending champion Penn State was picked to win followed by Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Purdue. Last year Penn State (1), Minnesota (6), Illinois (9) and Purdue (10) were all national seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Illini ranked 10th in Pre-Season poll
Illinois is ranked 10th in the preseason AVCA Coaches poll. The ranking marks the highest for Illinois in the preseason since debuting at no. 6 prior to the 1993 season.

This also marks the first time since 2004 that Illinois has been ranked in the preseason. The Fighting Illini were 19th following victories over no. 11 Oregon and no. 23 New Mexico State during last year's season-opening State Farm Illini Classic and were ranked every week since then.

Last year, Illinois advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the 10th time and ended the year ranked no. 11. Only five Illinois teams ended the year ranked higher - 1986 (9), 1987 (8), 1988 (4), 1989 (7) and 1992 (6).

Illinois received 919 votes from the 60-member panel and is the second-highest ranked Big Ten team. Two-time defending national champion Penn State is no. 1 after receiving 52 first-place votes. Minnesota is 11th; Michigan is 16th; and Purdue is 19th. Saint Louis, who plays in the State Farm Illini Classic, is listed 20th. Illinois opponents listed as receiving votes include Wisconsin, New Mexico State, Tulane, Ohio, Louisville, and Michigan State.

Texas (6) and Washington (2) received the other eight first-place votes and are second and fourth, respectively. Nebraska is third and Stanford fifth. California, Hawaii, Florida, UCLA and Illinois comprise the remainder of the top 10.

• Illinois is ranked 13th in the preseason rankings by Volleyball Magazine.

About the Field
• Tulane finished 28-6 last season, advanced to the NCAA Touranment for the first time and received the no. 16 national seed. The Green Wave are the defending Conference USA regular season and tournament champions. Tulane is receiving votes in the preseason poll and are also under a new head coach in long-time assistant Sinisa Momic.
• Creighton is opening its brand new arena this weekend. The Bluejays are picked fourth in the Missouri Valley behind 18th-ranked Wichita State, Missouri State and Northern Iowa.
• Texas Tech is coming off a 5-25 season and is under first-year coach Trish Knight, who won 676 matches at Missouri State-Western Plains Junior College.

Bourne returns to hometown
The trip to Creighton means a return for Illini redshirt freshman Keelin Bourne. The versatile Bourne was a setter, passer and right-side hitter for the Millard North Mustangs, who finished third in the state in both 2006 and 2007. She was a two-time Class A All-State honoree by the Omaha World-Herald and was three-time Super State First team member as selected by the Lincoln Journal-Star .