Aug. 24, 2015 2015 Schedule
MALIBU, Calif. - A new era of Pepperdine women's volleyball begins in the 2015 season, with former Pepperdine men's volleyball standout and assistant coach Scott Wong ('01) at the helm.
The 2015 season marks the 41st since 1975 and the Waves boast a 769-463-2 all-time overall record on the court. Along with the impressive record, the crew holds 11 regular-season West Coast Conference titles with the last being in the 2011 season and 22 total NCAA Tournament appearances.
"I'm excited about the rich history that has been built here by great coaches and really good players," said Wong. "We want to build on that and it is great having that past so we know exactly who we are, what we are made of and what we need to do to build and get better as we go forward."
As the first-year Pepperdine head coach takes over on the sidelines this season, he has surrounded himself with a staff including Alex Dunphy and Kyle Luongo, who each enter a second season with the Waves. Also joining the coaching staff this year is volunteer coach Lyndsey Weisenberg (formerly Haché) who is embedded in the Pepperdine volleyball record books, along with new Director of Operations Michelle Meyer.
"Alex and Kyle have been great for the continuity of the program," said Wong. "Alex runs our offense and Kyle runs our defense and they have been doing a good job so it's good having them on board.
"Lyndsey is a part of the history as a player which is unique to the four coaches. Kyle and I played on the men's side, but it's a little different on the women's side. We are looking to Lyndsey and her history here in knowing what it takes to be a great Wave. She was one of the great Waves on the women's side so it's good to have her too."
The season is rapidly approaching with the Waves' Asics Classic slated to begin Friday (Aug. 28) in Firestone Fieldhouse. With two full-time starters and 10 newcomers donning the blue and orange for the upcoming 2015 campaign, Wong and the Waves look to make an impact starting with Incarnate Word at noon on Friday.
"We just want to do our best, go out there and play the best volleyball we can play, compete the best we can and leave it out on the court," said Wong. "We have four solid opponents over two days, which is going to be a little grind. It's going to be a series of tests of who wants to be better and I think our team will want to be better."
Tournament play will continue later in the day and on to Saturday as Pepperdine contests Utah Valley and UC Santa Barbara. In a special treat for Waves volleyball followers, the squad will also take on Alabama on Saturday. The Crimson Tide are currently receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 Coaches Preseason Poll.
"We are almost done with two weeks of practice and it has been nice to see the team from the spring that returned, along with our group that came in the summer," said Wong. "They've all been working hard and wanting to prove what they can do. They have been working at mastering their skills, coming together and trying to be a good team and it has been awesome to see.
"The two-week journey has been great, it's been good for our team development. We have another week to fine-tune some things before we play next Friday, but it has been a great journey so far."
After hosting the Asics Classic, the Waves will move on in September to compete in the Lipscomb Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., the USC Invitational in Los Angeles, Calif., and the Wyoming Invitational in Laramie, Wyo., before embracing WCC play.
The rest of the season is stacked with healthy competition starting as conference competition opens at home on Sept. 26 against Loyola Marymount. Continuing with conference play, Pepperdine will take on league favorites No. 11 BYU and San Diego, a squad that is also receiving votes in the AVCA poll.
The seven returners are highlighted by 2013 AVCA All-American senior setter Becca Strehlow (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS/UCLA). Also returning this season include junior outside hitter Gaby Palmeri (Davis, Calif./St. Francis HS), redshirt senior middle blocker Olivia Okoro (Carrollton, Texas/Hebron HS/Tennessee) and sophomore libero Katie Lespier (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach HS).
"We have a few returnees that will add some significance to their roll," Wong said. "Becca is probably one of the better setters in the country. She does a nice job and I've seen her play for many years. This will be her senior year leading our offense so it has been great to have her maturity as a setter.
"Gaby is a returning starter and she will add to our team even more than she did last year. She has been a great example on the court, off the court and in the weight room, as what a leader should do. She's set a great example of hard work and the desire to be good so that's been neat to see in the spring. It will be fun to see how she does this year too, and I know she will do some good things."
Among the newcomers, the Waves will bring over senior libero Lara Dykstra (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS/Nebraska), a two-time AVCA Sand Volleyball All-American.
"A newcomer that I think will be pretty solid, just because of her resume is Lara Dykstra," said Wong. "She played at a high level indoors a few years ago and at a high level for beach for the last two years. She's been great having in the gym because she knows the game and gets it and has a great volleyball IQ."
Here is a more in-depth look at the 2015 Waves:
RETURNERS
Seniors
Becca Strehlow (setter - Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS/UCLA). : 2015 All-WCC Preseason Team. Two-time All-WCC honorable mention (2014, 2013) and has AVCA All-American honorable mention status (2013). Averaged 8.3 assists and 3.5 digs per set in 2014.
Olivia Okoro (middle blocker - Carrollton, Texas/Hebron HS/Tennessee): Averaged 1.42 kills and 0.75 blocks per set in 26 matches played last year.
Juniors
Reegan Dennis (middle blocker - Newport Beach, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS): Appeared in two matches with one block solo last season.
Brooke Honeycutt (middle blocker - Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS): Did not play in 2014 due to shoulder injury. In 2013, appeared in 58 sets and 17 matches with 14 starts as a freshman. Averaged 1.10 kills and 0.84 blocks per set.
Gaby Palmeri (outside hitter -Davis, Calif./St. Francis HS): In 2014, started in all 30 matches and ranked third on the team with 257 kills, averaging 2.38 kills per set and second with 62 blocks, averaging 0.57 blocks per set.
Sophomores
Ashley Morgan (libero - Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon HS): As a defensive specialist last season, she tabbed 1.33 digs per set after making appearances in 12 matches and 27 total sets.
Kelli Gerrans (libero - Los Gatos, Calif./Archbishop Mitty HS): After 35 sets in 13 matches, she tabbed 0.46 digs per set in 2014.
Katie Lespier (libero - Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach HS): Made 15 starts at libero last season, averaging 2.22 digs per set.
Newcomers
Heidi Dyer (freshman setter - Saddleback Valley Christian HS/San Clemente, Calif.): PrepVolleyball.com and MaxPreps All-American and two-time CIF Southern Section Player of the Year.
Lara Dykstra (senior libero - Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS/Nebraska): First indoor season after being a three-year member of the Waves' beach volleyball squad. Two-time AVCA All-American (2014, 2013). Clinched 2014 AVCA national championship with Becca Strehlow and part of teams that finished second (2013) and third (2015).
Evanne Jimenez (sophomore libero - Ventura, Calif./Ventura HS/Clarkson (NCAA Div. III): Named Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2014 after averaging 3.98 digs per set at Clarkson. All-Channel League first team out of Ventura HS.
Adria Johnson (freshman outside hitter - Apex, N.C./Broughton HS): AVCA/Under Armour All-American third team.
Courtney Linaker (freshman libero - Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge HS): Named Arizona Daily Star All-Star honorable mention.
Nikki Lyons (freshman outside hitter - Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS: Garnered honors such as AVCA/Under Armour All-American second team, Volleyball Magazine All-American honorable mention and tabbed PrepVolleyball.com All-American status while being named Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel Player of the Year.
Paige Migliori (freshman setter - Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar HS: Two-time All-Pacific Coast League second team.
Katherine Towslee (sophomore outside hitter - Woodinville, Wash./Eastside Catholic HS/Connecticut): Appeared in 39 sets and posted 1.08 kills per set at Connecticut. Two-time All-Metro League first team out of Eastside Catholic HS.
Jenna Tunnell (freshman setter - Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS): All-American first team selection by Volleyball Magazine, AVCA/Under Armour and PrepVolleyball.com. Named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014.
Tarah Wylie (freshman middle blocker - Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral HS): All-American by PrepVolleyball.com and honorable mention by AVCA/Under Armour. Indiana All-Star as a junior and senior.
