Aug. 26, 2005

GREENVILLE, N.C.--ECU volleyball opens the 2005 season at home Saturday night against William & Mary at 7 p.m. in Minges Coliseum. The Pirates, under first-year head coach Chris Rushing, return all but one letterwinner from last year's team that finished 11-18 overall.

ABOUT THE PIRATES
• The Pirates enter the 2005 season with a new coaching staff. Chris Rushing became the Pirates' 10th head coach in the program's history, replacing Colleen Munson who led the team from 2000-2004. Rushing, who was previously the head coach at UT-Martin, is assisted by Eve Rackham, a former standout at North Carolina.

• Senior libero Johanna Bertini recorded 447 digs in '04, the fourth highest total in the conference and the second highest total in Pirate volleyball history. Bertini has 1,049 career digs and needs exactly 300 digs this season to become ECU's all-time leader in that category.

• Junior Jaime Bevan returns as the Pirates top inside force after recording 93 total blocks last season in the middle. Bevan, who has tallied 205 total blocks in two seasons at ECU, is also a force offensively, ranking fifth all-time in school history with a .242 attack percentage.

• Junior setter Heidi Krug finished with 1,205 assists in '04, the fifth highest total in the conference and the second highest total in school history.

• Senior outside hitter Erica Wilson returns as the top offensive player on the Pirates' roster, after finshing the '04 campaign with 295 kills (2.89 kpg).

• The Pirates welcome four new players to the program this season: Alex Dawson (Kings Mountain, N.C.), Rebecca Rotella (Raleigh, N.C.), Katie Chesley (Springfield, Va.) and Ashley Gwaltney (Greenville, N.C.).

ABOUT THE TRIBE
William & Mary finished with a 15-12 record last season and return all but one letterwinner to this year's squad. The Tribe open the season on the road at Winthrop on Friday before facing the Pirates Saturday night. Heach coach Debbie Hill is entering her 28th season atop the Tribe volleyball program and has compiled a record of 520-366 in her career at William & Mary.

Megan Hectory (218 kills, 2.72 kpg), Mandy Mayo (187 kills, 2.92 kpg) and Megan Eisenman (180 kills, 2.34 kpg) are the top returners offensively for the Tribe. Natalie King is the top returning setter having collected 285 assists last season. Erin Simmons (423 digs) and Caitlin Geraghty (126 total blocks) are leaders defensively for the Tribe.

THE WILLIAM & MARY SERIES
The Tribe hold a 10-29 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools. The former Colonial Athletic Conference rivals have continued to play since ECU left the CAA for Conference USA matching up twice since 2001. The Pirates defeated William & Mary 14-30, 30-27, 30-24, 32-30 in 2002 in Williamsburg while the Tribe knocked off ECU 23-30, 21-30, 29-31, 18-30 last season in Minges.

UP NEXT
The Pirates will host travel to Greensboro to face N.C. A&T Thursday, Sept. 1 before playing in the Appalachian State tournament next weekend in Boone, Sept. 2-3.