THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509100231
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEVIN DOEPP, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
With her mini-pipeline of volleyball players from Ohio leading the way, coach Wilhelmenia Wright-Harrison of Norfolk State is confident heading into this season.
``With what we have coming back, we should win the CIAA,'' Wright-Harrison said. ``Our other goal is to go undefeated in the conference.''
Her two big guns from Ohio are seniors Kimberly Mumford and Holly Gray. Mumford is a hitter, and Gray is a hitter and setter.
Last season, when the Spartanettes went 22-9 and 11-1, Mumford was All-Region and All-CIAA. ``The team is built around Kim,'' Wright-Harrison said.
``We were very lucky to get her,'' Wright-Harrison said. ``She was recruited by some top Division I and II teams, but when her parents came here with her, they all fell in love with the area.''
Gray is an honors student and the leader on the court. Also returning for the Spartanettes are senior Diane Harris from Tennessee and junior Regina Younkin, a Great Bridge graduate. A couple of new faces to watch will be Cincinnati native Cicely Hocker, Lakeland graduate Aiska Rickett and Donnetta Fisher.
Wright-Harrison sees one key area that needs improvement.
``We need to work on our service receiving,'' she said. ``That is something that the girls worked on over the summer, and we work on it a lot in practice.''
Ahead for the Spartanettes: top Division I teams such as Howard University and St. Augustine's.
OLD DOMINION REPORT: Gray Simons, the Monarchs wrestling coach, is mentioned in the September issue of Southern Living in the Olympic Connection. Simons, of Norfolk, was known as the ``the littlest Olympian'' when he competed in the 1960 and 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo because he weighed 115 pounds. Penalty points kept him from a gold medal. . . . Cross country head coach Lorraine Hochella is ranked sixth in the nation in marathons. Hochella, of Newport News, posted a 2:36:07 in the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn. On Feb. 10 she will compete in the Olympic trials in Columbia, S.C. The top three finishers and an alternate will be selected to the 1996 squad. . . . Kristin Fulton, a senior tennis player, is ranked 26th in the region.
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN REPORT: Ten of the Marlins' 25-player men's soccer roster have Hampton Roads connections: Ryan Crooks (Great Bridge), Larry Romaine (Green Run), Jim Hickling (Kempsville), Dwain Ayers (Churchland), Jeremy Lehr (Kellam), Che' Clark (Churchland), David Zook (Norfolk Christian), Nate Hatcher (Norfolk Christian), Tommy Hron (Kempsville) and Danny McVey (Tallwood). Heading into the weekend, Hickling and Romaine lead the team in scoring with three goals. Meanwhile, nine of the 18 Lady Marlins have ties to the region: Paula Grime (Cox), Paige Kerry (Kempsville), Mandy Nixon (Princess Anne), Rachel Brantley (Great Bridge), Kim Vaughan (Kempsville), Aubrey Von Lindren (Bayside), Hillary Harris (Great Bridge), Dionne Paniza (Bayside) and Sonya Huss (Princess Anne).
WILLIAM AND MARY REPORT: Sophomore Whitney Cali (Green Run) was named the CAA's women's soccer player of the week. Cali netted a hat trick as the fifth-ranked Tribe defeated Radford, 6-1. She leads the CAA in goals (3) and scoring (6) heading into this weekend's games. . . . The men's soccer team was ranked 17th in the nation heading into this weekend's action. Josh Quinter (Cox) and Billy Owens (Kempsville) netted goals in the Tribe's 5-1 win over Virginia Tech in its season opener.
ALUMNI REPORT: Junior Jennifer Payton (Virginia Beach), sophomores Margaret Reid (Cox) and Mandie Moore (Green Run) are set to kick off the season for the Radford field hockey team. . . . Taylor Tucker (Princess Anne), Chip Rohr (Salem) and Ben Speckhart (Cox) are playing for the Longwood men's soccer team. . . . Sheena McGloine (Kellam) and Eryn Craft (Green Run) are two of six freshman starting for the Longwood women's soccer team. Sophomore Karla Roberson (Great Bridge) returns to the Lady Lancer golf team. by CNB