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July 1, 2010
The Lady Hawks conclude the recruiting season with the pick-up of 6'1" MB Jeani Ducos from the HCC Basketball team. "Jeani is a terrific athlete. Although she has been away from the game for a while, she has an opportunity to open doors for herself in the sport of volleyball," explained Larkin. "We are intrigued by how quickly she will pick up the speed of the college game."
May 20, 2010
Congratulations to: Emily Bingham, J'beria Davis, and Danielle Priest for making the FCCAA All-Academic Team.
May 20, 2010
The Lady Hawks sign NarNar Finau from Utah. "At this stage in the recruiting process, we are looking for the best player available and shoring up our depth. NarNar brings serious competition to the setter/OH positions. We actually recruited her in December and are very pleased that she ended up a Lady Hawk. She has great energy and will fit in nicely. I am very happy with the roster top to bottom. We will have competitive battles at all positions. Now, it's about hard work." The Lady Hawks begin pre-season practice Aug 1st, hoping to make a third consecutive run a a conference championship and a 5th consecutive run at a FCCAA State Championship and NJCAA National Championship appearance.
May 11, 2010
Congratulations to Myeasha Williams who signed with U. West Alabama. "Myeasha is a quality player and person, and she'll do very well up there."
Danielle Priest chooses FAU. "Danielle weighed various options and is very excited to join FAU. She can't wait to contibute to the program and take it to the next level."
April 16, 2010
HCC receives a verbal commitment and is happy to welcome Rebecca Schnabel from Illinois Elite. "Rebecca is a fundamentally sound 6-rotation player. We are excited to add her to the 2010 roster," explained Larkin.
April 2, 2010
The Lady Hawks are pleased to announce the verbal commitment of Yaidimar Santiago of Puerto Rico. "Yaidimar is a 6-rotation OH with a competitive personality. I know she will bring excellent energy to the team," explained Coach Larkin. "She joins a tradition of Puerto Rican outsides who have contributed to our program throughout the years."
March 22, 2010
The Lady Hawks welcome Crissi Dejiulio from Gainesville Juniors to the '10 roster. Crissi is a hard working MB who has only scratched the surface of her potential. HCC is happy to have her aboard.
March 21, 2010
Congrats to '09 HCC player Aida Bauza who joins HCC grad Madi Gonzalez in the Puerto Rican Women's Superior Volleyball League! Watch matches for free at http://www.mediasports.tv/ .
March 17, 2010
HCC is proud to announce the commitment of setter Rachel Powell from Nature Coast HS. Rachel sets for Tampa United 18-National and brings a lot of experience to the position.
March 1, 2010
The Lady Hawks are proud to announce the verbal commitment of Hillary Byrd. Hillary is a versatile player who can play MB, OPP, or set. Currently, she plays on Tampa United 18 National. "She has precisely the attitude we're looking for at HCC. She will make great strides," explained Coach Larkin.
February 24, 2010
Congratulations to J'beria Davis who has committed to play volleyball for the USF Bulls in 2010! JB's development at HCC has her poised to compete for playing time right away. We'll all be cheering her on from down the road as she tangles with Big East opponents.
February 17,
HCC is excited to announce the signing of OH Danielle Weishaar. Danielle comes to us from Spruce Creek High School and Florida Elite Volleyball Club. "Danielle is a 6-rotation player with excellent poise. She is athletic and intense, and we are excited to get her in the mix," remarked Coach Larkin.
January 14, 2010
HCC Volleyball announces one transfer for the '10 season.
Jessica Bryant transferred from St. Leo. Jess is a 5'10" OH with terminating capability. "Jess is an open-minded concerning growing her game, and she does not yet realize how good she can be. We hope to foster her self-confidence during her time here," remarked Larkin.
Larkin added, "This transfer helps bolster a talented but small freshman class. We will have better balance between the classes now."
December 4, 2009
CONGRATULATIONS TO ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH MONICA MEDVID!!
Associate Head Coach Monica Medvid is named the inaugural AVCA 2-year College Assistant Coach of the Year! The Lady Hawks are very proud of Monica. Congratulations! "Monica is invaluable to our program. She and her contributions are a huge part of our success over the last 6 years," explained Larkin. "Monica has a big heart. She and Tony make up the best staff in the NJCAA as far as I'm concerned. It's a proud moment for our program." Read more at:
CONGRATULATIONS TO CAPTAIN AND SETTER LINDSEY REES!!
Captain and Setter Lindsey Rees is named NJCAA 2nd Team All-American! "She was our heartbeat this year," said Larkin."Lindsey was a program kid who played for team and college first. She is very worthy." Rees is the 3rd All-American in four years for the Hawks, following 2nd teamer Madi Gonzalez in 2006 and 1st Teamer Emily Calderon in 2008.
November 22, 2009
HCC Lady Hawks Volleyball Team finishes 7th in the nation!
After the long trip to Council Bluffs, Iowa, the Lady Hawks were to eager to compete against the best teams in the nation. First, they attended some pre-tournament responsibilities to take care of such as practice at the venue and the tournament banquet. Larkin received his Region Coach of the Year plaque along with the 15 other coaches whose teams made it to this prestigious tournament. As play began, many HCC fans were glued to their computers as the NJCAA Championship was webcast for the first time. After being ranked 15th for the latter part of the year, HCC went in as the 9th seed in the tourney.
Immediately HCC showed that they were for real by sweeping the 8th seeded Hutchinson CC from Kansas 25-21, 25-17, 25-18. "In our first match, we defeated an excellent program which is a regular at the NJCAA Championships," explained Larkin. "That is obvious because after they lost to us, they never lost again in the tournament." Hutchinson fought their way through the consolation bracket placing 9th. "Lindsey Rees and our blocking was excellent against Hutch," added Larkin. "Rees's set location and creativity kept the defense off balance and allowed Aida Bauza to really get it going and establish herself in the tournament."
The win set up a match with the #1 seed in the tournament, Salt Lake CC. The Lady Hawks lost in 3 to the Bruins 21-15, 15-25, 20-25. "Our serving and serve receive were weak, and as a result Salt Lake ran the middle pretty freely against us. It's tough to execute a game plan when you are backpedaling in every rally," said Larkin.
The loss moved HCC into a match with state rival and national power Miami Dade College. It was a 5-set thriller until HCC was finally defeated in the fifth set. "We always enjoy playing Miami Dade," noted Larkin. "We've had some terrific battles recently. You can tell when you're controlling a match against Miami because it will be very quiet. They really enjoy celebrating points and especially a lead. We kept them quiet for 3.5 sets, but not closing them out early back to haunt us." The Sharks pounced on a set 4 letdown by HCC and went on to control momentum. Kate Wolcott saw her first sustained playing time in the tournament and rose to the occasion hitting .294. Aida Bauza hit .174 but posted a gaudy 25 kills. Larkin added, "When you outblock a team 17-9, you expect to win. They just wanted it more than us in the end."
HCC then played Frank Phillips College from Texas who pulled the upset over San Jacinto on Day 1. Larkin gave Myeasha Williams the start as it was her birthday, and she didn't disappoint as the Hawks won 25-19. 2-year contributor Kristi Posnak then entered in set 2 and made the most of her opportunities, but FPC took the set 14-25. After this tournament's primary attacker Aida Bauza went out in the second set with a pulled hamstring, Larkin had to shuffle the line-up for set 3. "I moved one player back to her natural position, and I moved one player into position she rarely plays. I went with gut instinct, and we found a competitive spirit we had been looking for." In set 3, Leah Buchanan and Stef Gonzalaz played on the outside; Kate Wolcott moved over to the right side, and Emily Bingham and Danielle Priest played in the middle. HCC bounced back, winning 25-18. "It was terrific to see our team rally after our hot hitter went down. That new group played HCC volleyball; they played as a team and scratched and clawed for every point. I couldn't be more proud of the way we finished this tournament," explained Larkin. The Hawks continued to play inspired before losing 24-26 in set 4 but took the final set and the victory 15-12. "Lindsey Rees is a program kid," continued Larkin. "I'm really happy she led us to this victory. She put the program first for two years. She really gets it. This match is a stepping stone for her, and she has a bright career ahead of her."
HCC finished the championships 2-2 and 7th in the nation with an overall record of 31-10. "It's amazing to think that we have brought little ole HCC volleyball to the NJCAA Championships four years in a row," said Larkin. "Our students and our school may not know we have a volleyball power on Dale Mabry Blvd, but I can tell you that the NJCAA and NCAA volleyball communities know all about us. Our student athletes are pretty special. They understand what they are a part of and the responsibility that comes with playing for HCC."
The Lady Hawks also took two prestigious individual awards. "When a team performs, it provides an opportunity for individuals to be recognized," said Larkin. "Awards are a reflection of the team." Aida Bauza was named Top Hitter in the tournament (HCC alumnus Calderon took the same award in 2008), which is earned by kills/set statistics. Then she earned selection to the All-tournament Team. "I'm so proud of Aida. She stepped it up and played with courage. God blessed Aida with some natural athletic talent, but she has worked really hard to raise her volleyball IQ and ball control. She showed everyone that she's become a complete player," remarked Larkin.
A SPECIAL THANKS goes out to Associate Head Coach Monica Medvid and 1st Assistant Tony Cothron. Their contributions are priceless. They are a big part of HCC's rise to the NJCAA elite.
FACES... ON THE PLANE?!?!
Assistant AD Derrick Worrels, Super Fan Jason Wilson, Lindsey Ree's dad, and Aida Bauza's family watched every point in Iowa. Thanks, guys!
*Keep an eye on our sophomore class; they will all be selecting universities soon. Any program would be lucky to get any one of these talented Lady Hawks!
November 8, 2009
The Lady Hawks Women's Volleyball Team return the NJCAA National Championships for the 4th year in a row!
It looks like the little engine that could... STILL CAN!
HCC swept PHCC in the first round match to get the team off on the right foot. Aida Bauza paced all attackers with 12 kills. "It was important to win the first match in order to reach the semi-finals with no losses. Since it is a double elimination tournament, that is a huge advantage that we wanted to secure," noted Larkin. With PHCC going D-II next year, the Lady Hawks won the last meaningful match against their biggest rival. "PHCC is a well-coached and well-funded program. They have really challenged us throughout the years. It felt good to win this match against them. We have great respect for their staff and players," said Larkin.
Later that night at the banquet, HCC received awards for All-State selection and Conference Player of the Year, Lindsey Rees, and All-State selection and 1st Team All-Conference player, Stef Gonzalaz. Isell Torres, JB Davis, and Yomaira Santana also collected their 1st Team All-Conference awards, and Leah Buchanan picked up her 2nd Team All-Conference award. Coach Larkin was named Suncoast Conference Coach of the Year as well. "They only give the award to the Head Coach, but my Monica and Tony know that this is a reflection on all three of us. We all share in the honor," remarked Larkin.
HCC then met conference rival SPC in round 2 on Friday. The Lady Hawks again did not drop a set sweeping SPC. Stef Gonzalaz posted 11 points in the match and Isell Torres posted 19 digs in only 3 sets. The win set up a semi-final match with Atlantic power FSC @ Jax. Jacksonville would have to beat the Hawks twice in a row.
On Saturday morning, with a trip to nationals on the line, the play began with back to back points up until point 18. HCC then tightened its defense and closed out the first set 25-21. Kate Wolcott provided an inspiration by coming in as a serving and defensive specialist and making a sprawling dig during a critical point that HCC won. Set two was lopsided for FSCJ as HCC got a bit out of sync after Aida Bauza took an elbow to the nose and had to make a pitstop in the bathroom. HCC bounced back winning set 3 comfortably 25-20. "One of our team mantras is to dominate game 3. We did just that," said Larkin. After sleeping on a 20-15 lead in set 4, HCC found itself in a pivotal set 5. "Momentum was with Jacksonville, so you can imagine how impressed I was when our girls came out poised and executed their way to an easy set 5 win," explained Larkin. "Jacksonville is an excellent team, but we circled the wagons and achieved our goal as a team." The win earned the Gulf District Championship and a bid to the national championships. The Lady Hawks posted an impressive 20 blocks and 66 digs. MBs Danielle Priest and Emily Bingham had 6 and 4 blocks respectively, and Opp JB Davis posted 6.5 blocks. Isell Torres posted 31 digs in the match.
The only match left on the day was the FCCAA Final against National Power MDC. "It's very hard to motivate our team in this match. In four tries, we have won only once. After earning a bid to nationals, we all exhale, so it can be difficult to turn around in only 30 minutes and be ready to fight MDC," said Larkin. HCC came out a little flat losing the first two sets 20-25 and 20-25. In set 3, HCC lost convincingly to end the match. Larkin said, "We didn't play our best in the final, but MDC is an excellent team, and it in no way diminished our satisfaction with achieving our goal to make it to Nationals. We live to fight another day. I'm just so tremendously proud of our entire team. Each girl put the team first this weekend, and the results show how powerful that can be."
Lindsey Rees, Isell Torres, and Aida Bauza earned spots on the All-Tournament Team. "Aida really stepped it up after Jomi's unfortunate injury, and Isell played solid all weekend, showing she is a force to be reckoned with. Lindsey is the real deal. She is the first setter to lead an HCC team to the NJCAA Championships two years in a row. She has earned her place in steadily growing line of excellent setters to graduate from HCC. All three selections were very deserving," stated Larkin.
HCC will get ready to board a flight to Iowa Nov 17th! All the action will be webcast. Stay tuned for details.
November 2, 2009
The Lady Hawks hosted friends and family open practice and pot luck on Sunday night. Wow... Great food! The team opened its doors and put their skills on display. "This is our deepest roster, so I wanted to provide friends and family the opportunity to see all of our girls perform over an extended period of time," explained Larkin. "Our players are proud of their daily effort, work ethic, and competitive practice environment." It was a lot of fun! Thanks to all who attended. Larkin's son and daughter especially enjoyed the mac and cheese. The team is busy preparing for the FCCAA State Tournament. HCC kicks off play on Thursday at 1pm at Polk State.
October 29, 2009
The Lady Hawks' Lindsey Rees is named 2009 Suncoast Conference Player of the Year! 4th in the nation in assists per game, Rees led all players in votes. Lindsey is joined on the first team by Isell Torres, Stefani Gonzalez, J'beria Davis, and Yomaira Santana. Leah Buchanan was named 2nd Team. "Coaches can't vote for their own players, and there are some great players in our league," explained Larkin, "but Lindsey is very deserving. I'm thrilled for her. Our players being named is a reflection on our team as a whole."
Ocotber 26, 2009
You could feel the love at HCC Volleyball Sophomore Day at HCC! Isell Torres, Lindsey Rees, Katlyn Flick, Kristi Posnak, Danielle Priest, Aida Bauza, Myeasha Williams, and Yomaira Santana were celebrated for their contributions on and off the court. It was a special class that is especially close with each other. They are the first class to win back-to-back Suncoast Conference Championships. You will all be missed! But... WE'RE NOT DONE YET! The Lady Hawks honored the sophs with a dominating win over Alabama power, Wallace St. Kristi Posnak hit .500 and had 3.5 blocks and Myeasha Willams chipped in with 2 kills and a block. Katlyn Flick added 6 digs and served14 times in a 3-set match. HCC then played 4-yr institution Clearwater Christian College, the reigning National Christian College Athletic Association Champ. The Hawks got off to a slow start but mounted a challenge before falling in 4 sets. HCC finished the regular season 25-7. The Lady Hawks next travel to Polk State College, the site of the FCCAA State Tournament. HCC will face PHCC in a 1st round match on Nov. 5th. Stay tuned for details. Did you know:Lindsey Rees has 2,586 assists in her career so far!Isell Torres topped the 500 dig mark for the 2nd straight year.
October 24, 2009
HCC remains (gets stuck) at 15th in the NJCAA national poll with one poll left in the season.
The Lady Hawks posted two more wins on day one of the Halloween Bash to go to 24-6 on the season.
HCC is pleased to announce that the participating teams are showing support for our troops abroad by donating care package items and wearing yellow ribbons.
In the first match, HCC defeated a tough PJC team in 5 sets. The Hawks were led by OH Aida Bauza's 18 kills and OH Kate Wolcott's inspired defense. "The Pirates brought it today," remarked Coach Larkin. "PJC was very prepared and ready to play. I was extremely pleased our team didn't quit and rallied back." The Lady Hawks posted 14.5 total blocks with MB Danielle Priest contributing 5. "Every chance for our team to build character will help the team in the long run and the girls as individuals," observed Larkin.
In the second match, the Lady Hawks saw contributions from all 14 players. Lindsey Rees chucked the ball around in the first two sets, keeping SJRCC off balance. "Our setter had an attitude tonight, especially in those first two sets. She had confidence and control, and our team picked up on that," explained Larkin. The first set was won 25-12 by a sophomore heavy line-up, and the second set was won 25-10 by a freshman heavy line-up. The Hawks then closed out set 3 25-20. "We have the deepest roster since I've been at HCC. Our fans don't often get to see what we see in practice every day. It was fun to see every player execute and contribute," noted Larkin.
Saturday afternoon, the Lady Hawks will celebrate Sophomore Day. Many thanks to Associate Head Coach Monica for handling the the festivities. Sophomores will be recognized before the 12:30 match vs. Wallace St. from Alabama.
Faces in the Crowd: Isell's family is enjoying the weekend in Tampa after flying in from Puerto Rico. Welcome!
Did you know...
Assistant Coach Tony is an NCAA official and nationally certified by USAV. He is making a career change to elementary education, and his favorite class is Anatomy.
October 16, 2009
The Lady Hawks win the Suncoast Conference Championship for the 2nd year in a row! HCC had the daunting task of not only needing to beat PHCC Thursday night, they also had to sweep them AND hold them to less than 66 points. Well, the Lady Hawks held them to 49.
"I am extremely proud of the girls," explained Coach Larkin. "This accomplishment is not on my list of goals for the season, so this Championship is all theirs. It was important to them, and they accomplished it together as a team. They supported each other, picked each other up, and helped each other maintain focus. I had 14 givers tonight."
The Lady Hawks were aggressive at the net, totalling 15 total blocks. Setter Lindsey Rees had 6 kills and 29 assists. MBs Danielle Priest (2 blocks) and Emily Bingham (4.5 blocks) were efficient, hitting .400 and .333. respectively, and RS J'beria Davis hit .500 with 6 kills and posted 6.5 blocks.
"It was a great night for our girls," Larkin continued. "Our coaching staff, however, has to get right back to work and continue pushing and improving this team. We have navigated the pre-conference and the conference seasons respectably, but now we must prepare for post-season play."
HCC hosts the Halloween Invitational beginning Friday. Details will be posted on the volleyball main page.
THANK YOUs:
Hope, Jason, and Hawks Landing for providing T-shirts and giveaways for Hawks fans
Jason for the live blog
Cheerleaders for helping us take it home
Various alumni who showed their support in the crowd
Families of our players... as always!
October 12, 2009
Isell Torres joins the 25-Dig club twice this week. Isell posted 27 digs vs SPC on 10/8 and 26 digs vs Northwest on 10/10.
October 12, 2009
HCC Volleyball places 2nd at the MDC Invitational, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country! The tournament boasted 6 of 8 teams in the top 15 and one "also receiving votes" who was the eventual winner and will undoubtedly be ranked high in the next poll. "The product on the floor is improving, so I feel we are moving in the right direction. It was high level volleyball this weekend, and we showed we belonged," remarked Larkin. The Lady Hawks began by sweeping Broward and then lost a heartbreaker to #9 San Jac in 5 sets, 13-15. The team bounced back to sweep #15 FSC @ Jacksonville to earn a place in the finals vs. high energy Northwest College from Wyoming, who had previously beaten #6 MDC and #12 PHCC. HCC jumped out to a 2-set lead but missed an opportunity to close them out in 3, and was later defeated in a 5-set thriller. "If we find a bit of a killer instinct, we will have an opportunity to defeat opponents of this caliber," explained Larkin. "We are still a work in progress, but I am extremely encouraged by the response by our players over the last week or two." Isell Torres (70 digs overall including 26 digs in the final) and J'beria Davis (48 kills overall including 20 vs San Jacinto) were named to the All-tournament Team. We must again thank Jason, who traveled with the team to bring the live blog to our out-of-town fans, and Lorraine who handled the technical duties in Tampa. HCC travels to SFCC on Tuesday night and then hosts PHCC Thursday night at 7pm.
October 9, 2009
The Lady Hawks raised money for Breast Cancer Research on the way to a 5-set thriller over conference foe SPC. Thank you to Hawk Radio, the HCC Cheerleaders and Jason at coveritlive.com for bringing action into living rooms from Michigan to New York to San Juan! After a strong showing in the first two games, HCC let SPC back in it, giving away leads at different times. "It's been our issue all year, sustaining performance over the duration of a match. I thought there were many positives in the first couple of games, and our blocking was excellent at times. I'm negotiating being paid time and a half for games 4 and 5, so our erratic play just might work out for my family!" exclaimed Larkin. The team recorded 15.5 blocks, +8 serving, and passed a 2.2 but hit a woeful .123. "Our challenge is to become a group who plays for the name on the front of the jersey by November 5th. We'll get there." The Lady Hawks clinched a spot in the State Tournament in Lakeland and will play in the Miami Dade Invitational. Follow the action on the coveritlive link.
Faces in the Crowd: Former player Natalie Milic and her family stopped in to see the action.
October 7, 2009
The Lady Hawks drop to 13th in the national poll.
HCC goes to 17-4, 6-1 after defeating SCF Manatee in three sets. The team passed 2.3 and hit over .400 collectively. "We seem to be working some things out. I was encouraged by what I saw tonight," explained Larkin. "Tonight was extra special because one of our player's is dealing with a family illness, and we wanted to play hard for her and her family."
HCC faces SPC at home Thursday at 7pm. It is "Dig for the Cure" night in support of breast cancer awareness. The Lady Hawks will provide pink ribbons for both the HCC and SPC squads, and the night's gate will be donated to a local related charity. Come support a good cause.
Faces in the Crowd:
Morgan Thomas, a 2008 team member popped by to see the Lady Hawks in Bradenton.
October 4, 2009
The Lady Hawks gut out a 5-set win vs Polk State on Thursday night to go to 5-1 in conference. Stef Gonzalez had 23.5 points, and Danielle Priest and Leah Buchanon hit .545 and .466 respectively. HCC travels to Manatee on Tuesday night and hosts SPC on Thursday night at 7pm. Look for Thursday night's broadcast on Hawk Radio.
Faces in the crowd: 2008 alumnus Erica Medvid and 2005 alumnus Rachel Pringle stopped by to watch the 2009 Lady Hawks last week.
September 30, 2009
HCC takes 1st conference loss at PHCC. "They outplayed us soundly at every position. It may only seem like a surprise if you weren't there. It was pretty lopsided," remarked Larkin. "We have some work to do to get our team ready and moving forward. We'll find 8 that will buy in. We obviously needed that tonight." HCC plays Polk State Thursday night at home at 7pm.
September 25, 2009
HCC completed its second week of conference play with a sweep of SFCC. The Lady Hawks are now 15-3, 4-0 in conference play. HCC was led by J'beria Davis who hit 1.000 with 9 kills on 9 attempts in 2 sets. She also added 3 blocks. Lindsey Rees, who remains in the top 5 in assists per game nationally, had 35 assists. Isell Torres who ranks in the national top 20 in digs per set averaged 6 digs/set.
A big thanks to the crew at Hawks Landing for marketing and supporting our home match.
The Lady Hawks travel to PHCC on Tuesday for a 7pm match.
Who's in the crowd...
HCC alumnus and past All-American Emily Calderon took time out of her busy schedule at St. Leo to catch Thursday's match. She was joined by her Head Coach Sam Cibrone.
September 23, 2009
The Lady Hawks go to 3-0 in conference with a 4-set win over SPC. "Playing at SPC is always a challenge. The gym is unique, and they are a conference rival. I was pleased with the 4th game come back. We continue to strive for focus, team play, and consistency," remarked Larkin after the match. HCC was led by Leah Buchanon's 17 total points and JB Davis's 16.5 total points. The Hawks had 16 blocks and 20 tags at the net. HCC plays SFCC at home Thursday night at 7pm.
September 18, 2009
The Lady Hawks hit a ludicrous .500 as a team in a 3-game defeat of feisty SCF@Manatee on Thursday night. HCC also posted 10 total blocks. S Lindsey Rees kept the Manatees off balance by spreading the ball among her hitters. She posted 2.5 blocks, 3 kills, 32 assists, and an ace. Opp Yomaira Santana led all hitters with 13 kills in 2 sets and a .647 hitting percentage. Stef Gonzalez added 5 kills, and Aida Bauza and Emily Bingham had 4 kills each. The home crowd played a big factor, and the HCC cheerleaders popped in to lend some spirit. The Hawks next face conference rival SPC next Tuesday at 7pm in St. Pete.
Who's in the crowd...
It was great to see HCC Volleyball Alumni Hailey Plunkett (2004 Lady Hawk Award winner), Amanda Keurner, and Sara Prose.
September 17, 2009
The Lady Hawks defeated Polk State in 4 sets on Tuesday night to open conference play. OHs Leah Buchanon and Aida Bauza led the team with 12 kills each, and setter Lindsey Rees got a lot of exercise from all the running around she did that night. HCC next hosts FSC@ Manatee Tursday night at 7pm.
On Wednesday morning, HCC learned that it moved up one spot to 9th in the NJCAA national poll.
We would like to thank Lorraine and Jason for assisting our program with our blog, twitter, and coveritlive.com. Out of town fans love it!
September 13, 2009
HCC wins 5 in a row to go 11-3.
The Lady Hawks started the long road trip with a hard fought win against GCCC in 5. "We had a hard time getting off the bus ready to play, and we ran into a motivated Commodore team. We were lucky to escape with the win. Setter Lindsey Rees (52 assists) made sure we left the court with a victory," explained Coach Larkin. MB Emily Bingham brought energy off the bench with 4 kills and 3 blocks, and OHs Leah Buchanon and Aida Bauza and MB JB Davis all had double digit kills.
On Friday, HCC started the day with a sweep over host PJC. Libero Claudia Cabrera had 20 digs, OH Stef Gonzalez had 8 kills, JB Davis hit .800 and had 2.5 blocks, and Aida Bauza hit .500 with 6 kills in set 3.
The next game set up a match between nationally ranked schools, #10 HCC and #17 SCF@ Jacksonville. The Lady Hawks played team defense on the way to a 3-game sweep. HCC had 14.5 blocks and 55 digs in the match. MB Danielle Priest chipped in with 5.5 blocks and 3 kills, and JB Davis had 3.5 blocks and 5 kills. Leah Buchanon posted 10 kills and 1 block on her way to hitting .388.
On Saturday, all players contributed to two sweeps of out of state opponents. The Lady Hawks had 8 aces vs. Northlake from Texas, and Yomaira Santana posted 12 kills and 2 blocks vs. Faulkner St. from Alabama.
Setter Lindsey Rees and MB J'beria Davis earned All-tournament Team honors.
Various "Twinkie no Stinkie" awards were given to the Lady Hawk MVP of each match. Also, our players got an early start on Halloween by watching a few scary movies on the long trip home. Assistant Coach Tony declined to watch of course.
Conference play begins on Tuesday with an away match at Polk State at 7pm, and then the Lady Hawks will host SFCC at 7pm at the Hawks' Nest on the Dale Mabry Campus. Note that for faculty, staff, and students, admission is free.
September 7, 2009
September 7, 2009
Lindsey Rees is named Pre-Season 2nd Team All-American by the NJCAA.
Isell Torres and Yomaira Santana are also named to Top Returning Players list for Region 8.
September 7, 2009
HCC volleyball was pleased to see a few familiar faces in the crowd at the 2009 Kickoff Classic. 2006 State Champions Audrey Campbell, Falin Daniels, and Jasmine Chriss enjoyed the Lady Hawks final win against Hutchinson CC on Saturday.
September 6, 2009
The Lady Hawks started an early weekend with a tough match v. #13 Hutchinson Community College, who already had a sweep of #3 Missouri St. West Plains on their 2009 resume. The Hawks fought to even the match at 2 sets each before falling in five sets. OH Stef Gonzalez had 19 kills, Libero Isell Torres posted 20 kills and 3 aces, and MB J.B. Davis had 3.5 blocks.
The following day HCC hosted the The Kickoff Classic Tournament. The Lady Hawks faced conference foe SPC, defeating them in 4 sets. Lindsey Rees posted 45 assists and 10 digs. Stef Gonzalez added 18 kills, 5 aces, and 15 digs. The Lady Hawks followed that win with a straight set victory over GCCC. Claudia Cabrera started at libero and contributed 10 digs. RS Jomi Santana posted 9 kills and an ace.
On Saturday, HCC started the day with a straight set win over State College- MCC. OH Leah Buchanon posted 6 kills and 2.5 blocks. All tournament wins led to a rematch with Hutchinson CC for the Hawks. HCC rebounded from Thursday's loss with a 4-set win, closing out set 4 25-18. Stef Gonzales had 17 kills, and MB Danielle Priest added 7 kills and 6.5 blocks. Captain Lindsey Rees averaged over 12 assists per set. As a team the Hawks serve-received a 2.5 and hit .294 for the match.
Thank you to all the fans who attended the matches! And thank you to Super Hawk Fan Jason for bringing pizzas for families and friends.
The Lady Hawks continue their tough pre-conference schedule with a trip to Pensacola this Thursday. Their record is currently 6-3.
August 29, 2009
HCC was ranked 10th, its highest ever preseason ranking, in the NJCAA preseason national poll!
August 29, 2009
On Saturday morning, the Lady Hawks could measure themselves against #1 Blinn. Though HCC lost in 4 sets, Coach Larkin explained, "With a little more discipline and maturity, we can improve upon this result. 11 service errors and 16 attack errors are tough to overcome. When we were in system, we had a nice rhythm going. We learned a lot about ourselves in this match."
The Lady Hawks bounced back by sweeping #17 Redlands in 3 sets. The team posted 10 blocks and hit .329 with Yomaira Santana posting 10.5 points.
The Lady Hawks fly back to Tampa 2-2. They next play at home vs. #14 Hutchinson CC on Thursday night at 5pm. On Friday and Saturday, HCC hosts its annual Lady Hawk Kickoff Classic. Friday play begins at noon.
August 28, 2009
#10 HCC opened its season with a five game thriller vs. #9 San Jacinto in Houston, TX. After being down 0-2, the Lady Hawks rallied to win sets 3 and 4 before falling 11-15 in set 5. OH Stefanie Gonzalez led the team with 21.5 points including 18 kills. Setter Lindsey Rees dished 46 assists and posted 8 kills.
In Match 2, the Hawks defeated Laredo in 4 sets. Stef Gonzalez led the way again with 14 points. J'beria Davis posted 11 points, Leah Buchanon posted 10 points, and Lindsey added 34 assists and 6 points, including 3 blocks.
August 23, 2009
Volleyball attends the Rays/Rangers game. The Lady Hawks thought they were reporting for an intra-squad scrimmage but were surprised with Rays tickets instead. Crazed Rays fan and Assistant Coach, Monica Medvid, led the face-painting and sign-making as the ladies enjoyed a day out at the park. With Tampa in the midst of the Wild Card Race, the ballpark was electric, and a much neeeded rest was enjoyed by all.
August 22, 2009
Rees and Gonzalez are first to be awarded game jerseys. HCC Volleyball ceremoniously awards game jerseys as the team moves closer to its first official match. Lindsey Rees and Stefani Gonzalez were the first two to receive the honor. The team will scrimmage U. Tampa on Monday, the first day of school, as its final preparation for the JUCO Classic in Houston, TX this weekend.
August 13, 2009
No gators, thankfully! The Lady Hawks enjoyed a day out on the river, canoeing with their teammates. It is always a great time, and being stuck in a canoe with a teammate goes a long way concerning team bonding!
August 7, 2009
The Lady Hawks engaged in a City of Tampa scavenger hunt. In order to better learn their new surroundings, the ladies enjoyed a night out visiting landmarks in Tampa. Three teams were created, and each was given a different list to complete. All met at Coach Larkin's house at the end of the night to decide a winner. Perhaps the City of Tampa was the winner once our girls got off the road!
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