Three Seniors to Play in Final Home Match
November 26, 2002 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 26, 2002
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech volleyball team will close out its 2002 home schedule Wednesday night when it takes on Iowa State at 5:30 p.m. as part of a volleyball/Lady Raider doubleheader.
Tech (13-14, 8-10) is still hanging on to the possibility of being eligible for the NCAA Tournament but must win its final two matches of the season, starting with the Cyclones on senior night.
Three Red Raiders will bring their careers to an end this week with Wednesday serving as the final home match of their career.
Stacey Poole made her way into the starting lineup as a middle blocker last season and is peaking at the end of her career. Poole is leading the team in hitting percentage, hitting over .300 for the season, and is also leading the team in total blocks. The Las Cruces, N.M., native will end her career as one of Tech's leading hitters by percentage as well as have one of the top single season hitting percentages. This season has seen her set several personal-highs including hitting percentage (.529 at Texas A&M, 10/16), service aces (three against Baylor, 11/13), and blocks in a single match, seven at Oklahoma (11/9). Co-captain of this year's squad she has excelled in the classroom as well, being named to the Big 12 Conference All-Academic team as both a junior and a senior as well as serving on the Student Athlete Advisory Board the last three seasons.
Ann Romjue is also closing out her career as a member of the scarlet and black this year. The Papillion, Neb., native will finish her career second in school history for career digs, eighth in service aces, and 10th in kills. Romjue burst onto the Tech volleyball scene with fury, setting the freshman block assists record as well as the freshman total blocks record. As a sophomore, she set the school record for digs in a match with 36 against Texas A&M. Last week she was up to her old tricks again as she set the school record for digs in a four-game match, against the Aggies. The three-time captain started for the Red Raiders all four seasons and ranks fifth in career games played.
Finally, Melissa McGehee will draw her four-year career to a close. McGehee has saved her best season for her final one. McGehee passed several milestones during this her senior season including becoming Tech's All-time kills leader, the fourth player to reach 1,000 career kills and digs, and was voted onto the Verizon Academic All-Region VI first team making her eligible for Academic All-American honors. During her career, the Kerrville, Texas, native achieved numerous accolades such as All-Central Region, two-time All-Big 12, and Big 12 All-Academic honors three times. McGehee will end her career third in All-time digs, eighth in games played and holds the sophomore class digs and kills record as well as the junior class kills record.
"These three young women have been a pleasure to work with," commented head volleyball coach Jeff Nelson. "They have worked hard throughout their careers and have accomplished many of their goals. I wish nothing but success in the future and I am grateful for their commitment to the Red Raider volleyball program."
Game time of the home finale is set for 5:30 p.m. with senior night festivities to be held immediately after the match. The Lady Raiders will tip off at 7:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the volleyball match, whichever is later, and fans attending the volleyball match will be invited to stay for the basketball game free of charge.
"I would like to thank the numerous fans that showed up on Saturday," said Nelson. "We tried to move the start time so that it didn't conflict with the football game, but just could not get a change worked out. We really have had great fan support this season and I know that the players really want to put on a good show for the home crowd. I hope that we can get a great crowd out for the match and send our seniors out in grand style."