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Lady Knights Volleyball

Lady Knights Win 4th Straight Mideast Region Title

Lady Knights Win 4th Straight Mideast Region Title

Bruce Dixon Named Mideast Region Coach of the Year

Bruce Dixon receives award

Coach Bruce Dixon recognized for 300th Career Win

Bruce Dixon

Ron Arnett presented Coach Bruce Dixon with a plaque celebrating his 300th career win as head coach of the Lady Knights Volleyball team. The victory occurred on Friday, October 16, 2009 in KCU's Dick Damron Hall of Champions against Free Will Baptist Bible College in three straight sets.

Lady Knights Volleyball News

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  • 12/11/2009 - Four Commit to KCU Volleyball
    Grayson, KY - Head Volleyball Coach Bruce W. Dixon announced the signing of Lindsay Flood, Melissa Grover, LaNae Vanover and Danielle Wipert to commitment letters of intent to join the team in the fall of 2010. "We are extremely excited about how this recruiting class is developing," Dixon said. "Not only are these ladies very physically talented, but they are all hardworking, motivated players that will add a lot to the character of our program." All four athletes committed to KCU during the fall semester and signed letters of intent declaring their desire to become Lady Knights.

    Flood comes to Kentucky Christian from Louisville (KY) Male High School and brings a wealth of club experience in addition to her outstanding high school career. As a defensive specialist, she will have the opportunity to earn playing time as a freshman due to the graduation of the team’s two leading defensive players from the 2009 season.

    "Lindsay can cover the whole court," Dixon said. “Her defense will extend plays and give our offense many opportunities to win points.”

    Grover comes to the Lady Knights from Modesto Christian (Modesto, CA) and should fill the setting needs for KCU. An accomplished high school setter, Grover also has the leadership skills to take this program to new heights.

    Following her high school season, Grover was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second time, 1st Team All Conference setter, and broke the school record for assists with 10.41 per set.

    “Melissa’s fundamentals are outstanding and I fully believe she has all the tools to lead a championship team,” commented Dixon. “I am very excited about what she will bring to this team. As you can see by her awards, she is the total package.”

    Vanover, a 5'10" middle hitter from Fairview High School (Ashland, KY) is an extremely athletic player that will only get better as she becomes more confident with the college game. Coach Dixon had this to say about Ms. Vanover, “It is going to be fun to watch LaNae’s progress. She has the athletic ability and desire to play at this level. Her adjustment to the speed of the college game will be the determining factor in her progress. I really like her possibilities.”

    Wipert is a four-year varsity player for Logan Elm High School (Circleville, OH). This fall she helped Logan Elm advance to the state semi-finals and received All-District honors. A 5'7" outside hitter, she was also an Honorable Mention team member of the Mid-State League for the 2009 season.

    "Danielle is a versatile hitter who can take the ball down the line as well as across the court from the outside hitting position. Her athletic ability allows her to make an impact defensively at the net and in the court.," Dixon commented. "She will be an extremely valuable asset to our program."
  • 11/30/2009 - Kentucky Christian Volleyball Players Receive National Awards
    Kissimmee, FL - Several KCU volleyball players were honored by the AVCA (American Volleyball Coach’s Association) / NCCAA II volleyball coaches during the recently completed national tournament held in Kissimmee, FL. The coach’s committee has announced the following:

    AVCA/NCCAA II 1st Team All-American
    Madison Furman – Jr; Morehead, KY (Also named in 2008)
    April Hershauer – So; Greensburg, IN

    NCCAA II 2nd Team All-American
    Grace Conkel – So; Dayton, OH
    Katee Neltner – Sr; Covington, KY

    NCCAA II Scholar Athlete (3.4+ GPA)
    Madison Furman – Jr; Morehead, KY
    Michelle Lowe-Snell – Jr; Corbin, KY
    Jena Miley – Sr; Caldwell, OH
    Katee Neltner – Sr; Covington, KY
  • 11/23/2009 - Lady Knights Finish Season #7
    Kissimmee, FL - After finishing with the best season in the history of KCU volleyball, the end result was the same as last year. In what can only be described as a disappointing finish to an outstanding year for the Lady Knights, Kentucky Christian went 1-3 in Kissimmee, FL at the NCCAA II National Tournament.

    The #3 seed dropped a tightly contested opening match to Providence College (Otterburne, MB, CA) 2-3 and then lost 1-3 to Grace University (Omaha, NE), the 2005 NCCAA II national champions. The Lady Knights opened day two with a 3-0 victory over West Coast Baptist College (Lancaster, CA) and then were defeated 0-3 by Clearwater Christian College (Clearwater, FL), the eventual national champions.

    Head Coach Bruce Dixon commented, “We didn’t compete as a team when it was needed most. It is very disappointing to work all year for this opportunity and then not give it our best shot. As a team, we need to learn from this and come back even stronger next year.” Coach Dixon went on to say, “One thing I don’t want to get lost in our disappointment is the great year we had and the accomplishments that it brought. This was a very special year!”
  • 11/06/2009 - Lady Knights Receive Mideast Region Honors
    Grayson, KY - National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) II Mideast Region play has concluded for the 2009-10 season, but other region business is still wrapping up. All-Region player awards have been announced and KCU has figured prominently in those honors.

    April Hershauer (SO; Greensburg, IN) has been named as the Mideast Region MVP. Her outstanding play during the regular season made her the coach’s choice. She was named a 2nd Team All-American following her freshman campaign. Joining April on the all-region first team are Madison Furman (JR; Morehead, KY), Grace Conkel (SO; Dayton, OH) and the Libero of the Year, Katee Neltner (SR; Covington, KY).

    Furman finished just behind her teammate in the voting and is a returning 1st Team All-American. With her play and stats being every bit as strong as last year, she stands a great chance of repeating this high honor. As the starting setter, Conkel has guided the team as its “quarterback” and led them to 14 wins in the region with zero defeats. Neltner’s LOY award was especially impressive as she had total ACL reconstruction in December 2008 and was able to play at a level that warranted her inclusion.

    Kentucky Christian (27-6) begins their national tournament quest next week. Tournament play runs November 12-14 at the Kissimmee (FL) Civic Center.
  • 11/04/2009 - KCU Receives #3 Seed
    Grayson, KY - Kentucky Christian University has been awarded the #3 seed for the upcoming NCCAA II National Volleyball Tournament. The high seed was based upon their strong play during the '09 season and the consistency with their national tournament experience.

    "It is truly a testament to where our program has come", stated head coach Bruce Dixon. "These young women deserve all the credit in the world. They have earned this level of confidence with their consistent play over the last four years."

    Tournament play opens for KCU on Thursday, November 12th and will continue through the weekend. The title match will be played at 4:00 PM on Saturday, November 14th.

    All match results can be accessed through the NCCAA website. Follow this link for further information: www.thenccaa.org
  • 11/01/2009 - Lady Knights Win 4th Straight Mideast Region Title
    Grayson, KY - Kentucky Christian University followed up their regular season dominance of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) II Mideast Region with a convincing 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 26-24) victory over the #2 seeded Evangels of Johnson Bible College. The Lady Knights (26-6) earned a spot in the championship match by defeating Ohio Christian University, Appalachian Bible College and The Crown College in three straight sets as well.

    The 5th seeded Lady Trailblazers were the first to fall in this title run as KCU beat OCU 25-13, 25-19, 25-20. Katee Neltner led the way for the Lady Knights with a 27 dig/12 reception double-double. April Hershauer added 11 kills/17 digs and Madison Furman had eight kills/13 digs. Grace Conkel and Kelsie McKee tallied four aces each.

    Next for Kentucky Christian was the #4 seed, Appalachian Bible College. Furman and Hershauer turned in double-doubles with 10 kills/16 digs and 14 kills/13 digs, respectively. Conkel added six aces and the pair of Neltner and Jena Miley combined for 31 digs/19 receptions. The victory (25-12, 25-11, 25-22) put the Lady Knights in Saturday’s first semi-final cross-over match against The Crown College.

    The Royal Crusaders were no match for KCU as the Lady Knights defeated Crown at 13, 14 & 14. Hershauer’s 18 kills paced Kentucky Christian with Furman and McKee adding six kills each. The win set the stage for the Lady Knights fourth consecutive region title.

    Kentucky Christian University will now make preparations to compete in the NCCAA II National Volleyball Tournament (November 12-14) to be held in Kissimmee, FL.
  • 10/22/2009 - Kentucky Christian Notches Three More Victories
    Grayson, KY - The Lady Knights (18-6) volleyball team celebrated Senior Night with a 3-0 (25-5, 25-18, 25-14) victory over the Free Will Baptist Bible College Lady Flames. Honored were starting libero Katee Neltner and defensive specialist Jena Miley, both four year letter winners. Also honored was team staff member Amy Carr for her exemplary three-year service to the team. The win also marked the 300th victory for head coach Bruce Dixon.

    KCU next hosted Ohio Valley University for a Saturday afternoon contest in the Damron Hall of Champions. The NCAA II program, hungry for a win, came into the match determined to hand the Lady Knights a home loss. But it was not to be as KCU (19-6) defeated OVU 3-1 (25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 25-16) as the team remained undefeated at home this season.

    Leading the way for Kentucky Christian was April Hershauer’s 23 kills and 19 digs. Also contributing to the win were Neltner’s 38 digs/23 receptions and Madison Furman’s 12 kills/23 digs/13 receptions, her ninth triple-double of the season. Grace Conkel matched her season high in assists with 45.

    Tuesday’s home match was between two old rivals as Cincinnati Christian University traveled to Grayson to take on the Lady Knights. KCU looked to avenge an early season loss to the Eagles and maintain their season-long home court winning streak.

    The match was closely contested as both teams held strong leads late in almost every each set. KCU (20-6) outlasted CCU to win the match 3-2 (25-20, 25-20, 22-25, 17-25, 15-8) and split the season series. Instrumental in the win was Furman’s tenth triple-double as she tallied 21 kills/20 digs/22 receptions for the match. Hershauer notched her fifth triple-double in the win (18 kills/19 digs/10 receptions) and Conkel turned in another excellent performance with 42 assists.

    Defensively, Miley and Neltner posted double-doubles of their own, 12digs/17 receptions and 25 digs/18 receptions, respectively. Kelsie McKee had the highest hitting percentage for the night as she hit .313 (6 kills/1 error/16 attempts).

    KCU returns to action Friday at Pikeville College. Match time is set for 7:00 PM.
  • 10/14/2009 - KCU Volleyball Secures #1 Seed
    Grayson, KY - The Lady Knights (17-6) wrapped up the NCCAA II Mideast Region regular season title and the #1 seed in the upcoming region tournament with a victory over Ohio Christian University. KCU defeated the Trailblazers 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-17) on a night that saw Kentucky Christian take control of the match early and not let OCU (3-12) develop any momentum.

    KCU was lead by junior Madison Furman’s double-double (10 kills/14 digs) and sophomores April Hershauer (eight kills/seven digs/nine receptions) and Kelsie McKee (four kills/two digs). Junior setter Michelle Lowe provided 13 assists.

    Kentucky Christian University will celebrate senior night on Friday, October 16th as Free Will Baptist Bible College comes to town. Manager Amy Carr as well as senior players, Jena Miley and Katee Neltner will be honored. Match time is set for 6:00 PM.
  • 10/13/2009 - Lady Knights Remain Unbeaten in Region Play
    Grayson, KY - With two important region road wins over the weekend, KCU retains the NCCAA II Mideast Region’s #1 ranking. The Lady Knights (16-6; 8-0) have positioned themselves as the region favorite and are one win away from the all-important #1 seed in the upcoming region tournament.

    Friday’s match versus The Crown College (7-4) placed Kentucky Christian in one of the most raucous home courts in the entire Mideast region. By the end of the match, the Lady Knights had all but silenced the partisan crowd as KCU defeated the Royal Crusaders 3-0 (25-10, 25-18, 25-15). Leading the way for KCU was April Hershauer with 14 kills/11 digs and Katee Neltner’s 11 digs/12 receptions. Madison Furman chipped in 6 kills and a match leading 20 digs. Grace Conkel provided 27 assists in the win.

    The Lady Knights traveled to Johnson Bible College on Saturday to face the region’s second place team. The JBC Evangels (6-7) started and ended strong but were unable to maintain their play through the heart of the match as Kentucky Christian swept the match 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-19). Again KCU was paced by Hershauer (23 kills/18 digs/9 receptions) and Furman (9 kills/13 digs/9 receptions). Conkel added 28 assists and Neltner was credited with 14 digs.

    Kentucky Christian University hosts Ohio Christian University tonight at the Damron Hall of Champions. Match time is set for 6:00 pm.
  • 10/07/2009 - Lady Knights Drop Third Straight NAIA Match
    Cincinnati, OH - Kentucky Christian University lost to Cincinnati Christian University 0-3 at President’s Hall on CCU’s campus. The loss marks the third straight against NAIA foes and the longest losing streak of the season. “We had many opportunities tonight,” stated Coach Dixon. “We just didn’t make the plays. Give Cincinnati (6-6) credit, they obviously wanted this match more than we did.”

    Leading the way for KCU was Madison Furman (JR) with 12 kills, 17 digs and eight receptions. April Hershauer (SO) added 7 kills, 21 digs and seven receptions. KCU setter, Grace Conkel chipped in 22 assists.

    Coming off additional losses to Asbury College and Indiana University East, the Lady Knights (14-6) are looking to right the ship. Kentucky Christian University travels to Knoxville, TN this weekend for matches against Mideast Region opponents Johnson Bible College and The Crown College.

Contact Us

Recruits may click here to contact Coach Bruce Dixon.

2009 Media Guide Available

2009 Media Guide Thumbnail

Click here to download a low-res version of the 2009 Lady Knights Volleyball Media Guide. It contains this year's schedule, player profiles, coach profiles, recap of 2008 season, all-time records, plus much more interesting information about the team.

2009-2010 Team Photo

Lady Knights Volleyball Team Photo

Front Row (L-R) Samantha Jarvis, Grace Conkel, Aimie Hood, Jena Miley, Katee Neltner, Kelsie McKee, Michelle Lowe, Jade Schnovel

Back Row (L-R) Kayla Cummins, Jordan Vincent, Abigail Ashbacher, Madison Furman, Assistant Coach Erin Peak, Coach Bruce W. Dixon, April Hershauer, Ally Hall, Sarah Spooner, Danielle Rusie, Amy Carr

Schedule

Statistics


Name M G K Att% SA Srv% Ast Blk BA Dig Rec Rec%
Madison Furman-10  38  128  430  .272  41  .919  21  88  34  608  387  .956  
Jena Miley-2  38  127  4  .031  53  .908  1  0  0  332  308  .914  
April Hershauer-3  38  126  553  .317  29  .944  18  79  25  550  297  .934  
Grace Conkel-8  38  124  61  .176  66  .931  1,095  15  7  350  5  .556  
Kelsie McKee-5  37  123  157  .129  43  .880  3  18  12  184  33  .971  
Sam Jarvis-1  37  108  102  .070  4  .883  4  16  12  147  82  .891  
Katee Neltner-14  36  121  4  -.037  46  .909  9  0  0  756  523  .922  
Michelle Lowe-15  28  75  30  .074  0  .880  79  8  7  65  34  .850  
Abby Ashbaucher-13  22  65  70  .186  0  1.000  18  16  14  69  51  .911  
Jordan Vincent-17  18  26  15  .122  0  .429  10  4  1  9  11  .786  
Sarah Spooner-11  14  24  21  .048  0  .889  1  1  0  12  1  1.000  
Jade Schnovel-6  13  16  0  .000  2  .842  0  0  0  33  17  .944  
Aimee Hood-7  9  11  4  .000  0  1.000  1  2  0  9  0  .000  
TOTALS  38  128  1,451  .216  284  .913  1,260  191  112  3,124  1,749  .925 

Roster

Name # Position Height Year Hometown
Abby Ashbaucher  13  MH  5-10  Freshman  Toledo, OH 
Grace Conkel  8  S  5-7  Sophomore  Dayton, OH 
Madison Furman  10  MH  6-0  Junior  Morehead, KY 
April Hershauer  3  OH/MH  5-11  Sophomore  Greensburg, IN 
Aimee Hood  7  OH  5-7  Freshman  Frankfort, KY 
Samantha Jarvis  1  DS  5-5  Sophomore  West Liberty, KY 
Michelle Lowe  15  S/DS  5-7  Junior  Corbin, KY 
Kelsie McKee  5  OH/DS  5-8  Sophomore  Charlestown, IN 
Jena Miley  2  DS  5-6  Senior  Caldwell, OH 
Katee Neltner  14  L/DS  5-6  Senior  Covington, KY 
Jade Schnovel  6  DS/S  5-3  Freshman  Pottstown, PA 
Sarah Spooner  11  OH  5-8  Freshman  Westfield, IN 
Jordan Vincent  17  MH/OP  5-10  Freshman  Shepardsville, KY 

Coaches

Picture of Coach Bruce Dixon

Coach Bruce Dixon

Bruce Dixon is entering his 18th year guiding the Lady Knights volleyball program. The Raceland High School (1976) graduate began his college education at KCU by entering into a cooperative program with Morehead State University in secondary education. After completing his degree requirements, Dixon began his teaching and coaching career at Northwest High School in southern Ohio before returning to Kentucky Christian in 1988. Coach Dixon and wife, Donna, have two children, Jacob (23) and Luke (21).

Picture of Erin Peak
  • Erin Peak
  • Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach Erin Peak

Kentucky Christian University is pleased to announce the addition of Erin Peak as Assistant Volleyball Coach. Erin has just finished an impressive collegiate career at Morehead State University (NCAA I), one that saw her twice named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference team.

Named by USA Prep Volleyball as one of the top 250 recruits for the 2005 high school class, Peak lettered three years for head coach Ty Evans at Floyd Central High School and garnered two all-state selections. Her college career was no-less impressive. As a four-year starter for the Eagles, she posted some imposing stats, including 1,236 kills/337 total blocks/1,077 digs.

Head Volleyball Coach Bruce Dixon commented, "The experience Erin brings to this team is unbelievable. She has played against many of the elite colleges in the country and that will provide immeasurable value to our squad. I am extremely excited about her addition."

Peak will be involved in all aspects of the program but will focus on the hitters and recruiting.