Rebecca Saraceno, this past season’s Big West player of the year from UCSB, will combine with former teammate Lauren McLaughlin to compete in the College Beach Volleyball Championships this weekend at West Beach.The women’s doubles event is being held in conjunction with the AVP Santa Barbara Open and is part of CBS College Sports Network’s Alt Games. The action kicks off with pool play on Saturday morning at 8:30, with the final scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.The tournament, … [Read more...]
Vargas, Saraceno reach All-American status
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
One of the best women’s volleyball seasons in recent UCSB history was further decorated on Wednesday when the American Volleyball Coaches Association named Rebecca Saraceno as an All-American. Joining her as an All-American was junior Dana Vargas, giving the setter her third major postseason award. Saraceno, who had 4.45 kills per set and 2.66 digs per set, and Vargas, who passed out 1,297 assists, are the first UCSB players to be named All-Americans since Olivia Waldowski in 2006. The … [Read more...]
Saraceno, Vargas selected to AVCA regional team
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Rebecca Saraceno, the 2009 Big West Player of the Year, and Dana Vargas, a First Team All-Big West choice, were both selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association West Region First Team on Wednesday.The duo, who led UCSB to a 22-8 overall record and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in three seasons, were two of three Big West players honored on the West Region’s First Team. It is the first time a Gaucho has been named to an All-Region team since Olivia Waldowski in … [Read more...]
Gauchos back in Big Dance, will play St. Mary’s
Sunday, November 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Back where they belong.The UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball team was selected to play in the 2009 NCAA Tournament after a 22-7 overall season, putting the Gauchos in the tournament for the 27th time in the program's history and the first time since the 2006 season. UCSB, which had made 26 consecutive tournaments, missed out the past two seasons.However, led by Big West Player of the Year Rebecca Saraceno and All-Big West First Team players Dana Vargas and Stacey Schmidt, the … [Read more...]
Saraceno: Big West Player of the Year
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment
UCSB senior outside hitter Rebecca Saraceno was named Big West Player of the Year it was announced on Tuesday after a vote of conference head coaches. Stacey Schmidt, a sophomore opposite, and Dana Vargas, a junior setter, were also named to the First Team while Head Coach Kathy Gregory was named the conference’s Co-Coach of the Year.Saraceno, who is averaging a league-best 4.50 kills per set which also is 12th in the nation, becomes the first UCSB player to win Player of the Year … [Read more...]
No umpff for UCSB at Pacific
Saturday, November 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
A night after a thrilling victory over UC Davis which put the UCSB women's volleyball team in first place in the Big West, the Gauchos were swept by Pacific on Saturday night, 25-20, 25-15, 25-15.UCSB is now 20-7 overall and 10-5 in the Big West. Pacific improves to 17-10 overall and 7-8.Playing without All-America candidate Rebecca Saraceno, who missed the weekend's matches with a knee injury suffered last weekend, the Gauchos didn't have a single player reach double-digit kills on … [Read more...]
Gauchos move into first place without Saraceno
Friday, November 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment
DAVIS - Rebecca who? Playing without All-America candidate and four-time Big West Player of the Week Rebecca Saraceno on Friday night at UC Davis hardly fazed the UCSB women’s volleyball team as they knocked off the Aggies 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 25-15. The victory moves the Gauchos into a first-place tie with Long Beach State in the Big West. UCSB, now 20-6 overall and 10-4 in the Big West, split the season series with the 49ers, but the Gauchos have more overall victories. The Gauchos … [Read more...]
UCSB smacks down Northridge in three
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment
NORTHRIDGE — Using a balanced attack, the UCSB women'?s volleyball team won for the eighth time in the past nine matches, sweeping Cal State Northridge 25-18, 25-22, 25-11 on Tuesday night in the Matadome.The victory was the Gauchos? fourth straight via sweep, the program'?s longest streak since winning seven straight times via sweep in 2006. UCSB is now 19-5 overall and 9-3 in the Big West. The Gauchos are one win shy of reaching the 20-win plateau for the first time since 2005 and the … [Read more...]
Saraceno racks up another POW award
Monday, October 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Following another impressive week in which she led the UCSB women’s volleyball team to a pair of wins, senior outside hitter Rebecca Saraceno was again named the Big West’s Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.Saraceno, who also won the award last week, has now been named Big West Player of the Week an unprecedented four times this season, the only player in UCSB volleyball’s illustrious history to receive four weekly awards in a season.In fact, Saraceno is only … [Read more...]
Gauchos do it again in five-setter
Friday, October 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
IRVINE - The UCSB women's volleyball team sure has a flair for the dramatic. Not only did the Gauchos play in their eighth five-set match on Friday night, they defeated their fourth Top-25 team.Reigning Big West Player of the Week Rebecca Saraceno had 28 kills, one shy of her career-high, while tallying 13 digs for her 13th double-double this season to lead the Gauchos to a 14-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-22, 19-17 victory over No. 19 UC Irvine on Friday night.Valuable? Obviously. Saraceno … [Read more...]
Career-highs everywhere as Gauchos beat Waves
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Go ahead and pick one. Was it Rebecca Saraceno’s 27 kills, just two off her career-high? Was it Chelsey Lowe’s career-best 26 digs? How about Stacey Schmidt’s nine kills and career-high five block assists? Or Kasey Kipp’s season-best six block assists? Maybe Dana Vargas’ 46 assists and career-high four service aces?It’s hard to decipher which one meant the most to the UCSB women’s volleyball team on Tuesday night, but one thing is for sure – the way everything came together, … [Read more...]
Gauchos miff Mustangs in comeback win
Saturday, October 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Even though Cal Poly's women's volleyball team had defeated UCSB in six straight matches and took a two games to one lead on Saturday night, the Gauchos never crumpled.All those thoughts of a loss at home - which would have been the Gauchos' first this year - changed, though it wasn't without some nerves.The Gauchos rallied from an 8-3 deficit in game five, eventually defeating the Mustangs 25-21, 24-26, 24-26, 25-20, 15-12 at the Thunderdome.BOX SCORE ** GAUCHOS TEAM PAGEIt … [Read more...]
