The 2007 season figures to be another bounce back year for the Lady Bison. Head Coach Orlando Larracuente, then in his first season, led HU to a 9-19 record in 2006 while picking up impressive wins over non-conference foe Coastal Carolina and MEAC rival Delaware State. The Lady Bison also won games against Maryland Eastern Shore and North Carolina A&T, both of whom finished tied for third in the MEAC last season, and nearly defeated Big East member Providence but fell to the Friars in five games.

"As a squad, we gained a lot of experience and got better," Larracuente said. "The growth of the team will enable us to be significantly better than last year."

Leading the way will be three seniors, Morgan Maxwell, Janel James and Traci Bessard. "We're looking for our seniors to step up and add some depth to a young but very talented Bison team," Larracuente added.

Howard welcomes back three starters including the team's leader in total kills last season, Janel James. Maxwell and Brooke Strode return to pick up where they left off while Bessard and Kimberly Watson both return with another year of experience.  

The Players

The Lady Bison will rely on the leadership of Morgan Maxwell at the setter position, her first time at that spot. Maxwell served up 55 assists last season, second highest on the squad. "We don't have depth at that position this year and Morgan stepped up and agreed to sacrifice herself for the program," Larracuente said. "She has good hands and we expect her to thrive in that role." Maxwell was a potent offensive and defensive threat last year and totaled 307 kills and a team-high 59 block-assists.

Maxwell will have plenty of help from Janel James and Brooke Strode. Both are hard hitters with impressive vertical leaping ability who were among the team's offensive leaders last season. James was first in the team in total kills (323) and kills per game (3.20) while Strode's 2.29 kills per game ranked third-highest among active players.

Senior Traci Bessard (36 games, 12 kills, 26 blocks) and sophomore Kimberly Watson (28 games, 18 blocks) round out the returnees.

The team welcomes five newcomers in 2007. The class of 2011 consists of California native Gazelle d'Artois, Elyssa Lee (Media, Pa.), Monique McCoy (Las Vegas, Nev.), Nia Moore (Powder Springs, Ga.) and Keri Partridge (Chattanooga, Tenn.). The 5-10 d'Artois guided Hart High School to the Foothill League Championship - its first in three years - and an appearance in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1-A Playoffs. d'Artois led her team in kills, digs and aces. "Gazelle is a player who can attack from anywhere on the floor. Her fundamentals are solid as one would expect from a Southern California player," Larracuente said. "Her impact will be felt throughout the conference."

Lee played the last two seasons at Missouri State University - West Plains, a two-year school where her team finished third in the country at the 2006 Division I Junior College National Championships. "Elyssa is an outstanding attacker," said Larracuente. "She has played with and against some of the top talent in the country at the junior college level."   

McCoy played club volleyball for Club Vegas 18's and hails from Durango High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.  "Monique is an outstanding athlete," says Larracuente.  "She will give us depth as a defensive specialist and as a back-up setter.  Monique will bring great energy and is the complete team player."

Moore is a 6-2 left handed attacker who brings length and a powerful swing to the Bison attack. She was a member of the varsity squad at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia that captured the 4A Area Championship in 2006. Nia also trained and played with the Atlanta Boom Volleyball Institute during the 2006 club season. "I am looking forward to working with Nia," says Coach Larracuente. "She will bring depth to the right side position and will allow us to use different combinations during the season."

Partridge, a middle-blocker out of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, TN, was the 2006 Player of the Year in the state of Tennessee.  She received Most Valuable Player honors while leading her team to its first ever state championship.  In the championship game, Partridge put down 14 kills with 10 digs, four blocks and two service aces. 

"Keri will be a cornerstone in the rebuilding of this program," stated Larracuente.  "She is versatile enough to play anywhere on the floor and her love for the game is apparent through her commitment; she is a proven winner."

The Schedule

Larracuente has built a challenging schedule for 2007. Of Howard's 31 regular-season matches this fall, seven will be played at Burr Gymnasium. Included in the home slate are non-conference match-ups with Big-East member Georgetown (Sept. 4) and Navy (Sept. 18).

The Lady Bison open the season at the Liberty Invitational on Aug. 24-25. HU faces off against the host Flames on Aug. 24 before battling Evansville and Atlantic-10 member Duquesne on Day Two of the tournament.

On Sept. 1, Howard plays at the Patriot Invitational where the squad will face host George Mason and Lehigh. The Lady Bison will stay in the nation's capital for its third tournament, the George Washington Invitational, on Sept. 14-15. HU will battle the host Colonials, Hartford and East Carolina in that event. The Bison hit the road for the Red Flash Invitational on Sept. 21-22 to face off with St. Francis, Robert Morris and Coppin State in non-league action before concluding tournament action at the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 26-27 where Howard will battle Providence, Sacred Heart and host NJIT.

HU begins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play against rival Hampton at the Convention Center on Sept. 26. The Lady Bison host the Lady Pirates in their home league opener on Oct. 6.

Howard hits the road for league games against Morgan State (Sept. 28), Maryland-Eastern Shore (Oct. 3), Coppin State (Oct. 14) and Delaware State (Nov. 1).  

Non-MEAC road contests pits HU against UMBC on Sept. 11, La Salle on Sept. 22, Virginia Commonwealth on Oct. 10 and James Madison on Oct. 16. The Lady Bison will host the Lady Hawks of Maryland-Eastern Shore in its final regular season home game on Oct. 23.

The conference championship will be hosted by Hampton at the Convocation Center. The league's top eight teams will advance to the MEAC championship tournament Nov. 16-18, where an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will be at stake.

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Meet the Coach

Head Women's Volleyball Coach
Orlando Larracuente