SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – With nine returners on their roster, the Incarnate Word volleyball team is gearing up for the 2012 season. The Cardinals will begin their season on the road at the Colorado Mines Classic Tournament in Golden, Colorado on Friday and Saturday.

Incarnate Word is under the guidance of head coach Jennifer Montoya. The 2012 season will be Montoya's tenth season with the Cardinals. Last year, UIW finished 12-18 overall and 6-14 in the Lone Star Conference. 

The Cardinals open the season on Friday against Colorado School of Mines at 3 p.m. and then they play Dallas Baptist at 5:30 p.m.  On Saturday, they take on Colorado Mesa at 10 a.m. and then Arkansas-Fort Smith at 2:30 p.m.

The top returnees for the Cardinals are juniors Sarah Cardenas (San Antonio/O'Connor HS) and Danielle Suarez (San Antonio/Antonian Prep) and seniors Stephanie Bonura (Houston/Lutheran North HS) and Lydia Werchan (Spring Branch/Smithson Valley HS). 

Both Cardenas and Suarez were listed on the 2011 LSC all-academic team with GPA's of 4.0 and 3.96 respectively. Suarez was named the LSC Setter of the Week twice during the 2011 season and dished out 584 assists to lead the team. With 256 kills, Bonura was second in the category during the 2011 season and as a libero, Werchan was named all-conference honorable mention at the conclusion of the 2011 season and led the team in digs with 577.

Sophomore Kelci Lind (Lindale/Lindale HS) and junior Beth Soukup (Helotes/O'Connor HS) will also have a huge impact on the UIW team. As a freshman, Lind led the team with 18 aces and averaged 1.92 kills per set. Soukup chipped in 1.94 kills per set and finishing the season with 159 kills.

Four new faces have been added to the Cardinal roster and hopes for a successful season are high.

After being picked tenth in the LSC preseason poll last at the end of August, Montoya and the Cardinals are hoping for an improved season.  Defending champions, West Texas A&M, are favored to win the Lone Star Conference.
pr12005smm