BEREA, OHIO - The 2011 Baldwin-Wallace College volleyball team looks to build on the successful season it had a year ago and challenge for this year's Ohio Athletic Conference title.

After finishing with just five victories in 2009-10, last season's squad quadrupled that number of victories and had an outstanding, 20-13 record overall, including a 5-4. Slate in the rugged OAC.

"We had a strong season of improvement and development," Head Coach Vicki Brault, who enters her 17^thseason in Berea with 309 wins at the college and 379 in her career. "This season, we return a veteran group of student-athletes who all gained valuable experience the past two seasons.  We have the talent and ability coming to camp that again gives us hope for another strong season."

B-W looks to exceed expectations again and will have one of the most experienced groups in the league with 11 returning letter winner.

B-W will be led by 5'10" junior All-OAC middle hitter Rachel Switalski (North Royalton/Holy Name), 5'9" senior Academic All-OAC outside hitter Chelsea Nissen (Williston/ Genoa) and 5'7" junior libero/ defensive specialist Natalie Emmons (Ashland).  The trio will be looked upon for both veteran production and leadership.

Switalski had a team-leading .206 hitting percentage and led the team in kills with 280 and solo blocks with 26 and was second with 35 service aces and 342 defensive digs. Nissen, a three-year starter, had 192 kills, 16 blocks and was fifth with 260 digs.  Emmons, co-captain and the B-W's Most Valuable Player a year ago, led all Yellow Jackets with 665 digs and had 17 sets assists, 15 aces and 11 kills.

Joining Switalski up front are 6'0" sophomore middle hitter Colleen Bonacci (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls), 5'8" sophomore rightside/ defensive specialist Shannon Deleur (Olmsted Falls) and 5'5" sophomore outside hitter/ defensive specialist Taylor Burns (Tiffin/ Fostoria St. Wendelin). Bonacci hit .183 last season and was second in kills with 242, solo blocks with 25 and total blocks with 53.  Deleur finished the season with 185 kills, 322 digs and had a team-high 39 service aces. Burns, last season's team Rookie of the Year, recorded 134 kills and was third on the team with 337 digs.

Joining Emmons defensively is 5'5" senior defensive specialist Amanda Mass (North Royalton).  Massrecorded 128 digs in 54 games as a junior.  In addition, 5'6" junior setter Jessica Stitts (Eastlake/North)saw significant time last year as a rightside player and as a setter.  She was second on the team with 378 set assists and also recorded 49 digs.  Coming into preseason camp, she is the heir apparent to the setter position.

In addition to Brault's returning veterans, she welcomes a pair of transfer players in 5'6"sophomore setter Emily Nagle (Columbia Station/ Columbia via Heidelberg University) and 5'11" junior outside hitterAmanda Sawicki (Mentor/ Lake Catholic via Marietta College).  Each is talented and has the ability to challenge the returning veterans for both playing time and a spot in the starting lineup. Add to that a talented freshmen group and Brault has strength and depth in numbers.

"Our goal every year is to win the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles," said Brault, who has three OAC regular season and one OAC tourney title to her credit. "We know that if we are able to play well at tournaments and do well in the OAC that we are deserving of going further. The OAC is an outstanding conference and we are looking forward to the challenge of competing for the OAC title in 2011."

B-W opens the season at the Kalamazoo (Mich.) College Green Hornet Invitational.  They will face host Kalamazoo on September 2 at 4:00 and face Franklin (Ind.) at 8:00.  They open OAC play on September 21 when they host Marietta in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.  B-W will host the Marcia French Memorial Tournament from September 9-10.  In addition the Jackets will play a tough out of conference schedule, going to the DePauw (Ind.) University Tiger Invitational September 16-17 and the OAC/Heartland Challenge hosted by Ohio Northern University on September 23-24.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.