Photo by Mike Emming Setter Shelli Habegger is again a key to the Tiger attack.

The Wittenberg University Tigers have put together a string of winning seasons under Head Coach Connie Surowicz. Now, with a tradition of excellence and regular season success firmly established, the Tigers are chomping at the bit to prove they can play with the best teams on a national stage.

That is evidence by the Tigers schedule, which includes matches against such perennial national powers Juniata, Mt. St. Joseph, Ohio Northern, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Thomas More. Other quality competition Wittenberg has scheduled includes Mt. Union, Elmhurst, Case Western Reserve and last years NCAC runner-up Denison, which returns much of its team from 2000.

Wittenberg returns nine letterwinners in 2001, although none are seniors. No matter - led by a quartet of juniors who were All-North Coast Athletic Conference selections a year ago, the Tigers have plenty of experience and were the unanimous choice by conference coaches to win a fourth consecutive title. No player on the roster has lost a match to an NCAC opponent as the Tigers have claimed the last three regular season championships with perfect 8-0 records and have followed up by running the table in the last three NCAC tournaments.

Leading the charge will be the last two NCAC Players of the Year - junior setterShelli Habegger (Curtice, Ohio/Oregon Clay) and junior outside hitter Brittany Baume (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern). Habegger, the 2000 Player of the Year, led the nation in assists per game in 2000 with 2,081 in 143 games - which also was a Wittenberg record. For her career, Habegger already has a school record 3,550 assists.

Baume, the 1999 Player of the Year as a freshman, led the team and ranked among the nations leaders with 602 kills in 134 games, good for a 4.5 kill per game average, despite an injury that required surgery after the season. She has been selected All-Great Lakes Region each of the last two years.

Joining Habegger and Baume in the starting lineup in 2001 will be junior outside hitter Teresa Murphy (Blacklick, Ohio/Newark Catholic) and junior middle hitterTiffany Keller (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw). Murphy ranked second on the team in kills with 522 and topped the squad with 465 digs. She earned her first-team All-NCAC honors and NCAC Tournament MVP honors. Keller became an offensive force with 360 kills and a team-best hitting percentage of .373.

Five sophomores round out the list of returning players, led by middle hitter Sarah Muzi (Canton, Ohio/GlenOak). In 129 games during the 2000 season, Muzi asserted herself on defense in particular, ranking second on the team with 87 blocks. Also seeing playing time a year ago were outside hitters Jennifer Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame), Michelle Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) and Lindsay Nelson (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw) and reserve setterKatie Preuss (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North).

The Tigers re-loaded in 2001 with another strong recruiting class as well. Eight reputable new players are battling for court time, with several expected to work their way into the rotation.