Monday, November 21, 2011
BALTIMORE – (Nov. 20, 2011) – The UMES women’s volleyball team is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion for the first time in the 28 years the university has fielded a squad in the fast-paced sport.
Led by freshman Saitaua Iosia of Long Beach, Calif., the Lady Hawks defeated Florida A&M in a tough five-set match during the end-of-season tournament held at Coppin State University.
Iosia was the MEAC conference “rookie of the year” during the regular season and the 2011 tournament’s “most outstanding player.”
The MEAC championship title automatically qualifies UMES for the NCAA tournament. Pairings will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 27.
The Lady Hawks go into national tournament play with a 24-6 record and a 19-match winning streak. The team finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 (match) record.
During the Lady Hawks’ run to the championship, coach Don Metil notched his 200th career win since taking the UMES job in 2007. Metil is the 2011 MEAC coach of the year.
