University of Houston Athletics
Houston Volleyball Set to Host Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup
9/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Tournament Central | Match Notes
HOUSTON - In honor of her impact on the sport of volleyball, the University of Houston volleyball team remembers Cougar Great Flo Hyman as they host the 2014 Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup this weekend at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
All Houston matches will be streamed live on the Houston All-Access.
Fri., Sept. 12, 2014 | vs. Oral Roberts - | Live Video |
Sat., Sept. 13, 2014 | vs. Sam Houston St. - | Live Video |
Sat., Sept. 13, 2014 | vs. Louisiana - | Live Video |
LAST TIME OUT
Houston Volleyball went 2-1 last weekend at the Big Daddy's Invitational hosted by McNeese State. The Cougars started the tournament with a three-set sweep over Jackson State (25-21, 25-17, 25-22) after falling in three sets to UT Arlington.
On Saturday, the team wrapped up a second place finish with a four-set win (25-16, 20-25, 25-13, 25-20) over host team McNeese State.
Senior libero Natalie Keck was named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week as she averaged 6.20 digs per set this weekend to help the Houston Volleyball team to a second place finish at the Big Daddy's Invitational hosted by McNeese State.
Keck had a star-studded 24-dig performance in the three set match against UT Arlington, which stands tied for third most digs in a three-set match. She followed on Saturday with a 27-dig match to push the Cougars over host team McNeese State in four sets.
The Louisville, Ky., native sits third in the conference averaging 5.18 digs per set so far this season. She has recorded 20+ digs in four of the six matches.
Keck has tallied 1,566 total digs in her career, the fifth most by a Cougar. She is only three digs away from jumping Justine Farmer (2005-08) for sole possession of fourth place.
ORAL ROBERTS GOLDEN EAGLES
Oral Roberts is off to a 5-3 start for the 2014 season. The Golden Eagles enter the weekend on a high note after picking up a huge 3-1 win at Arkansas on Tuesday. Freshman outside hitter Laura Milos set a new Summit League single-match record with 38 kills against Arkansas while picking up a double-double with 12 digs.
Series Record: 5-1 (13-3)
Last meeting: 1981 - Houston 2, ORU 0
SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS
Sam Houston State enters the weekend 5-2 after dropping two of three matches at a road tournament last weekend. The 2012 Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year Deveney Wells-Gibson leads SHSU with 4.48 kills per set, though she's hitting just .189.
Series Record: 33-5 (94-43)
Last meeting: Sept. 8, 2009 - SHSU 3, Houston 2
LOUISIANA RAGIN CAJUNS
The Ragin' Cajuns are undefeated coming into Houston this weekend. During the Sawyer Camillo Classic, Louisiana went 4-0 at home against Southern, Southern Miss, Nicholls State and Northwestern State. Louisiana has five players who have averaged 2.00 kills per set so far this season. Freshman outside hitter Stacey Reilly is the top hitter for the Ragin' Cajuns as she picked up a pair of double-doubles over the weekend and averaged 2.79 kills and 3.00 digs per set.
Series Record: 4-0 (11-2)
Last meeting: Sept. 7, 2013 - Houston 3, Louisiana 1
FLORA `FLO' HYMAN
Flo Hyman was one of the greatest volleyball players. She revolutionized the game of volleyball and was such an inspiration to women in sports and African Americans across the United States.
Hyman came to Houston after only playing her senior year of high school. She was the first female to be awarded an athletic scholarship to play for the Cougars in 1974, but chose to share the funds with her teammates. Hyman left Houston after playing three years to pursue an opportunity to play with the United States Olympic volleyball squad. From 1972 to 1976, Hyman helped the team form into Olympic qualifiers and the favorites to win the 1980 Moscow games.
Following a successful career as a national team member, Hyman moved to Japan to play professionally with Team Daiei. During a match in January of 1986, Hyman collapsed on the court and passed away at the age of 31 from Marfan syndrome.
Although her life was cut too short, Hyman did many great things on and off the court. She was an advocate for Title IX, the most famous push for gender equality in an educational environment, and revolutionized the sport she loved while opening doors for many female athletes that would follow in her footsteps.
Houston honors Hyman by naming the tournament after her not only for her time spent on the Houston campus, but also for everything she stood for and how she impacted women's sports, especially volleyball.
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JOIN POINT HOUSTON CLUB
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