SH
Staci Hasler
  • counseling
  • Class of 2020
  • Sheboygan Falls, WI

Hasler to Compete for UW-Whitewater Volleyball in 2016

2016 Aug 31

Staci Hasler, a native of Sheboygan Falls, WI, and graduate of Sheboygan Falls High School, will play for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team during the 2016 season.

Hasler, a senior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in psychology.

The Warhawks open the season Friday on the first day of the two-day Elmhurst (Ill.) Tournament.

See below for a complete season preview of the 2016 Warhawk volleyball team.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team looks to cement a quarter century of success in 2016.

The Warhawks, the preseason favorite to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the No. 14 ranked team in the nation according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Poll, seek their 25th straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament this fall.

UW-Whitewater finished the 2015 campaign with a 31-5 record, a WIAC Tournament championship and a first round NCAA appearance. The team was one of eight in the country chosen to host the first three rounds of the national tournament for the first time since 2002.

In her 12th season as head coach, Stacy Boudreau returns six of the team's seven starters (including libero) from a year ago.

Senior outside hitter Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson), a 2015 third team AVCA All-American, headlines the team's six-player senior class. Pfeifer led the conference and ranked 25th nationally in kills last season and was also named first team All-WIAC and All-Midwest Region.

Senior setter Staci Hasler (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) garnered honorable mention All-America accolades a year ago after finishing among the nation's top 20 in assists and tying for first in the WIAC in service aces.

Other returning seniors include middle hitter Morgan Parker (Brookfield, Wis./East), middle hitter Angelika Pointer (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), outside hitter Jessica Sabey (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) and defensive specialist Tessa Weber (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Tremper).

Sabey, whose 2015 season was shortened to 11 matches due to injury, averaged 2.32 kills per set. Weber tied with Hasler for the league lead in service aces, while Pointer collected 39 blocks (0.89 per set) in 17 matches played. Parker appeared in two matches last season.

Right side hitter Sydney Racky (Walworth, Wis./Big Foot) and middle hitter Courtney Wagner (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb), returning starters from last season, lead the junior class.

Racky ranked second on the team and eighth in the WIAC in hitting percentage, while Wagner led the team and ranked second in the league and 17th nationally with 137 total blocks.

Sophomores Kelley Berk (Cedarburg, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) and Brittany Robinson(Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) made an immediate impact as freshmen last fall and look to continue their strong play in 2016.

Robinson started at libero and collected a team-leading 647 digs, the No. 3 mark in the conference and seventh-most in one season in program history. She earned WIAC All-Defensive Team honors for her efforts. Berk ranked second on the team and ninth in the WIAC in blocks in 30 matches last season.

Setters Morgan Meade (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic), Elizabeth Niestrom (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South)and middle hitter Amanda Spera (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) also return as sophomores.

Fifteen of the Warhawks' 31 scheduled matches this fall are against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25, including four against teams slotted in the top 10. The team will face 14 opponents who reached the NCAA Tournament last season.

UW-Whitewater opens the season this Friday and Saturday at the Elmhurst (Ill.) Invitational, and begins its home schedule with matches against Dominican (Ill.) and preseason No. 18 Elmhurst on Sept. 7 at Russell Arena.

The Warhawks face a challenging stretch the following week at the Cal Lutheran Posada Royale Invite with matches against defending national champion and top-ranked Cal Lutheran on Sept. 9 and against No. 6 Washington-St. Louis on Sept. 10.

UW-Whitewater hosts UW-Oshkosh on Sept. 21 to open the WIAC slate, then welcome four teams to the Williams Center for the UW-Whitewater Invite on Sept. 23-24.

The team hosts the Dig Panici Classic on Oct. 21-22, including the annual Dig Panici Night on Oct. 21 against Loras (Iowa) to honor former Warhawk Lisa Panici, who passed away of brain cancer in 2012. On the following day, the Warhawks take on No. 8 Carthage, a 2015 national semifinalist.

UW-Whitewater wraps up the regular season Oct. 29 against Millikin (Ill.) and 12th-ranked Bethel (Minn.), which won the Whitewater Regional and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament in 2015.