WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL One last shot
(or spike) Volleyballer returns for last year of eligibility after a year in the workforce
keting internship, a pair of waitressing jobs, and a short stint at an outfit called Budget Dumpster, all in Cleveland. Eytchison says that moving from job to job
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made her appreciate being back in college and getting one more shot at playing Division I volleyball. “Those experiences in the working world made
me grow as a person. But I’m so happy to be back in school and getting to play another year of vol- leyball,” Eytchison says. Eytchison, 22, is enrolled in Loyola’s MBA pro-
gram, allowing her to be an outside hitter on the Rambler team for the 2012 season. The opportunity was the result of her graduat-
ing early from the University of Dayton and having one more year of eligibility as an amateur athlete. But it took a year, and the series of jobs, before she realized she wanted to come back and play. “After my third season at Dayton, I was ready to
graduate, get a job, and move on,” says Eytchison, who earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 2011. “But I realized I missed volleyball, and was looking to get back.” She was a bit apprehensive when she started
sending out feelers, because she wasn’t confident she could still play. “I hadn’t played in a year and I didn’t feel like I
was any good. I thought the coaches would think I was all washed up,” she says. But Loyola coach Chris Muscat was eager to talk
to Eytchison. “We have a lot of young players, so I felt Anna,
having played for a top 25 program, could be one of our leaders,” Muscat says. “With her skills
After a year in the workforce, MBA student Anne Eytchison is making good use of her remaining year of eligibility to play volleyball for the Ramblers.
and attitude, we thought Anna could help our younger players know what it’s like to take it to another level.” Muscat’s instincts proved right, as Eytchison
was named 2012 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year while also earning a spot on the All- Horizon League team. She finished the regular season second in the Horizon League with 446 kills, 33 shy of the Ramblers’ single-season re- cord. Eytchison also notched 20 or more kills in 11 matches this season and her average of 5.02 points per set left her ranked 14th nationally. Besides her individual accomplishments,
Eytchison strived to be a team leader. “I’m not a huge vocal leader. I’m someone
who leads by example. I like to put my head down and show the other girls that working hard pays off,” Eytchison says. With her final season ended, Eytchison is
focusing on her studies with the goal of earning her MBA in November 2013. She plans to return to a career in marketing. But this time, she wants a steady corporate job, and she plans to stay in Chicago.
here were moments while Anna Eytchi- son was on the volleyball court that she flashed back to her times in the working world. These included a six-month mar-
SPORTS SHORTS
LOYOLA TO HOST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Loyola will host the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Final Four on May 1 and 3, 2014. This is the first time Loyola has hosted a NCAA Championship in any sport. Since the program was founded in 1996, the Ramblers have posted eight 20-win seasons and thrice (2002, 2005, and 2006) have claimed at least a share of the MIVA regular-season title.
A CLEAN SWEEP FOR CROSS COUNTRY
For the first time in program histo- ry, the Loyola men’s and women’s cross country teams completed a clean sweep of all four titles, both team and individual, at the Horizon League Championships on October 27 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Sophomore Sam Penzenstadler earned medalist honors in the men’s 8K with a time of 24:59 to help propel the men’s side to their first title since 2001 and first out- right title since 1997. Senior Gina Valgoi won the women’s 5K race with a time of 17:05. She becomes Loyola’s first individual champion on the women’s side since Kristyne McGuinn in 2001.
SOFTBALL TEAM HONORED FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Loyola’s softball team was recog- nized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) for having a team grade-point aver- age of 3.35 during the 2011-12 academic year. That mark places Loyola at No. 32 in the nation. “I could not be more proud of how this team strives for excellence in all that it does, both athleti- cally and academically,” says head coach Missy Beseres.
WINTER 2012
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