May 1, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Rising-seniors Sheena Czipri (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) and Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) and rising-junior Allison Gittings (Dayton, Md./Glenelg) have been voted 2008 team captains for the Bucknell volleyball squad, head coach Cindy Opalski announced today.

"I feel confident that our team consensus has provided us with captains that will be terrific role models for our veterans as well as our incoming freshmen as we place ourselves in contention for a trip to the NCAA tournament via a league title," said Opalski. "I am hopeful that our upperclassmen have learned valuable lessons from the spring and last fall, that they are ready to embrace a talented group of newcomers and bring the Patriot League volleyball cup back to Lewisburg."

Czipri is a two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll who has appeared in 89 career games over 49 matches and has totaled 150 digs and 15 service aces. As a junior in 2007, Czipri registered eight service aces for an average of 0.25 per game, while averaging a squad-best 2.97 digs per game for the year.

Pitsch, who will serve her second year as a team captain in 2008, has played in 318 career games over 91 matches and has cemented herself as one of the top setters in program history. She broke the team's single season assists record as a sophomore in 2006 with 1,199 and ranks second on the top-10 list for career assists with 2,831, entering her senior campaign just 241 shy of setting a new Bucknell mark in that category. She is averaging 8.90 assists per game for her career and finished 2007 with 1,040 assists and a team-best 35 service aces. Through three seasons with the Orange and Blue she has amassed 110 service aces for a 0.35 career per game average. A three-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Pitsch was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II University Division Volleyball Second Team selection in 2007.

Gittings has seen action in 100 career games across 52 matches and has totaled 158 assists, five service aces and 79 digs. This past fall, she posted a career-high 51 assists at Saint Francis (Pa.), helping the Bison to a 3-1 victory in that match.

Bucknell will begin its 2008 season on Friday, Aug. 29, when the squad will be in action at a tournament hosted by the Central Connecticut Blue Devils, in New Britain, Conn.