Sept. 4, 2007

By Joey Flyntz, Athletics Media Relations Assistant

CINCINNATI, OHIO - It's not often that a team gets to play in front of the home fans over 500 miles away from campus, but due to the presence of three Cincinnati natives on its roster, the University of Maryland volleyball team had the opportunity to do just that last weekend at the 2007 State Farm Bearcats Invitational Presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel.

The tournament may have been played inside the University of Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena and the Bearcats may have been the hosts, but make no mistake, it was the Terrapins' home.

"It definitely seemed like we had more fans there than UC did. The fan support was great," Maryland senior outside hitter Beth Gillming said. Gillming, junior Maggie Schmelzle and freshman Michelle Kenning have created a pipeline from Cincinnati to College Park in recent years, beginning with Gillming three years ago.

All three players attended the prestigious St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati. St. Ursula has won eight state championships in volleyball, including the 2003 team which had Gillming, Schmelzle and Kenning on its roster. All three also played for the same club program, Team Z, though not together.

For Gillming, the homecoming was something she had been looking forward to since she signed with Maryland. Gillming's college destination came down to two schools: Maryland and Cincinnati. Gillming initially drew interest from the Terps during a Junior Olympics qualifier in Indianapolis. Maryland sent Gillming a letter, inviting her to a Northeast qualifier in Baltimore, where she and her family were able to visit the campus and take in a few volleyball practices. Gillming liked what she saw. The decision was simply a matter of whether to stay home or try something new.

"Obviously, I chose the latter of the two," Gillming said. "The campus at Maryland was beautiful. It had great academics and the volleyball program was everything I was looking for. It just all fit once I visited."

Once at Maryland, Gillming asserted her influence on Schmelzle, aiding Maryland head coach Janice Kruger and her staff in recruiting her ex-classmate and teammate to College Park. With Kenning, a powerful outside hitter whom Kruger expects to develop into an outstanding player, now in tow, the St. Ursula connection is still alive and well.

"Hopefully, we can keep that going in the future," said Gillming of the association with Maryland and St. Ursula. "I think it's a pretty good pipeline to have."

The careers of Gillming and Schmelzle, as well as the recent history of St. Ursula volleyball, clearly support that claim.

While the fan support at the games was excellent, the team's trip to Cincinnati included more than that. There were dinners at local restaurants like the Buckhead Mountain Grill across the Ohio River in Bellevue, Ky. and the Montgomery Inn Boathouse and its famous ribs.

As much fun as the trip was, the team did have business to attend to, as well.

The Terps kicked off the tournament with a 3-1 victory over the Oakland Grizzlies Friday evening. Gillming and Schmelzle performed well in the familiar surroundings. Gillming posted a game-high 15 kills while Schmelzle paced the Terps with 30 digs. Kenning got in on the action, too, notching her first career kill and then her second. Schmelzle led the team in digs in a three-game sweep over Southern Mississippi Saturday morning and Gillming added 11 kills and 12 digs. Kenning had three kills in the match.

Unfortunately for the Terps, the Bearcats upended the Terps in Saturday's nightcap, 3-1. However, Gillming did record 16 digs and 13 kills en route to making the all-tournament team alongside teammate Katie Usher.

Despite falling short of a perfect 3-0 start to the season, the road trip fulfilled a dream for Gillming and her Cincinnati brethren.

"I had been thinking of this weekend ever since I went to Maryland and the coaches promised me they would try their best to get into this tournament before I graduated," Gillming said. "I wish we could have won, but it was such a great experience getting to see all my family and friends and show my teammates my hometown."