Oct. 8, 2008
ATLANTA – The Yellow Jacket volleyball team returns to action this weekend when it hosts Duke and Wake Forest for a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference matches at O’Keefe Gym. Georgia Tech (11-4, 3-2 ACC) meets the Blue Devils (12-5, 3-2) at 7 p.m. Friday in a match that has been deemed the Jackets’ annual “Jam the Gym” match, with free t-shirts available to the first 150 Tech fans in attendance. The Yellow Jackets square off against the Demon Deacons (12-4, 3-1 ACC) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, immediately following Tech’s football game against Gardner-Webb.
“Jam the Gym is always a sold out night for us and a great way for our loyal fans to get free Georgia Tech volleyball gear,” said Georgia Tech head coach Bond Shymansky. “We are going to need a rowdy crowd to beat Duke, and it will be a great atmosphere at O’Keefe.
This Weekend’s Matches:
Friday: Georgia Tech vs. Duke, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Georgia Tech vs. Wake Forest, 7:30 p.m.
Game Coverage: Friday’s match will be aired on SportSouth Saturday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. and again Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. Both matches can be heard live on WREK Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta/www.wrek.org) while live stats can be found at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Jam the Gym Against Duke!
The first 150 Tech fans in attendance to Friday night’s volleyball match will receive a FREE Jam the Gym T-Shirt by Russell Athletic as the Yellow Jackets try to pack the house against the Blue Devils. The Jackets currently lead the ACC in attendance, but have yet to fill O’Keefe Gym to capacity this season. Gates open one hour prior to the match.
The Yellow Jackets have posted a stellar 154-44 (.778) record at O’Keefe Gymnasium since the volleyball team began playing matches there in 1995. Georgia Tech has won at least 10 matches at O’Keefe Gym in each of the last seven seasons and 82 of its 100 home matches (.820) under head coach Bond Shymansky.
Tech’s success at home is partially due to the remarkable crowd support that the Yellow Jackets receive each and every match. Georgia Tech is currently ranked 16th for highest attendance at women’s volleyball matches and is averaging more than 1,700 fans per match at O’Keefe Gym.
Big Weekend includes Return of GT Volleyball Alums
Georgia Tech welcomes back several former volleyball letterwinners this weekend for its annual alumni weekend Friday and Saturday night. The alums will be recognized between games two and three at both matches this weekend and hold a letterwinners’ tailgate prior to Saturday’s football game. More information is available by contacting Ethan Shapiro at eshapiro@athletics.gatech.edu or 404.894.5410.
“Hosting our alumni is always a special event,” said Shymansky. “We have so many proud alums that have contributed to making our program the best in the ACC. It is a golden opportunity for us to recognize the student-athletes who have helped build Georgia Tech volleyball to the level it is at today.”
The Georgia Tech Update
The Jackets typically play two conference opponents every weekend and have split their last four league matches, earning wins in weekend openers to Virginia and Florida State but falling to Virginia and Miami on each of the last two Saturdays. Looking for its first sweep since capturing the Clemson Classic in late September, Tech will have its hands full this weekend, as both Duke and Wake Forest appear in the top third of the ACC standings.
Tech vs. the Opponents (Duke leads Tech, 32-19, Tech leads Wake, 22-8)
The Yellow Jackets have split the last four matches with the Blue Devils, with each team winning on its respective home court in 2006 and 2007, and are now 19-32 against Duke in the series. Tech has an 8-5 record against the Blue Devils since Bond Shymansky took over the program in 2002, with six of those eight wins coming at O’Keefe Gym. The Yellow Jackets are 12-9 all-time against the Blue Devils in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech is 22-8 all-time against Wake Forest, and a sterling 11-2 against the Demon Deacons under Shymansky. The Yellow Jackets have won the last three matches in the series and nine-consecutive home matches against Wake Forest. Tech’s last home loss to the Deacs came in 1999, and the Yellow Jackets are 12-3 all-time against Wake Forest in Atlanta.
Match Time Change
First serve of Georgia Tech’s Oct. 11 match against Wake Forest was moved from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to accomodate fans exiting the Yellow Jackets’ 3:30 p.m. football game against Gardner-Webb.
Jackets Conclude Dig for the Cure Event with Live Auction
Georgia Tech raised over $1,500 last weekend when it participated in its third annual Dig for the Cure match, but the event is still ongoing as all of the pink breast cancer jerseys have gone to auction in an effort to raise additional funds for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Fans interested in participating can visit the Auctions link under Fanzone on Ramblinwreck.com to place a bid. More than $640 in bids were placed in the first day of the auction, which continues until 5 p.m. ET Monday, October 13. Over the last three years, Georgia Tech volleyball has raised more than $14,500 to help find a cure for breast cancer.
Eight in 2008
This season, the Yellow Jackets play a total of eight regular-season matches against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2007. With Tech’s sweep in the 2008 Clemson Classic, the Yellow Jackets improved to 4-1 against 2007 NCAA participants in 2008. The Yellow Jackets will play their sixth 2007 NCAA Tournament participant this weekend when they welcome Duke to O’Keefe Gym.
Tech on the Tube
SportSouth is broadcasting the Yellow Jackets’ home matches against Michigan, Florida State and Duke on a tape-delay basis this season. The remaining match dates and times, in addition to air dates are as follows:
Oct. 3 v. FSU, 7 p.m. – to air 10/11, 1 p.m.; 10/15, 8 p.m.
Oct. 10 v. DU, 7 p.m. – to air 10/18, 1 p.m.; 10/22, 8 p.m.
