MARCENGO LEADS LADY BRONCS AGAINST TEXAS SOUTHERN
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's volleyball will head into the final third of the 2003 season with a record-setting performance by their freshman libero already on the books.

Carol Marcengo (Curitiba, Brazil/SPEI HS) will lead the Lady Broncs as they prepare to play Texas Southern at the UTPA Fieldhouse Wednesday evening. The match begins at 7:00 p.m.

All Marcengo has done this season is break Texas-Pan American's single-season record for digs, reach double figures in digs in 22 consecutive matches, and rank fourth among all NCAA Division I players in digs per game.

The single-season record for digs at UTPA was 380, established by Tara Gallagher in 1993. With the introduction of the libero position in NCAA volleyball last season, records for digs figured to fall by the wayside. But Marcengo shattered the previous record, and leads all freshmen in Division I in digs.

"Breaking the school record is incredible," said Marcengo. "To be ranked fourth in the nation is amazing. I couldn't believe it when they told me I was fourth. I would like to be the first player at UTPA to finish first."

If she continues at her current pace, Marcengo is a lock to end up on UTPA's career list for digs by the end of the season. She needs just 101 digs to tie Christine Alvarez for sixth place on the all-time list.

"I didn't expect that my freshman year," said Marcengo. "When we got here my freshman year, we were all working hard, and I got the record because everyone on the team works so hard. We are playing better now, because everyone on the team knows how everyone else plays. Next year, we can be a very good team and do things no one has done before. I'd like to be on the best team ever here at UTPA."

UTPA Head Coach Dave Thorn knew that he was getting a good player in Marcengo, but he's been pleasantly surprised. "I knew Carol was going to be good, but I had no idea she was going to be this good," said Thorn. "She's played very well for us, and she's only going to get better."

The Tigers bring a 3-11 record into Wednesday evening's match, and was a three-game victim of the Lady Broncs at Prairie View A&M's Lady Panther Invitational September 19th. Still, Thorn knows that Texas Southern can be dangerous.

"Texas Southern is one of our traditional opponents, and they always play hard," said Thorn. "It will be good to get to play in front of our home crowd."

Marcengo hopes everyone is fired up. "It will be a very good opportunity to play at home, and it's going to be a very good match," said Marcengo. "I hope everyone comes out and is excited."

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