The 2001 season didn't end the way Coach Laura Taube and her Lady Chargers had hoped. However, it doesn't erase the accomplishments of the year.

The Lady Chargers finished the regular season at 28-9 and ranked 20th in the nation. In 2001, the Lady Chargers were ranked as high as 14th in the AVCA Division II poll and remained in the top 25 the entire season.

Individually, four Lady Chargers earned post season honors. Middle blocker Ellen LaFiore finished a stellar career at UAH by earning spots on the All-GSC first team, All-GSC tournament team, Verizon Academic All-District team, All-South Central Region first team and second team Daktronics All-South Central Region.

During the 2001 season, LaFiore was named GSC Offensive Player of the Week twice. She also leaves UAH holding the career records for most kills, kill average, attacks and attack percentage.

Two other seniors, setter Jane Baumgartner and hitter Lindsay Dunham both made 2nd team All-GSC for the first time Baumgartner also set a pair of UAH marks in 2001. She set the records for assists and assist average.

Both LaFiore and Baumgartner have left their marks in the GSC record books.

The only returning member of the foursome is sophomore hitter Melissa Feldmann. During the season, she earned GSC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

The Lady Chargers rolled out of the gates winning their first six matches at the University of Tampa and UNA/Ramada Inn Classics. Those included wins over No. 5 Tampa and No. 22 North Florida.

Their first setback also came in the UNA Classic, falling to fourth ranked South Dakota State.

The schedule didn't get any easier for the Lady Chargers on their next road venture. UAH faced two more top 25 teams in the Central Missouri State Jennies Classic. The Lady Chargers came up empty against both No. 22 Rockhurst and the 24th ranked Jennies. The Lady Chargers did however salvage a pair of victories against Washburn and Wisconsin-Parkside to bring home a 8-3 record.

After the long, long road trip, the Lady Chargers returned home to open the GSC schedule. After sweeping both West Florida and Valdosta State, UAH was stunned by Montevallo at Spragins Hall in a five game classic.

The Lady Chargers rebounded to beat MUW at home and Lincoln Memorial on the road. But, rival North Alabama put up a purple wall in front of the Lady Chargers, leaving Spragins Hall with a dominant 3-0 sweep.

After being whipped on their home floor, the Lady Chargers had to go away again, back to Missouri. The Lady Chargers played a pair of brutal 5-game battles.

In the first game, UAH outlasted Missouri Western State 3-2 in a match that lasted 2 1/2 hours. Then, the Lady Chargers had to pull it together to face No. 2 Truman State. UAH came out fired up, taking the first two games en route to a possible upset. But, the Lady Chargers ran out of gas and the Lady Bulldogs came back to win the next three games.

The road left the Lady Chargers dented, but not beaten. The Lady Chargers (13-6) returned to the comfort of Spragins Hall and began a 9-game winning streak with a convincing sweep of West Georgia. During the streak, the Lady Chargers locked up a spot in the GSC tournament while building a 9-2 conference record.

As usual, just when things got hot for UAH, along came another meeting with UNA. It didn't go well for the Lady Chargers in the tough hour and 20 minutes. The 3-0 loss left UAH with a 22-7 record, but it didn't knock the Lady Chargers out of the national poll. More importantly, the Lady Chargers remained strong in the South Central Region rankings.

The Lady Chargers rebounded from the loss to UNA by winning their last five regular season matches and carrying a 27-7 record into the GSC tournament.

At the GSC tournament in Arkadelphia, AR, the Lady Chargers advanced to the semifinals with an efficient win over Arkansas Tech in the first round.

For all of their efforts, the Lady Chargers were rewarded with another match against UNA. Unlike the first two meetings, the Lady Chargers fired all they had at the 3-time defending champions. In fact, UAH held large leads in two of the games in the match. However, the Lady Chargers couldn't close the deal. Given the opportunity, UNA came roaring back to eliminate the Lady Chargers 30-24, 31-29, 30-26.

Despite the loss in the GSC tournament, the Lady Chargers still earned a spot in the South Central Regional in Kirksville, MO.

In the first round of the regional, UAH faced Henderson State. During the season the Lady Chargers downed the Lady Reddies twice, once in Henderson State's invitational tournament.

Early in the match, Henderson State came out fired up. The Lady Reddies won the first game 30-24. But, the Lady Chargers won the next two games 30-24 and 30-25. Needing only one more victory to advance to the region semifinal, the Lady Chargers' light went out.

The Lady Reddies took game four 30-22. Then in the final game, the score was close right up to the end. Trailing 14-13, the Lady Chargers had the serve and a chance to tie. But, a service error ended the 2001 season.

Final 2001 Statistics

AVCA Poll (11/13/01)

Rank	School (First-Place-Votes)	Pts	Record	LW
1	West Texas A&M (26)	865	30-2	1
2	Truman (8)			841	35-1	2
3	North Alabama 		765	31-3	3
4	North Dakota State 		758	29-3	4
5	Cal State-San Bernardino (1)	744	28-2	5
6	Barry			694	27-2	6
7	University of Tampa		681	26-3	7
8	Metro State		643	28-4	9
9	Western State, Colo.		567	26-4	10
10	South Dakota State 		523	24-5	8
11	Regis			490	24-8	12
12	Central Missouri State	433	24-6	13
13	Nebraska-Kearney 		428	26-5	11
14	Augustana, S.D.		411	22-8	15-tie
15	Northern Kentucky		407	27-4	14
16	Hawai'i Pacific 		371	18-4	15-tie
17	UC San Diego		353	22-6	18
18	Grand Valley State		248	26-4	17
19	North Florida		241	25-7	21
20	Alabama-Huntsville		190	28-8	22
21	Western Washington		182	23-4	23
22	Cal State-Bakersfield		144	19-9	20
23	Rockhurst			102	34-6	19
24	Cal State L.A.		77	19-10	NR
25-tie	Findlay			33	28-6	24
25-tie	Northwood, Mich.		33	24-8	NR

Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: 
St. Edward's (29), Mercy (21), Armstrong Atlantic St. 
(17), Northern Michigan (15), Montevallo (14), Cameron 
(11), Michigan Tech (6), Minnesota St.-Mankato (6), 
Ferris St. (3), Northern Colorado (3), Seattle Pacific 
(2).