Nickie Thomas out.

[5100]

With Nickie Thomas out, Amanda Simmons will likely not redshirt and Amber Kaufman might start practicing the middle blocker position. They have Jessica Keefe and Aneli Cubi-Otineru battling for the opposite spot, anyway.

[chickplay]

how sad....she's got the curse of the eckmeier

[5100]

chickplay said:

how sad....she's got the curse of the eckmeier

How true. Nickie's case might even be worse. At least Melody got to start a lot of matches and make significant contributions even with all those injuries. Nickie was injured so early last year...

[hwnstunner]

Damn ... I really feel for Thomas... I really don't know where I'd go from here if I were her. I wouldn't rule out returning next year, but as a previous poster said, she should evaluate her health in regards to the future.

But deng, all of a sudden, UH seems vulnerable yet again. And all of a sudden, the Wahine's depth in the middle becomes a little bit more shallow. Simmons will be needed this year. Kaufman and Blood are going to see more reps.

And well, if Thomas decides to not play next year, the middle becomes VERY shallow next year and the Wahine need to start working on getting one more quality middle asap...

[roy]

hwnstunner said:

But deng, all of a sudden, UH seems vulnerable yet again. And all of a sudden, the Wahine's depth in the middle becomes a little bit more shallow. Simmons will be needed this year. Kaufman and Blood are going to see more reps.

And well, if Thomas decides to not play next year, the middle becomes VERY shallow next year and the Wahine need to start working on getting one more quality middle asap...

I agree that the middles are more shallow. Her loss is a blow, but the 2 starters from last year are back. And Kaufman has taken reps at the middle position before. The outside hitter position is loaded with Houston, Hittle, Otineru, Keefe, and Ferrell. Kaufman can afford to move to the middle without hurting the Wahine.

I wouldn't worry too much about next year. If Thomas decides to return, Kaufman and Simmons would both be available and he has already secured another middle in Hewitt. If she doesn't decide to return, Shoji will likely get a transfer middle and he has done very well with those.

[Aikea]

the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Aug/14/br/br2751698304.html

UH volleyball player Thomas injures knee, out for year

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

In a terrible twist of fate now as common as it is heart-wrenching, the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine lost a prominent volleyball player for the season a week into practice.
Junior Nickie Thomas, who missed most of last year after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, injured her left knee at Sunday's practice. Thomas and the school announced today that she will miss the entire 2007 season.

"Right now all we can think about is losing Nickie," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "She's given everything she's had to this program for a big portion of two years to try and get ready and we all just feel terrible for her. ... She is one of those people that just gives, she's not a taker. That's what's so sad about it — that she's worked so hard for everybody else."

A year ago, the 'Bows lost starters Tara Hittle, Jessica Keefe and Thomas to season-ending injuries. Sarah Mason, an all-conference senior, also missed matches after injuring her ankle in a preseason scrimmage.

Thomas, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Austin, Texas, red-shirted in 2004. She played little in 2005, then won a starting position last year. Her season ended Sept. 14 after she tore her right ACL against Cal Poly.

She had surgery soon after and was healthy again, and ready to win her position back, when practice began last week. Then Sunday, she tore the ACL and medial meniscus in her left knee.

The 1-2 punch to the ACL is exceedingly common among female athletes. Keefe has had four operations on her knees. Former UH basketball players Nani Cockett, Hedy Liu and Jade Abele all suffered torn ACLs in both knees, with Abele injured again just last month playing professionally in Australia.

The serious injury so early in the season — Hawai'i doesn't open until next Friday (Aug. 24) against Michigan — is a haunting reminder of last year. Shoji has asked his team not to linger on it.

"I'm sure some of them are thinking about our situation last year," he said. "I told them they can't back off, can't go half speed, cant worry about it because that's when you do get injured. We just have to continue to work hard and hopefully we've had our share of misfortune."

[Wolfgang]

I wonder if Nickie will now transfer to a college closer to home. Without volleyball (possibly for the rest of her career), does UH have what she's looking for in a college? Hey, I'm just throwing it out there.

[ladeda]

Nickie will be the Leonard Peters of Wahine volleyball,she's not going anywhere.

Let me also add this.Nickie Thomas is no quitter and she isn't going to miss Senior night if she has anything to do with it. If Nickie Thomas gives it up it will be on the advice of a medical expert. Dave Shoji also would never even suggest quiting to her.There are many players in the NCAA who have had this very same type of bad luck with both knees who went on to play again.The girl didn't die she had another set back.

[kolohekeiki]

sorry since we're talkin' about injury in this thread I remember readin' somewhere that Aneli Cubi-Otineru tweaked her ankle. Is she okay was it jus something minor?

[tsunami]

Good news.....but it was minor. It would have been devastating for the Wahine if they lose both Otineru and Thomas.

[sasa]

roy said:

hwnstunner said:

But deng, all of a sudden, UH seems vulnerable yet again. And all of a sudden, the Wahine's depth in the middle becomes a little bit more shallow. Simmons will be needed this year. Kaufman and Blood are going to see more reps.

And well, if Thomas decides to not play next year, the middle becomes VERY shallow next year and the Wahine need to start working on getting one more quality middle asap...

I agree that the middles are more shallow. Her loss is a blow, but the 2 starters from last year are back. And Kaufman has taken reps at the middle position before. The outside hitter position is loaded with Houston, Hittle, Otineru, Keefe, and Ferrell. Kaufman can afford to move to the middle without hurting the Wahine.

I wouldn't worry too much about next year. If Thomas decides to return, Kaufman and Simmons would both be available and he has already secured another middle in Hewitt. If she doesn't decide to return, Shoji will likely get a transfer middle and he has done very well with those.

Is Hewitt the girl from Idaho?

[cindyluis]

Thank you all for reading the blog. i'm very new at this. knew about nickie sunday but i was holding off at releasing it. waiting to see what she wanted to do. as for the question .. have been covering wahine vb since 1981 ... except for a few years when i was sports editor at the SB.

[cindyluis]

hi cardinal. yes, it is some kind of blog thing. we started earlier in the week and it's pretty popular ... thanks to the wahine vb fans annd volleytalk peeps. www.starbulletin.blogs/uhsportsextra
thanks for reading. cindy

[roy]

sasa said:

Is Hewitt the girl from Idaho?

Yes, Hewitt is the 2008 recruit from Idaho. She is part of the 2008 recruiting class along with Herring. I suspect that Hewitt is more of a project player, however I know almost nothing about her.

[Wolfgang]

cindyluis said:

... thanks to the wahine vb fans annd volleytalk peeps. ...

Cindy,

Great job covering the Wahine. One point though: "peeps" is my invention. Please ask permission before using said word. Thanks.