Post by ucsdfan on Aug 26, 2008 1:05:03 GMT -5
The veteran nature of this year's team paid huge dividends in terms of staying focused and calm during the five-gamers at the Olympics as well as being well adjusted to the travel. But the down side of that is that this team will lose a good number of players. Ball and Hoff are certainly gone. Lambourne, Salmon, and Gardner are probably going to be on the too old side in four years, so they might as well hang it up sooner rather than later (and not pull a Kiraly on the team). Priddy and Millar are unknowns at 30 as one has a desire to play beach and the other has the coaching itch. There is a chance we could lose seven of the twelve on the Olympic roster. I'm curious to see what the general consensus is. I've tried to assemble a good list of candidates, but it can't be complete. Please build in the names that seem to be omitted--like Beckwith, Thorton, Murray, etc... I've left current college players (like Holt, Loe, Troy, and Shoji) off of the roster of the future because of the development time between college and the national team. There is a good chance one if not two might be ready by 2012.
At setter, Ball is 36, so it's pretty much guaranteed that he's played his last games for the national team. I'm assuming that Suxho (32) and Taliaferro (30 and injury prone) are also out of the picture because of age and injuries, but you never know with Suxho. So at setter it seems we are looking at Hansen (26), Hildebrand (24), and Winder (22). I'm not sure if Shoji (20) could be ready by London time, but hopefully he's on the depth chart for the future.
At middle, Hoff is 35, Millar is 30, and Lee is 26. I assume Eatherton (34) is done. Hoff is also pretty much guaranteed to be gone. Millar is the question mark. He looks pretty agile, but four more years on the knees and 34 might be pushing it. I hope not, because he's got great instincts and can teach the younger middles so much. Lee is a lock at one slot and the other, assuming Millar is not coming back, seems to be up for grabs between Delano Thomas (25), Andy Hein (24), and potentially Meerstein, Holmes, Brunner, Dante, and Holt (when he graduates). It would seem that Thomas has the inside track at the moment (he'll be 29 come next Olympics) but a lot can happen in four years. Matt Denmark seems to have fallen off the radar. Also, Paul Johnson seemed to have disappeared. I suspect that getting a 9-5 and having kids makes the commitment to an overseas playing career unappealing. Does anyone know what ever happened to Adam Naeve (30)?
At opposite, Stanley is 30. Again, four years is a long time for knees and a rotator cuffs to hold up. It would be great if he can pace himself but who knows. Gardner is 32. McKenzie is 29 and Billings is 28, and both seem to have fallen off of the depth chart. Matt Proper (25) was looking promising, but he hasn't made the cut, so realistically Evan Patak (24) is the likely incumbent backup. I don't think Klostermann (24) ever got consideration, but perhaps he'll earn himself a look.
At OH, alot depends on Priddy's desire to play in the sand. Salmon is 32 and pretty much served as a second libero that got to stay in for a front row rotation. If Priddy and Lambourne both leave, we'll need more defense out at least one OH spot, so Salmon could find himself to be a desired commodity. Polster is 29, Touzinsky is 26 (but had to rehab), Jablonsky is 25, Rooney is 25, and Anderson is 21. Tarr (24) will likely get another invitation, but that's some stiff competition. Nils Nielsen is 26 and he looked great during the HS tour back in January 2007. Maybe he'll be that sleeper defender with good 10-foot skills that makes the team. There is a chance Lotman (22) and Macias (22) might get a good look as well.
At libero, Alfee Reft is 25 and Tony Ker is 22. With Lambourne being 33 but at the top of his game, it's hard to say what four years will bring. It seems like a stretch that he'll be quick enough at 37 to play in London, but you never know. Sullivan (the player Lambourne replaced) packed up at 32, so it would seem that there will likely be a new libero.
Best guess for the national depth chart (not counting current college players and not necessarily in order).
Setter:
Hansen (26)
Suxho (32)
Winder (22)
Hildebrand (24)
Taliaferro (30 and injury prone)
Middle Blocker:
Lee (26)
Millar (30)
Thomas (25)
Hein (24)
Naeve (30)
Meerstein (25)
Holmes (24)
Outside Hitter:
Priddy (30)
Salmon (32)
Rooney (25)
Touzinsky (26)
Anderson (21)
Polster (29)
Jablonsky (25)
Nielsen (26)
Tarr (24)
Macias (22)
Lotman (22)
Opposite:
Stanley (30)
Gardner (32)
Billings (28)
Patak (24)
McKenzie (29)
Proper (25)
Klostermann (24)
Libero:
Lambourne (33)
Reft (25)
Ker (22)
At setter, Ball is 36, so it's pretty much guaranteed that he's played his last games for the national team. I'm assuming that Suxho (32) and Taliaferro (30 and injury prone) are also out of the picture because of age and injuries, but you never know with Suxho. So at setter it seems we are looking at Hansen (26), Hildebrand (24), and Winder (22). I'm not sure if Shoji (20) could be ready by London time, but hopefully he's on the depth chart for the future.
At middle, Hoff is 35, Millar is 30, and Lee is 26. I assume Eatherton (34) is done. Hoff is also pretty much guaranteed to be gone. Millar is the question mark. He looks pretty agile, but four more years on the knees and 34 might be pushing it. I hope not, because he's got great instincts and can teach the younger middles so much. Lee is a lock at one slot and the other, assuming Millar is not coming back, seems to be up for grabs between Delano Thomas (25), Andy Hein (24), and potentially Meerstein, Holmes, Brunner, Dante, and Holt (when he graduates). It would seem that Thomas has the inside track at the moment (he'll be 29 come next Olympics) but a lot can happen in four years. Matt Denmark seems to have fallen off the radar. Also, Paul Johnson seemed to have disappeared. I suspect that getting a 9-5 and having kids makes the commitment to an overseas playing career unappealing. Does anyone know what ever happened to Adam Naeve (30)?
At opposite, Stanley is 30. Again, four years is a long time for knees and a rotator cuffs to hold up. It would be great if he can pace himself but who knows. Gardner is 32. McKenzie is 29 and Billings is 28, and both seem to have fallen off of the depth chart. Matt Proper (25) was looking promising, but he hasn't made the cut, so realistically Evan Patak (24) is the likely incumbent backup. I don't think Klostermann (24) ever got consideration, but perhaps he'll earn himself a look.
At OH, alot depends on Priddy's desire to play in the sand. Salmon is 32 and pretty much served as a second libero that got to stay in for a front row rotation. If Priddy and Lambourne both leave, we'll need more defense out at least one OH spot, so Salmon could find himself to be a desired commodity. Polster is 29, Touzinsky is 26 (but had to rehab), Jablonsky is 25, Rooney is 25, and Anderson is 21. Tarr (24) will likely get another invitation, but that's some stiff competition. Nils Nielsen is 26 and he looked great during the HS tour back in January 2007. Maybe he'll be that sleeper defender with good 10-foot skills that makes the team. There is a chance Lotman (22) and Macias (22) might get a good look as well.
At libero, Alfee Reft is 25 and Tony Ker is 22. With Lambourne being 33 but at the top of his game, it's hard to say what four years will bring. It seems like a stretch that he'll be quick enough at 37 to play in London, but you never know. Sullivan (the player Lambourne replaced) packed up at 32, so it would seem that there will likely be a new libero.
Best guess for the national depth chart (not counting current college players and not necessarily in order).
Setter:
Hansen (26)
Suxho (32)
Winder (22)
Hildebrand (24)
Taliaferro (30 and injury prone)
Middle Blocker:
Lee (26)
Millar (30)
Thomas (25)
Hein (24)
Naeve (30)
Meerstein (25)
Holmes (24)
Outside Hitter:
Priddy (30)
Salmon (32)
Rooney (25)
Touzinsky (26)
Anderson (21)
Polster (29)
Jablonsky (25)
Nielsen (26)
Tarr (24)
Macias (22)
Lotman (22)
Opposite:
Stanley (30)
Gardner (32)
Billings (28)
Patak (24)
McKenzie (29)
Proper (25)
Klostermann (24)
Libero:
Lambourne (33)
Reft (25)
Ker (22)
