|
Post by jma22 on Jan 20, 2014 17:27:28 GMT -5
Didn't see a thread for this yet. I'm looking forward to a more experienced and improved team. The only question is how much will the loss of Beltran hurt us? Will Davis (or someone else) be able to fill her shoes as libero? With PSU, Minnesota, and Nebraska losing key players, I think we'll be a Big Ten title contender.
|
|
|
Post by jma22 on Jan 20, 2014 17:57:05 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by C on Jan 20, 2014 18:39:00 GMT -5
I think she can be the starting setter. Only problem is that she's used to running a fast offense, and Illinois runs a slow, moon ball offense.
|
|
|
Post by Sbilo on Jan 20, 2014 20:25:23 GMT -5
She's a good setter. Good transfer. And a year after you get Jordyn Poulter. This team is in good hands literally.
|
|
|
Post by rogero1 on Jan 20, 2014 20:44:04 GMT -5
Assuming that the OHs improve on their passing, Davis not losing a beat from Beltran, I can see IL contending for the B1G title with PSU, MN, WI, & NE. Next year might be the closest race in quite a few years. With those 5 beating up on each other, I can see that whatever schedule that favors the school who plays IA, IN, MD, & Rutgers might have the edge on the rest.
|
|
|
Post by 5280volleyball on Jan 20, 2014 21:26:04 GMT -5
They have their whole roster for next season on campus now with Brandi Donnelly enrolling early, so that will help them.
With the difficult schedule they played last year, and only two seniors leaving, they will be a tough club next year. And with everyone on campus now, maybe Hambly takes a look at running a faster system with Palmer setting. It's something he could look at for the next couple of months to see what happens. McMahon may need a higher ball but I can see Birks and Criswell doing well in a faster system. Vilunas is a bigger setter at 6'1 and could be the blocking sub for Palmer in the front row (if she wins the job).
|
|
|
Post by BeiBei on Jan 20, 2014 21:36:56 GMT -5
People always give the good reason and not the real reason
Good reason : Palmer wanted a stronger challenge academically Real reason : she lost her job to Bianca A
|
|
|
Post by 5280volleyball on Jan 20, 2014 21:51:17 GMT -5
Arellano played pretty well for ASU, and I believe she played club ball with Macey Gardner. That probably helped her a bit to win the job, and she blocks really well for a small player.
ASU could sneak up on some people next year. I think they replace their libero and get everyone else back.
|
|
|
Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Jan 21, 2014 10:03:12 GMT -5
The addition of setter/ds, Allison Palmer to the roster just made my off-season. I can have some renewed hope for improvement in next year's team. Today's article in the local paper:
Hambly: Transfer is 'huge addition'
Mon, 01/20/2014 - 10:55pm | Jeff Huth
CHAMPAIGN — Allison Palmer, a record-setting setter at Arizona State, has joined the Illinois volleyball program.
The redshirt sophomore sat out the 2013 season while continuing to attend ASU in order to be immediately eligible upon transferring. Palmer is enrolled at the UI for the spring semester, when she will begin training with the Illini, and retains three seasons of eligibility.
“I think it’s a huge addition,” Illini coach Kevin Hambly said Monday. “She’s obviously very talented. I like her competitiveness and her attitude. I think she’s going to bring a lot to our program.”
The Laguna Beach, Calif., native started for the Sun Devils as a true freshman in 2012 and set a single-season school record for assists with 1,482. Palmer, who was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, also recorded a team-best 10 double-doubles (assists and digs) for a 20-14 Sun Devils squad.
In the 2013 preseason, however, Palmer lost the starting job to Bianca Arellano — a first-year transfer from Tennessee — and left the team.
Palmer indicated that the UI’s strong academic reputation figured into her selection of the Big Ten school. The accounting major made the dean’s list in her first two semesters at Arizona State.
“I love how Illinois is well-rounded,” she said in a statement from the UI. “The campus is beautiful, with so much history, and Illinois offers many great opportunities academically.”
Palmer has an extensive background with USA Volleyball. Last June, she played for the U.S. Junior National Team that competed in the FIVB Women’s Under-20 World Championship at Brno, Czech Republic.
She also was a member of the U.S. Youth National Team from 2010-11 and played for the U.S. Youth Olympic Team in 2010. Palmer helped the Americans win a gold medal at the 2010 NORCECA Girls Youth Continental Championship in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
A four-year starter at Laguna Beach High School, Palmer was a two-time California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section first-team all-stater in Division I-A.
Despite her credentials, Palmer agreed to join the Illini as a walk-on and play the remainder of her college career without scholarship aid, according to Hambly.
Palmer arrives at the UI with a previous familial connection to Big Ten volleyball. Her older sister, Alexandra, played her final two seasons at Minnesota (2012-13) after transferring from Santa Clara.
Hambly said Palmer will train not only as a setter but also at libero, where the Illini must replace four-year starter and school career digs record-holder Jennifer Beltran. At setter, Palmer provides competition for returning starter Alexis Viliunas and offers Hambly the option of a two-setter attack.
“She’s eager and capable of competing at a couple positions for us,” the Illini coach said. “I think she can do both.”
Palmer is one of two spring-semester additions to Hambly’s team. Libero/defensive specialist Brandi Donnelly also is enrolled after graduating from Williamsville High School in December.
With their arrivals — and the loss of only one senior — Hambly and his staff will be working with a roster of 16 players during the spring training period.
“That’s a big deal because it means we can have split squads (for scrimmages),” he said. “I think it will give more of our kids an opportunity to play.”
|
|
|
Post by OverAndUnder on Jan 21, 2014 11:07:41 GMT -5
So now we've reached the point in volleyball where someone transfers to a school, which changes the playing time so that someone else at the second school transfers to a third school.
Transfers beget transfers beget transfers --- and the NCAA still likes to pretend that it's all about academic opportunity. <eye roll>
|
|
|
Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Jan 21, 2014 11:09:01 GMT -5
I believe there are two major issues that haunted last season's Illini team, and prevented a more successful season for Illinois. The addition of Allison Palmer should address one of them. I hope it will also have some influence on the other.
The first issue was inconsistency at setter. I love Illini setter Lex's spirit (both on the court and off) and how much joy she seems to get from playing the game. Also, she provided good blocking for a setter and good defensive skills. However, her ball-handling errors hurt the Illini in several matches (including the ones called on her in the first set of the regional semi-final vs. Purdue). Throughout last season, it seemed that if an up-official who was a real stickler for clean, crisp setting happened to be officiating an Illinois match, a BHE could be called on Lex at any time.
The second issue is more of a gut-feeling that I have had about this particular group of players. I have no connection to any players, coaches, or parents, and no 'inside' information. This is just an uneducated guess that I feel maybe has prevented this particular group of players from having MORE success the last two seasons. And that is a 'chemistry' problem that has been discussed now for the last two years. I do not know if it is an attitude problem or a lack of competitiveness, or just what it is. The non-starters seemed to be as supportive and spirited as any non-starters during matches. So I think the problem lies somewhere among the starters.
The parents of players, I believe, can have a major influence here as well. If all of the parents are not onboard with the program, that can negatively affect their daughter and thus the team, especially if they are parents of a starter.
As I have said before, I now have renewed expectations and hope for next season's Illini. I know that Beltran will be missed at libero, but sophomore Danielle Davis had a very steady presence once she entered the starting rotation as a freshman. And now with the addition of Allison Palmer, the sky is the limit for next season's team.
Go Illini!
|
|
|
Post by Mocha on Jan 21, 2014 12:32:17 GMT -5
Interesting that Palmer attended Laguna Beach and "was named Long Beach High School All-Sports MVP."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2014 16:05:29 GMT -5
Interesting that Palmer attended Laguna Beach and "was named Long Beach High School All-Sports MVP." Did they confuse her team (Laguna Beach Breakers) with the old minor league baseball team, the Long Beach Breakers?
|
|
|
Post by 5280volleyball on Jan 21, 2014 16:07:29 GMT -5
I'm surprised Palmer joined as a walk on. She's got to be getting some kind of academic scholarship for that to be happening.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2014 16:22:45 GMT -5
I'm surprised Palmer joined as a walk on. She's got to be getting some kind of academic scholarship for that to be happening. Why do you say that? I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if a brain surgeon (who owns his own private practice) has decided to pay for three years of his daughter's college out of pocket.
|
|