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Post by oshkoshdadmjs on Jul 30, 2014 14:17:15 GMT -5
Unless there are some major strategic changes (which I doubt will come from two former Illinois hires in the off-season), I don't think this team can compete for the B1G or go very far in the NCAA. IMO they don't have good enough pin hitters to run Kevin's preferred offense (although I have been hearing that they are bringing the sets down, which is good). That style works great when your defense can just keep digging and you have dominant outsides-- a la 2011 Illinois. Birks is a good player, but she's not capable of carrying the entire offense like they need her to. Additionally, the fact that McMahon couldn't make the move to the outside hurts because it takes away reps from Stark (who I think is a very good player and underrated) and makes Criswell a starter. Graduating Beltran isn't the worst thing in the world because she never really turned into the player we were all hoping she would (or was as a freshman), but I still see nothing to support the fact that this team will be efficient in serve receive. Plus the middles are essentially useless on offense, per usual. Their defense is going to have to be exceptionally good to carry the entire load, which I just can't see happening. However, they could prove me wrong. Birks could become a true B1G go-to OH. Criswell could step up and be the serviceable second option they need. And McMahon could become a true threat on the OPP. I just don't think it's in the cards. As I recall Birks played the L2 position last year because shes a better passer.If they move her to L1 she get in system sets and have a better opportunity to make a bigger impact.With that being said,Criswell is powerful and can score points too. My guess is Stadick will being playing in the middle and she will also add offense,shes quick,blocks well,and has a variety of shots. I think we need McMahon on the right side against the oppositions best hitters.She blocks well and hits well from the right. Stark is a great athletic player and if they run a 6-2 hopefully shell be in on the right also. I still like Vilunias as setter, she might have gotten off to a rough start but I think shes a great player and great calming force on the floor. In the spring it looked like Conard,Davis and Donnely were holding their own in the back,so might not be as bad as you think. Only time will tell but Im not ready to throw in the towel just yet. I don't mind Vilunias as a setter either, I just think last year was a bad system for her. She honestly looked better in high school. Great court presence though, you can definitely see that. I can't see them running a 6-2 ever. Doubt Hambly would do that, but I could be wrong. I haven't seen McMahon prove that shes able to adjust to sets from off the set our anything out of system. Kind of important if you're gonna be a go to hitter on a team. And Criswell is a below average passer, slow to get to the outside, can't really adjust, and can't really hit shots. But she'll swing hard. I'm gonna stick with my earlier point that their defense is gonna have to be real good to compete this year.
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Post by Pasquale on Jul 31, 2014 21:45:39 GMT -5
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 1, 2014 15:02:09 GMT -5
Girlfriend, I cannot say that this video was particularly enlightening, but thanks anyway.
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Post by Pasquale on Aug 1, 2014 19:34:24 GMT -5
Girlfriend, I cannot say that this video was particularly enlightening, but thanks anyway. I didn't create or produce it - I just shared it for those who might enjoy it.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 2, 2014 11:18:47 GMT -5
Wow, now this article in today's News-Gazette is ENLIGHTENING! There are two big question marks for positions this season. Who will replace Beltran at libero? And will Viliunas get to keep her starting setter spot after doing so poorly (at least statistically) last season? I am not sure Coach Hambly gives away much answering the libero question, but he sure gives sophomore setter McKenna Kelsay her props at setter. I personally believe that Ali Stark almost forces Hambly to go with a 6-2 offense. Anyone who watched even one match of spring ball has to realize that Stark had a tremendous spring on the RS. She was the standout player of the spring. Unless Hambly is thinking about using McMahon strictly on the left, I cannot see how he can keep from using a 6-2 with Kelsay and Palmer setting and McMahon and Stark sharing the RS. This should be very interesting to see how this develops early. I will reiterate my feeling that this season is all about the seniors, McMahon, Dorn, and Criswell. They have meant so much to this program. The coaches have got to come up with a winning combo on the floor for the Illini. Anyone interested in the 2014 Illini has got to read this article: www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/volleyball/2014-08-01/season-change-ui-volleyball.html
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 2, 2014 12:40:36 GMT -5
Granted, Palmer may be the libero, and not one of the setters in a 6-2. Palmer would certainly excel at the libero spot. I must admit a prejudice in favor of Palmer. I absolutely love her volleyball skills. She is a very deceptive setter, and an excellent libero. She is the complete package as a volleyball player. If she were just a little taller she would probably (in my opinion) be one of the top 5 setters in the country. You are forcing me to say this, but I don't really believe Viliunas should be setting a B1G team. It is absolutely not acceptable to have all of the doubles that were called against her last season. I know she has her fans from her high school days, but the B1G is a whole different animal. And, the reason that Ali Stark looked like a totally different hitter in the front row during the spring campaign is that Palmer and Kelsay consistently gave her very well-placed sets with a lot of deception. Viliunas back sets are not very deceptive and not as consistently well-placed as the back sets of Palmer and Kelsay. Both Palmer and Kelsay ran a much quicker, more efficient offense than Viliunas even with certain players trying to help Viliunas by not playing up to their potential to help her. I am sorry to be so blunt, but I know that there are contributors to this website that are related to the players or very close to certain players, and that colors what they say on VT. I am in no way related or close to any of the players or coaches for that matter. I deliberately want to stay that way so I can be disgustingly blunt in my assessments of players and coaches.
All that being said, Poulter is the setter of the future for the Illini. No one is going to beat her out of that position next year, or the next 3 years after that. If Hambly does not start Poulter at setter for the very first match of her freshman year, I am giving up on the Illini. She is really, really good. She may not get the attention of Carlini, but I am very anxious to see her on the floor against a much more hyped Carlini. Poulter betters that second touch more than just about any setter I have seen. I am so excited about her future as an Illini, and the future of the Illini with Poulter at setter!
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Post by rogero1 on Aug 4, 2014 7:09:00 GMT -5
We will miss your reports on the Illini if Poulter does to start next year.
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Post by oshkoshdadmjs on Aug 4, 2014 10:48:34 GMT -5
Granted, Palmer may be the libero, and not one of the setters in a 6-2. Palmer would certainly excel at the libero spot. I must admit a prejudice in favor of Palmer. I absolutely love her volleyball skills. She is a very deceptive setter, and an excellent libero. She is the complete package as a volleyball player. If she were just a little taller she would probably (in my opinion) be one of the top 5 setters in the country. You are forcing me to say this, but I don't really believe Viliunas should be setting a B1G team. It is absolutely not acceptable to have all of the doubles that were called against her last season. I know she has her fans from her high school days, but the B1G is a whole different animal. And, the reason that Ali Stark looked like a totally different hitter in the front row during the spring campaign is that Palmer and Kelsay consistently gave her very well-placed sets with a lot of deception. Viliunas back sets are not very deceptive and not as consistently well-placed as the back sets of Palmer and Kelsay. Both Palmer and Kelsay ran a much quicker, more efficient offense than Viliunas even with certain players trying to help Viliunas by not playing up to their potential to help her. I am sorry to be so blunt, but I know that there are contributors to this website that are related to the players or very close to certain players, and that colors what they say on VT. I am in no way related or close to any of the players or coaches for that matter. I deliberately want to stay that way so I can be disgustingly blunt in my assessments of players and coaches. All that being said, Poulter is the setter of the future for the Illini. No one is going to beat her out of that position next year, or the next 3 years after that. If Hambly does not start Poulter at setter for the very first match of her freshman year, I am giving up on the Illini. She is really, really good. She may not get the attention of Carlini, but I am very anxious to see her on the floor against a much more hyped Carlini. Poulter betters that second touch more than just about any setter I have seen. I am so excited about her future as an Illini, and the future of the Illini with Poulter at setter! I get where you are coming from, but I think you're being a bit unfair to Viliunas. For what its worth, Hambly did completely change the way she was setting and made her run a completely different offense. To emphasize skying balls to the outside and getting backwards rotation on a set is a pretty weird thing to do, IMO. From what I've heard and read, he is bringing the offense down a bit this season and I think you'll see some improvements from Viliunas. I'm going to keep an open mind going into the season, but I agree with your assessment of what happened last year; I just place a little more of the onus on the coaching staff, as opposed to the setting.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 5, 2014 10:46:48 GMT -5
Illinois Earns Third Straight AVCA Team Academic Award
Aug. 4, 2014 Champaign, Ill. - For the third year in a row, the 2013-14 Fighting Illini volleyball squad was named a recipient of the AVCA Team Academic Award. The award, which was initiated in 1992-93, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that display excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for the entire year. Illinois is one of 134 Division I institutions to qualify for this year's award and one of just three Big Ten programs to do so, joining Iowa and Rutgers.
The Illini take home the team award after seven members of the Orange and Blue received 2013 Academic All-Big Ten honors, three of whom were also named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars. Additionally, rising senior Anna Dorn captured her second straight First-Team Academic All-District award, demonstrating her strong commitment to the University both on and off the court.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 10, 2014 9:46:21 GMT -5
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 10, 2014 9:51:37 GMT -5
Two 'Art of Coaching' segments with Coach Hambly. I do not know when the interviews were actually done, but apparently are two segments from the same interview session some time after the conclusion of last season. It is interesting to hear what Hambly has to say about employing the 6-2, playing fast, and using the jump float serve vs. the jump spin. Go Illini! www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/tag/kevin-hambly/
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Post by lepetitfromage on Aug 10, 2014 11:23:27 GMT -5
Bump
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 10, 2014 17:25:27 GMT -5
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Post by Pasquale on Aug 12, 2014 19:36:57 GMT -5
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Aug 13, 2014 8:55:19 GMT -5
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