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Post by vballfreak808 on Aug 6, 2014 17:22:23 GMT -5
pac-12.com/article/2014/08/06/volleyball-coaches-vote-stanford-2014-preseason-favorite
Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll1. Stanford (5) - 114 2. USC (5) - 113 3. Washington (2) - 106 4. Arizona State - 73 T5. California - 70 T5. Oregon - 70 7. Colorado - 62 8. UCLA - 58 9. Arizona - 51 10. Utah - 39 11. Washington State - 28 12. Oregon State - 11
Preseason All-Pac 12PLAYER, TEAM POS. HT. YR. HOMETOWN Inky Ajanaku, STAN MB 6-3 Jr. Tulsa, Okla. Liz Brenner, ORE OH 6-1 Sr. Portland, Ore. Samantha Bricio, USC OH 6-2 So. Guadalajara, Mexico Madi Bugg, STAN S 6-0 Jr. Apex, N.C. Jordan Burgess, STAN OH 6-1 Jr. Fort Meyers, Fla. Macey Gardner, ASU OH 6-0 Jr. Gilbert, Ariz. Christina Higgins, CAL OH 6-2 Sr. Inglewood, Calif. Kyra Holt, WSU OH 6-1 So. Hercules, Calif. Brittany Howard, STAN OH 6-3 Jr. Los Altos, Calif. Madi Kingdon, ARIZ OH 6-1 Sr. Phoenix, Ariz. Karsta Lowe, UCLA OH 6-4 Sr. Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Kaleigh Nelson, WASH OH 6-0 Sr. Salem, Ore. Ebony Nwanebu, USC OH 6-4 So. Fairview, Texas Taylor Simpson, COLO OH 6-3 Sr. Colorado Springs, Colo. Krista Vansant, WASH OH 6-2 Sr. Redlands, Calif. Player
| Team
| Position
| Height
| Year
| Hometown
| Inky Ajanaku
| Stanford
| MB
| 6-3
| Jr.
| Tusla, OK
| Liz Brenner
| Oregon
| OH
| 6-1
| Sr.
| Portland, OR
| Samantha Bricio
| USC
| OH
| 6-2
| Jr.
| Guadalajara, Mexico
| Madi Bugg
| Stanford
| S
| 6-0
| Jr.
| Apex, NC
| Jordan Burgess
| Stanford
| OH
| 6-0
| Jr.
| Fort Myers, FL
| Macey Gardner
| Arizona St.
| OH
| 6-0
| Jr.
| Gilbert, AZ
| Christina Higgins
| California
| OH
| 6-2
| Sr.
| Inglewood, CA
| Kyra Holt
| Washington St.
| OH
| 6-1
| So.
| Hercules, CA
| Brittany Howard
| Stanford
| OH
| 6-3
| Jr.
| Los Altos, CA
| Madi Kingdon
| Arizona
| OH
| 6-1
| Sr.
| Phoenix, AZ
| Karsta Lowe
| UCLA
| OH
| 6-4
| Sr.
| Rancho Santa Fe, CA
| Kaleigh Nelson
| Washington
| OH
| 6-0
| Sr.
| Salem, OR
| Ebony Nwanebu
| USC
| OH
| 6-4
| So.
| Fairview, TX
| Taylor Simpson
| Colorado
| OH
| 6-3
| Sr.
| Colorado Springs, CO
| Krista Vansant
| Washington
| OH
| 6-2
| Sr.
| Redlands, CA
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* The Preseason All-Pac-12 team is made up of 14 individual members with the highest points totals. There are 15 members this year because there was a tie for last place.
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Post by volleyfan24 on Aug 6, 2014 17:49:33 GMT -5
This is exactly the way I saw this panning out in my head. I personally feel Stanford is the better team than USC but they are only separated a few votes. I have Washington in the same spot. I think picking Colorado to finish seventh is not doing them justice. All Pre-Season PAC-12 are deserving but would it kill them to put a libero on there or does that position not matter.
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 6, 2014 18:12:21 GMT -5
Pretty much what I would pick except for where Cal landed. Cal and Oregon have more on paper talent than Colorado, Colorado has the experience. Personally I fear the trip to boulder next year more than I do Eugene and Berkeley. Cal benefits immensely from their travel partner, anyone who says otherwise is crazy.
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 6, 2014 18:15:56 GMT -5
The difference between the top 3 and the rest is VERY apparent. Stanford, USC, and Washington are national title contenders, no doubt about that. If they do happen to be in separate regionals (not likely, the seeding committee will screw them over) I think we could easily see a 3-PAC-12 team final circa the mid 2000's.
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Post by Upfrontvb on Aug 6, 2014 18:19:19 GMT -5
Stanford, Washington, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, UCLA, .....
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Post by volleyfan24 on Aug 6, 2014 23:08:25 GMT -5
The difference between the top 3 and the rest is VERY apparent. Stanford, USC, and Washington are national title contenders, no doubt about that. If they do happen to be in separate regionals (not likely, the seeding committee will screw them over) I think we could easily see a 3-PAC-12 team final circa the mid 2000's. [ I agree with both your posts. I think the PAC-12 is so top heavy this year they are far and away better than teams in other conferences they return talent and experience so all teams should be dangerous. I think Stanford should be a lock for the Final Four, anything less will be in my eyes unfortunate. The middle is so muddled but it wouldn't surprise me if Colorado steals some matches at home and competes well they have potential to upset at home as they showed last season. Their OOC schedule is so soft though they only play Illinois and Creighton as teams worth noting. I am wondering why Arizona was picked so low but I guess Kingdon can't do it on her own. Arizona State should be very competitive I look forward to seeing where everyone ends up. |
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Aug 6, 2014 23:42:00 GMT -5
how come freshmen never make the pre-season all conference teams  a poll is ok, pre-season all-conference teams I think are so silly |
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Post by cbrown1709 on Aug 6, 2014 23:52:19 GMT -5
Does USC have another libero nearly as strong as Hagglund? She kept them in a lot.
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 7, 2014 1:46:09 GMT -5
Does USC have another libero nearly as strong as Hagglund? She kept them in a lot. no, they don't. Lack of defensive transition has been discussed and will continue to be the defining issue for the Trojans this year. All the hitters in the world won't do you a damn bit of difference if the players in the backcourt can get the ball to the setter. IMO their backcourt defense will make or break them this year. Everything else is prime for a NC run. |
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Post by volleyfan24 on Aug 7, 2014 4:25:11 GMT -5
Does USC have another libero nearly as strong as Hagglund? She kept them in a lot. no, they don't. Lack of defensive transition has been discussed and will continue to be the defining issue for the Trojans this year. All the hitters in the world won't do you a damn bit of difference if the players in the backcourt can get the ball to the setter. IMO their backcourt defense will make or break them this year. Everything else is prime for a NC run. Replacing Hagglund would be a miracle she was and is one of the best liberos I have ever seen in college volleyball. Everything is in place and as Texas showed us last season even with errant passing and not great serve reception you can make a deep run to the Final Four with elite hitters and SC has two of the best in the country in Nwanebu and Bricio which could lead to a possible National Championship. |
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 7, 2014 4:33:40 GMT -5
no, they don't. Lack of defensive transition has been discussed and will continue to be the defining issue for the Trojans this year. All the hitters in the world won't do you a damn bit of difference if the players in the backcourt can get the ball to the setter. IMO their backcourt defense will make or break them this year. Everything else is prime for a NC run. Replacing Hagglund would be a miracle she was and is one of the best liberos I have ever seen in college volleyball. Everything is in place and as Texas showed us last season even with errant passing and not great serve reception you can make a deep run to the Final Four with elite hitters and SC has two of the best in the country in Nwanebu and Bricio which could lead to a possible National Championship. I honestly don't think that passing will be the problem. Their pin hitters can score against 2 man blocks. Their side-out ability will be strong. I think the problem will be the backcourt defense which allow the offense to score in transition. They are missing their two best backcourt defenders this year, almost 9 digs per set lost. Now obviously the players that will fill those shoes will get some of those digs back, but upwards of 9? hmmm I don't see it. Hagglund was instrumental in giving USC more chances to score a point, especially on serve. A few key transitions on defense could make all the difference when Stanford, Washington come around in Pac-12 play, and they are playing for the NC. |
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Post by volleyfan24 on Aug 7, 2014 4:41:17 GMT -5
Replacing Hagglund would be a miracle she was and is one of the best liberos I have ever seen in college volleyball. Everything is in place and as Texas showed us last season even with errant passing and not great serve reception you can make a deep run to the Final Four with elite hitters and SC has two of the best in the country in Nwanebu and Bricio which could lead to a possible National Championship. I honestly don't think that passing will be the problem. Their pin hitters can score against 2 man blocks. Their side-out ability will be strong. I think the problem will be the backcourt defense which allow the offense to score in transition. They are missing their two best backcourt defenders this year, almost 9 digs per set lost. Now obviously the players that will fill those shoes will get some of those digs back, but upwards of 9? hmmm I don't see it. Hagglund was instrumental in giving USC more chances to score a point, especially on serve. A few key transitions on defense could make all the difference when Stanford, Washington come around in Pac-12 play, and they are playing for the NC. Speaking of passing and backcourt defense who will me replacing your teams stud libero from last season. I thought they would maybe move Strickland to that position but she is listed on the roster as an OH. Is Scambray solid in the backrow, would she be a six rotation player? |
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 7, 2014 4:50:37 GMT -5
I honestly don't think that passing will be the problem. Their pin hitters can score against 2 man blocks. Their side-out ability will be strong. I think the problem will be the backcourt defense which allow the offense to score in transition. They are missing their two best backcourt defenders this year, almost 9 digs per set lost. Now obviously the players that will fill those shoes will get some of those digs back, but upwards of 9? hmmm I don't see it. Hagglund was instrumental in giving USC more chances to score a point, especially on serve. A few key transitions on defense could make all the difference when Stanford, Washington come around in Pac-12 play, and they are playing for the NC. Speaking of passing and backcourt defense who will me replacing your teams stud libero from last season. I thought they would maybe move Strickland to that position but she is listed on the roster as an OH. Is Scambray solid in the backrow, would she be a six rotation player? Strickland is actually listed on the roster as a L/DS. Regardless, roster positions won't necessarily dictate player positions. I completely agree that UW's backcourt has some question marks too. And yes Scambray can hold her own in the backcourt. |
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Post by gobruins on Aug 7, 2014 4:52:06 GMT -5
how come freshmen never make the pre-season all conference teams a poll is ok, pre-season all-conference teams I think are so silly Pre-season all-conference teams are beyond "silly". They are down-right stupid! If you going to have a pre-season all-conference, how about a pre-season player of the year and coach of the year? |
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 7, 2014 5:01:51 GMT -5
how come freshmen never make the pre-season all conference teams a poll is ok, pre-season all-conference teams I think are so silly Pre-season all-conference teams are beyond "silly". They are down-right stupid! If you going to have a pre-season all-conference, how about a pre-season player of the year and coach of the year? While I do think that preseason all conference teams are silly, it would kind of logically follow that if the coaches are going to put together their predictions of where teams finish, they can also identify the players that will impact their teams success. Picking out a preseason all conference this year isn't all that farfetched. By time you add in the "duh's" there isn't much room for newcomers this year. |
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