Pac12 2015

[volleyballfann]

Is it too early to predict? I don't think so!! Pac 12 is one of, if not, the best premier conference in college volleyball I want to know your thoughts on maybe some pre-season rankings? Here are my predictions... 

1. Stanford
2. Washington
3. Oregon 
4. USC
5. Arizona
6. Oregon St.
7. UCLA
8. Colorado 
9. Utah
10. Arizona St.    
11. Washington St.
12. Cal

Also, who will be the Pac-12's "best" player? We lost some really, really good players like Lowe, Vansant, Nelson, Kingdon, Simpson, and the list goes on.... 

And, all but WSU and CAL will get into the tournament!! 

[WahineFan44]

1. Stanford.
2. USC
3. Washington
4. Oregon
5. Arizona state
6. UCLA
7. Arizona
8. Colorado
9. Oregon state
10. Utah
11. WSU
12. Cal

Oregon state has a lot to replace and marshal can't do it by herself. But they should still be good and may move up. Stanford is the clear number one, and the only teams I can see challenging them are USC, Washington and Oregon. Maybe ASU. Washington loses a buttload with Vansant and Nelson, but the now sophomores of the previous class should be able to take over some of the load. Oregon returns almost all key platers I believe, Minus brenner, who struggled in 2014. UCLA without lowe is VERY tricky, but they might surprise.


Best player INKY
Best setter: Bugg
Best libero: Benson
Best Freshman; Hodson.

[SakiBomb25]

With a healthy Nwanebu, USC will definitely do better and should challenge Stanford.

Washington loses both of its leaders (Vansant and McLaughlin) and people still think they will finished ing the top? True they have talent, but the master behind it all is gone. I'm not saying the new coaching stag. Won't get it done, but I want to wait a year or so before saying they will have the same success.

Stanford needs to shore up it's passing with Gilbert gone. Yes her digging was more of a strength than passing, but she was still pretty reliable. And plus there is the issue of team chemistry. Burgess or Howard are not going to be happy they are being displaced by a freshman, no matter how talented Hodson is. It'll be up to Dunning and Corlett to manage the team effectively, which I think they will do (hopefully).

Here's hoping that Cal has a better season than last year and aren't riddled with so many injuries.

[mikegarrison]

I'm torn about USC. They have many excellent players, but they sure didn't do well last year. What has changed that people think they are going to do better this year?

[gigibear]

Better setter perhaps?

[WahineFan44]

Mar 20, 2015 13:31:59 GMT -5 mikegarrison said:

I'm torn about USC. They have many excellent players, but they sure didn't do well last year. What has changed that people think they are going to do better this year?

Ive heard great things about the freshman setters, and they lost practically one. While the other top teams lost their big guns. Simpson, lowe, vansant, kingdon etc.

[vbprisoner]

Mar 20, 2015 13:31:59 GMT -5 mikegarrison said:

I'm torn about USC. They have many excellent players, but they sure didn't do well last year. What has changed that people think they are going to do better this year?

Healthy Nwanebu, potentially better setter, PAC not as strong with many team's key players graduating. If they improve setting with what they have they will be top 3 in PAC.

[c4ndlelight]

Here's where I see the conference playing out in terms of tiers. Overall the conference will be down a bit in the middle and at the bottom.

1. Stanford - by a mile. Pretty solid bet for the Final Four.

2-4. Should be seeded if they schedule well.
Arizona St.: Probably too high, but could not ask for a better situation; they return all 7 starters (and maybe upgrade at setter) - and this is the third year in a row the core 6 offensive players come back. For a team that was short on execution but not talent, the continuity HAS to mean something (or maybe Watson should hang it up).
Oregon: 5 really good players coming in; I expect a couple to make immediate impact (particularly Vander Weide). Bettendorf will be asked to do a lot more - can she sustain her offensive success with increased responsibilities? Scott has the talent to do great things in a 5-1, will need to stay consistent. Could fall into the next tier but don't think so.
USC: Placing them up here is a bet on their SETTING working out. Also assuming a recovered Nwanebu. Ball control wasn't great last year but that's not what held them back. Also, as bad as last year was, they were still in that 20-25 range nationally - just a lot of schadenfreude exaggerating that.

5. Not sure if schedule will be conducive to a seed (esp. w/o Wisconsin matches) but should be solid tournament team & possible 2nd round bracket buster for BYU or Hawaii.
UW: Vansant and Nelson are big losses for the offense. Jones will need to become primary point-scorer. Still a lot of talent, so they get a tier to themselves. Way better than the bottom half of the conference. Do have questions about life post-JMac but those will really come up once the Sybeldon/Wade/Beals/Strickland class graduates.

6-8. Bubble teams all missing something.
Arizona: Some great arms, but losing 3 primary passers and 2 most relied-upon hitters and I don't see anyone on the roster who can both pass and hit. Size advantage will be negated by size disadvantage at crucial positions.
Colorado: They have too many setters but also have a lot of hitting talent. Will shank away several road matches but can challenge anybody on any given day.
Utah: Kinda ballsy to have them this high as they lose 5 starters. I love Anae and Katoa's game, Trueman was very good for a frosh and they do have a big kid coming in for some size. Home court advantage will steal them a game or two.

9-10. Setting is important. Also, if there's a reason the B1G is on its way to being stronger than the PAC, it's because these two public flagships are not Top 10 teams.
Cal: Last year was kind of the worst case scenario--law of averages and softer mid/bottom of conference should help them out. Higgins is a loss but they've got plenty of offense. Obvious issues on first two contacts they need to work out.
UCLA: Replacing setter is IMO a bigger issue than replacing Lowe. Transfer OH may help, but may not be enough.

11-12.
OSU: Losing 4 starters is huge, particularly because of the experience and size they brought. Will not have the defensive presence at the net that made them so hard to score on last year. Marshall will still be good, but she just won't have the support to get it done.
WSU: They will be good, and big, but young. Watch out for them in 2 years or so.

[trojansc]

There are good things coming for SC next year. Passing and defense actually improved as the year went on last year, but setting was sketchy. Haley was quite disappointed in North Carolina with his senior setter and he let it be known.

Nwanebu will be better, it really was a shame to see her struggle last year after posting 20 and 30 kills on back to back nights with only one error in the NCAA's her freshman year.

Haley has been building Bricio into a complete player (the same way he did with Alex Jupiter). Alex finally got it all together her senior year and I hope we see that true leadership in Bricio this year. Passing, digging, serving, attacking. If she can block well that will really complete her. Sam has passed better every year, I hope she puts it all together and steps up big this season.

Whittingham is no Hagglund but she is a good libero. I liked the DS schmidt for Ruddins option.

You will see a new USC next year. USC's middles may surprise some people. Jordan Dunn and Ogoms are very athletic. Dunn was a little too raw this year but I like her potential next year.

Some questions yet to be seen: Gillis? Abercrombie? Pizzasegola? How much playing time will they see?

Just know that USC was really really down last year. The worst in two decades. (And they gave #7 UNC a tough match that could have gone either way. First three sets 25-23. Fourth was a USC collapse.

USC vs. North Carolina will be a good preseason match to see how those two teams match up. I'm not certain if its at UNC, but I think it is.

[vbprisoner]

Mar 20, 2015 15:38:58 GMT -5 trojansc said:

How do you see Wallace-Ford and Reed fitting in? There will be a lot of talent on the bench.

[hammer]

I hope Dunning has pulled the coup of all coups, because if he has, then Stanford may roll the entire Pac-12 in 2015.

[vbprisoner]

Mar 20, 2015 18:00:57 GMT -5 hammer said:

I hope Dunning has pulled the coup of all coups, because if he has, then Stanford may roll the entire Pac-12 in 2015.

What kind of tease is this?

At least throw a clue out there.

[mikegarrison]

Mar 20, 2015 18:03:24 GMT -5 vbprisoner said:

Mar 20, 2015 18:00:57 GMT -5 hammer said:

I hope Dunning has pulled the coup of all coups, because if he has, then Stanford may roll the entire Pac-12 in 2015.

What kind of tease is this?

At least throw a clue out there.

Dunning is going to hire Russ Rose as his new assistant.

[tomclen]

Mar 20, 2015 18:15:02 GMT -5 mikegarrison said:

Mar 20, 2015 18:03:24 GMT -5 vbprisoner said:

What kind of tease is this?

At least throw a clue out there.

Dunning is going to hire Russ Rose as his new assistant.

Carlini transfers to Stanford?

[Stanlifornia]

Mar 20, 2015 18:00:57 GMT -5 hammer said:

I hope Dunning has pulled the coup of all coups, because if he has, then Stanford may roll the entire Pac-12 in 2015.

They weren't going to do so regardless of this coup or not?