|
Post by huskyvolley on Oct 21, 2019 18:48:57 GMT -5
Normally, teams that make further than elite 8 have at least three AAs. What's your prediction of AAs if UW has a deep run?
Kara is definitely up there. We all know that Claire and Shayne play very important roles on this team. Sam has been putting up really good numbers as well. Both middles are solid at blocking, but they are lack of offensive power at the moment. If Avie and Lauren can pick up their offensive game, it's hard to ignore them. So what's your vote?
|
|
|
Post by blue-footedbooby on Oct 21, 2019 19:16:57 GMT -5
Yes, but they can have two Ls can't they. If Shayne keeps going the way she is going...... They could have two liberos on the All-PAC team, but they won't. Some years they haven't had any. Also, some other teams would argue that Shayne isn't even the second-best libero in the conference. I mean, I like Shayne's play a lot, and have been saying so for four years now. And I agree, she is fantastic as the fallback setter. But I just don't see this as happening. Guess we'll find out. I'd like to be wrong on this. I've been looking at what it would take to make all-pac. From last year's crop we could have (I'm leaving off Botkin and McClure; I don't think their numbers are worthy thus far. The others not picked have since graduated): PLAYER, TEAM POS. HT. YR. HOMETOWN Naghede Abu, COLO MB Tami Alade, STAN MB Kara Bajema, WASH OH 6-2 JR Lynden, Wash. 2019 Brooke Botkin, USC OH Kendra Dahlke, ARIZ OH Dani Drews, UTAH OH 6-0 SO Sandy, Utah 2019 Audriana Fitzmorris, OH/O 6-6 JR Overland Park, Kan. 2019 Jenna Gray, STAN** S 6-1 JR Shawnee, Kan. 2019 Morgan Hentz, STAN** L 5-9 JR Lakeside Park, Ky. 2019 Khalia Lanier, USC*** OH 6-2 JR Scottsdale, Ariz. 2019 Mac May, UCLA OH 6-3 SO Dubuque, Iowa 2019 Meghan McClure, STAN OH Taylor Mims, WSU** OH Kathryn Plummer, STAN OH 6-6 JR Aliso Viejo, Calif. 2019 Alexa Smith, COLO** OH Ronika Stone, ORE** MB 6-2 JR San Jose, Calif. 2019 Lindsey Vander Weide, OH McKenna Woodford, WSU OH Based on stats thus far and with 9 spots available I would add the below: Mima Mirkovic M Jehlarova J Gross D Cross P Anderson M Gates A Niece R Lazaro That leaves one spot. If McPherson can garner a few more POWs she could be worthy. addendum: Powell and the Utah setter could be in the discussion as well.
|
|
|
Post by redbeard2008 on Oct 21, 2019 20:13:01 GMT -5
McPherson has a good chance of making the All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention List (there is no Second Team). Nuneviller was included last year, but hasn't been playing Libero this year. McPherson's biggest competition would be Alexis Dirige, it seems to me.
The biggest barrier to UW getting more All-Americans is that they and Stanford are in the same Region (Pacific North). In other words, write in Plummer (even injured), Gray, Hentz, and Fitzmorris. If you're not on an All-Region Team, you can't be an All-American. Note, however, that it is not unusual for more than one libero to be named to an All-Region Team: The North Region had three in 2018.
|
|
|
Post by redbeard2008 on Oct 21, 2019 21:12:06 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by baytree on Oct 22, 2019 0:17:45 GMT -5
They could have two liberos on the All-PAC team, but they won't. Some years they haven't had any. Also, some other teams would argue that Shayne isn't even the second-best libero in the conference. I mean, I like Shayne's play a lot, and have been saying so for four years now. And I agree, she is fantastic as the fallback setter. But I just don't see this as happening. Guess we'll find out. I'd like to be wrong on this. I've been looking at what it would take to make all-pac. From last year's crop we could have (I'm leaving off Botkin and McClure; I don't think their numbers are worthy thus far. The others not picked have since graduated): PLAYER, TEAM POS. HT. YR. HOMETOWN Naghede Abu, COLO MB Tami Alade, STAN MB Kara Bajema, WASH OH 6-2 JR Lynden, Wash. 2019 Brooke Botkin, USC OH Kendra Dahlke, ARIZ OH Dani Drews, UTAH OH 6-0 SO Sandy, Utah 2019 Audriana Fitzmorris, OH/O 6-6 JR Overland Park, Kan. 2019 Jenna Gray, STAN** S 6-1 JR Shawnee, Kan. 2019 Morgan Hentz, STAN** L 5-9 JR Lakeside Park, Ky. 2019 Khalia Lanier, USC*** OH 6-2 JR Scottsdale, Ariz. 2019 Mac May, UCLA OH 6-3 SO Dubuque, Iowa 2019 Meghan McClure, STAN OH Taylor Mims, WSU** OH Kathryn Plummer, STAN OH 6-6 JR Aliso Viejo, Calif. 2019 Alexa Smith, COLO** OH Ronika Stone, ORE** MB 6-2 JR San Jose, Calif. 2019 Lindsey Vander Weide, OH McKenna Woodford, WSU OH Based on stats thus far and with 9 spots available I would add the below: Mima Mirkovic M Jehlarova J Gross D Cross P Anderson M Gates A Niece R Lazaro That leaves one spot. If McPherson can garner a few more POWs she could be worthy. addendum: Powell and the Utah setter could be in the discussion as well. Per the Stanford thread, I'm not sure Plummer will qualify. It sounds like she may be out for a while. But I agree with Mike that two liberos on the All-PAC team is unlikely. You can't really compare liberos based on stats so it gets too subjective. I understand why voters prefer to avoid that.
|
|
|
Post by ay2013 on Oct 22, 2019 2:13:47 GMT -5
There are some big red flags right now for this Huskies team. I watched the USC, UCLA, Arizona and Oregon matches and have digested the OSU and ASU stats and I just don't see this team improving like we need to. If the huskies team that showed up the last three weeks is the same team that shows up in the NCAA tournament, they aren't making it past the sweet 16. The absence of Hoffman has shown that the huskies simply do NOT have the pin depth to compete among the countries elite. This team gets stuck in rotations and can give up mounds of points, even against inferior opponents. That is. very concerning. The production from the middles has gone absolutely nowhere. In the last 16 sets, at home, against 4 of the worst teams in conference, Sanders and Niece have combined for just 40 kills hitting .242. The offensive transition from Powell can frequently be spotty. I mean, I'm glad the huskies are sitting with just 3 losses, and I do hope they can right the ship as I think a regional seed is within reach, but I'm calling it like I see it and the way they've been playing lately leaves a lot to be desired.
|
|
|
Post by mikegarrison on Oct 22, 2019 2:47:00 GMT -5
There are some big red flags right now for this Huskies team. I watched the USC, UCLA, Arizona and Oregon matches and have digested the OSU and ASU stats and I just don't see this team improving like we need to. If the huskies team that showed up the last three weeks is the same team that shows up in the NCAA tournament, they aren't making it past the sweet 16. The absence of Hoffman has shown that the huskies simply do NOT have the pin depth to compete among the countries elite. This team gets stuck in rotations and can give up mounds of points, even against inferior opponents. That is. very concerning. The production from the middles has gone absolutely nowhere. In the last 16 sets, at home, against 4 of the worst teams in conference, Sanders and Niece have combined for just 40 kills hitting .242. The offensive transition from Powell can frequently be spotty. I mean, I'm glad the huskies are sitting with just 3 losses, and I do hope they can right the ship as I think a regional seed is within reach, but I'm calling it like I see it and the way they've been playing lately leaves a lot to be desired. They don't need "depth" if they don't have injuries. Looking at stats from the last 2-3 weeks is pointless at diagnosing their potential for a Final Four. IMO, it's basically this simple: at full strength they can challenge anyone and defeat most. Otherwise, they're probably a favorite to get out of a Seattle sub-regional but not a favorite to get to the Final Four. And they have basically two full months to improve -- although all the other elite teams will also be improving. It is unfortunate that Hoffman is missing the valuable experience she could be gaining right now.
|
|
|
Post by blue-footedbooby on Oct 22, 2019 10:25:26 GMT -5
The dawgs will be fine. They are an upper-class laden team with a couple high octane sophs. I suspect they'll lose 2-3 more games but, relative to other teams, are in good shape.
|
|
|
Post by redbeard2008 on Oct 22, 2019 15:22:39 GMT -5
The dawgs will be fine. They are an upper-class laden team with a couple high octane sophs. I suspect they'll lose 2-3 more games but, relative to other teams, are in good shape. The biggest variables impacting UW's chances: 1) The development of Powell at setter. Having a sophomore at the most critical position outweighs having more experienced players at other positions. Biggest struggle: setting the middles. 2) The health of Hoffman at OH2. Bringing in Crenshaw shores up serve-receive and backrow defense, but weakens hitting and blocking. Moving Drechsel to OH2 and Cole/Bogomolova to Opp hurts passing and floor defense.
|
|
|
Post by alwayslearning on Oct 22, 2019 15:39:56 GMT -5
The dawgs will be fine. They are an upper-class laden team with a couple high octane sophs. I suspect they'll lose 2-3 more games but, relative to other teams, are in good shape. The biggest variables impacting UW's chances: 1) The development of Powell at setter. Having a sophomore at the most critical position outweighs having more experienced players at other positions. Biggest struggle: setting the middles. 2) The health of Hoffman at OH2. Bringing in Crenshaw shores up serve-receive and backrow defense, but weakens hitting and blocking. Moving Drechsel to OH2 and Cole/Bogomolova to Opp hurts passing and floor defense. Good points, Red. I think #2 looms larger in the short term, and #1 looms larger over the next couple seasons. I am not really sure why UW has such a problem with middle attack this year. On one hand, I think both Sanders and Niece are better blockers than offensive players, and relative to Bajema, Hoffman, and Drechsel, they are weaker links in the offense. On the other hand, it seems like a few other teams get more offense out of middles who are less athletic than UW's middles. UW really hasn't had a great middle attack since the days of Sybeldon and Wade. What do folks think -- is UW's anemic middle attack more the responsibility of Powell or of Sanders and Niece? Or maybe it's a failure of the coaching staff to develop this aspect of the offense? I think quite a bit of the responsibility rests on the coaching staff.
|
|
|
Post by blue-footedbooby on Oct 22, 2019 15:52:38 GMT -5
The dawgs will be fine. They are an upper-class laden team with a couple high octane sophs. I suspect they'll lose 2-3 more games but, relative to other teams, are in good shape. The biggest variables impacting UW's chances: 1) The development of Powell at setter. Having a sophomore at the most critical position outweighs having more experienced players at other positions. Biggest struggle: setting the middles. 2) The health of Hoffman at OH2. Bringing in Crenshaw shores up serve-receive and backrow defense, but weakens hitting and blocking. Moving Drechsel to OH2 and Cole/Bogomolova to Opp hurts passing and floor defense. Have you seen Powell's stats lately, she has been moving up the pac stats categories on a weekly basis and has become one of the leaders. Trending up! Sure, Hoffman is key, but she will be ok, it doesn't sound like the injury is major or requiring surgery or anything like that.
|
|
|
Post by redbeard2008 on Oct 22, 2019 16:26:47 GMT -5
Have you seen Powell's stats lately, she has been moving up the pac stats categories on a weekly basis and has become one of the leaders. Setter assist stats are next to meaningless for comparison purposes. Her blocking and digging are testament to her athletic talents, but have nothing to do with her performance purely as a setter, where she still has a lot of room to improve.
|
|
|
Post by mikegarrison on Oct 22, 2019 17:05:38 GMT -5
Hoffman is key, but she will be ok, it doesn't sound like the injury is major or requiring surgery or anything like that. Have you heard anything? I've never seen an announcement of any kind. Of course, she's a person as well as a volleyball player, and people have a right to privacy.
|
|
|
Post by blue-footedbooby on Oct 22, 2019 17:41:12 GMT -5
Have you seen Powell's stats lately, she has been moving up the pac stats categories on a weekly basis and has become one of the leaders. Setter assist stats are next to meaningless for comparison purposes. Her blocking and digging are testament to her athletic talents, but have nothing to do with her performance purely as a setter, where she still has a lot of room to improve. You also have to consider team's hitting %.
|
|
|
Post by blue-footedbooby on Oct 22, 2019 17:41:52 GMT -5
Hoffman is key, but she will be ok, it doesn't sound like the injury is major or requiring surgery or anything like that. Have you heard anything? I've never seen an announcement of any kind. Of course, she's a person as well as a volleyball player, and people have a right to privacy. I read somewhere where it is a strained stomach muscle.
|
|