Post by azvolleydad on May 20, 2019 18:32:31 GMT -5
I know that the Big East doesn’t generate a lot of activity on this board, but thought I'd try a quick preview of each team as we head toward the 2019 season. Please feel free to let me know all of the info, details, players, etc... that I’m missing.
In order of last year’s finishes:
Creighton: Probably lost the most of any Big East team to graduation last year. Big East POY, Big East Tournament MVP, and 3rd Team AA Jaali Winters, and All-Big East and Hon. Mention AA Taryn Kloth will be tough to replace. Those two combined for 941 kills (56% of Creighton’s totals), and 519 digs (26% of totals). The loss of freshman RS Kari Zumach (128 kills and 60 blocks) to transfer doesn’t help either. But the offensive cupboard isn’t bare -- they’re returning All-Big East and Hon. Mention AA Setter Madelyn Cole, second-team All-Big East MB Megan Ballenger and All-Big East Tournament MB Naomi Hickman. The defense will be ably anchored by 2017 Big East defensive POY Brittany Witt. The addition of solid transfer OH Erica Kostelac (272 kills and 48 blocks, 2nd-team all AAC) from Cincinnati, and incoming freshman MB Kiana Schmitt should also help. EDIT: Creighton is also losing some defensive depth with the transfer of junior DS Alexa Roumeliotis (110 sets played and 201 digs) to Colorado State.
Marquette: Also losing a lot of firepower to graduation in All-Big East OH Anna Haak, and three-time All-Big East MB Jenna Rostenthal. Those two combined for 526 kills (35% of totals) and 136 blocks (out of 180.5 total for the team). The return of three-time All-Big East and 2nd team AA OH Allie Barber (465 kills), 2nd-team All-Big East and Hon. Mention AA libero Martha Knovodoff, OH Hope Werch (2017 Big East FOY and 263 kills in 2018), and both setters (Sarah Rose and Lauren Speckman) will leave Marquette with a very solid core. Incoming players will also help – transfers OH Kaitlyn Lines (437 kills All-WCC from Pacific) and RS Gwyn Jones (221 kills from Auburn) – and the recruiting class of incoming freshman MB Claire Muessmeier and OH Hannah Vandenberg earned a “High Honorable Mention” rating from Prepvolleyball.
St. Johns: Didn’t lose a whole lot of their offense to graduation as they only had one senior (OH Lexi Lobdell) on the 2018 roster. They’re returning their 2018 kill leaders (Big East FOY, All-Big East, and Hon. Mention AA OH Efrosini Alexakou, RS Rachele Rastelli, and MB Kayley Wood), their setter (All-Big East Erica DiMaulo) and libero (Big East LOY and All-Big East Amanda Sanabia). For 2019, they’re adding three JC transfers (setter Tiziana Burmrokova (Czech Republic), MB Maria Angelica Palacios (Columbia), and OH Klara Mikelova (Czech Republic)), and one local incoming freshman (Iliana Rodrigues (New York, NY)).
Villanova: Losing offense in MB Amanda Pedersen-Henry (275 kills, 83 blocks) and depth in OH Darcy Wolf (121 kills) and setter/DS Ashley Knight (251 digs) to graduation. Returning players include senior setter Emma Decker (3,334 career assists), senior libero Regan Lough (2nd-team All-Big East), soph OH Clare Delaplane (2nd-team All-Big East), senior MB Allie Olsonoski (226 kills, 98 blocks), junior OH Mallory Potts (212 kills) and soph RS Sanaa Barnes (205 kills), so there will be returning firepower. The addition of transfer soph MB Sophia Howling, incoming freshman setter Belle Morgan (Hon. Mention HS AA), MB Kathleen Johnson, and OH Anastasia Galanou (Greece) may provide needed contributions and depth. EDIT: Nova is also adding incoming defender Maddie Schieder, who was all-state in PA for high school.
Georgetown: The graduation of MB Symone Speech (All-Big East), OH Alyssa Sinnette (2nd-team All-Big East), and libero Kinzie Higerada (1975 career digs) will hurt. In total, Georgetown is losing 52% of their kills, but returning senior OH Iva Vujosevic (315 kills) and junior setter Margo Pivonka (1023 assists) will help. Georgetown’s recruiting class is the highest rated in the Big East, earning a “Highest Honorable Mention” rating from Prepvolleyball. Incoming libero Kelly Chen, setter Emma Plutnicki, S/DS Ellie Watkins, and MB Brittany Wells could all contribute, but the star of the incoming class is 6’4” RS Peyton Wilhite.
Xavier: Lost a lot. Graduates OH Laura Grossman (297 Kills) and RS Morgan Finn (202 kills) were 1st/3rd in kills. Soph MB Audrey Adams (219 kills) was 2nd and she transferred to West Virginia. Assist leader setter Nadia Dieudonne (540) transferred to Western Kentucky, and second in assists McKena Estes (507) graduated. Dig leader Meredith Klare graduated and backup defender Ryan Shannon has transferred to UNC. Incoming transfer setter Alisa Watson (Concordia-Irvine) will have an immediate opportunity, and look for early contributions from their "High Honorable Mention" Prepvolleyball recruiting class of libero Alyssa Overbeck, and OH Maryanne O’Toole, setter/RS Carrigan O’Reilly, MB Hayley Heitmeyer.
Butler: The Bulldogs graduated MB Bri Lilly (All Big-East) and setter Maddie Freiwald (511 assists), but return most of their remaining significant contributors, including kill leader MB Brooke Gregory (296 kills), OH Natalie Ravenell (269 kills), libero Elizabeth LaBue, and setter Megan Ramseyer (429 assists). Incoming freshmen from a Prepvolleyball "High Honorable Mention" class include OH Megan Sheridan, setter Serena Wagner, and MB Funmi Oladapo. EDIT: Also returning is redshirt senior Anna Logan who sat out with injury in 2018, but was All-Big East and led the team in kills per set (3.12) in 2017.
Seton Hall: The loss of setter Sophia Coffey (768 assists) and top-3 OHs, Abby Thelen (All-Big East, 391), Caitlin Koska (291), and Cherise Hennigan (114), to graduation will hurt. Returners include MB Amanda Rachwal (136 kills, 73 blocks), and MB Haylee Gasser (169 kills, 75 blocks) and libero Eden Dolezal. The Pirates have six incoming freshman, including high school AA OH Julia Wilkins. Other recruits include OH Regan Hopp, MB/OH Mackenzie Huntley, MB Reece Koehler, libero Raygan Murray, and setter Grace Rosenberg.
DePaul: A young team, returning nearly everyone who made a significant contribution in 2018. Most notably, returning is RS Brittany Maxwell who sat out in 2018, but was 2nd-team All-Big East in 2017. Others returners include RS Emma Price (256 kills), OH Claire Anderson (195 kills), libero Isabelle Banez (439 digs) and setters Katie Dolan (451 assists) and Natalie Hayward (499 assists). Incoming freshmen are OH Elana Brueggeman, RS Bailey Nelson, and setter/DS Ella Siddall.
Providence: Graduation of MB Allison Impellizeri (2nd team All-Big East, 326 kills and 86 blocks) will hurt, but the remainder of the Providence contributors return, including (setter Allison Barber (1032 assists), OH Addison Root (316 kills), OH Jenae Alderson (249 kills), MB Lindsey Schaible (158 kills)), and libero Mackenzie Taylor (444 digs). Five incoming freshman, including setter Brielle Mullally (Hon. Mention HS AA ), OH Emma Nelson, MB Sasha Rudich, OH Addison Witte, and DS Caroline LaMacchia, could help the Fryers move up the standings. EDIT: OH Jenny Leitman and MB Elena Leontaridou (Greece
) are also incoming freshmen.
Here’s my prediction for the top four:
1. Marquette
2. St. Johns
3. Creighton
4. Villanova
In order of last year’s finishes:
Creighton: Probably lost the most of any Big East team to graduation last year. Big East POY, Big East Tournament MVP, and 3rd Team AA Jaali Winters, and All-Big East and Hon. Mention AA Taryn Kloth will be tough to replace. Those two combined for 941 kills (56% of Creighton’s totals), and 519 digs (26% of totals). The loss of freshman RS Kari Zumach (128 kills and 60 blocks) to transfer doesn’t help either. But the offensive cupboard isn’t bare -- they’re returning All-Big East and Hon. Mention AA Setter Madelyn Cole, second-team All-Big East MB Megan Ballenger and All-Big East Tournament MB Naomi Hickman. The defense will be ably anchored by 2017 Big East defensive POY Brittany Witt. The addition of solid transfer OH Erica Kostelac (272 kills and 48 blocks, 2nd-team all AAC) from Cincinnati, and incoming freshman MB Kiana Schmitt should also help. EDIT: Creighton is also losing some defensive depth with the transfer of junior DS Alexa Roumeliotis (110 sets played and 201 digs) to Colorado State.
Marquette: Also losing a lot of firepower to graduation in All-Big East OH Anna Haak, and three-time All-Big East MB Jenna Rostenthal. Those two combined for 526 kills (35% of totals) and 136 blocks (out of 180.5 total for the team). The return of three-time All-Big East and 2nd team AA OH Allie Barber (465 kills), 2nd-team All-Big East and Hon. Mention AA libero Martha Knovodoff, OH Hope Werch (2017 Big East FOY and 263 kills in 2018), and both setters (Sarah Rose and Lauren Speckman) will leave Marquette with a very solid core. Incoming players will also help – transfers OH Kaitlyn Lines (437 kills All-WCC from Pacific) and RS Gwyn Jones (221 kills from Auburn) – and the recruiting class of incoming freshman MB Claire Muessmeier and OH Hannah Vandenberg earned a “High Honorable Mention” rating from Prepvolleyball.
St. Johns: Didn’t lose a whole lot of their offense to graduation as they only had one senior (OH Lexi Lobdell) on the 2018 roster. They’re returning their 2018 kill leaders (Big East FOY, All-Big East, and Hon. Mention AA OH Efrosini Alexakou, RS Rachele Rastelli, and MB Kayley Wood), their setter (All-Big East Erica DiMaulo) and libero (Big East LOY and All-Big East Amanda Sanabia). For 2019, they’re adding three JC transfers (setter Tiziana Burmrokova (Czech Republic), MB Maria Angelica Palacios (Columbia), and OH Klara Mikelova (Czech Republic)), and one local incoming freshman (Iliana Rodrigues (New York, NY)).
Villanova: Losing offense in MB Amanda Pedersen-Henry (275 kills, 83 blocks) and depth in OH Darcy Wolf (121 kills) and setter/DS Ashley Knight (251 digs) to graduation. Returning players include senior setter Emma Decker (3,334 career assists), senior libero Regan Lough (2nd-team All-Big East), soph OH Clare Delaplane (2nd-team All-Big East), senior MB Allie Olsonoski (226 kills, 98 blocks), junior OH Mallory Potts (212 kills) and soph RS Sanaa Barnes (205 kills), so there will be returning firepower. The addition of transfer soph MB Sophia Howling, incoming freshman setter Belle Morgan (Hon. Mention HS AA), MB Kathleen Johnson, and OH Anastasia Galanou (Greece) may provide needed contributions and depth. EDIT: Nova is also adding incoming defender Maddie Schieder, who was all-state in PA for high school.
Georgetown: The graduation of MB Symone Speech (All-Big East), OH Alyssa Sinnette (2nd-team All-Big East), and libero Kinzie Higerada (1975 career digs) will hurt. In total, Georgetown is losing 52% of their kills, but returning senior OH Iva Vujosevic (315 kills) and junior setter Margo Pivonka (1023 assists) will help. Georgetown’s recruiting class is the highest rated in the Big East, earning a “Highest Honorable Mention” rating from Prepvolleyball. Incoming libero Kelly Chen, setter Emma Plutnicki, S/DS Ellie Watkins, and MB Brittany Wells could all contribute, but the star of the incoming class is 6’4” RS Peyton Wilhite.
Xavier: Lost a lot. Graduates OH Laura Grossman (297 Kills) and RS Morgan Finn (202 kills) were 1st/3rd in kills. Soph MB Audrey Adams (219 kills) was 2nd and she transferred to West Virginia. Assist leader setter Nadia Dieudonne (540) transferred to Western Kentucky, and second in assists McKena Estes (507) graduated. Dig leader Meredith Klare graduated and backup defender Ryan Shannon has transferred to UNC. Incoming transfer setter Alisa Watson (Concordia-Irvine) will have an immediate opportunity, and look for early contributions from their "High Honorable Mention" Prepvolleyball recruiting class of libero Alyssa Overbeck, and OH Maryanne O’Toole, setter/RS Carrigan O’Reilly, MB Hayley Heitmeyer.
Butler: The Bulldogs graduated MB Bri Lilly (All Big-East) and setter Maddie Freiwald (511 assists), but return most of their remaining significant contributors, including kill leader MB Brooke Gregory (296 kills), OH Natalie Ravenell (269 kills), libero Elizabeth LaBue, and setter Megan Ramseyer (429 assists). Incoming freshmen from a Prepvolleyball "High Honorable Mention" class include OH Megan Sheridan, setter Serena Wagner, and MB Funmi Oladapo. EDIT: Also returning is redshirt senior Anna Logan who sat out with injury in 2018, but was All-Big East and led the team in kills per set (3.12) in 2017.
Seton Hall: The loss of setter Sophia Coffey (768 assists) and top-3 OHs, Abby Thelen (All-Big East, 391), Caitlin Koska (291), and Cherise Hennigan (114), to graduation will hurt. Returners include MB Amanda Rachwal (136 kills, 73 blocks), and MB Haylee Gasser (169 kills, 75 blocks) and libero Eden Dolezal. The Pirates have six incoming freshman, including high school AA OH Julia Wilkins. Other recruits include OH Regan Hopp, MB/OH Mackenzie Huntley, MB Reece Koehler, libero Raygan Murray, and setter Grace Rosenberg.
DePaul: A young team, returning nearly everyone who made a significant contribution in 2018. Most notably, returning is RS Brittany Maxwell who sat out in 2018, but was 2nd-team All-Big East in 2017. Others returners include RS Emma Price (256 kills), OH Claire Anderson (195 kills), libero Isabelle Banez (439 digs) and setters Katie Dolan (451 assists) and Natalie Hayward (499 assists). Incoming freshmen are OH Elana Brueggeman, RS Bailey Nelson, and setter/DS Ella Siddall.
Providence: Graduation of MB Allison Impellizeri (2nd team All-Big East, 326 kills and 86 blocks) will hurt, but the remainder of the Providence contributors return, including (setter Allison Barber (1032 assists), OH Addison Root (316 kills), OH Jenae Alderson (249 kills), MB Lindsey Schaible (158 kills)), and libero Mackenzie Taylor (444 digs). Five incoming freshman, including setter Brielle Mullally (Hon. Mention HS AA ), OH Emma Nelson, MB Sasha Rudich, OH Addison Witte, and DS Caroline LaMacchia, could help the Fryers move up the standings. EDIT: OH Jenny Leitman and MB Elena Leontaridou (Greece
) are also incoming freshmen.
Here’s my prediction for the top four:
1. Marquette
2. St. Johns
3. Creighton
4. Villanova