2006!

[aaronic]

Now that the 2005 season is officially over!

we can officially begin discussions about next year!!!



Nebraska will be back to the FF
Stanford will be back at the FF


Texas, Penn St., and Florida will also be in the running. Who else?

[Deleted]

Wait for it... here it comes ...

[chrisreed]

ruffda said:

Wait for it... here it comes ...

and there it went....

[Deleted]

I like that metaphorically. But not exactly what I'm waiting for...

[Keystonekid]

I see Nebraska, Stanford, Florida and PSU or Texas.

[aaronic]

For Husker fans, now that Saleaumua is gone, will be seeing a return to a 5-1 offense next season???


Scwartz was good tonight.

[Deleted]

There's a lot of people who say Holloway is the best setter of the bunch. I bet we'd see Busboom at libero before Schwartz.

[aaronic]

Penn State? Even more so without Tortorello, they have the potential to crack early again in the NCAAs next year...

[edburby]

Minnesota will finally get their act together - and have all summer to build their back row. Chemistry will be fixed. Look for a tie in the Big Ten: MN & Wisc ...Penn State will not be the team they were this year

[triasfan]

Yes, but they will still be very good. With all five hitters returning, including a hopefully healthy Harmotto, Penn State won't need a great setter to contend next year, only a decent one. Look at Hawaii in 2002 and even 2003. Jen and Marg as seniors and Kamana'o as a freshman weren't great, but they had great hitters that made them look good. Penn State will be in the same situation next year. They will be back.

[edburby]

They will be contendors in the conference - not a runaway freight train

[triasfan]

Well until a team steps up and knocks Penn State out of the Big 10 Champion throne, I'd be inclined to believe they will win it again. Russ has done a very good job of putting out teams that haven't always been dominant, but have been very consistent. They very rarely have off nights and during conference play that's what you need. Both Minnesota and Wisconsin have yet to show the consistency it would take to knock Penn State off its throne.

[Deleted]

I am still baffled as to why PSU can be so steady and consistent during the Big10 year and then be upset so often in the NCAAs. They should not have lost to Tennessee, even without Harmotto.

[Deleted]

ruffda said:

I am still baffled as to why PSU can be so steady and consistent during the Big10 year and then be upset so often in the NCAAs. They should not have lost to Tennessee, even without Harmotto.

I've been wondering about the same thing, so I wanted to see how they finished in the NCAA tournament since winning the title in 1999

2000-reg. final loss to USC, not really an upset
2001-2nd round loss to UCLA, even though at Penn State, not reallly an upset since UCLA was a top 10 team that year. UCLA eventually lost in the reg. final to Long Beach
2002-2nd round loss to Temple-big upset
2003-reg. final loss to Florida, not an upset
2004-reg. semifinal loss to UCLA, moderate upset
2005-reg. semifinal loss to Tennessee. big upset

I suppose it's somewhat surprising that Penn State hasn't made it back to the final four since 1999 even though they probably had enough talent to do it a few times, but in fairness they really weren't expected to win all those matches, especially the one against Florida. I guess that's why Tortorello is sometimes (unfairly) criticized for being unable to win the high pressure matches in the tournament.

[Deleted]

UCLA loss was an upset. Pretty sure PSU was the higher seed and at home. Actually, I know they were.

Don't remember the 2000 match.