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Post by c4ndlelight on Dec 22, 2010 22:19:21 GMT -5
1. USC - obvious favorites. If FF and Jupiter continue to develop their passing games, they will be huge. Big if, but can't not be the favorites.
2. UCLA - very deep team not losing much, and Sealy is doing a great job bringing in a good recruiting class. This is a team on the rise, and I think we've entered a phase where ball control and defense are really gonna be the keys to success in the NCAA.
3. Cal - Loss of Carli will be huge, but Cal will still be a very disciplined team with a great block and some great talent.
4/5 Stanford/UW - Both teams are losing a lot of firepower. I think UW may actually upgrade with ball control and defense (I don't think Perry would have been playing back row in a lot of other programs) and I have a lot of faith in Nogueras. Stanford will be tall and have some greathighly recruited players, but I don't see them landing higher. Maybe they'll surprise me. 6. Oregon - Homer pick, we should probably be 8/9 because our ball control hasn't recovered since Swoboda.
7. WSU - My sleeper pick - I think the new coach is actually doing a great job - they just lost too many seniors (was it 5 or 6 starters?) from last year to make too much noise this year. Ganzer will be back; I expect them to put together a surprising season.
8. Arizona - In recent years they've performed to the bare minimum that the level of talent on the court has allowed. With Dosty/Owens/Weber gone and not a lot of ball control - blech.
9/10 - Utah/Arizona State - Neither of these teams will make too much noise.
11. Oregon State - Congrats! You're not last!
12. Colorado - Welcome!
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Post by storm13coach2013 on Dec 22, 2010 22:34:33 GMT -5
It is interesting to see if Barrett can use the blocking systems as well as Carli Lloyd did for Cal. Carli was fantastic on the right all year, and Barrett has shoes to fill in that position. Of course, if she is a great setter and leader, she can compensate for not being quite the blocker Lloyd is with other factors.
Washington, ehhh, always seems to be talented, and no one never knows what they are going to do. McLaughlin can bring and develop talent, so he will have no shortage of good players. What they do on the court will be another thing, ranging from right where they finished this year to a National Championship if everything falls perfectly. The same can be said for many teams in the nation next year.
Stanford may be facing tough times, but there is still lots of talent to work with and John Dunning may enjoy this team more than the past few. Everyone knew that Klineman would need to take huge swings this year, and next year he gets to mold and shape more than in the past. They will be young and fiesty, with Williams, Wopat, Spelman, and Cook taking the helm.
USC is loaded, but in a "disease of more" way. Will Jupiter and Bateman, feeling the pressure of leaving with no titles, force things to much? Can the team jell again, the passing be there, and the sophomores produce? For a team returning everyone, questions are still there. Pressure shows a teams true colors, and the National Semis shined a light in an unflattering way on a USC team that had been playing really well.
Who will win the Pac-12? I'd place my money on Cal, USC, or Washington (really going out on a limb there). I'll admit I haven't seen Oregon or UCLA play much, but many are high on their team and recruits, so they could make some noise (VT is pretty knowledgeable). UCLA has a good coach, and his results this year speak loudly, even the loss to Texas at Texas without Camp (winning a set is impressive, with little size against the Texas beasts). He needs to back up the work this year with better results next year, as this year expectations were low and the team was playing with house money. Camp needs to come back healthy and not affected by her second knee surgery.
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Post by gocalbears on Dec 23, 2010 2:47:57 GMT -5
The reason Barrett was so highly regarded and was the mvp of the junior olympics is due to her leadership qualities and her superior placement of her sets. She will not be the super athlete Lloyd was, but her consistency in her sets and ability to connect with hitters will be a big factor for cal's success next year. The bears also have 6'2 Lindsey Parrott coming in next year to set. She is utility player who can hit and pass just as well as she can set. Also has a solid jump serve that has caused problems for norcal highschool teams the past few years. Wouldn't be surprised to see them win the Pac next year
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Post by dawgnerd on Dec 23, 2010 10:42:27 GMT -5
I am interested in how Cal fills the leadership void left behind Carli Lloyd. It resembles the situation Washington faced after Thompson (with Tara M. in the Morrison role?). The loss of skills was the smaller part of that adjustment. Before anyone says it, this is absolutely not a dis on Jenna, who clearly has done her part in filling that role.
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Post by dawgnerd on Dec 23, 2010 11:08:30 GMT -5
I think UW may actually upgrade with ball control and defense Especially considering Orlandini's performance during the tournament. She stepped up and took charge on defense. A big ?? at the start of this year is looking like a strong point for 3 more years.
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Post by mightytotems on Dec 23, 2010 17:30:30 GMT -5
Washington, ehhh, always seems to be talented, and no one never knows what they are going to do. "no one never knows"... so everybody knows?
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Post by mightytotems on Dec 23, 2010 17:35:12 GMT -5
I do hope Cal, Washington and USC step up and schedule some good OOC matches in the few opportunities they get. Stanford is doing the NIKE thing with PSU, etc. and UCLA always goes to Hawaii and schedules well outside that. I read a comment somewhere that Oregon was going to try to up it's RPI after what happened this year. If they all schedule up there will be a better idea of what the conference strength is; and a Pac10-Big 10 showdown would be COOL. Pretty sure Washington is playing in the 2011 AVCA Showcase.
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Post by volleyboil on Dec 23, 2010 17:36:04 GMT -5
11/12: Utah/Colorado
Beth is a good coach but having to prepare your team for every match, not just CSU, will take it's toll on the Utes in 2011.
The altitude won't be enough of an advantage for CU in 2011.
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Post by baywatcher on Dec 23, 2010 18:11:46 GMT -5
Pretty sure Washington is playing in the 2011 AVCA Showcase. True, but Nebraska dropped out; don't know if there will be a showcase, or if they will move it somewhere else than Omaha.
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Post by chipNdink on Dec 23, 2010 18:27:34 GMT -5
Interesting and hard to predict is how I'd describe UW in '11. Yeah, the new recruits are great, but how many true freshman really make a huge difference? Some. Not a lot. ... Just ask PSU how they would've done without their Freshmen. That's probably why (along with finding a setter issues) they sputtered early in the season, but then came on strong near the end. Doubt PSU would've won their 4th straight Championship without their NFOY and Final Four MOP. Hopefully one of UW's Freshmen can achieve the same feat.
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Post by pac10alltheway on Dec 23, 2010 18:46:43 GMT -5
I definitely wouldn't put UCLA in the top 2. They have a lot of improvement to do. Yes, other teams have big holes to fill and other players on those teams will need to improve, but UCLA would have to improve equally as much to attain that level. I'll take USC and Cal above UCLA. I also certainly wouldn't predict the demise of Stanford. It may happen, but I wouldn't be the one to predict it. So maybe even Stanford or UW third instead of UCLA. But maybe that's a stretch prediction also...I'm conflicted:)
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Post by ay2013 on Dec 23, 2010 20:11:31 GMT -5
UCLA is not in the top 2 Pac-10. They might finish that way in the subjective minds of us here in volleytalk, but they won't start that way and probably won't play their way into the top two earlier enough to have the second best record in the Pac-10. They had a very solid season with all they lost but they are losing Mcgraw which is huge for a program that struggles offensively in the first place. Kidder this, Kidder that, no...it was Mcgraw that led all pin hitters in kills and hitting percentage. I still think they will be very good, but just not better than Cal/USC starting the season.
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Post by vbbuck on Dec 23, 2010 21:42:11 GMT -5
Better not underestimate ASU to much folks!
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Post by BearClause on Dec 23, 2010 23:06:07 GMT -5
Better not underestimate ASU to much folks! Without Sarah Reaves? I have my doubts. I think her efforts had a lot to do with the several upsets that ASU had last season.
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Post by itssimple on Dec 25, 2010 23:49:46 GMT -5
Kidder this and Kidder that? It was Mcgraw that lead..... Um. Did you watch any of their big games? Doesn't sound like it.
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