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Post by Lovethegame on Feb 8, 2013 15:44:41 GMT -5
Who do you think Roustio is going to replace on the outside?McMahon? Birks?Stark? I agree they will be in good hands with Alexis but I dont see them replacing the OHs .Dont forget they still have Criswell also. She is better than Ali or Morgan... I dont see how you can make a statement like that when she has never set foot in a college game or practice. I understand your a fan of hers, friend, or family member and thats awesome.Its just a pretty bold comment considering the quality of players Illinois has,even on the bench. If you ask the any of them they will tell you its an enormous adjustment. You are entitled to your opinion in regards to the girls that have played but I dont know how you can make that assessment of Criswell when she hardly saw the court and Strizak is also an incoming freshman that appears to have the edge. I am none of the above...but I am a fan of Illini Vball and have seen all of them play on numerous occasions. This Roustio kid is the real deal. As said before me...I can't explain IT but I know IT when I see IT and this kid has IT..! There have been quite a few true freshmen playing in starting rotations all over the country; just look at the PAC. My point is that not having D1 experience isn't the measuring stick, its performance on the court. The other players, whom I admire, looked like they had lost their confidence last year. Maybe they can get it back and prove me wrong…I hope that they do.
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Post by Pasquale on Feb 8, 2013 16:31:10 GMT -5
Per Rick Kern, Brandi Donnelly has verballed for 2014. She is a 5'8" OH - assume she will be a walk-on defensive specialist.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Feb 9, 2013 12:19:10 GMT -5
From IlliniHQ:
Hambly adds commit. Brandi Donnelly, a junior from Williamsville, orally committed to the Illinois volleyball team Thursday night. The 5-foot-8 outside hitter is projected as a libero/defensive specialist for the Illini. She led the Springfield area in kills last season with 412 — 5.97 per set — and totaled 437 digs. Williamsville (26-7) advanced to the Class 2A sectional finals before losing to eventual state champion Deer Creek-Mackinaw. A member of the Bloomington-based Illini Elite Volleyball Club, Donnelly is a two-time News-Gazette All-State honorable mention selection. Donnelly is the second player this week to commit to UI coach Kevin Hambly’s program. On Monday night, sophomore outside hitter Beth Prince of Avon, Ind., announced she would attend Illinois.
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Post by rocwest on Feb 9, 2013 18:55:30 GMT -5
For those of you who see Morganne practice - do you think she'll get meaningful PT this year? She's seems to be in danger of getting lost in the shuffle and IMO she has too much talent not to contribute. I mean each year it always seems to be such a great bunch of student-athletes on the team that I don't much care who takes the floor but still, just wondering...
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Post by smiley on Feb 9, 2013 19:09:00 GMT -5
Crisswell's problem hasn't been the front row but the back. IMO she's stronger in the front than Stark but behind her all around. And now that Stark is on the right she's behind Birks and McMahon. Can she stay ahead of the incoming freshmen? We'll see. She is talented and REALLY wanted to come here to play so I hope things work out for her.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Feb 10, 2013 11:31:13 GMT -5
From IlliniHQ: Hambly adds commit. Brandi Donnelly, a junior from Williamsville, orally committed to the Illinois volleyball team Thursday night. The 5-foot-8 outside hitter is projected as a libero/defensive specialist for the Illini. She led the Springfield area in kills last season with 412 — 5.97 per set — and totaled 437 digs. Williamsville (26-7) advanced to the Class 2A sectional finals before losing to eventual state champion Deer Creek-Mackinaw. A member of the Bloomington-based Illini Elite Volleyball Club, Donnelly is a two-time News-Gazette All-State honorable mention selection. Donnelly is the second player this week to commit to UI coach Kevin Hambly’s program. On Monday night, sophomore outside hitter Beth Prince of Avon, Ind., announced she would attend Illinois. For those of you who believe in recruiting athletes and not just volleyball players, Donnelly is an athlete...here is an article on her stellar performance in last year's 2A softball championship: www.sj-r.com/sports/x1842808746/Williamsville-bows-to-Nashville-in-softball-championship-game?zc_p=0
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Post by topperbell on Feb 11, 2013 11:21:06 GMT -5
We can't use 1 match as a sample size to judge talent or how good one plays.
2nd, we have to take into account that Illini season was done with 3 or 4 matches to go. As a team and individuals they could play with a freedom that other teams in the Tourny didn't have the luxury of.
Liz & a few players looked really good in those last few matches of the season. Look at matches in the middle & begining of the season, players were lost & consistently inconsistent.
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Post by smiley on Feb 11, 2013 13:01:29 GMT -5
Beltran was the only player with any back row experience at the beginning of last year. Couple that with a strong pre conference SOS it's little wonder they had problems. They missed the tourney by ONE win. They had the highest RPI of any team that didn't qualify. Losing 8 5-set matches.
A major reason that Liz and others looked better is that they had a season of experience for the back row to improve.
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Post by Lovethegame on Feb 11, 2013 15:16:05 GMT -5
I am none of the above...but I am a fan of Illini Vball and have seen all of them play on numerous occasions. This Roustio kid is the real deal. As said before me...I can't explain IT but I know IT when I see IT and this kid has IT..! There have been quite a few true freshmen playing in starting rotations all over the country; just look at the PAC. My point is that not having D1 experience isn't the measuring stick, its performance on the court. The other players, whom I admire, looked like they had lost their confidence last year. Maybe they can get it back and prove me wrong…I hope that they do. If youre an Illini fan overall you wouldnt rip on one to build up another who has yet to prove herself, but ok. Last year the team struggled with chemistry - they have major talent. If you have watched all of them play on numerous occasions you know that Birks has a wicked arm swing with multiple shots and ended the season with 510 kills, McMahon ended the season on the outside and did extremely well Northwestern game -30 kills, Criswell is a beast and Stark is a lefty who played RS her entire career until Illinois.She struggled with hitting in a new position and coming off two injuries -to compare them to someone never seen on a college court is, silly. With that being said I hope she is as good as you say but experience plays a major roll in college ball .The team is already loaded with talent so depth is a bonus. Hoping for a great season for this team, and team being the key word. Hold on thar fbjr...I had no intention of RIP'g anyone; just an opinion and some observations. No doubt that Jocelyn and Liz will be a major part of getting the Illini back to D1 Elite status. If my comments get back to some of the players I would expect them to use it as motivation. One thing is certain; I will be cheering them on next year regardless of the outcome.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Feb 13, 2013 10:20:16 GMT -5
I am anxious to see Illinois' 2013 schedule, partly because I will be interested to see how much Hambly ratchets down the difficulty of the early non-conference portion.
The only part of the schedule I have heard comes from the Texas posting on the Longhorn schedule:
Sept. 13 - 14 - At Illinois against Illinois, North Dakota & South Dakota
I concur with the posters who think that the Longhorns are going to be such a power in 2013 now that the monkey is off their back of winning a championship. And, also due to the fact that they will have just about everyone back.
I would say the Illini playing North and South Dakota in their home tournament in 2013 is a definite step down from playing Iowa State twice as they did last season.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Feb 13, 2013 10:33:15 GMT -5
For any local Champaign area volleyball fans Coach Hambly and his wife, Mary, are going to be on the local WCIA afternoon "ci Living" program at 4pm on Thursday, Valentine's Day.
They will be competing as a couple against Justin Spring (the men's gymnastics coach) and his wife, and Dan Harleb (the baseball coach) and his wife, in a local version of The Newlywed Game.
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Post by smiley on Feb 13, 2013 11:08:39 GMT -5
I am anxious to see Illinois' 2013 schedule, partly because I will be interested to see how much Hambly ratchets down the difficulty of the early non-conference portion. The only part of the schedule I have heard comes from the Texas posting on the Longhorn schedule: Sept. 13 - 14 - At Illinois against Illinois, North Dakota & South Dakota I concur with the posters who think that the Longhorns are going to be such a power in 2013 now that the monkey is off their back of winning a championship. And, also due to the fact that they will have just about everyone back. I would say the Illini playing North and South Dakota in their home tournament in 2013 is a definite step down from playing Iowa State twice as they did last season. IMO that's a great tournament the Dakota's to give them some confidence and Texas to show them how hard they have to play. That's assuming we beat the Dakota's and Texas plays us tough. I have no idea how tough the Dakota's are and we usually play Texas tough. A sweep would be nice but I really hope we just play well.
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Post by Lovethegame on Feb 13, 2013 12:53:28 GMT -5
I am anxious to see Illinois' 2013 schedule, partly because I will be interested to see how much Hambly ratchets down the difficulty of the early non-conference portion. The only part of the schedule I have heard comes from the Texas posting on the Longhorn schedule: Sept. 13 - 14 - At Illinois against Illinois, North Dakota & South Dakota I concur with the posters who think that the Longhorns are going to be such a power in 2013 now that the monkey is off their back of winning a championship. And, also due to the fact that they will have just about everyone back. I would say the Illini playing North and South Dakota in their home tournament in 2013 is a definite step down from playing Iowa State twice as they did last season. IMO that's a great tournament the Dakota's to give them some confidence and Texas to show them how hard they have to play. That's assuming we beat the Dakota's and Texas plays us tough. I have no idea how tough the Dakota's are and we usually play Texas tough. A sweep would be nice but I really hope we just play well. From the Illini website Volleyball Spring Matches - Times TBA 03/30/13 at Kentucky # Lexington, Ky. 04/06/13 Opponent TBD # HUFF HALL 04/13/13 at Louisville # Louisville, Ky. 04/27/13 vs. Kansas State # William Woods; Fulton, Mo.
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Post by smiley on Feb 13, 2013 13:01:34 GMT -5
From the texas website north Dakota is actually Notre Dame. Still a good weekend.
Spring looks good too. Good teams, a challenge, winning is secondary in the spring, seeing how the returning players play together is what's important.
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Post by brucks on Feb 15, 2013 21:49:08 GMT -5
Per Rick Kern, Brandi Donnelly has verballed for 2014. She is a 5'8" OH - assume she will be a walk-on defensive specialist. Nope, she will be a scholarship recruit: www.illinihq.com/chats/2013-02-13/feb-15-womens-hoopsvolleyball-chat.htmlBrandi Donnelly is not a walk-on, but it's my understanding that she will be on scholarship for three years, not all four. This is similar to the offer and agreement between the UI and current freshman defensive specialist Julia Conard, who was guaranteed two years of scholarship aid.
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