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Post by azsker on Dec 9, 2018 17:13:35 GMT -5
We say that until Lanier transfers... just kidding? Maybe she transfers to Wisconsin....if she wants to win national championship Wisconsin would have better chance than Nebraska with her. lol |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2018 17:15:56 GMT -5
Maybe she transfers to Wisconsin....if she wants to win national championship Wisconsin would have better chance than Nebraska with her. lol Lanier will be in senior year. I think she stay. Botkin could transfer though. |
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Post by hochee on Dec 9, 2018 17:22:10 GMT -5
I'm watching the Smalls Division
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Post by Wiswell on Dec 9, 2018 17:47:52 GMT -5
I remember when we had 2 MB on the roster, Ording and Mitchell. Now we will have 5.
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Post by badgerbreath on Dec 9, 2018 20:54:38 GMT -5
There is a lot of great stuff coming back next year for the badgers, and I am very optimistic though I will miss Williams. But maybe I will focus on the challenges that the badgers have to face because how they deal with those will be more interesting, and more relevant to their success.
Williams will be a big miss I think. She was really sharp on the court the last half of the B1G season - it was something I was not aware of until I watched them in person. Kept the team humming in transition in all sorts of ways that weren't obvious. Experience matters. And she had court speed that stretches defenses, and provided a different look. With her and Thompson, badgers have had that option for quite a while. Hart has enormous promise, and she has a way to go to match that, but she will end up bringing different qualities - like a bigger if possibly slower block. After a Spring and Summer in practice we will see how Hart and the badgers look. It will be interesting to watch.
As for leadership, I think the badgers will be OK. The ability to win 5 set matches, especially at PSU, and the 4th set comeback at Huff suggest that is improving. They are a funny bunch - maybe all a bit the same when they started and possibly not clear as a result who should take what role. Then Clark came in and didn't know how she fit in. And Molly wasn't there because she was injured. But now I feel the personalities are starting to come out and take their roles. From the outside, Duello and Clark look to be stepping up into leadership roles, and Haggerty I think is really important as well as she improves. There may be more going on that we can't see. But, really, Hilley is the hub. She is the one. I was really impressed with her in the PSU match, and she was the one who gathered the team after the Illini match. She is a great athlete, and has just continued to get better and more comfortable in her setting (both meanings), and I think it rolls over into her leadership role. She is good now and she will get better, because that is in her nature.
Outsides: Haggerty had the typical recovery season, IMO. First getting a feel for her body, then getting her confidence back given slightly reduced vertical and finally getting the court vision. She looked good toward the end and is likely to get better. They will work to improve her strength I think, try to get more of that vertical back. Loberg I feel had kind of the archetypal sophomore season, stifled by injury early on, with continuing confidence issues throughout, and probably scouted thoroughly in the B1G. I expect she gets better next year as she gets more comfortable, expands her range and improves her decision making. But the badgers have to figure out this second ball thing. Which brings me to...
2nd contact: Man I miss Courtney Thomas! This is the huge remaining problem the badgers have, IMO. Partly Loberg's and Haggerty's improvement was slowed by how inconsistent and generally predictable the 2nd contacts were when Hilley didn't take them. Ironic, because they were responsible for those contacts for much of the year! Badgers junk was worse than other teams junk - it's one thing that really separated them from the other better teams in the league. And because of Rettke, the outsides got more of that junk than is true of most teams, who use outsides more as major part of their normal in-system offense. The badgers started to rectify the imbalance by the end of the season, but they still have to figure this 2nd contact thing out. Clark is great in other respects but she simply HAS to get better in this one. Maybe get Clark to be able to set properly, and to set to both pins without projecting to obviously. Heck, bumpsetting might be better than the telegraphed overhand sets that Loberg and Haggerty were producing. Set B1G blocks are just too good.
Defense and serving: Badgers were pretty good defensively this year, but they need to get better. They lost the illinois match for two reasons. They could not serve consistently, and they could not pass well enough. The badger defense, as is true for most defenses, starts with a good serve. The badgers can be devastating in service, but not consistent through a match. They float into and out of effectiveness not as individuals, but as a team. This is a tricky thing to address.
Passing: I leave this to last because I actually don't think it's a terrible problem. On the whole it was pretty good by the end of the season, Illinois match excepted. Hilley is ridiculously athletic and other teams convert worse chances. But it could get better by not being so goddamned streaky. As in all things, it's the streaks that kill.
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Post by bballnut90 on Dec 9, 2018 20:58:08 GMT -5
Hard to be too disappointed with what was a good year overall, especially since pins were not at 100% much of the year.
If you look at the 4 teams that made it, all of them had an absolute gun on the left who took over in the regionals. Rettke is incredible and I think shes one of the most unique middles I've ever seen, but at this level the Badgers need better production from their left sides if they want to get to the next step. It's no coincidence that most of the Badger losses stemmed from struggling on the left side. I think the potential is there for Haggerty and Loberg since both can unload a heavy ball and have good passing/defense, but theyll be the ones who ultimately make or break the season.
Individual thoughts--Rettke was unreal this year. Loved the huge improvement in Duello's play. Same with Hilley as the season went on. Clark had her up and downs with the libero jersey but overall was quite solid. William's finished her career with a bang...a bit disappointed she didnt have her best year but overall she had a stellar career. Loberg was up and down but did a much better job defensively than I expected her to. There were a lot of really frustrating moments during the regional final but I liked how Wisconsin fought back in set 4 even if they couldn't finish the job. The Big Ten will be loaded once again next year so I hope players (and coaches) work their butts off in the offseason to improve and capitalize on what should be a Final Four year in 2019.
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Post by volleyca on Dec 9, 2018 21:10:35 GMT -5
Add Foecke to the long list of Nebraska greats that "can't be replaced" as Nebraska keeps delivering great seasons... I've seen the recruits you have coming in next year...none are Foecke I guess Cook could always have his "Missouri speech" with Sweet to free up for a transfer. Does he actually have a Missouri speech |
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Post by Badger Alum on Dec 10, 2018 0:05:22 GMT -5
What gives me the most optimism for next year is Hilley. She improved so much this year and developed into an elite setter. I think Poulter is the best setter in the country and deserves serious consideration for POY. But she won't be back next year. I realize I'm in the minority here, but I think Hilley is as good if not better than SSS.
The Badgers will be very good next year and I think Hilley will be the leader of the team next year. She's special.
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Post by badgerbill on Dec 10, 2018 7:46:51 GMT -5
I think Hilley is more dynamic and can change tempos a bitt better than SSS. Hilley is definitely more athletic
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Post by mozhno on Dec 10, 2018 8:28:49 GMT -5
I cheer for Nebraska and Purdue, so I am no fanboy for Wis. I agree that Wis and PSU are the clear co-favorites for next year. Hilley is one of the reasons, along with the rest of an experienced squad. I thought Hilley improved quite a bit this season and see no reason why that won't continue. Ill and Neb lose some very significant senior parts to their current squads, and both will have to remold their teams substantially
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Post by Wiswell on Dec 10, 2018 8:50:14 GMT -5
I read these threads and I feel like it's the movie Groundhog Day. *sigh* (I'll be fine) The Groundhog Day actually refers to the usual commentary about how these other teams are losing x and y player and because of that the Badgers will be better because they have most of the parts. But those teams with x and y player always seem to land some miracle transfer. I'm not hoping for a transfer, because we don't need one, but I am frustrated with that process.
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Post by wiscvball on Dec 10, 2018 9:39:47 GMT -5
I cheer for Nebraska and Purdue, so I am no fanboy for Wis. I agree that Wis and PSU are the clear co-favorites for next year. Hilley is one of the reasons, along with the rest of an experienced squad. I thought Hilley improved quite a bit this season and see no reason why that won't continue. Ill and Neb lose some very significant senior parts to their current squads, and both will have to remold their teams substantially I think Minnesota will be better than PSU next year. SSS is a big loss, but they return every single hitter and passer. PSU needs to replace 2 pins and a setter. I'm sure Russ has his tricks up his sleeve, but I think they'll finish about where they did this year in the B1G. |
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Post by Badger Alum on Dec 10, 2018 9:47:05 GMT -5
The biggest thing I think the Badgers need to figure out this coming year is how to consistently terminate OOS plays. That is the one area we are not strong enough. We improved our defense so much from the beginning of the year. We had great setting and middle play. Good blocking. But when you play other elite teams, you'll have long volleys and the passing will not be perfect. We need someone that can consistently terminate without a great pass/set or against a good block and defense. The elite teams have that. Look at the 4 FF teams. They have it. We don't. If we can figure that part out we'll be in the FF next year.
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Post by volleyca on Dec 10, 2018 10:06:58 GMT -5
IMO there’s no reason why Wisconsin shouldn’t be a Top 4 team and make the Final 4 next year
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Post by Wiswell on Dec 10, 2018 13:18:05 GMT -5
Pittsburgh is practically, but not technically, my home town. We go way back, as it were. So if we can't make it to Hilley's home town in 2018, how about my home town in 2019?
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