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Post by stevehorn on Jan 14, 2024 16:34:50 GMT -5
With Blackwell going to Nebraska, I’m so excited to see our young middles start. Whether it’s Singletary and Ames, Singletary and Bunton, or Ames and Bunton, I’m confident they’ll be successful. All 3 were their state Gatorade players of the year. Singletary was the #12 recruit in her class, Bunton was #9 in her class, and Ames was #2 in her class and the national Gatorade player of the year. I know their defense and blocking will be a struggle but I’m not worried about the offense from all 3 of them. Don’t forget in 2022 when we won the national championship, we were not a blocking team at all. We only averaged 2.50 blocks per set last year that increased due to us averaging 3.16 blocks per set during the tournament when our blocking came alive towards the end of the season. So excited to see what the young middles can do. Bunton has really good highlights as well as Ames and we’ve already seen Singletary’s potential. I think it's way too early to conclude that our coaching staff is done searching the transfer portal for an experienced middle blocker. It's likely that the next window will present some new possibilities. I would be surprised if a starting caliber (for us) middle enters the portal during the spring window.
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Post by stanfordvb on Jan 14, 2024 16:41:04 GMT -5
I think it's way too early to conclude that our coaching staff is done searching the transfer portal for an experienced middle blocker. It's likely that the next window will present some new possibilities. I would be surprised if a starting caliber (for us) middle enters the portal during the spring window. I dont think that would need to happen... especially if it was a grad player coming for one semester a scholarship might not be necessary with what texas can do with NIL. dont yall only have 3 middles on the roster as of now? Thats like the bare minimum and with none having starting experience, id bet Elliot picks up another middle
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Post by stevehorn on Jan 14, 2024 17:00:26 GMT -5
I would be surprised if a starting caliber (for us) middle enters the portal during the spring window. I dont think that would need to happen... especially if it was a grad player coming for one semester a scholarship might not be necessary with what texas can do with NIL. dont yall only have 3 middles on the roster as of now? Thats like the bare minimum and with none having starting experience, id bet Elliot picks up another middle I don't see us picking up a middle just to be a backup. Most likely a middle capable of starting at Texas would have been in this past portal window so they could be at their new school this spring. Just not going to hold my breath that one of that caliber is going to enter in the spring.
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Post by swiss on Jan 14, 2024 17:10:52 GMT -5
The middle blocker position is where I think that JE should have went for a portal player. With the inexperience, there will obviously be a big drop off from this year. And Mari really didn't show anything when she was in playing this year.
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Post by horns1 on Jan 14, 2024 17:13:29 GMT -5
I dont think that would need to happen... especially if it was a grad player coming for one semester a scholarship might not be necessary with what texas can do with NIL. dont yall only have 3 middles on the roster as of now? Thats like the bare minimum and with none having starting experience, id bet Elliot picks up another middle I don't see us picking up a middle just to be a backup. Most likely a middle capable of starting at Texas would have been in this past portal window so they could be at their new school this spring. Just not going to hold my breath that one of that caliber is going to enter in the spring. I mean, 2 years ago Kaitlyn Hord entered the "early" portal window even though she wouldn't graduate until end of Spring. This offseason, Blackwell did the same thing. So, I don't think it matters when a player enters the portal if they aren't planning on enrolling until the summer. And, we all know how late Kayla Caffey entered the transfer portal.
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Post by stanfordvb on Jan 14, 2024 17:19:19 GMT -5
I don't see us picking up a middle just to be a backup. Most likely a middle capable of starting at Texas would have been in this past portal window so they could be at their new school this spring. Just not going to hold my breath that one of that caliber is going to enter in the spring. I mean, 2 years ago Kaitlyn Hord entered the "early" portal window even though she wouldn't graduate until end of Spring. This offseason, Blackwell did the same thing. So, I don't think it matters when a player enters the portal if they aren't planning on enrolling until the summer. And, we all know how late Kayla Caffey entered the transfer portal. pretty sure Bre Kelley didnt enter until the second window last year
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Post by stevehorn on Jan 14, 2024 18:12:47 GMT -5
I don't see us picking up a middle just to be a backup. Most likely a middle capable of starting at Texas would have been in this past portal window so they could be at their new school this spring. Just not going to hold my breath that one of that caliber is going to enter in the spring. I mean, 2 years ago Kaitlyn Hord entered the "early" portal window even though she wouldn't graduate until end of Spring. This offseason, Blackwell did the same thing. So, I don't think it matters when a player enters the portal if they aren't planning on enrolling until the summer. And, we all know how late Kayla Caffey entered the transfer portal. Hord and Blackwell did enter the portal between the fall and spring semesters. Even if they don't graduate until the end of the spring, the tendency for graduate transfers in the fall sports is still to enter the portal "early". I think we all know Caffey was an unique situation. Did any of the available middle transfers visit Texas in the past few weeks?
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Post by horns1 on Jan 14, 2024 18:28:02 GMT -5
Who is Sterling Mae Keech (edit: real name Abby Karich?).
I see that Cursty Le Roux started following her on Instagram. Keech's IG has photos of her graduating from Utah, and also in a Long Beach uniform. Keech follows Taylor Harvey, Skinner, Akana, and lots of Husker players. She is being followed by Cari Spears.
Cursty's follow is definitely very recent; not sure about the others.
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Post by eyeroll2021 on Jan 14, 2024 18:51:15 GMT -5
Who is Sterling Mae Keech (edit: real name Abby Karich?). I see that Cursty Le Roux started following her on Instagram. Keech's IG has photos of her graduating from Utah, and also in a Long Beach uniform. Keech follows Taylor Harvey, Skinner, Akana, and lots of Husker players. She is being followed by Cari Spears. Cursty's follow is definitely very recent; not sure about the others. She hit .155 for the season with 0.45 blocks/set - IDK why Cursty started following her, but that ain't gonna play at Texas
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2024 18:56:10 GMT -5
Who is Sterling Mae Keech (edit: real name Abby Karich?). I see that Cursty Le Roux started following her on Instagram. Keech's IG has photos of her graduating from Utah, and also in a Long Beach uniform. Keech follows Taylor Harvey, Skinner, Akana, and lots of Husker players. She is being followed by Cari Spears. Cursty's follow is definitely very recent; not sure about the others. that’s the finsta account of Abby Karich. 6’ OH that played beach and indoor at Utah and Long Beach. She redshirted in 2020 and has only used 3 of her 5 years of eligibility. Maybe she’s a potential beach transfer? Cause we don’t need anymore pins
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Post by stevehorn on Jan 14, 2024 19:10:08 GMT -5
Who is Sterling Mae Keech (edit: real name Abby Karich?). I see that Cursty Le Roux started following her on Instagram. Keech's IG has photos of her graduating from Utah, and also in a Long Beach uniform. Keech follows Taylor Harvey, Skinner, Akana, and lots of Husker players. She is being followed by Cari Spears. Cursty's follow is definitely very recent; not sure about the others. She hit .155 for the season with 0.45 blocks/set - IDK why Cursty started following her, but that ain't gonna play at Texas Started only 6 matches at Long Beach State last year and 4 matches at Utah in 2022.
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Post by hornshouse23 on Jan 14, 2024 19:19:42 GMT -5
The middle blocker position is where I think that JE should have went for a portal player. With the inexperience, there will obviously be a big drop off from this year. And Mari really didn't show anything when she was in playing this year. I’d rather have a high caliber second setter. There’s no way we were going to go another season with just one setter able to play at a Texas level. I’ll also just come right out and say it. We can afford to have a drop off in the middle with the talent we currently have on the pins, and with the strength of our back row defense. Madi is a goat. Rutherford is a goat. If Jenna picks up where she left off, and baby spice keeps being the little fleck she is, we’ll be fine.
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Post by swiss on Jan 14, 2024 19:59:03 GMT -5
The middle blocker position is where I think that JE should have went for a portal player. With the inexperience, there will obviously be a big drop off from this year. And Mari really didn't show anything when she was in playing this year. I’d rather have a high caliber second setter. There’s no way we were going to go another season with just one setter able to play at a Texas level. I’ll also just come right out and say it. We can afford to have a drop off in the middle with the talent we currently have on the pins, and with the strength of our back row defense. Madi is a host. Rutherford is a goat. If Jenna picks up where she left off, and baby spice keeps being the little fleck she is, we’ll be fine. All that is true, but I'm just speaking in terms of there being a big drop off with blocking. Which impacts the overall defense.
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Post by katn on Jan 14, 2024 22:29:29 GMT -5
I’d rather have a high caliber second setter. There’s no way we were going to go another season with just one setter able to play at a Texas level. I’ll also just come right out and say it. We can afford to have a drop off in the middle with the talent we currently have on the pins, and with the strength of our back row defense. Madi is a host. Rutherford is a goat. If Jenna picks up where she left off, and baby spice keeps being the little fleck she is, we’ll be fine. All that is true, but I'm just speaking in terms of there being a big drop off with blocking. Which impacts the overall defense. i think the players will really benefit from the extra practices they get leading up to their european trip & of course the additional playing time in europe as well...i can't remember how many extra weeks of practice time they're allotted...the trip will be great for team connectedness/bonding
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2024 22:51:36 GMT -5
The real question about Europe is will JE and staff be actively recruiting potential athletes or have they sworn of foreign athletes after Parra and Malual
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