Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2020 19:25:16 GMT -5
So I've received several DMs to start this thread and since the Big West contributed 3 teams to the NCAA tournament in 2019 I figure it's time we had our own thread, along with the big(ger) boys. I'm not going to include a poll - since the proliferation of Hawaii fans will no doubt skew it in a certain direction and poor jake only has one vote to cast for Cal Poly. I'll will be continuing to expand the OP in size and detail as and when I have time. Those of you with knowledge of incoming BW freshman classes, please feel free to DM me specifics so that I don't miss anyone.
2020 Season Preview
by bigwestfan2
#1 Hawaii
Overall 2019 Record: 26-4
Conference Record: 14-2
Tournament Placement: NCAA Sweet Sixteen (lost to Nebraksa 3-0)
Final RPI: 12
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Kyra Hanawahine, Sr, 5'2, DS
*Brooke Van Sickle, RS Sr, 5'9, OH/L
*Amber Igiede, So, 6'3, MB
Janelle Gong, RS Jr, 5'9, DS
Riley Wagoner, So, 6'0, OH
*Skyler Williams, Sr, 6'1, MB
Tiffany Westerberg, So, 6'3, OH/MB
Braelyen Akana, So, 6'0, OH/MB
*Hanna Helvig, So, 6'2, OH
*Jolie Rasmussen, RS Sr, 6'2, OH
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Bailey Choi, 5'9, S
Kirsten Sibley, 6'2, OH
*Norene Iosia, 5'11, S
*Rika Okino, 5'5, L
*McKenna Ross, 5'10, OH
Kamalei Krug, So, 6'2, MB (retired from indoor)
Incoming Players:
Anna Kiraly, 6'3, MB,
Kate Lang, 5'10, S
Mylana Byrd, Jr, 6'2, S (transferring from Alabama)
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 5th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 2nd
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): tied 1st
2019 Review:
The Wahine started non-conference on fire before losing Jolie Rasmussen for almost the entire season. Offensively that undoubtedly hurt a roster that would surely have run away with the conference if she had been healthy. Coach Robin Ah-Mow managed to reorganize the roster into a scrappy, ball-control team which had just enough offensive firepower to keep them at the top of the conference, despite having the 5th best offensive efficiency in the Big West. Speaking of firepower, Fr. Hanna Helvig came out of nowhere (well, Sweden to be specific) to lead the team offensively, with almost a thousand swings. Rasmussen wasn't the only major injury the Wahine suffered in 2019; OH/DS/whatever-else-you-need-her-to-do Brooke Van Sickle sustained a knee injury midway through the season but continued to ball out, leading the Bows in hitting efficiency (.286) through the tournament. Senior setters, Norene Iosia and Bailey Choi ran an offense which featured a significantly improved Skylar Williams who led the team this season with a kill rate of 49.1% (a colossal 11% increase over her previous best) and true Freshman Amber Igiede, whose own kill rate of 43.8% bodes well for the future. Passing wise, the Bows were solid in conference play, with Van Sickle (2.15) and graduating pair Rika Okino (2.14) and McKenna Ross (2.17) handling the majority of the duties, on the way to a team passing grade of 2.16. The 2019 Wahine were the class of the conference in terms of blocking - recording 318 stuff blocks whilst being the only school to record a 'good block touch' percentage of over 50%. Overall, the Bows were joint first in defensive efficiency (with Cal Poly) on the year. That combination of good block touch, consistent digging and experienced setters allowed the Bows to reclaim the top spot in the Big West this year, despite losing their best offensive weapon.
In the tournament, Hawaii started off with a bit of a scrappy game against Northern Colorado in which no one really seemed to want to win (UNC hit .139 on the match, but Hawaii passed a 1.85 as a team to keep things interesting) only to follow it up with one of their best performances of the season against San Diego. The Wahine swept a dangerous Torero outfit in front of a sold out Stan Sheriff Center. That set up a meeting with the Huskers in the Sweet Sixteen. Despite a strong hitting efforts from the pins (BVS, Iosia and Ross all had over 39% kill rates), the Bows' couldn't get their middles going and couldn't slow down a Nebraska offense which hit .312 en route to a sweep. But all things considered it was a fantastic season for a Hawaii squad which overcame their fair share of obstacles and emerged triumphant from a very competitive Big West.
2020 Preview:
2020 looks bright for the Rainbow Wahine (assuming we have a 2020 season.... actually, lets not get into that)! Yes, they graduated both of their setters; emotional leader Norene Iosia and the extremely consistent Bailey Choi but they return the majority of the rest of the unit that won a much improved Big West this year. The other departures are McKenna Ross and Rika Okino, two players who had good careers at UH and improved over the course of the year but neither of whom presents an enormous challenge to replace. The biggest new arrival for 2020 will be Kate Lang, a 5'10 setter from an extremely deep TAV team. Coach Rob knows setters and Lang is obviously talented but the speed of her transition to D1 volleyball will likely determine the early going for UH in 2020. The only other setter on the roster is 6'2 Mylana Byrd, a transfer who, having only played 41% of the sets for Alabama this year, seems more suited to a backup role than a starting spot. The compromise would obviously be a 6-2 but, having watched some of Byrd's matches for Bama, I'm not sure the Wahine fans will enjoy watching her in the backrow.
UH undoubtedly has the strongest group of pins in the conference. With a healthy Jolie Rasmussen not only back to her ~40% termination rate, but also providing one of the best blocks of any OH in the country, she is irreplaceable for the Wahine. Rasmussen recorded a 62.5% positive block touch, 19.6% negative... a +42.9% blocking differential is ridiculous. Dana Rettke, the best blocking middle in D1, just logged a +35.2% and no other UH player has better than Igiede's +33.2%. Rasmussen is a wall. Behind her there's the ever versatile BvS and Hanna Helvig at Oppo, who will benefit from the presence of a Rasmussen preventing teams from shading the block to the Swede's side.
Defensively the 2019 Bows excelled at adopting the scrappy 'by any means' attitude of their coach, but having lost the 3 most active defenders (in terms of total digs) from the roster in Iosia, Okino and Choi (in that order) the 2020 group will need to adapt. As one of the best 6-rotation players in the conference, BvS will be a defensive lynchpin but an incoming ball control player... with a sister already on the roster... who recently decommitted from USC... might be just what the doctor ordered. I'm going to assume that happens, in which case with the additions of Lang & Akana, I see nothing to prevent the Rainbow Wahine finishing as 2020 Big West champs, although fans should have patience if the new and returning players take a bit of time to gel.
Update: Kaylei Akana chooses Nebraska, so Libero is still a question mark on the roster. I'd imagine Wagoner and Hanawahine will both get reps at the position over the summer and hopefully one of them will step up.
#2 Cal Poly
Overall 2019 Record: 21-9
Conference Record: 13-3
Tournament Placement: NCAA Second Round (lost to Stanford 3-0)
Final RPI: 35
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Nicole Cavote, RS So, 6'0, OH
Jamie Stivers, RS Sr, 6'2, OH
*Lea Ungar, Jr, 5'6, DS
Jordyn Amoy, So, 5'11, S
Taylor Rose, Jr, 5'8, DS
*Avalon Denecochea, Jr, 6'2, S
Emma Reynolds, RS Jr, 6'1, S
Kendra Ham, So, 6'0, OPP
*Madilyn Mercer, Sr, 6'4, MB
*Maia Dvoracek, Jr, 6'1, OH
*Meredith Phillips, Jr, 6'3, MB
Grace King, So, 5'10, DS
Amy Hiatt, So, 6'3, OH
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Mika Dickson, 5'7, L
Nikki Jackson, 6'2, OH
*Torrey Van Winden, 6'3, OPP
Jessica McRoskey, 6'0, OH
Nadia Retoff, 6'2, MB
Incoming Players:
Lizzy Markovska, Fr, 5'11, OH
Layla Haberfield, Fr, 5'5, DS
Kate Slack, Fr, 6'2, MB
Kristina Jordan, Jr, 6'4, OH (transferring from West Virginia)
Chen Abramovich, Jr, 5'6, DS (transferring from Nebraska)
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 1st
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 4th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): tied 1st
2019 Review:
Going into the season, the 2019 Mustangs had a motto: "So what? Now what?" Turned out, that was apropos as the squad dealt with the loss of their best player before the season even started. Torrey Van Winden didn't play at all in preseason or conference and made only a brief cameo in the tournament due to a series of concussions (this an excellent piece on her fight to get back, if you want more info). Cal Poly initially struggled to adjust without TvW during a very tough non-conference schedule, dropping 4 of their first 7 matches (to Kentucky, Saint Mary's, Utah and Pitt). But, like all good teams, they recovered and the "Now what?" was answered by Junior Opposite Maia Dvoracek who led the team with 1088 swings and hit .262 on the season. She also brought one of the most challenging topspin serves in the nation (32.2% good pass percentage against her serve) and the kind of emotional intensity which can will a team to victory. Having hit their stride during conference play, they split their matches with UH and UCSB and ended up playing UGA in the first round of the tournament. Although Dvoracek struggled hitting, her serve and the return of TvW did just enough to get past Georgia (15-10 in the 5th). In the second round, the Mustangs ran into the eventual champions and Stanford swept them as you'd expect but it was a strong outing for a team which has to be admired for the resilience they showed.
2020 Preview:
2020 looks bright for the Mustangs, on the heels of a challenging season which saw the program overcome significant issues to ultimately have a rewarding season. In the losses column, Dickson was the second-best Libero in the BW this year (passed 2.24 with 58% good passes) and there's no one on the roster that has shown her calibre of ball control. That spot will likely be a battle between Ungar & Rose. The bigger question is who plays OH... The downside is both starting OHs graduated but on the plus side, neither Jackson or McRoskey set the world alight this year (hitting .127 and .177 respectively) so their replacements don't have the biggest shoes to fill. I'd expect Kristina Jordan, 6'4 transfer from West Virginia, to have a good chance to play but she'll likely need a DS because having converted from MB, she'll be a weakness in SR. The other OH will have lots of candidates, with Freshman Lizzy Markovska possibly getting the opportunity to start early. Fortunately star Opposite Maia Dvoracek will return intent on cementing her position as the best player in the conference. Speaking of best in conference, with the departures of Iosia & Choi, Avalon Denecochea enters her Junior season with a legitimate claim on that title at her position (although LBSU newcomer Mia Tuaniga might have something to say about that). Both MBs will also return with Madilyn Mercer being one of the better players at the position in the BW.
Overall Poly look to be in good shape, so long as Dvoracek can continue to shoulder the load offensively. The Mustangs will go as far as she takes them which, I suspect, will lead them to another second place in the conference. The bigger issue, which will affect both Poly and UH, is going to be the overall degradation of the conference. Getting 3 teams to the tournament in 2019 was a great achievement for the BW but it's thrown into sharp relief when you look at the additions of CSU Bakersfield and UC San Diego. With Bakersfield registering a final RPI of 256 and San Diego joining from DII, the conference schedule isn't going to be doing tournament hopefuls from the Big West any favors in 2020. When you combine that with the likely regression of UCSB (see below) you've got what looks like a very tricky road for both Poly and Hawaii in terms of surpassing their RPI from this 2019.
#3 UC Santa Barbara
Overall 2019 Record: 23-6
Conference Record: 12-4
Tournament Placement: NCAA Second Round (lost to Texas 3-2)
Final RPI: 29
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Rowan Ennis, RS Sr, 6'0, MB
*Moni Vivao, So, 5'7,S
*Tallulah Froley, RS So, 6'0, OPP
Gigi Ruddins, Jr, 6'1, OH
Kristina Pepek, So, 6'0, MB
Kija Rivers, RS Jr, 6'0, OPP
Sophie Messenger, So, 6'0, OH
Grace Kloss, RS So, 5'7, DS
Lauren Winters, So, 5'9, DS
*Deni Wilson, So, 6'2, MB
*Tasia Farmer, So, 6'0, OH
Kobie Jimenez, Sr, 5'6, DS
Megan Shimoda, So, 5'9, OPP/S
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Lindsey Ruddins, 6'2, OH
Charlie Robinson, 6'0, MB
Chloe Allen, 6'0, OH
*Torre Glasker, 5'9, OH
*Olivia Lovenberg, So, 5'8, S (retired)
*Zoe Fleck, Jr, 5'6, L (transferring to UCLA)
Megan Lewis, So, 5'11, OH (retired)
Natalie Ballout, Dr, 6'0, MB (retired)
Incoming Players:
Briana McKnight, Fr, 5'10, OH
Abrielle Bross, Fr, 6'1, OPP
Nia Correal, Fr, 6'4, MB
Camryn Jones, Fr, 5'9, DS,
Haley Schroeder, Fr, 6'1, OH/OPP
Michelle Ohwobete, Fr, 5'10, OH
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 2nd
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 1st
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 3rd
2020 Preview:
As good as the Gauchos were in 2019, 2020 isn't looking great. UCSB leads the conference in losing 4 starters, as well as 7 players in total. Graduating Ruddins (who has since gone to play professionally) was always going to be a blow; she's taken more than 1000 swings every year she's been on the roster and also handled serve receive well, passing 2.13 this season. Losing their other 6-ro OH, Torre Glasker, who came in via a 2018 transfer from Utah and did a good job of ball control, passing over 1000 balls the last two seasons with grades of 2.12 in 2018 & 2.32 this year. But the Gauchos were expecting those losses. They planned for them. The problem is what happened after the season. First Olivia Lovenberg, the best setter on the team, decides she's done with volleyball and informs the coaching staff that she's retiring. Then, less than a week later, Libero Zoe Fleck - the best at her position in the 2019 BWC; led all D1 Liberos (tied with Mary Lake) in good pass percentage (63.5%) and led the conference in both dig success rate (82.1%) and dig accuracy (68.1%) - enters the portal and winds up at UCLA. Suddenly a team built on running a 6-2 with great passing and high tempo was left with only one setter on the roster (5'7 Moni Vivao) and no proven passers.
Despite there being rumors during the season of some unhappiness in the camp, the coaching staff was apparently blindsided by both moves. There is no setter in the incoming class and the only ball control player is a walk-on DS that has been playing OH for Surfside. So what do they do at setter? I doubt they'll run a 5-1 with a 5'7 front row setter. I'd imagine the plan is to convert someone, possibly one of their DSes, to setter. Which leads us neatly to the second issue; serve receive. The Gauchos were one of the top passing teams in the nation this year (2.26 team grade) with Fleck, Glasker and Ruddins combining to handle over 1800 of the total 1900 passes. All three are now gone. No returning player passed more than 80 balls on the season. And only then do you get back to the 'expected loss' of one of the best hitters in program history. Incoming Abrielle Bross has a heavy arm and decent size for the conference. New recruit Briana McKnight is undersized but a good athlete with a fast arm. But lets be honest, neither is Lindsey Ruddins. In terms of returning players, Deni Wilson had a nice year and will partner 5th year Sr Rowan Ennis in the Middle. Oppo Tallulah Froley was fantastic on the season, hitting .295 with a 45% termination rate and will be a RS-So in 2020. Tasia Farmer will presumably slide over to the left after playing Opp in the 6-2 with Froley & finishing the year strongly but like so many other elements of this roster, her passing is an unknown. Finally, Libero looks likely to be Snr Kobie Jimenez who last saw extended action (as a DS) in 2017 and has been a serving sub the last two years.
This roster isn't built to contend for the title (it wasn't even built to be this roster) and so Gaucho fans might have to hang onto those memories from Austin for a little while!
#t4 UC Davis
Overall 2019 Record: 17-3
Conference Record: 9-7
Tournament Placement: NIVC First Round (lost to Tulsa 3-1)
Final RPI: 131
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Sasha Petticord, So, 6'0, MB
*Josephine Ough, Jr, 6'6, MB
*Mahalia White, RS Jr, 6'0, OH
*Alexa Rockas, Sr, 6'1, MB
Alicia Letvin, So, 6'0, OPP
Nyah Ellis, So, 5'6, DS
*Shira Lahav, So, 5'7, L
Perri Starkey, So, 6'0, OH
*Lionie Strehl, RS Jr, 6'4, OPP
Kylee Snyder, Sr, 5'7, S
Rachel Churilla, RS Jr, 5'1, DS
Demari Webb, Jr, 6'0, OH
*Jane Seslar, Jr, So, 5'9, S
Lana Radakovic, Fr, 6'2, MB
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Ally Reyes, 5'6, DS
Jackie Graves, 6'4, MB
*Lauren Matias, 6'2, OH
Incoming Players:
Cassie Newman (5'10, S
Amara Aimufua (6'1, OH
Olivia Utterback (6'1, Opp
Megan Lenn (6', OH
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 3rd
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): tied 5th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 5th
2019 Review:
Davis climbed one spot from their 5th place finish in 2018 to take the 4th spot in the Big West in 2019. In doing so they improved their W-L from 8-8 to 9-7. It was undoubtedly a positive season for Davis and a thrilling one if you're a fan of the Aggies. With 7 5-set matches on the season, Davis certainly kept things close. In fact they had 4 straight in the middle of October, including taking UH and CPOLY to deciding sets. Although the Aggies lost both of those matches, they won every other 5th set they played which surely bodes well for the future. Although they lost 3-1 in the first round of the NIVC to Tulsa (after winning the first set), it was a step forward for a Davis group which was led by graduating senior OH Lauren Matias. Matias took over a 1000 swings and made 462 passes on the year but she was supported by returning RS-So Mahalia White who terminated 44.7% of her swings (and is one of the easiest players in the conference to cheer for), and So MB Josephine Ough who hit .411 on the season. Freshman Shira Lahav came from Israel to win the Libero role and did a serviceable job in her first season, with a 52.1% good pass grade and a 75.8% dig success rate.
2020 Preview:
With their fourth place finish in 2019, the Aggies extended their 5th place to 4th place and back again routine which now stretches back to 2015. The big question is, can they finally crack the top 3? On the surface, the timing seems to be good... They're coming off a 4th place finish, the Gauchos just lost 4 of their 5 best players, LB are regrouping but might be a year away from their best volleyball, so what do the Aggies need to do to capitalize? Replacing Matias' swings is obviously a big one. Part of that should involve getting the Middles; Ough and Rockas more involved. Both hit well in 2019 but better ball control would give rising Jr S Jane Seslar an opportunity to feature her MBs offensively. Blocking is another area in which Davis can improve. Their combined blocking differential (good block touches minus bad block touches) was actually lower than the aggregate score of their combined opponents in 2019... Meaning, on average, they were out blocked every match. For a team aiming to get to the upper echelons of the conference, that can't be the case in 2020.
Having been locked into the 4-5 spot in the conference since time immemorial, there is definitely an opportunity for the Aggies to ascend the ladder. Or, of course, they might just hold true to form and slip back to 5th for old time's sake!
Compiled with the assistance of vbgal . Thank you!
#t4 Long Beach State
Overall 2019 Record: 12-17
Conference Record: 9-7
Tournament Placement: NIVC First Round (lost to Santa Clara 3-2)
Final RPI: 124
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Allison Martinez, Jr, 6'0, OH
Nicole Hoff, So, 5'8, DS
Miranda Canez, Sr, 6'2, MB
*Tia Chavira, So, 5'10, S
Carly Hill, Jr, 5'3, DS
Avery Nelson, Sr, 6'1, OH
Erin McFarland, Jr, 6'3 MB
Ionna Georgatzi, So, 6'2, OH
*Katie Kennedy, So, 6'1, OH
Dylan Dela Cruz, Jr, 5'4, DS
Jade Waskom, So, 5'8, DS
*Kashauna Williams, Jr, 6'0, OH
Amanda Henderson, Jr, 5'10, OH
Departures (*denotes starter):
Kjersti Noveel, 6'2, MB
*Hailey Harward, 5'9, L (transferring to USC Beach)
*Yizhi Xue, 6'4, MB
Alewa Anaya, RS So, 6'1, OPP
*Carly Aigner-Swesy, Jr, 5'8, S (transferring to ?)
Incoming Players:
Kameron Bacon, Fr, 6'4, MB
Mia Tuaniga, Fr, 5'9, S
Jaylen Jordan, Fr, 5'11, OH
Meauna Booth, Fr, 6'3, MB
Jenna Giambi, Fr, 5'6, DS
Maura Hayes Fr, 6'0" S/RS
Kailia Lopez, Fr, 5'9 OH/DS
Andrea Stone, Fr, 5'10 OPP
Erykah Lovett, Fr, 5'10, OH
Kayla Fuller, Fr, 5'11, MB
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 4th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 3rd
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 4th
2019 Review:
Although LBSU's t-4th place finish represented an improvement over the 6th placed finish in 2018, it really was a season of two halves for the Beach. They started off the year poorly strugglingly through the majority of their first 14 matches which included losses to Georgia Tech, James Madison and a wrretched performance against USD in which Beach hit .036 while their opponents hit .309! There were also bright spots, like pushing a good Florida team to 5 and hitting .287 in the process. The primary issue during the first half of the season was defense. At the halfway point Beach's combined opponents were hitting .241 against them. Over the second half of the season, they held their combined opponents to .194. The improvement in team defense led to a change in fortunes for the Beach as they went 9-6 over their final 15 matches including victories over Cal Poly and UCSB. On the back of that turnaround, Beach entered the NIVC in good spirits and put that resilience on full display coming back from a two set deficit against Santa Clara before losing a nail-biting fifth set, 16-14.
In terms of top performers on the season, even though she can be maddeningly inconsistent at times (and still can't pass; 36.4% good pass grade on 110 passes), rising Jr Kashauna Williams' 42.8% termination rate on over 1000 swings kept Beach afloat, especially when the teams other terminal pin, Allison Martinez, went down. Graduating Snr was offensively dominant (hitting .354 while terminating at a 44.2% clip) and blocked well (+27% positive blocking grade).
2020 Preview:
There's plenty of reason for optimism ahead of 2020 for The Beach. Not only did the finish 2019 strong, but they have some terminal players in Williams & Martinez and four solid ball control players in Claire Hill, Nicole Hoff, Dylan DeLa Cruz & Jade Waskom. Coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer has also assembled the best incoming recruiting class in the conference, led by California's Gatorade Player of the Year; setter Mia Tuaniga. Her pedigree checks out; brother was a pretty good setter for LBSU and Mia's been involved in the USA pipeline for a long time so Beach fans will be hoping she'll make an immediate impact. But Tuaniga is far from the only talented player, with athletic genes, joining the roster; 5'11 OH Jaylen Jordan has more Olympians in her family than Zues and brings the kind of ball control skills & maturity that could see her pushing for a starting spot early in her career. Beach also welcomes two MBs in 6'4 Kameron Bacon and Meauna Booth at 6'3, who will also have the opportunity to contribute quickly thanks to the graduation of Xue and Norveel. Bacon especially is an offensive weapon and was ranked 91st in the 2020 Senior Aces list by PV.
Speaking of their losses, Xue is the biggest, both literally and figuratively. She was the most effective attacker for Beach this year and it's probably unfair to expect Fr MBs to pick up all of that slack immediately. Norveel's blocking is also a loss but that'll be easier to mitigate. LBSU also graduated long term Libero and part time OH Hailey Harward. That one shouldn't concern Beach fans overly; Harward was actually the worst passer of all five defensive players on the roster this year (2.17) compared to Hill (2.29) and Hoff (2.23) so the team passing grade will likely improve with Harward's departure. Another area of weakness this year (as I touched on earlier) was defense and Harward's dig success rate was only good enough for 5th among Liberos in the conference If Beach is going to overcome the likes of Hawaii and Cal Poly (the two top defensive units in the BWC in 2019) they need more from the Libero position. If I had to put money down now, I'd say Hill but it'll be interesting to see who wins the jersey.
Assuming the Freshmen come in and show up, 2020 should be an exciting year for the Beach and one in which I'd project them to jump to third in the conference, with a shot to push Poly if Tuaniga settles in fast.
Compiled with the assistance of Sunnydaze . Thank you!
#6 CSU Northridge
Overall 2019 Record: 12-16
Conference Record: 7-9
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 164
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Taylor Orshoff, So, 6'1, OH
Miranda Poole, Sr, 5'11, OH
*Hayden Warnock, RS Sr, 6'3, MB
Shawnee De Oliveira, Sr, 5'7, DS
*Makayla Bradford, Sr, 5'6, L
Caroline Page, Sr, 5'7, DS
Hannah Merjil, RS Jr, 6'0, S
*Nicole Nevarez, Jr, 6'2, OH
Taylor Hunter, So, 6'2, MB
*Lexi McLeod, So, 6'1, OH
Lauryn Anderson, RS So, 6'1, MB
Magdalena Juric, So, 6'4, OPP
*Seyvion Waggoner, Jr, 6'0, OPP
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, 6'0, S
*Morgan Salone, 6'4, MB
Brianna Johnson, 5'11, MB
Caroline Page, 5'6, DS
Daniella Molinari, 6'1, MB
Incoming Players:
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 6th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): tied 5th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 6th
2019 Review:
A step forward for Northridge in 2019 with a 7-9 record after a 4-12 mark in 2018. Even more room for optimism, CSUN were involved in nine 5-set matches on the year and five within the conference. They were 2-3 in the Big West over those matches and 4-5 overall. It's always good for the conference to see a team becoming more competitive and the arrival of Opposite Seyvion Waggoner on a transfer from Rice gave CSUN some much needed terminal ability. As well as an offensive improvement, 2019 Northridge also improved their passing (47% over 44.6% in 2018) and blocked better. Serving is still an area at which they can improve though, with opponents having a 48.6% good pass percentage against the CSUN serve. Defensively Libero Makayla Bradford had a solid year but her passing (just a 50.3% good pass percentage) was shaky at times.
Morgan Salone graduates on the back of her best season as a blocker and CSUN will definitely need to fill that role if they hope to continue their progression into 2020.
2020 Preview:
There's definitely some pieces in place for CSUN heading into the 2020 year. Particularly on the pins; a trio of rising juniors in Waggoner, Nicole Nevarez and Lexi McLeod form a good basis. Both Nevarez and McLeod are solid ball control players but Nevarez can definitely be more terminal and that would give an added dimension to the offense. Likewise CSUN somewhat neglected their Middles this year offensively and they didn't produce great results when they were incorporated (Salone hit .235 and no other middle took more than 200 swings). There will be a change at Setter, with Hannah Merjil likely to take over from the graduating Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker. With another year of maturation, Merjil should be fine. Defensively L Bradford returns and Coach Stork will be hoping to see better from the rising Senior.
While I'd love to declare that CSUN are primed for another leap up the standings, it's hard to be too bullish about an offense that only terminated 34.8% of their swings and still has issues defensively. I expect 2020 to be more about consolidation for Northridge, with a strong class of rising juniors which looks set to peak in 2021. I'd expect them to finish middle of the pack again in 2020.
#7 CSU Fullerton
Overall 2019 Record: 12-15
Conference Record: 4-12
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 208
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Savanha Costello, Sr, 5'6, L
*Nicole Shuhandler, Jr, 6'2, MB
Danielle Jefferies, So, 5'11, OH
*Julia Crawford, So, 5'9, OH
Makena Ala'ilima-Daley, Jr, 6'0, OH
Alicia Dennis, Sr, 5'9, OH/DS
Haley Carmo, Jr, 6'0, MB
Elizabeth Schuster, So, 5'7, S
*Neena Dimas, Jr, 5'4, DS
Ally Euston, So, 5'8, S
Maya Riddlesprigger, Jr, 6'0, MB
Gabrielle Barcelos, Jr, 6'0, OH
Elizabeth Schryer, Jr, 5'4, DS
Dominique Velarde, So, 5'1, DS
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Felicia Marshall, 5'11, OH
Faith Squier, 6'1, OH
*Tyler Fezzey, Sr, 6'1, OPP
*Makenzi Ableman, Sr, 6'1, S
Incoming Players:
Minami Creamer Fr., 5-5, L
Marisse Turner Fr., 6-1, MB
Bailey Anderson Jr., 5-8, S (transferring from Cal St. LA)
Kristin Austin Jr., 5-11, MB (transferring from Irvine Valley JC)
Brooke Earkman RS Jr., 5-7, OH (transferring from Long Beach City JC)
Malie McClure So., 5-9, DS (transferring from Eastern Washington)
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): [/font]8th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 8th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 7th
2019 Review: Speaking of cellar-dwellers that improved in 2019, Fullerton went from 0-16 in conference the previous campaign to 4-12 this past fall. They also pushed Hawaii to 5 sets in the Stan at the start of October and although they couldn't quite seal the deal, it was an impressive showing. It should be noted however that outside of that match against Hawaii, CSUF didn't have any other 5 set matches in Big West play and seven of their twelve losses were sweeps but they were definitely more competitive overall in 2019. In terms of the improvements on the roster, the first place to start is Julia Crawford. The Fr had a very impressive year considering the lack of supporting pieces around her. She took 1154 swings for an efficiency close to .200 and terminated at a rate of 30.9%. Perhaps most impressive, consider that she was virtually a one-woman band, was that she was only blocked on 6.1% of her swings and only committed hitting errors on 5%. Those two numbers are very good considering how little help she had offensively and that the setting and passing on the team were... iffy. Speaking of passing, Crawford managed a creditable 2.13 on the year and I expect her to improve in that area as the matures. If it seems as though this 'review' is more of a love letter to Crawford, it's because she really was the main bright spot on a roster which, otherwise, didn't inspire much confidence. Setting was shaky, CSUF had the worst block touch rate in the conference at 35% and passing overall was poor. Offensively, outside of Crawford, the team struggled, with the Middles hitting .158 and .123 respectively.
Aside from Crawford, rising senior Libero Savahna Costello was the other bright spot. Although she got some attention for her gaudy total dig numbers (531 on the year), she also touched way more balls than any other player in the conference primarily because CSUF were involved in so many pillow fights; a lack of terminal hitting combined with no block means a ton of opportunities for digs. But pillow-fights notwithstanding, it's hard to argue that Costello wasn't the third best Libero in the conference on the year. Costello was third in terms of dig accuracy at 62%, behind Poly's Mika Dickson, 65% and UCSB's Fleck, 68.4%. Costello was also third in terms of ball control, passing a 2.19 on the year with a good pass percentage of 55.7%. Dickson was again second, (2.24 and gp% of 58.1%) but both were way behind Fleck (2.34 and 63.5%). With both of the other two leaving the conference at the end of the season, Fullerton now looks likely to have the best Libero in the conference, as Costello moves into her senior year.
With one of the best young hitters and a top 3 Libero the 2019 Titans took a step forward, now the question is, can they continue that progression?
2020 Preview:
As I just mentioned, the 2020 Titans have two good pieces in Crawford and Costello. They do, however, lose some starters to early graduation (something Coach Preston encourages) in setter Makenzi Ableman and pins Felicia Marshall and Tyler Fezzey. I don't want to minimize those losses because Fezzey and Marshall were #2 and #3 on the roster in terms of total swings but I do think they can be replaced. In Ashley Preston they have a good, young HC and this is a program that should be trending in the right direction. It will be particularly interesting to see how the Titans perform against 2020 Big West newcomers Bakersfield and UC San Diego. While adding low-ranked teams to the conference might hinder the RPI of Hawaii and Cal Poly, it could offer a program like Fullerton some morale boosting victories in the near future.
The Titan's fortunes in 2020 depend largely on how quickly Coach Preston can assimilate her new starters into the lineup during what will undoubtedly be an unusual summer. If they slot in well, I could see Fullerton finishing 2020 in the middle of the conference, which would be a great achievement. If not, they may struggle to continue this momentum. Either way, it'll be interesting to watch!
Compiled with the assistance of SmokeDogg . Thank you!
#t8 UC Riverside
Overall 2019 Record: 6-22
Conference Record: 2-14
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 283
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Ashley Dittman, So, 6'1, OH
Dejah Dade, Jr, 5'10, S
Arynn Howell, Sr, 5'5, DS
Jessica Blakeman, Sr, 5'9, OH
Mylei Vargas-Deason, So, 5'9, OH
*Amarachi Osuji, So, 5'10 OH
Renata Bath, Jr, 5'8, DS
*Ayla Fresenius, Sr, 6'0, OH
Kayla Taitt, So, 5'11, MB
*Isabella Scarlett, So, 6'1, MB
Ayanna Kimbrough, So, 6'2, OPP
*Victoria Bachawati, Sr, 5'2, DS
*Kat Lowry, Sr, 6'1, MB
*Alexis Vanlandingham, Sr, 6'1, OPP
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Tara Eaton, 5'4, DS
Yuliya Ushakova, 6'1, MB
*Morgan Kline, 5'10, S
Incoming Players:
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 9th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 7th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 9th
2019 Review: Will include 2019 season stats per volleymetrics and analysis of the season.
2020 Preview:
#t8 UC Irvine
Overall 2019 Record: 5-23
Conference Record: 2-14
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 268
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Sofia Skukan, So, 5'6, DS
Kiani Stanton, RS So, 6'0, MB
Cassie Stewart, Sr, 6'1, OPP
Joy Umeh, So, 5'8, OH
*Onye Ofoegbu, So, 6'3, MB
Sophie Wood, Jr, 6'2, S
Carrissa MacDonald, So, 6'2, OPP
Lauren Russ, Jr, 5'11, DS/OH
Sierra Davis, Sr, 5'10, S/OPP
*Kelly Negron, So, 5'7, S
*Chloe Owens, Sr, 5'7, DS
Destynie Villamu, 5'11, OH
Bailey Darnell, So, 5'8 DS
Departures (*denotes starter):
Erin Alonso, 5'4, DS
*Makayla Wolfe, 6'3, MB
*Loryn Carter, 6'3, OPP
*Laura Butler, 5'9, DS
Camille Davey, 5'8, DS
*Abby Marjama, Jr, 6'0, OH
Incoming Players:
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 7th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 9th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 8th
2019 Review: Will include 2019 season stats per volleymetrics and analysis of the season.
2020 Preview:
(N/A) CSU Bakersfield (Joining from WAC)
Overall 2019 Record: 9-19
Conference Record: 4-12 (WAC)
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 256
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Leisa Elisaia, Jr, 5'10, S
*Brooke Boiseau, RS Jr, 6'0, MB/OPP
Jazleigh Ortiz, RS Sr, 5'8, DS
Mapuhola Sekona, Sr, 5'10, OH
Isabella Adamczyk, So, 5'11, MB/OPP
*Hana Makonova, RS So, 5'11, MB
Natalie Minjarez, So, 6'0, OH
*Emily Hansen, Sr, 5'8, S/OPP
Ericka Snopko, RS So, 6'0, MB
Sophia Maulupe, So, 5'3, DS
*Hayley McCluskey, Jr, 6'0, OH
*Milica Vukobrat, Jr, 6'0, OPP
*Jojo Ishida, Sr, 5'5, L
Departures (*denotes starter):
Ally Barber, 6'0, MB
*Rafa Bonifacio, 5'11, OH
*Sidney Wicks, 5'7, S
Hannah Manzanares, 5'7, DS
Incoming Players:
Conference Rank Hitting (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Passing (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Defense (BW matches only): N/A
2019 Preview: Will include 2019 season stats per volleymetrics and analysis of the season.
2020 Review:
(N/A) UC San Diego (Joining from DII)
Overall 2019 Record: 18-9 (DII)
Conference Record: 12-5 (CCAA)
Tournament Placement: NCAA DII West Quarterfinal (lost to Alaska Anchorage 3-2)
Final RPI: N/A
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Departures (*denotes starter):
Incoming Players:
Conference Rank Hitting (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Passing (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Defense (BW matches only): N/A
2019 Preview: N/A
2020 Review:
2020 Season Preview
by bigwestfan2
#1 Hawaii
Overall 2019 Record: 26-4
Conference Record: 14-2
Tournament Placement: NCAA Sweet Sixteen (lost to Nebraksa 3-0)
Final RPI: 12
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Kyra Hanawahine, Sr, 5'2, DS
*Brooke Van Sickle, RS Sr, 5'9, OH/L
*Amber Igiede, So, 6'3, MB
Janelle Gong, RS Jr, 5'9, DS
Riley Wagoner, So, 6'0, OH
*Skyler Williams, Sr, 6'1, MB
Tiffany Westerberg, So, 6'3, OH/MB
Braelyen Akana, So, 6'0, OH/MB
*Hanna Helvig, So, 6'2, OH
*Jolie Rasmussen, RS Sr, 6'2, OH
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Bailey Choi, 5'9, S
Kirsten Sibley, 6'2, OH
*Norene Iosia, 5'11, S
*Rika Okino, 5'5, L
*McKenna Ross, 5'10, OH
Kamalei Krug, So, 6'2, MB (retired from indoor)
Incoming Players:
Anna Kiraly, 6'3, MB,
Kate Lang, 5'10, S
Mylana Byrd, Jr, 6'2, S (transferring from Alabama)
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 5th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 2nd
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): tied 1st
2019 Review:
The Wahine started non-conference on fire before losing Jolie Rasmussen for almost the entire season. Offensively that undoubtedly hurt a roster that would surely have run away with the conference if she had been healthy. Coach Robin Ah-Mow managed to reorganize the roster into a scrappy, ball-control team which had just enough offensive firepower to keep them at the top of the conference, despite having the 5th best offensive efficiency in the Big West. Speaking of firepower, Fr. Hanna Helvig came out of nowhere (well, Sweden to be specific) to lead the team offensively, with almost a thousand swings. Rasmussen wasn't the only major injury the Wahine suffered in 2019; OH/DS/whatever-else-you-need-her-to-do Brooke Van Sickle sustained a knee injury midway through the season but continued to ball out, leading the Bows in hitting efficiency (.286) through the tournament. Senior setters, Norene Iosia and Bailey Choi ran an offense which featured a significantly improved Skylar Williams who led the team this season with a kill rate of 49.1% (a colossal 11% increase over her previous best) and true Freshman Amber Igiede, whose own kill rate of 43.8% bodes well for the future. Passing wise, the Bows were solid in conference play, with Van Sickle (2.15) and graduating pair Rika Okino (2.14) and McKenna Ross (2.17) handling the majority of the duties, on the way to a team passing grade of 2.16. The 2019 Wahine were the class of the conference in terms of blocking - recording 318 stuff blocks whilst being the only school to record a 'good block touch' percentage of over 50%. Overall, the Bows were joint first in defensive efficiency (with Cal Poly) on the year. That combination of good block touch, consistent digging and experienced setters allowed the Bows to reclaim the top spot in the Big West this year, despite losing their best offensive weapon.
In the tournament, Hawaii started off with a bit of a scrappy game against Northern Colorado in which no one really seemed to want to win (UNC hit .139 on the match, but Hawaii passed a 1.85 as a team to keep things interesting) only to follow it up with one of their best performances of the season against San Diego. The Wahine swept a dangerous Torero outfit in front of a sold out Stan Sheriff Center. That set up a meeting with the Huskers in the Sweet Sixteen. Despite a strong hitting efforts from the pins (BVS, Iosia and Ross all had over 39% kill rates), the Bows' couldn't get their middles going and couldn't slow down a Nebraska offense which hit .312 en route to a sweep. But all things considered it was a fantastic season for a Hawaii squad which overcame their fair share of obstacles and emerged triumphant from a very competitive Big West.
2020 Preview:
2020 looks bright for the Rainbow Wahine (assuming we have a 2020 season.... actually, lets not get into that)! Yes, they graduated both of their setters; emotional leader Norene Iosia and the extremely consistent Bailey Choi but they return the majority of the rest of the unit that won a much improved Big West this year. The other departures are McKenna Ross and Rika Okino, two players who had good careers at UH and improved over the course of the year but neither of whom presents an enormous challenge to replace. The biggest new arrival for 2020 will be Kate Lang, a 5'10 setter from an extremely deep TAV team. Coach Rob knows setters and Lang is obviously talented but the speed of her transition to D1 volleyball will likely determine the early going for UH in 2020. The only other setter on the roster is 6'2 Mylana Byrd, a transfer who, having only played 41% of the sets for Alabama this year, seems more suited to a backup role than a starting spot. The compromise would obviously be a 6-2 but, having watched some of Byrd's matches for Bama, I'm not sure the Wahine fans will enjoy watching her in the backrow.
UH undoubtedly has the strongest group of pins in the conference. With a healthy Jolie Rasmussen not only back to her ~40% termination rate, but also providing one of the best blocks of any OH in the country, she is irreplaceable for the Wahine. Rasmussen recorded a 62.5% positive block touch, 19.6% negative... a +42.9% blocking differential is ridiculous. Dana Rettke, the best blocking middle in D1, just logged a +35.2% and no other UH player has better than Igiede's +33.2%. Rasmussen is a wall. Behind her there's the ever versatile BvS and Hanna Helvig at Oppo, who will benefit from the presence of a Rasmussen preventing teams from shading the block to the Swede's side.
Defensively the 2019 Bows excelled at adopting the scrappy 'by any means' attitude of their coach, but having lost the 3 most active defenders (in terms of total digs) from the roster in Iosia, Okino and Choi (in that order) the 2020 group will need to adapt. As one of the best 6-rotation players in the conference, BvS will be a defensive lynchpin but an incoming ball control player... with a sister already on the roster... who recently decommitted from USC... might be just what the doctor ordered. I'm going to assume that happens, in which case with the additions of Lang & Akana, I see nothing to prevent the Rainbow Wahine finishing as 2020 Big West champs, although fans should have patience if the new and returning players take a bit of time to gel.
Update: Kaylei Akana chooses Nebraska, so Libero is still a question mark on the roster. I'd imagine Wagoner and Hanawahine will both get reps at the position over the summer and hopefully one of them will step up.
#2 Cal Poly
Overall 2019 Record: 21-9
Conference Record: 13-3
Tournament Placement: NCAA Second Round (lost to Stanford 3-0)
Final RPI: 35
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Nicole Cavote, RS So, 6'0, OH
Jamie Stivers, RS Sr, 6'2, OH
*Lea Ungar, Jr, 5'6, DS
Jordyn Amoy, So, 5'11, S
Taylor Rose, Jr, 5'8, DS
*Avalon Denecochea, Jr, 6'2, S
Emma Reynolds, RS Jr, 6'1, S
Kendra Ham, So, 6'0, OPP
*Madilyn Mercer, Sr, 6'4, MB
*Maia Dvoracek, Jr, 6'1, OH
*Meredith Phillips, Jr, 6'3, MB
Grace King, So, 5'10, DS
Amy Hiatt, So, 6'3, OH
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Mika Dickson, 5'7, L
Nikki Jackson, 6'2, OH
*Torrey Van Winden, 6'3, OPP
Jessica McRoskey, 6'0, OH
Nadia Retoff, 6'2, MB
Incoming Players:
Lizzy Markovska, Fr, 5'11, OH
Layla Haberfield, Fr, 5'5, DS
Kate Slack, Fr, 6'2, MB
Kristina Jordan, Jr, 6'4, OH (transferring from West Virginia)
Chen Abramovich, Jr, 5'6, DS (transferring from Nebraska)
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 1st
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 4th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): tied 1st
2019 Review:
Going into the season, the 2019 Mustangs had a motto: "So what? Now what?" Turned out, that was apropos as the squad dealt with the loss of their best player before the season even started. Torrey Van Winden didn't play at all in preseason or conference and made only a brief cameo in the tournament due to a series of concussions (this an excellent piece on her fight to get back, if you want more info). Cal Poly initially struggled to adjust without TvW during a very tough non-conference schedule, dropping 4 of their first 7 matches (to Kentucky, Saint Mary's, Utah and Pitt). But, like all good teams, they recovered and the "Now what?" was answered by Junior Opposite Maia Dvoracek who led the team with 1088 swings and hit .262 on the season. She also brought one of the most challenging topspin serves in the nation (32.2% good pass percentage against her serve) and the kind of emotional intensity which can will a team to victory. Having hit their stride during conference play, they split their matches with UH and UCSB and ended up playing UGA in the first round of the tournament. Although Dvoracek struggled hitting, her serve and the return of TvW did just enough to get past Georgia (15-10 in the 5th). In the second round, the Mustangs ran into the eventual champions and Stanford swept them as you'd expect but it was a strong outing for a team which has to be admired for the resilience they showed.
2020 Preview:
2020 looks bright for the Mustangs, on the heels of a challenging season which saw the program overcome significant issues to ultimately have a rewarding season. In the losses column, Dickson was the second-best Libero in the BW this year (passed 2.24 with 58% good passes) and there's no one on the roster that has shown her calibre of ball control. That spot will likely be a battle between Ungar & Rose. The bigger question is who plays OH... The downside is both starting OHs graduated but on the plus side, neither Jackson or McRoskey set the world alight this year (hitting .127 and .177 respectively) so their replacements don't have the biggest shoes to fill. I'd expect Kristina Jordan, 6'4 transfer from West Virginia, to have a good chance to play but she'll likely need a DS because having converted from MB, she'll be a weakness in SR. The other OH will have lots of candidates, with Freshman Lizzy Markovska possibly getting the opportunity to start early. Fortunately star Opposite Maia Dvoracek will return intent on cementing her position as the best player in the conference. Speaking of best in conference, with the departures of Iosia & Choi, Avalon Denecochea enters her Junior season with a legitimate claim on that title at her position (although LBSU newcomer Mia Tuaniga might have something to say about that). Both MBs will also return with Madilyn Mercer being one of the better players at the position in the BW.
Overall Poly look to be in good shape, so long as Dvoracek can continue to shoulder the load offensively. The Mustangs will go as far as she takes them which, I suspect, will lead them to another second place in the conference. The bigger issue, which will affect both Poly and UH, is going to be the overall degradation of the conference. Getting 3 teams to the tournament in 2019 was a great achievement for the BW but it's thrown into sharp relief when you look at the additions of CSU Bakersfield and UC San Diego. With Bakersfield registering a final RPI of 256 and San Diego joining from DII, the conference schedule isn't going to be doing tournament hopefuls from the Big West any favors in 2020. When you combine that with the likely regression of UCSB (see below) you've got what looks like a very tricky road for both Poly and Hawaii in terms of surpassing their RPI from this 2019.
#3 UC Santa Barbara
Overall 2019 Record: 23-6
Conference Record: 12-4
Tournament Placement: NCAA Second Round (lost to Texas 3-2)
Final RPI: 29
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Rowan Ennis, RS Sr, 6'0, MB
*Moni Vivao, So, 5'7,S
*Tallulah Froley, RS So, 6'0, OPP
Gigi Ruddins, Jr, 6'1, OH
Kristina Pepek, So, 6'0, MB
Kija Rivers, RS Jr, 6'0, OPP
Sophie Messenger, So, 6'0, OH
Grace Kloss, RS So, 5'7, DS
Lauren Winters, So, 5'9, DS
*Deni Wilson, So, 6'2, MB
*Tasia Farmer, So, 6'0, OH
Kobie Jimenez, Sr, 5'6, DS
Megan Shimoda, So, 5'9, OPP/S
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Lindsey Ruddins, 6'2, OH
Charlie Robinson, 6'0, MB
Chloe Allen, 6'0, OH
*Torre Glasker, 5'9, OH
*Olivia Lovenberg, So, 5'8, S (retired)
*Zoe Fleck, Jr, 5'6, L (transferring to UCLA)
Megan Lewis, So, 5'11, OH (retired)
Natalie Ballout, Dr, 6'0, MB (retired)
Incoming Players:
Briana McKnight, Fr, 5'10, OH
Abrielle Bross, Fr, 6'1, OPP
Nia Correal, Fr, 6'4, MB
Camryn Jones, Fr, 5'9, DS,
Haley Schroeder, Fr, 6'1, OH/OPP
Michelle Ohwobete, Fr, 5'10, OH
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 2nd
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 1st
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 3rd
2019 Review:
The culmination of a 3 year project (8-20 in 2017, 17-12 in 2018) the 2019 Gauchos didn't disappoint. New starters at OPP, Libero and MB, along with a switch to a 6-2 with incoming Fr Moni Vivao enabled UCSB to finally get something resembling help for Lindsey Ruddins who, in previous years, had routinely been taking about 300 swings a match. After a very good non-conference performance - beating San Diego, Pepperdine and UCLA, with only one loss to Colorado, the Gauchos went into BW play 10-1. In conference play UCSB had the second best offense (.261 efficiency, 39.1% kill rate), were second in blocking and second in dig success and accuracy... But the key to their team was undoubtedly passing. Recording a team passing grade of 2.26 on the season (2.24 in BW play), UCSB were one of the top passing teams in the nation. In fact, their team 'good pass percentage' of 58.6 was better than any player on either the Wahine or Mustang rosters this year. With that kind of passing, the Gauchos were able to run a very fast offense which made use of their smaller, quicker Outsides (Ruddins is the only starter over 6'0) and beat more physically dominant teams with speed. Having earned a share of the BW-lead to start November, the Gauchos lost a tough 5 set thriller to a Hawaii group which rallied from 2-1 down. Over the next two weeks, UCSB seemingly lost their way, losing the next two matches in sweeps to Cal Poly and Long Beach. But the Gauchos recovered in time to steady the ship and receive their first tournament bid since 2013.
In the first round of the tournament UCSB's passing was on full display as the Gauchos travelled to Gregory Gym to beat an overmatched Texas State program. Led by RS Freshman, Tallulah Froley, who hit .396 on the match and had a 54.5% kill rate, and Libero Zoe Fleck, who passed well with 26 digs, UCSB won in 4. In their second round, the Gauchos gave Texas all they could handle in a tight 5 setter. Fittingly, Lindsey Ruddins had one of the best games of her collegiate career, hitting .353 with a kill rate of 43.1% on 51 swings and going kill for kill with Micaya White and Logan Eggleston. Fleck again passed lights out, with a 70% good pass percentage and, for a moment, it looked like UCSB could beat the mighty Texas... But fortunately for humanity, Khat Bell stepped in, the Longhorns survived (for another week), and the 2019 Gauchos left Texas having won a lot of fans (and disappointed countless more by not sealing the deal)!
The culmination of a 3 year project (8-20 in 2017, 17-12 in 2018) the 2019 Gauchos didn't disappoint. New starters at OPP, Libero and MB, along with a switch to a 6-2 with incoming Fr Moni Vivao enabled UCSB to finally get something resembling help for Lindsey Ruddins who, in previous years, had routinely been taking about 300 swings a match. After a very good non-conference performance - beating San Diego, Pepperdine and UCLA, with only one loss to Colorado, the Gauchos went into BW play 10-1. In conference play UCSB had the second best offense (.261 efficiency, 39.1% kill rate), were second in blocking and second in dig success and accuracy... But the key to their team was undoubtedly passing. Recording a team passing grade of 2.26 on the season (2.24 in BW play), UCSB were one of the top passing teams in the nation. In fact, their team 'good pass percentage' of 58.6 was better than any player on either the Wahine or Mustang rosters this year. With that kind of passing, the Gauchos were able to run a very fast offense which made use of their smaller, quicker Outsides (Ruddins is the only starter over 6'0) and beat more physically dominant teams with speed. Having earned a share of the BW-lead to start November, the Gauchos lost a tough 5 set thriller to a Hawaii group which rallied from 2-1 down. Over the next two weeks, UCSB seemingly lost their way, losing the next two matches in sweeps to Cal Poly and Long Beach. But the Gauchos recovered in time to steady the ship and receive their first tournament bid since 2013.
In the first round of the tournament UCSB's passing was on full display as the Gauchos travelled to Gregory Gym to beat an overmatched Texas State program. Led by RS Freshman, Tallulah Froley, who hit .396 on the match and had a 54.5% kill rate, and Libero Zoe Fleck, who passed well with 26 digs, UCSB won in 4. In their second round, the Gauchos gave Texas all they could handle in a tight 5 setter. Fittingly, Lindsey Ruddins had one of the best games of her collegiate career, hitting .353 with a kill rate of 43.1% on 51 swings and going kill for kill with Micaya White and Logan Eggleston. Fleck again passed lights out, with a 70% good pass percentage and, for a moment, it looked like UCSB could beat the mighty Texas... But fortunately for humanity, Khat Bell stepped in, the Longhorns survived (for another week), and the 2019 Gauchos left Texas having won a lot of fans (and disappointed countless more by not sealing the deal)!
2020 Preview:
As good as the Gauchos were in 2019, 2020 isn't looking great. UCSB leads the conference in losing 4 starters, as well as 7 players in total. Graduating Ruddins (who has since gone to play professionally) was always going to be a blow; she's taken more than 1000 swings every year she's been on the roster and also handled serve receive well, passing 2.13 this season. Losing their other 6-ro OH, Torre Glasker, who came in via a 2018 transfer from Utah and did a good job of ball control, passing over 1000 balls the last two seasons with grades of 2.12 in 2018 & 2.32 this year. But the Gauchos were expecting those losses. They planned for them. The problem is what happened after the season. First Olivia Lovenberg, the best setter on the team, decides she's done with volleyball and informs the coaching staff that she's retiring. Then, less than a week later, Libero Zoe Fleck - the best at her position in the 2019 BWC; led all D1 Liberos (tied with Mary Lake) in good pass percentage (63.5%) and led the conference in both dig success rate (82.1%) and dig accuracy (68.1%) - enters the portal and winds up at UCLA. Suddenly a team built on running a 6-2 with great passing and high tempo was left with only one setter on the roster (5'7 Moni Vivao) and no proven passers.
Despite there being rumors during the season of some unhappiness in the camp, the coaching staff was apparently blindsided by both moves. There is no setter in the incoming class and the only ball control player is a walk-on DS that has been playing OH for Surfside. So what do they do at setter? I doubt they'll run a 5-1 with a 5'7 front row setter. I'd imagine the plan is to convert someone, possibly one of their DSes, to setter. Which leads us neatly to the second issue; serve receive. The Gauchos were one of the top passing teams in the nation this year (2.26 team grade) with Fleck, Glasker and Ruddins combining to handle over 1800 of the total 1900 passes. All three are now gone. No returning player passed more than 80 balls on the season. And only then do you get back to the 'expected loss' of one of the best hitters in program history. Incoming Abrielle Bross has a heavy arm and decent size for the conference. New recruit Briana McKnight is undersized but a good athlete with a fast arm. But lets be honest, neither is Lindsey Ruddins. In terms of returning players, Deni Wilson had a nice year and will partner 5th year Sr Rowan Ennis in the Middle. Oppo Tallulah Froley was fantastic on the season, hitting .295 with a 45% termination rate and will be a RS-So in 2020. Tasia Farmer will presumably slide over to the left after playing Opp in the 6-2 with Froley & finishing the year strongly but like so many other elements of this roster, her passing is an unknown. Finally, Libero looks likely to be Snr Kobie Jimenez who last saw extended action (as a DS) in 2017 and has been a serving sub the last two years.
This roster isn't built to contend for the title (it wasn't even built to be this roster) and so Gaucho fans might have to hang onto those memories from Austin for a little while!
#t4 UC Davis
Overall 2019 Record: 17-3
Conference Record: 9-7
Tournament Placement: NIVC First Round (lost to Tulsa 3-1)
Final RPI: 131
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Sasha Petticord, So, 6'0, MB
*Josephine Ough, Jr, 6'6, MB
*Mahalia White, RS Jr, 6'0, OH
*Alexa Rockas, Sr, 6'1, MB
Alicia Letvin, So, 6'0, OPP
Nyah Ellis, So, 5'6, DS
*Shira Lahav, So, 5'7, L
Perri Starkey, So, 6'0, OH
*Lionie Strehl, RS Jr, 6'4, OPP
Kylee Snyder, Sr, 5'7, S
Rachel Churilla, RS Jr, 5'1, DS
Demari Webb, Jr, 6'0, OH
*Jane Seslar, Jr, So, 5'9, S
Lana Radakovic, Fr, 6'2, MB
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Ally Reyes, 5'6, DS
Jackie Graves, 6'4, MB
*Lauren Matias, 6'2, OH
Incoming Players:
Cassie Newman (5'10, S
Amara Aimufua (6'1, OH
Olivia Utterback (6'1, Opp
Megan Lenn (6', OH
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 3rd
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): tied 5th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 5th
2019 Review:
Davis climbed one spot from their 5th place finish in 2018 to take the 4th spot in the Big West in 2019. In doing so they improved their W-L from 8-8 to 9-7. It was undoubtedly a positive season for Davis and a thrilling one if you're a fan of the Aggies. With 7 5-set matches on the season, Davis certainly kept things close. In fact they had 4 straight in the middle of October, including taking UH and CPOLY to deciding sets. Although the Aggies lost both of those matches, they won every other 5th set they played which surely bodes well for the future. Although they lost 3-1 in the first round of the NIVC to Tulsa (after winning the first set), it was a step forward for a Davis group which was led by graduating senior OH Lauren Matias. Matias took over a 1000 swings and made 462 passes on the year but she was supported by returning RS-So Mahalia White who terminated 44.7% of her swings (and is one of the easiest players in the conference to cheer for), and So MB Josephine Ough who hit .411 on the season. Freshman Shira Lahav came from Israel to win the Libero role and did a serviceable job in her first season, with a 52.1% good pass grade and a 75.8% dig success rate.
2020 Preview:
With their fourth place finish in 2019, the Aggies extended their 5th place to 4th place and back again routine which now stretches back to 2015. The big question is, can they finally crack the top 3? On the surface, the timing seems to be good... They're coming off a 4th place finish, the Gauchos just lost 4 of their 5 best players, LB are regrouping but might be a year away from their best volleyball, so what do the Aggies need to do to capitalize? Replacing Matias' swings is obviously a big one. Part of that should involve getting the Middles; Ough and Rockas more involved. Both hit well in 2019 but better ball control would give rising Jr S Jane Seslar an opportunity to feature her MBs offensively. Blocking is another area in which Davis can improve. Their combined blocking differential (good block touches minus bad block touches) was actually lower than the aggregate score of their combined opponents in 2019... Meaning, on average, they were out blocked every match. For a team aiming to get to the upper echelons of the conference, that can't be the case in 2020.
Having been locked into the 4-5 spot in the conference since time immemorial, there is definitely an opportunity for the Aggies to ascend the ladder. Or, of course, they might just hold true to form and slip back to 5th for old time's sake!
Compiled with the assistance of vbgal . Thank you!
#t4 Long Beach State
Overall 2019 Record: 12-17
Conference Record: 9-7
Tournament Placement: NIVC First Round (lost to Santa Clara 3-2)
Final RPI: 124
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Allison Martinez, Jr, 6'0, OH
Nicole Hoff, So, 5'8, DS
Miranda Canez, Sr, 6'2, MB
*Tia Chavira, So, 5'10, S
Carly Hill, Jr, 5'3, DS
Avery Nelson, Sr, 6'1, OH
Erin McFarland, Jr, 6'3 MB
Ionna Georgatzi, So, 6'2, OH
*Katie Kennedy, So, 6'1, OH
Dylan Dela Cruz, Jr, 5'4, DS
Jade Waskom, So, 5'8, DS
*Kashauna Williams, Jr, 6'0, OH
Amanda Henderson, Jr, 5'10, OH
Departures (*denotes starter):
Kjersti Noveel, 6'2, MB
*Hailey Harward, 5'9, L (transferring to USC Beach)
*Yizhi Xue, 6'4, MB
Alewa Anaya, RS So, 6'1, OPP
*Carly Aigner-Swesy, Jr, 5'8, S (transferring to ?)
Incoming Players:
Kameron Bacon, Fr, 6'4, MB
Mia Tuaniga, Fr, 5'9, S
Jaylen Jordan, Fr, 5'11, OH
Meauna Booth, Fr, 6'3, MB
Jenna Giambi, Fr, 5'6, DS
Maura Hayes Fr, 6'0" S/RS
Kailia Lopez, Fr, 5'9 OH/DS
Andrea Stone, Fr, 5'10 OPP
Erykah Lovett, Fr, 5'10, OH
Kayla Fuller, Fr, 5'11, MB
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 4th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 3rd
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 4th
2019 Review:
Although LBSU's t-4th place finish represented an improvement over the 6th placed finish in 2018, it really was a season of two halves for the Beach. They started off the year poorly strugglingly through the majority of their first 14 matches which included losses to Georgia Tech, James Madison and a wrretched performance against USD in which Beach hit .036 while their opponents hit .309! There were also bright spots, like pushing a good Florida team to 5 and hitting .287 in the process. The primary issue during the first half of the season was defense. At the halfway point Beach's combined opponents were hitting .241 against them. Over the second half of the season, they held their combined opponents to .194. The improvement in team defense led to a change in fortunes for the Beach as they went 9-6 over their final 15 matches including victories over Cal Poly and UCSB. On the back of that turnaround, Beach entered the NIVC in good spirits and put that resilience on full display coming back from a two set deficit against Santa Clara before losing a nail-biting fifth set, 16-14.
In terms of top performers on the season, even though she can be maddeningly inconsistent at times (and still can't pass; 36.4% good pass grade on 110 passes), rising Jr Kashauna Williams' 42.8% termination rate on over 1000 swings kept Beach afloat, especially when the teams other terminal pin, Allison Martinez, went down. Graduating Snr was offensively dominant (hitting .354 while terminating at a 44.2% clip) and blocked well (+27% positive blocking grade).
2020 Preview:
There's plenty of reason for optimism ahead of 2020 for The Beach. Not only did the finish 2019 strong, but they have some terminal players in Williams & Martinez and four solid ball control players in Claire Hill, Nicole Hoff, Dylan DeLa Cruz & Jade Waskom. Coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer has also assembled the best incoming recruiting class in the conference, led by California's Gatorade Player of the Year; setter Mia Tuaniga. Her pedigree checks out; brother was a pretty good setter for LBSU and Mia's been involved in the USA pipeline for a long time so Beach fans will be hoping she'll make an immediate impact. But Tuaniga is far from the only talented player, with athletic genes, joining the roster; 5'11 OH Jaylen Jordan has more Olympians in her family than Zues and brings the kind of ball control skills & maturity that could see her pushing for a starting spot early in her career. Beach also welcomes two MBs in 6'4 Kameron Bacon and Meauna Booth at 6'3, who will also have the opportunity to contribute quickly thanks to the graduation of Xue and Norveel. Bacon especially is an offensive weapon and was ranked 91st in the 2020 Senior Aces list by PV.
Speaking of their losses, Xue is the biggest, both literally and figuratively. She was the most effective attacker for Beach this year and it's probably unfair to expect Fr MBs to pick up all of that slack immediately. Norveel's blocking is also a loss but that'll be easier to mitigate. LBSU also graduated long term Libero and part time OH Hailey Harward. That one shouldn't concern Beach fans overly; Harward was actually the worst passer of all five defensive players on the roster this year (2.17) compared to Hill (2.29) and Hoff (2.23) so the team passing grade will likely improve with Harward's departure. Another area of weakness this year (as I touched on earlier) was defense and Harward's dig success rate was only good enough for 5th among Liberos in the conference If Beach is going to overcome the likes of Hawaii and Cal Poly (the two top defensive units in the BWC in 2019) they need more from the Libero position. If I had to put money down now, I'd say Hill but it'll be interesting to see who wins the jersey.
Assuming the Freshmen come in and show up, 2020 should be an exciting year for the Beach and one in which I'd project them to jump to third in the conference, with a shot to push Poly if Tuaniga settles in fast.
Compiled with the assistance of Sunnydaze . Thank you!
#6 CSU Northridge
Overall 2019 Record: 12-16
Conference Record: 7-9
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 164
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Taylor Orshoff, So, 6'1, OH
Miranda Poole, Sr, 5'11, OH
*Hayden Warnock, RS Sr, 6'3, MB
Shawnee De Oliveira, Sr, 5'7, DS
*Makayla Bradford, Sr, 5'6, L
Caroline Page, Sr, 5'7, DS
Hannah Merjil, RS Jr, 6'0, S
*Nicole Nevarez, Jr, 6'2, OH
Taylor Hunter, So, 6'2, MB
*Lexi McLeod, So, 6'1, OH
Lauryn Anderson, RS So, 6'1, MB
Magdalena Juric, So, 6'4, OPP
*Seyvion Waggoner, Jr, 6'0, OPP
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, 6'0, S
*Morgan Salone, 6'4, MB
Brianna Johnson, 5'11, MB
Caroline Page, 5'6, DS
Daniella Molinari, 6'1, MB
Incoming Players:
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 6th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): tied 5th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 6th
2019 Review:
A step forward for Northridge in 2019 with a 7-9 record after a 4-12 mark in 2018. Even more room for optimism, CSUN were involved in nine 5-set matches on the year and five within the conference. They were 2-3 in the Big West over those matches and 4-5 overall. It's always good for the conference to see a team becoming more competitive and the arrival of Opposite Seyvion Waggoner on a transfer from Rice gave CSUN some much needed terminal ability. As well as an offensive improvement, 2019 Northridge also improved their passing (47% over 44.6% in 2018) and blocked better. Serving is still an area at which they can improve though, with opponents having a 48.6% good pass percentage against the CSUN serve. Defensively Libero Makayla Bradford had a solid year but her passing (just a 50.3% good pass percentage) was shaky at times.
Morgan Salone graduates on the back of her best season as a blocker and CSUN will definitely need to fill that role if they hope to continue their progression into 2020.
2020 Preview:
There's definitely some pieces in place for CSUN heading into the 2020 year. Particularly on the pins; a trio of rising juniors in Waggoner, Nicole Nevarez and Lexi McLeod form a good basis. Both Nevarez and McLeod are solid ball control players but Nevarez can definitely be more terminal and that would give an added dimension to the offense. Likewise CSUN somewhat neglected their Middles this year offensively and they didn't produce great results when they were incorporated (Salone hit .235 and no other middle took more than 200 swings). There will be a change at Setter, with Hannah Merjil likely to take over from the graduating Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker. With another year of maturation, Merjil should be fine. Defensively L Bradford returns and Coach Stork will be hoping to see better from the rising Senior.
While I'd love to declare that CSUN are primed for another leap up the standings, it's hard to be too bullish about an offense that only terminated 34.8% of their swings and still has issues defensively. I expect 2020 to be more about consolidation for Northridge, with a strong class of rising juniors which looks set to peak in 2021. I'd expect them to finish middle of the pack again in 2020.
#7 CSU Fullerton
Overall 2019 Record: 12-15
Conference Record: 4-12
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 208
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Savanha Costello, Sr, 5'6, L
*Nicole Shuhandler, Jr, 6'2, MB
Danielle Jefferies, So, 5'11, OH
*Julia Crawford, So, 5'9, OH
Makena Ala'ilima-Daley, Jr, 6'0, OH
Alicia Dennis, Sr, 5'9, OH/DS
Haley Carmo, Jr, 6'0, MB
Elizabeth Schuster, So, 5'7, S
*Neena Dimas, Jr, 5'4, DS
Ally Euston, So, 5'8, S
Maya Riddlesprigger, Jr, 6'0, MB
Gabrielle Barcelos, Jr, 6'0, OH
Elizabeth Schryer, Jr, 5'4, DS
Dominique Velarde, So, 5'1, DS
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Felicia Marshall, 5'11, OH
Faith Squier, 6'1, OH
*Tyler Fezzey, Sr, 6'1, OPP
*Makenzi Ableman, Sr, 6'1, S
Incoming Players:
Minami Creamer Fr., 5-5, L
Marisse Turner Fr., 6-1, MB
Bailey Anderson Jr., 5-8, S (transferring from Cal St. LA)
Kristin Austin Jr., 5-11, MB (transferring from Irvine Valley JC)
Brooke Earkman RS Jr., 5-7, OH (transferring from Long Beach City JC)
Malie McClure So., 5-9, DS (transferring from Eastern Washington)
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): [/font]8th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 8th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 7th
2019 Review: Speaking of cellar-dwellers that improved in 2019, Fullerton went from 0-16 in conference the previous campaign to 4-12 this past fall. They also pushed Hawaii to 5 sets in the Stan at the start of October and although they couldn't quite seal the deal, it was an impressive showing. It should be noted however that outside of that match against Hawaii, CSUF didn't have any other 5 set matches in Big West play and seven of their twelve losses were sweeps but they were definitely more competitive overall in 2019. In terms of the improvements on the roster, the first place to start is Julia Crawford. The Fr had a very impressive year considering the lack of supporting pieces around her. She took 1154 swings for an efficiency close to .200 and terminated at a rate of 30.9%. Perhaps most impressive, consider that she was virtually a one-woman band, was that she was only blocked on 6.1% of her swings and only committed hitting errors on 5%. Those two numbers are very good considering how little help she had offensively and that the setting and passing on the team were... iffy. Speaking of passing, Crawford managed a creditable 2.13 on the year and I expect her to improve in that area as the matures. If it seems as though this 'review' is more of a love letter to Crawford, it's because she really was the main bright spot on a roster which, otherwise, didn't inspire much confidence. Setting was shaky, CSUF had the worst block touch rate in the conference at 35% and passing overall was poor. Offensively, outside of Crawford, the team struggled, with the Middles hitting .158 and .123 respectively.
Aside from Crawford, rising senior Libero Savahna Costello was the other bright spot. Although she got some attention for her gaudy total dig numbers (531 on the year), she also touched way more balls than any other player in the conference primarily because CSUF were involved in so many pillow fights; a lack of terminal hitting combined with no block means a ton of opportunities for digs. But pillow-fights notwithstanding, it's hard to argue that Costello wasn't the third best Libero in the conference on the year. Costello was third in terms of dig accuracy at 62%, behind Poly's Mika Dickson, 65% and UCSB's Fleck, 68.4%. Costello was also third in terms of ball control, passing a 2.19 on the year with a good pass percentage of 55.7%. Dickson was again second, (2.24 and gp% of 58.1%) but both were way behind Fleck (2.34 and 63.5%). With both of the other two leaving the conference at the end of the season, Fullerton now looks likely to have the best Libero in the conference, as Costello moves into her senior year.
With one of the best young hitters and a top 3 Libero the 2019 Titans took a step forward, now the question is, can they continue that progression?
2020 Preview:
As I just mentioned, the 2020 Titans have two good pieces in Crawford and Costello. They do, however, lose some starters to early graduation (something Coach Preston encourages) in setter Makenzi Ableman and pins Felicia Marshall and Tyler Fezzey. I don't want to minimize those losses because Fezzey and Marshall were #2 and #3 on the roster in terms of total swings but I do think they can be replaced. In Ashley Preston they have a good, young HC and this is a program that should be trending in the right direction. It will be particularly interesting to see how the Titans perform against 2020 Big West newcomers Bakersfield and UC San Diego. While adding low-ranked teams to the conference might hinder the RPI of Hawaii and Cal Poly, it could offer a program like Fullerton some morale boosting victories in the near future.
The Titan's fortunes in 2020 depend largely on how quickly Coach Preston can assimilate her new starters into the lineup during what will undoubtedly be an unusual summer. If they slot in well, I could see Fullerton finishing 2020 in the middle of the conference, which would be a great achievement. If not, they may struggle to continue this momentum. Either way, it'll be interesting to watch!
Compiled with the assistance of SmokeDogg . Thank you!
#t8 UC Riverside
Overall 2019 Record: 6-22
Conference Record: 2-14
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 283
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Ashley Dittman, So, 6'1, OH
Dejah Dade, Jr, 5'10, S
Arynn Howell, Sr, 5'5, DS
Jessica Blakeman, Sr, 5'9, OH
Mylei Vargas-Deason, So, 5'9, OH
*Amarachi Osuji, So, 5'10 OH
Renata Bath, Jr, 5'8, DS
*Ayla Fresenius, Sr, 6'0, OH
Kayla Taitt, So, 5'11, MB
*Isabella Scarlett, So, 6'1, MB
Ayanna Kimbrough, So, 6'2, OPP
*Victoria Bachawati, Sr, 5'2, DS
*Kat Lowry, Sr, 6'1, MB
*Alexis Vanlandingham, Sr, 6'1, OPP
Departures (*denotes starter):
*Tara Eaton, 5'4, DS
Yuliya Ushakova, 6'1, MB
*Morgan Kline, 5'10, S
Incoming Players:
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 9th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 7th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 9th
2019 Review: Will include 2019 season stats per volleymetrics and analysis of the season.
2020 Preview:
#t8 UC Irvine
Overall 2019 Record: 5-23
Conference Record: 2-14
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 268
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Sofia Skukan, So, 5'6, DS
Kiani Stanton, RS So, 6'0, MB
Cassie Stewart, Sr, 6'1, OPP
Joy Umeh, So, 5'8, OH
*Onye Ofoegbu, So, 6'3, MB
Sophie Wood, Jr, 6'2, S
Carrissa MacDonald, So, 6'2, OPP
Lauren Russ, Jr, 5'11, DS/OH
Sierra Davis, Sr, 5'10, S/OPP
*Kelly Negron, So, 5'7, S
*Chloe Owens, Sr, 5'7, DS
Destynie Villamu, 5'11, OH
Bailey Darnell, So, 5'8 DS
Departures (*denotes starter):
Erin Alonso, 5'4, DS
*Makayla Wolfe, 6'3, MB
*Loryn Carter, 6'3, OPP
*Laura Butler, 5'9, DS
Camille Davey, 5'8, DS
*Abby Marjama, Jr, 6'0, OH
Incoming Players:
Conference Hitting Rank (BW matches only): 7th
Conference Passing Rank (BW matches only): 9th
Conference Defense Rank (BW matches only): 8th
2019 Review: Will include 2019 season stats per volleymetrics and analysis of the season.
2020 Preview:
(N/A) CSU Bakersfield (Joining from WAC)
Overall 2019 Record: 9-19
Conference Record: 4-12 (WAC)
Tournament Placement: None
Final RPI: 256
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
*Leisa Elisaia, Jr, 5'10, S
*Brooke Boiseau, RS Jr, 6'0, MB/OPP
Jazleigh Ortiz, RS Sr, 5'8, DS
Mapuhola Sekona, Sr, 5'10, OH
Isabella Adamczyk, So, 5'11, MB/OPP
*Hana Makonova, RS So, 5'11, MB
Natalie Minjarez, So, 6'0, OH
*Emily Hansen, Sr, 5'8, S/OPP
Ericka Snopko, RS So, 6'0, MB
Sophia Maulupe, So, 5'3, DS
*Hayley McCluskey, Jr, 6'0, OH
*Milica Vukobrat, Jr, 6'0, OPP
*Jojo Ishida, Sr, 5'5, L
Departures (*denotes starter):
Ally Barber, 6'0, MB
*Rafa Bonifacio, 5'11, OH
*Sidney Wicks, 5'7, S
Hannah Manzanares, 5'7, DS
Incoming Players:
Conference Rank Hitting (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Passing (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Defense (BW matches only): N/A
2019 Preview: Will include 2019 season stats per volleymetrics and analysis of the season.
2020 Review:
(N/A) UC San Diego (Joining from DII)
Overall 2019 Record: 18-9 (DII)
Conference Record: 12-5 (CCAA)
Tournament Placement: NCAA DII West Quarterfinal (lost to Alaska Anchorage 3-2)
Final RPI: N/A
Returning Players (*denotes starter):
Departures (*denotes starter):
Incoming Players:
Conference Rank Hitting (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Passing (BW matches only): N/A
Conference Rank Defense (BW matches only): N/A
2019 Preview: N/A
2020 Review: