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Post by oldmanvb on Apr 20, 2021 18:13:50 GMT -5
I really appreciate players like Kylie who go to practice, work hard, support teammates, all without any big expectation of playing time. A team cannot succeed without players like Kylie and Emily. The opportunity to contribute in games this year is a memory they will always value. The fact that Kylie has chosen to return for another year speaks volumes about the team culture, particularly knowing another highly recruited setter will be on campus.
As I watched the tournament this week I’ve been struck by how close we are to being able to compete at that level. Looking forward to next year, particularly with all the new help at positions of need.
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Post by illinifan818 on Apr 21, 2021 9:55:32 GMT -5
Never hurts to have one of the best servers come back for another year. Honestly tho I hope she doesn't play as much. I think we can all tell this team is at it's best running the 5-1 with Brown as setter. Especially with Cooney coming back and Bruna showing signs of maturing in her all-around game, late this season. Another year of development with Collins in the Middle and hopefully Whittington can be healthy and provide some depth after spending a year in the program. Wonder if any freshman will make an impact like Bingham and Mosher. We're really beginning the run on the incoming freshman being Tamas' recruits. While the pass couple classes have been his, this coaching staff had to catch up in the recruiting calendar the past couple years. One aspect of Bruder's return is that we keep our three setter depth in 2021. I don't know what to expect in terms of who will get playing time this fall but if Brown keeps her spot setting a 5-1, it would be cool if Mosher sees the court as a pin hitter. With Bruder and Brown setting in the practice gym, that could free up Mosher to practice as a pin. *But this is all just me spitballing and putting the cart before the horse as I don't know what a practice looks like, how that setting competition will go, what system Tamas will go with, etc. It's fun to play the guessing game, though, and having Kylie back gives us some options. On top of that point too, is the fact that we do have Brown for 2 more years as our setter. So if they want to be aggresive with Mosher getting reps as a pin, knowing she won't take over for Brown for 2 years, they can do that. Mosher could have quite the career if she is a pin for 2 years and then setter for 2. Or maybe they look to redshirt her next year to get 3 years from her as the setter when Brown departs. Maybe that depends on our health at the pin come this fall. Fingers crossed Holzman can have a speedy recovery. |
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Post by oldmanvb on Apr 21, 2021 13:38:50 GMT -5
Not saying she will use it, but I think Brown has 3 years of eligibility because of COVID.
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Post by Friday on Apr 21, 2021 20:57:49 GMT -5
I do not see Mosher hitting at Illinois. I said it earlier and I'll say it again - Mica is a better hitter than Brooke unless Brooke's hitting has developed in the last Covid year.
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Post by Pasquale on Apr 21, 2021 22:15:47 GMT -5
I think she will continue to train as a setter and redshirt her freshman year. While she has a good arm, I believe she could develop into an elite setter. Based on the videos I've seen, she's a dynamic player and will be quite good.
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Post by oldmanvb on Apr 21, 2021 23:45:56 GMT -5
I’ve never read about a prognosis’s for either Whittington or Gregus. What is the likelihood they will be ready to play by August?
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Post by ilalum92 on Apr 22, 2021 0:08:33 GMT -5
Adanna Rollins from MINN is in the portal .. she wouod be a great OH pick up.
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Post by alt on Apr 22, 2021 2:35:16 GMT -5
I do not see Mosher hitting at Illinois. I said it earlier and I'll say it again - Mica is a better hitter than Brooke unless Brooke's hitting has developed in the last Covid year. I'm not convinced that Mica is a better setter than Brooke. I've watched a lot of film of Mica as a HS and freshman at AU. She did not connect with her hitters. She was an athletic player but not a natural setter. Brooked is a very aggressive player. She will challenge herself to set the balls that a lot of setters wouldnt think about. She also is very aggressive at the net whether it is hitting or blocking. I think Mosher can run a 5-1 or a 6-2 where she hits at opp. She is a great all around player. |
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Apr 22, 2021 7:33:45 GMT -5
I do not see Mosher hitting at Illinois. I said it earlier and I'll say it again - Mica is a better hitter than Brooke unless Brooke's hitting has developed in the last Covid year. I'm not convinced that Mica is a better setter than Brooke. I've watched a lot of film of Mica as a HS and freshman at AU. She did not connect with her hitters. She was an athletic player but not a natural setter. Brooked is a very aggressive player. She will challenge herself to set the balls that a lot of setters wouldnt think about. She also is very aggressive at the net whether it is hitting or blocking. I think Mosher can run a 5-1 or a 6-2 where she hits at opp. She is a great all around player. I like your comments about the play of Brooke Mosher. Forgive me for reminiscing, but how you describe Mosher brings to mind the way Jen Flynn (Oldenburg) performed during her time as a player at Ohio State. Jen was an excellent setter for the Buckeyes, but was also a very capable hitter. I remember that one season at Huff, I watched her set for OSU, the next season when the Bucks came to Huff, she was an OH (six rotation as I remember). We should be so lucky as to have a player capable of quality setting and hitting. I will keep my fingers crossed that Brooke is one of those special players. |
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Post by Friday on Apr 22, 2021 12:02:25 GMT -5
I do not see Mosher hitting at Illinois. I said it earlier and I'll say it again - Mica is a better hitter than Brooke unless Brooke's hitting has developed in the last Covid year. I'm not convinced that Mica is a better setter than Brooke. I've watched a lot of film of Mica as a HS and freshman at AU. She did not connect with her hitters. She was an athletic player but not a natural setter. Brooked is a very aggressive player. She will challenge herself to set the balls that a lot of setters wouldnt think about. She also is very aggressive at the net whether it is hitting or blocking. I think Mosher can run a 5-1 or a 6-2 where she hits at opp. She is a great all around player. I specifically said hitting not setting. Also USA volleyball seemed to think Mica was good enough to make the USJNT because of her versatility as a setter and hitter. I've not seen enough of Brooke especially recently, but I do think she will be a very good setter for Illinois, but I do not see her hitting. |
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Post by illinifan818 on Apr 23, 2021 10:07:27 GMT -5
I do not see Mosher hitting at Illinois. I said it earlier and I'll say it again - Mica is a better hitter than Brooke unless Brooke's hitting has developed in the last Covid year. Well if Mosher does not hit at Illinois, her road to playing time might be slim if Brown uses all 3 of her remaining years. That would mean Brooke would only be setter for 2 years. I would think this coaching staff would be honest with her and say, 'if you want to see the floor early, hitting is your option. Mosher isn't coming to Illinois to sit on the bench... |
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Post by oldmanvb on Apr 23, 2021 16:19:53 GMT -5
It is pretty rare that an athlete goes to a D1 program thinking they are likely to end up on the bench. I cannot imagine Tamas promises playing time to a recruit. Tamas will give her and any other player a fair chance to compete. If she ends up better than Brown she will set. If she passes well (and it is a rare setter who can pass effectively) she may end up a DS hitting out of the back row. If she hits better than other pin hitters she may end up outside. Players will play. The only thing I know is that none of us know what the lineup is going to look like next year, either at the beginning of the year or at the end of the year. I have some decent guesses, but they are only guesses. I even suspect Tamas does not know who is going to start in the first match in August.
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Post by exit237a on Apr 24, 2021 14:34:28 GMT -5
Technically not 2021 Illini related but thought I'd point out that UIUC volleyball alum, Morgan O'Brien is going to compete for the National Championship tonight, as Texas faces Kentucky! I'll be rooting for her and the Longhorns because once an Illini always an Illini. It's shaping up to be a good match!  |
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Post by illinifan818 on Apr 24, 2021 20:02:11 GMT -5
It is pretty rare that an athlete goes to a D1 program thinking they are likely to end up on the bench. I cannot imagine Tamas promises playing time to a recruit. Tamas will give her and any other player a fair chance to compete. If she ends up better than Brown she will set. If she passes well (and it is a rare setter who can pass effectively) she may end up a DS hitting out of the back row. If she hits better than other pin hitters she may end up outside. Players will play. The only thing I know is that none of us know what the lineup is going to look like next year, either at the beginning of the year or at the end of the year. I have some decent guesses, but they are only guesses. I even suspect Tamas does not know who is going to start in the first match in August. Yeah, but isn't part of the fun to speculate... thats what gets my excitement for the future of Illinois volleyball going... and your first sentence makes my point exactly. Mosher isn't coming to illinois to sit on the bench, and if she doesn't outplay Brown, she'll be forced to do something else to find playing time. And if she doesn't outplay Brown for the set job and doesn't see playing time elsewhere, she might not be happy sitting on the bench. Especially if Brown stays 3 more years. My main point being that this Covid year is gonna have some ramifications for a couple years. |
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Post by exit237a on Apr 25, 2021 12:45:52 GMT -5
It is pretty rare that an athlete goes to a D1 program thinking they are likely to end up on the bench. I cannot imagine Tamas promises playing time to a recruit. Tamas will give her and any other player a fair chance to compete. If she ends up better than Brown she will set. If she passes well (and it is a rare setter who can pass effectively) she may end up a DS hitting out of the back row. If she hits better than other pin hitters she may end up outside. Players will play. The only thing I know is that none of us know what the lineup is going to look like next year, either at the beginning of the year or at the end of the year. I have some decent guesses, but they are only guesses. I even suspect Tamas does not know who is going to start in the first match in August. Yeah, but isn't part of the fun to speculate... thats what gets my excitement for the future of Illinois volleyball going... and your first sentence makes my point exactly. Mosher isn't coming to illinois to sit on the bench, and if she doesn't outplay Brown, she'll be forced to do something else to find playing time. And if she doesn't outplay Brown for the set job and doesn't see playing time elsewhere, she might not be happy sitting on the bench. Especially if Brown stays 3 more years. My main point being that this Covid year is gonna have some ramifications for a couple years. The covid bonus year is a wild card and for any current student athlete that redshirted, they could be playing volleyball for two seasons worth of graduate school (and a lot of full-time masters programs can be completed in two years). As of the below tweet video from October, Diana said she's on the pre-med track. I don't know if medical school is too demanding to play D1 volleyball concurrently- I don't recall hearing of a volleyball player who was also in medical school and I feel like that's one of those things that commentators and coaches would make a point of saying. So I see a scenario where fall 2021 could be her last season, despite having two additional years of eligibility. In that case, a Mosher 2021 redshirt could give her the potential of four seasons setting the Illini. Just throwing that out there since we're speculating. |
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