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Post by rainbowbadger on Apr 25, 2021 8:52:03 GMT -5
Orzol's ball control hasn't been good enough to pass. I'd expect Orzol on the right and Robinson at MB. Robinson at MB may have been in the plans, and may happen at some point (like when the Greek kid shows up), but when you have a pin hitting .426 including .500 or better vs Purdue, BYU, Texas and half the Big 10, you don't move her. You can find a middle to hit in the .400 range but, for instance, Duello hit .244 as a senior and was an All-American. If Robinson is .050 points higher than the next middle but .150 higher than the next RS, I think you have to keep her at RS. But we'll see. Agree 100%. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the course of this tournament, it’s that strong middles will only get you so far. We need terminal pins. |
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Post by badgerbreath on Apr 26, 2021 11:36:21 GMT -5
I waffle on this Robinson question. I agree that great pin hitters help a ton on a run to the national championship, and Robinson's numbers have been very good. But a strong middle attack (and defense) has been key to any efficiency we've gotten from the pins historically. If teams are allowed to load up on her because the middle attack is weak, her numbers will come down. Worse the numbers on the left will also come down, which is a problem for the offense generally.
I see good competitions for the pins coming in. Orzol and Demps we are pretty certain will do some real damage - though how much we don't quite know yet. Jardine sounds good. And Loberg may stay. Replacements for Rettke if she leaves are far less obvious.
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Post by rainbowbadger on Apr 26, 2021 21:19:20 GMT -5
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Post by vbnerd on Apr 26, 2021 22:32:44 GMT -5
Replacements for Rettke if she leaves are far less obvious. Did I miss something? Is there a reason the middle recruit who touches 11' and has been in the gym for 4 months with Rettke and in the weight room for 8 months by preseason wouldn't be the obvious replacement at middle? Did she get injured or something? |
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Post by badgerbreath on Apr 26, 2021 22:45:06 GMT -5
Replacements for Rettke if she leaves are far less obvious. Did I miss something? Is there a reason the middle recruit who touches 11' and has been in the gym for 4 months with Rettke and in the weight room for 8 months by preseason wouldn't be the obvious replacement at middle? Did she get injured or something? She's a freshman and may be raw. She can jump, but we don't know how quick she will be covering middle. I know we said that for Rettke (as did Sheffield originally), but expecting the same trajectory seems wishful to me. Rettke is a once in a generation natural. That's what I mean when I said "obvious." We have a lot to go on with Orzol and Demps. Loberg is a known. Not as much known for the incoming freshman. If Smrek can make the step up and make a solid contribution, it may make sense to keep Robinson on the right. We also haven't seen Gorum. |
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Post by nuclearbdgr on Apr 26, 2021 22:46:48 GMT -5
Replacements for Rettke if she leaves are far less obvious. Did I miss something? Is there a reason the middle recruit who touches 11' and has been in the gym for 4 months with Rettke and in the weight room for 8 months by preseason wouldn't be the obvious replacement at middle? Did she get injured or something? My guess is it will be Smrek or Robinson in the middle. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2021 22:59:55 GMT -5
Replacements for Rettke if she leaves are far less obvious. You don't think it'll be Robinson? I'd be shocked if it wasn't. Orzol will bring the offense on the right. |
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Post by basil on Apr 26, 2021 23:16:40 GMT -5
Not a Wisky fan, but very interested third party. Robinson is Wisconsin's best returning pin hitter (as far as we know) and she's darn near unstoppable in system. I wouldn't move her away from the right. She's a side-out machine and can maybe bring a bit of veteran-ship considering Demps didn't play much this year and Jardine is a freshman (I anticipate them starting).
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2021 23:19:24 GMT -5
Not a Wisky fan, but very interested third party. Robinson is Wisconsin's best returning pin hitter (as far as we know) and she's darn near unstoppable in system. I wouldn't move her away from the right. She's a side-out machine and can maybe bring a bit of veteran-ship considering Demps didn't play much this year and Jardine is a freshman (I anticipate them starting). she's good on the right, but she's better in the middle. She'll be there. Sheffield will get his pins figured out. He's probably in the portal anyways. (who isn't these days) |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2021 23:22:58 GMT -5
Not a Wisky fan, but very interested third party. Robinson is Wisconsin's best returning pin hitter (as far as we know) and she's darn near unstoppable in system. I wouldn't move her away from the right. She's a side-out machine and can maybe bring a bit of veteran-ship considering Demps didn't play much this year and Jardine is a freshman (I anticipate them starting). Not a Wisconsin fan either but I know a little bit about this situation. What @avid described is plan A. |
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Post by BuckysHeat on Apr 27, 2021 6:12:59 GMT -5
Did I miss something? Is there a reason the middle recruit who touches 11' and has been in the gym for 4 months with Rettke and in the weight room for 8 months by preseason wouldn't be the obvious replacement at middle? Did she get injured or something? She's a freshman and may be raw. She can jump, but we don't know how quick she will be covering middle. I know we said that for Rettke (as did Sheffield originally), but expecting the same trajectory seems wishful to me. Rettke is a once in a generation natural. That's what I mean when I said "obvious." We have a lot to go on with Orzol and Demps. Loberg is a known. Not as much known for the incoming freshman. If Smrek can make the step up and make a solid contribution, it may make sense to keep Robinson on the right. We also haven't seen Gorum. Rettke isn't all that quick on the block either, but she is long enough to cover her slow footspeed. |
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Post by BuckysHeat on Apr 27, 2021 6:15:26 GMT -5
As harsh as it sounds, I think the some of the seniors should move on. Wisconsin can't keep putting all of their eggs in the Loberg/Haggerty basket and expect to win a national championship as proven by the past couple of years. I am a huge Wisconsin fan and a fan of all of these players, but I think focusing on the new classes and their potential will be more beneficial to the program in the future instead of trying to hold on to "what could have been" the last couple of years. Wisconsin will win a natty soon! I can feel it! I'm speaking it into existence!
I don't think this is harsh, more so reality. To me, it's totally okay to acknowledge and be thankful for the contributions and even irreplaceable attributes this class + Haggerty brought to the program. That said, we've relied on this group for so long that I don't think it would benefit the growth of the greater team to try this again. If it's true that Demps will be one of the best players to come through the program, let's see it! I want to see Jardine's vertical in action, even if she's a bit more raw than Loberg/Haggerty. I want to see Orzol's international experience and Smrek's athleticism. I want to see Gorum in action. I'd like to see how Robinson grows in year two, whether in the middle or on the RS. All of Texas will be back next year. I want to see the Badgers field a team that can be just as dynamic and explosive (uhh ahem, Sydney Reed, can you get your friend Camryn Hannah to transfer to WI, ahem). There's so much excitement ahead for the Badgers, but they have to be given the opportunity!
Agreed completely. I know Barnes said she is coming back but I really hope every senior moves on to the next phase of their lives. Thank you for your time, it is time to give the new kids their chances to make their marks like these seniors did. Regardless of how the season fell apart - they did have a season and got to compete against the best in the nation in the tournament. |
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Post by BuckysHeat on Apr 27, 2021 6:22:37 GMT -5
My guess is the team goes as Robinson/Demps go. The problem for Wisconsin going all the way back to the 90s is that they lack power on the outside. The team's strength is always in the middle and at the setter position, but at the end of the day, championships are decided on the pins and Wisconsin has never had a big, overly physical outside hitter. Guessing Wisconsin will hover around top 5-10 next year if Hilley returns. They have a good collection of talent and size. I'll be surprised if Rettke/Haggerty come back. Would love for Loberg to. Curious of Ashburn stays considering she'll likely never set at UW. Great season overall but a frustrating one with all of the cancellations and a tough match for Rettke/Hilley to maybe end their careers on. Demps will need to learn to pass, amazing hitter from the outside but liability this year on SR. However, the team stuck with Loberg in the backrow so the coaches may not be as concerned about passing as I thought. You are right though, look at teams who win it all every year, just going back a couple of years Neb had Foecke/Albrecht, Stanford had Plummer/McClure, Texas this year has Logan/Fields, Ky has Skinner/ Stumler. Wis has never had a solid duo like that which has always been the difference between making it to the end and actually finishing it. |
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Post by vbnerd on Apr 27, 2021 9:21:40 GMT -5
Not a Wisky fan, but very interested third party. Robinson is Wisconsin's best returning pin hitter (as far as we know) and she's darn near unstoppable in system. I wouldn't move her away from the right. She's a side-out machine and can maybe bring a bit of veteran-ship considering Demps didn't play much this year and Jardine is a freshman (I anticipate them starting). Not a Wisconsin fan either but I know a little bit about this situation. What @avid described is plan A. I'm not doubting that WAS plan A, but Robinson was a stud this year on the RS this year. Once they know who is staying and who is leaving, there's going to be a conversation, or several. Unless Orzols looks like she is going to hit .350 on the RS or Robinson is going to hit .500 in the middle, I'm not sure the math supports moving Robinson. Also, other than Barnes, who's passing? Are they going to be able to keep setting the middle 10.5 times per set? Because if you can't get run the middle, why put Robinson there? So I'm guessing she stays put, but it's not my call. Sheffield and friends will sort it out. We just need to wait and see what they decide to do. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2021 9:36:35 GMT -5
Who is passing is a question nobody can answer at this point until the seniors make their decisions public.
If we assume Barnes is back, she'll be libero. You have DS's with Sydney Reed and Anna MacDonald, but I don't know enough about the passing skills of either of them. I don't know where Izzy Ashburn is at as a passer. I think she played some libero during the scrimmage back in November before winter break. Also have not seen much passing from Demps. Have never seen Jardine.
You still have the possibility of Loberg, Civita and Kraft coming back. Too many unknowns (to us) at this point. The only thing I am certain of is that it will not be Haggerty.
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