North Carolina 2022

[volleyheels10]

Unfortunately, it is time to end the 2021 season talk and move on to the 2022 spring and fall. While the season has closed, UNC saw its best season since 2016 and has a lot to look forward to. UNC will welcome in the #8 recruiting class for this year and will shoot to place higher in the ACC and make it deeper into the NCAA Tournament. UNC will return the reigning ACC FOY and almost all the defensive core.


2021 Review:

Regular Season: UNC 21-8 ACC 10-8 (tied 6th)
NCAA Tourney: Tennessee (L) 3-1
Shaffmaster (ACC FOY, AVCA East Coast FOY, AVCA Region HM)
Merkler (2nd Team ACC, AVCA EC Recognition)
Parker-Robinson (2nd Team ACC, AVCA EC Recognition)


Key Losses:
Nia Parker-Robinson (2nd Team ALL ACC OH)
Amanda Phegley (MB)
Meghan Neelon (Setter)


Key Returners:

Mabrey Shaffmaster (ACC FOY, 2nd Team)
Kaya Merkler (ACC 2nd Team)
Kareena Wurl (5th in ACC Digs/Set)


Key Incoming Players (most likely to impact):
Anita Babic (S)
Cadence Shea (OH/MB)
Ava Swain (OH)
Charly Niego (OH, 1st Team All ACC, Notre Dame*)


Returners:

Seniors or Grads:
Niki Khoshatefeh (MB)
Skyy Howard (MB/RS)
Carly Peck (RS)
Kareena Wurl (L)
Parker Austin (OH)
Charly Niego (OH)

Juniors:
Olivia Diaz (DS)*
Aziah Buckner (OH)
Kaya Merkler (MH)

Sophomores:
Mabrey Shaffmaster (OH)
Marissa Meyerhoefer (DS)


Freshman: (if anyone knows preprankings and will share let me know). 
Carson Overbeck(DS)*
Anita Babic (S)
Cadence Shea (OH/MB)
Ava Swain (OH)
Liv Modridge (MB)
Sadie Swift (MB)
Ella Bostic (S, OPP)
Maddie May (DS)


What we know:

1. Shaffmaster will continue playing 6 rotation outside, LS.
2. Wurl will anchor the libero spot and back row for her senior campaign.
3. Merkler will continue to be a dominant force in the middle as our slide attacker.



Questions:

1. Will Skyy Howard find her way back as a starting middle with the departure of Phegley? Or will one of our talented freshman (Mogridge) earn that spot?
2. Maylen and Buckner have been MIA. Will we see a return? Also, will Babic run the show in a 5-1 this year or will the 6-2 reappear via Bostic or transfer?
3. Shaff is a lock as OH 1. Will healthy Austin possibly step in as OH2 or will a freshie/transfer?
4. Who will be on the RS? Peck seems to have not progressed as a productive opposite…..Shea has a cannon and is very offensive whereas Swain has a good all around game. Will a freshman also fill that role?
5. With a large class coming in, will we see possibly 4 freshman on the floor at once? Or will the coaching staff be going after a few transfers?


Several transfers have already visited and several more are on the way to do so before Christmas/Holiday Break. 

[volleyheels10]

Ava Swain will be enrolling early in January. Waiting to see which setter(s) are.

[bvolley17]

Any update on the transfers? Assuming since nobody has committed like other schools are pulling that they aren’t likely joining us?

[bvolley17]

Can we please, please pick up Weatherington? North Carolina kid with a heavy arm on the right side.

[volleyheels10]

Sorry, been MIA during holiday season! Couple more visits are going down.

[cardinal22]

Jan 4, 2022 8:30:32 GMT -5 volleyheels10 said:

Sorry, been MIA during holiday season! Couple more visits are going down.

Any idea who?

[volleyheels10]

Jan 4, 2022 9:03:04 GMT -5 cardinal22 said:

Jan 4, 2022 8:30:32 GMT -5 volleyheels10 said:

Sorry, been MIA during holiday season! Couple more visits are going down.

Any idea who?

Not my names to tell but setter and OH is what I was told. Both from P5. Most dire need is setter depth. UNC will have PLENTY of firepower with returnees and the freshies. 

[Anonymousnow]

Sadie Swift is a great get for the Heels, she will surprise people.

[volleyheels10]

Jan 7, 2022 9:46:14 GMT -5 Anonymousnow said:

Sadie Swift is a great get for the Heels, she will surprise people.

I wonder if she will redshirt...she is a fabulous get....but with Merkler, Howard, and Mogridge probably being the middle rotation, I would save her for 4 full years.....

Shea and Swift are my 2 under the radar players (not on as many national lists as Swain, Babic, Mogridge) who will be key surprise contributors. Shea has a cannon and Swift is versatile. 

[cardinal22]

Jan 7, 2022 8:20:55 GMT -5 volleyheels10 said:

Jan 4, 2022 9:03:04 GMT -5 cardinal22 said:

Any idea who?

Not my names to tell but setter and OH is what I was told. Both from P5. Most dire need is setter depth. UNC will have PLENTY of firepower with returnees and the freshies. 

awesome! would be cool if Shaffmaster older sister came to UNC to join her. Rumors are saying she might have entered the transfer portal. 

[comet]

Jan 7, 2022 11:15:04 GMT -5 cardinal22 said:

Jan 7, 2022 8:20:55 GMT -5 volleyheels10 said:

Not my names to tell but setter and OH is what I was told. Both from P5. Most dire need is setter depth. UNC will have PLENTY of firepower with returnees and the freshies. 

awesome! would be cool if Shaffmaster older sister came to UNC to join her. Rumors are saying she might have entered the transfer portal. 

I do not think Mel Shaffmaster is transferring.

[bvolley17]

At this point I feel like NC State has won the transfer lottery. They have pulled in quite the haul.

[bobsacamano]

Jan 7, 2022 20:53:32 GMT -5 bvolley17 said:

At this point I feel like NC State has won the transfer lottery. They have pulled in quite the haul.

If you’re ranking based on players who didn’t earn starting roles at other programs, definitely.

[volleynerdmw]

Jan 8, 2022 3:10:45 GMT -5 bobsacamano said:

Jan 7, 2022 20:53:32 GMT -5 bvolley17 said:

At this point I feel like NC State has won the transfer lottery. They have pulled in quite the haul.

If you’re ranking based on players who didn’t earn starting roles at other programs, definitely.

ha I was thinking the same thing. Most of the transfers outside of Hernandez have very little experience. Bukilic played less and less as time went on.

[bvolley17]

Two players from Texas sitting behind the players there is nothing to ignore, especially with a former top 10 player as a setter to come in. Also a second team Big 10 player and a second team ACC player. While not playing much at Hawaii, adding height with youth national team experience on the RS is also good. Getting all of that in a single haul is good.