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Post by ilalum92 on Feb 4, 2023 1:03:30 GMT -5
It’s looking like a 5-1. The transfer setter they hoped to get has not materialized. Spill the tea on who they were targeting. Or give us some choices to guess from! You can’t drop that nugget and tell. LOL!
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Post by ilalum92 on Feb 4, 2023 1:06:51 GMT -5
What is Illinois starting line up looking like next year? Any incoming freshman for starting positions?
One of our insider fans recently suggested that a 6-2 might be possible this season. Regardless of a 6-2 or 5-1, R-Sophomore Brooke Mosher will be setting. In a 6-2 she's also probably hitting as OPP in the front row.
We're REALLY thin on pins right now! Raina Terry will be playing six rotations again this year and unless Tamas gets another DS/L from the portal, we'll need one of our remaining pins to also play six rotations. That means that one of Kayla Burbage, Sophie Stephenson, or Taylor de Boer would play all the way around. Taylor is a true freshman and Sophie is a redshirt freshman- this spring will shed light on the competition for that second OH spot. Burbage played OPP this past season.
Freshman Lily Barry is expected to start at DS this season.
The two remaining incoming freshmen are MB Gabby Dean and setter Maya Imoto-Eakin. Both will have the opportunity to compete for starting spots. Only one MB slot is locked down and that's Kennedy Collins's, so Gabby will be vying with Sarah Bingham and R-Freshman Cari Bohm for the second slot. If the Illini run a 6-2, Maya will be competing with R-Freshman Bianca May for the second setter role.
My depth chart: OH : Terry, DeBoer, Stephenson, Gregus MB: Collins, Bingham, Bohm/Dean S: Mosher, May, Imoko-Eaton OPP: Burbage L/DS: Barnes, Barry,
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Feb 4, 2023 8:40:28 GMT -5
My inquiring mind wants to know: What's Illinois and U.S. National Team super-star, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, doing in Columbus, Ohio?
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Post by oldmanvb on Feb 4, 2023 8:40:42 GMT -5
As I read this thread, the consensus is we need a scholarship level pin and a scholarship level DS, while only having one scholarship available. Which is the bigger need? I suppose it depends on whether DeBoer, Stephenson or Burbage are able to play six rotations, or if Terry and the libero can pass from a two person reception scheme when the DS is on the bench. The question tells me we need the DS much more than another pin hitter.
And there is no chance we run a 6-2, even considering how effective Mosher is as a hitter.
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Post by pointillinois on Feb 6, 2023 12:11:49 GMT -5
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Post by combes on Feb 6, 2023 13:40:32 GMT -5
As I read this thread, the consensus is we need a scholarship level pin and a scholarship level DS, while only having one scholarship available. Which is the bigger need? I suppose it depends on whether DeBoer, Stephenson or Burbage are able to play six rotations, or if Terry and the libero can pass from a two person reception scheme when the DS is on the bench. The question tells me we need the DS much more than another pin hitter. And there is no chance we run a 6-2, even considering how effective Mosher is as a hitter. Agreed. Not without getting a Big Ten level second setter. That was the plan, but it hasn’t happened. They also thought they had a great shot at the Northwestern pin who ended up at Wisconsin. Been a couple of big disappointments in the portal market.
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Post by Friday on Feb 6, 2023 15:19:51 GMT -5
As I read this thread, the consensus is we need a scholarship level pin and a scholarship level DS, while only having one scholarship available. Which is the bigger need? I suppose it depends on whether DeBoer, Stephenson or Burbage are able to play six rotations, or if Terry and the libero can pass from a two person reception scheme when the DS is on the bench. The question tells me we need the DS much more than another pin hitter. And there is no chance we run a 6-2, even considering how effective Mosher is as a hitter. Agreed. Not without getting a Big Ten level second setter. That was the plan, but it hasn’t happened. They also thought they had a great shot at the Northwestern pin who ended up at Wisconsin. Been a couple of big disappointments in the portal market. I think it would be difficult to get a Big Ten level setter to come here and run a 6-2. If they are that good, they will want to run the show.
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Post by Pasquale on Feb 6, 2023 18:58:09 GMT -5
Well, that was disappointing. So many questions left unanswered. Would have been nice if they would have taken questions from the fans.
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Post by exit237a on Feb 6, 2023 19:08:14 GMT -5
Well, that was disappointing. So many questions left unanswered. Would have been nice if they would have taken questions from the fans. Anything of note, Pasquale? Any portal discussion?
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Post by oldmanvb on Feb 6, 2023 19:58:00 GMT -5
One thing that I thought was interesting was an observation/complaint he can't recruit a transfer who will be a senior because of UI admissions policies. It sounded as though a player cannot transfer into UI after a certain point in their studies. I'm not certain of what he was talking about, but he sounded aggravated by the policy.
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Post by Pasquale on Feb 6, 2023 19:58:39 GMT -5
He was only on the air for 30 minutes and the hosts only took one question from the audience. They didn't ask much about player development or follow-up on portal opportunities. Here are a few things I remember:
-The spring schedule should be released this week -The home match(es) will be Saturday, March 4 with two follow-up matches in Southern Illinois and Chicago later in March -Tamas indicated they have been trying to find players in the portal, but also mentioned that the player has to be a good fit for the program -Said it's somewhat problematic to recruit high school players and then bring in players from the portal who will likely start ahead of the younger players (this may backfire for some of the teams that have picked up several portal transfers) -He mentioned something about Illinois not offering degrees to transfers after a certain point (Junior year?), which makes it difficult for them to pick up some portal players (he didn't really expand on this, so I'm not sure about this, but I think he meant they have to pick up younger transfers or graduate transfers) -The coaches will begin recruiting next week and plan to attend a couple of large high school tournaments in St. Louis and Kansas City -He regularly tries to sell the fact that Illinois has three former players with gold olympic medals to high school recruits -They're trying to develop NIL opportunities for their athletes and thinks the fan base in Illinois will help -He's pleased Collins is returning and she appears to be healthy (said she was dealing with injuries that the public wasn't aware of last year)
I had several questions prepared about recruiting, portal transfers and player development on the current roster, but the hosts didn't allow time for this. Instead, they asked questions like what's a typical day like for Coach Tamas on game days. As I said, very frustrating.
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Post by Pasquale on Feb 6, 2023 19:59:38 GMT -5
One thing that I thought was interesting was an observation/complaint he can't recruit a transfer who will be a senior because of UI admissions policies. It sounded as though a player cannot transfer into UI after a certain point in their studies. I'm not certain of what he was talking about, but he sounded aggravated by the policy. Yes, that was my take on it (both the policy and his frustration).
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Post by exit237a on Feb 6, 2023 20:17:25 GMT -5
He was only on the air for 30 minutes and the hosts only took one question from the audience. They didn't ask much about player development or follow-up on portal opportunities. Here are a few things I remember: -The spring schedule should be released this week -The home match(es) will be Saturday, March 4 with two follow-up matches in Southern Illinois and Chicago later in March -Tamas indicated they have been trying to find players in the portal, but also mentioned that the player has to be a good fit for the program -Said it's somewhat problematic to recruit high school players and then bring in players from the portal who will likely start ahead of the younger players (this may backfire for some of the teams that have picked up several portal transfers) -He mentioned something about Illinois not offering degrees to transfers after a certain point (Junior year?), which makes it difficult for them to pick up some portal players (he didn't really expand on this, so I'm not sure about this, but I think he meant they have to pick up younger transfers or graduate transfers) -The coaches will begin recruiting next week and plan to attend a couple of large high school tournaments in St. Louis and Kansas City -He regularly tries to sell the fact that Illinois has three former players with gold olympic medals to high school recruits -They're trying to develop NIL opportunities for their athletes and thinks the fan base in Illinois will help -He's pleased Collins is returning and she appears to be healthy (said she was dealing with injuries that the public wasn't aware of last year) I had several questions prepared about recruiting, portal transfers and player development on the current roster, but the hosts didn't allow time for this. Instead, they asked questions like what's a typical day like for Coach Tamas on game days. As I said, very frustrating. Thanks for the full rundown!
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Post by Pasquale on Feb 6, 2023 20:39:11 GMT -5
I should clarify that my statement that "this may backfire for some of the teams that have picked up several portal transfers" is my take on the portal situation, not the coach's.
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Post by pointillinois on Feb 6, 2023 20:39:33 GMT -5
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