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Post by exit237a on May 2, 2023 10:05:44 GMT -5
70 players entered the portal today. Hopefully there is one diamond in rough OH we can add to the roster. Raina & DeBoer have the starting positions locked up. Injuries really hurt us last year so would love an OH/OPP combo player. A couple folks have called out sophomore outside hitter from Florida Gulf Coast University, Rylen Reid, as a potential good pickup. Rylen is from the Chicago suburbs (Rolling Meadows) and maybe she’d be interested in transferring closer to home! Here’s her roster page at FGCU: fgcuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/rylen-reid/9027EDIT: And another name that was shared as a potential impact OH is junior Youngstown State outside hitter, Paula Gursching: ysusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/paula-gursching/6566
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Post by exit237a on May 2, 2023 14:11:55 GMT -5
70 players entered the portal today. Hopefully there is one diamond in rough OH we can add to the roster. Raina & DeBoer have the starting positions locked up. Injuries really hurt us last year so would love an OH/OPP combo player. A couple folks have called out sophomore outside hitter from Florida Gulf Coast University, Rylen Reid, as a potential good pickup. Rylen is from the Chicago suburbs (Rolling Meadows) and maybe she’d be interested in transferring closer to home! Here’s her roster page at FGCU: fgcuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/rylen-reid/9027EDIT: And another name that was shared as a potential impact OH is junior Youngstown State outside hitter, Paula Gursching: ysusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/paula-gursching/6566I was just checking out some of Rylen's prep footage and realized that she was on the same club as Bianca May- an even closer Illinois connection.
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Post by exit237a on May 2, 2023 15:53:13 GMT -5
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Post by oldmanvb on May 2, 2023 21:34:11 GMT -5
It would surprise me is Tamas is interested in Rylen Reid. She is small for a B1G pin hitter, and I say this even considering Mosher’s success last year. She did not play much for FGCU last year, although I’m not certain what that means.
Paula Gursching is a more interesting prospect. She is a six rotation player. Don’t know if she would be willing to join a program in which she would not be the focal point.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on May 3, 2023 6:03:18 GMT -5
Very much enjoyed and appreciated this relaxed interview between former Northwestern volleyball player, Emily Ehman (2016-2019) and Illini great, Jordyn (2015-2018). Over my 50+ plus years of watching women's college volleyball (I am 72 and a half years old), I have had the great pleasure of rooting for some great players. Jordyn Poulter is at the very top of my list. Of all the times I have been in the same gym with Jordyn and even the same room with her at Illinois volleyball functions (I even was in the same sparsely attended movie theater watching the same movie she was with her teammate Beth Prince), I have never personally met or spoken to Jordyn. So it was a pleasure to watch her laughing and reminiscing with Ehman. I hope she can come back from her injury and play the game she loves. I find it interesting that in the interview she talks about playing the song "Shallow" with her teammates and friends. The opening lyrics, "Tell me somethin', girl Are you happy in this modern world? Or do you need more? Is there somethin' else you're searchin' for?"
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Post by exit237a on May 3, 2023 15:01:44 GMT -5
It would surprise me is Tamas is interested in Rylen Reid. She is small for a B1G pin hitter, and I say this even considering Mosher’s success last year. She did not play much for FGCU last year, although I’m not certain what that means.
Paula Gursching is a more interesting prospect. She is a six rotation player. Don’t know if she would be willing to join a program in which she would not be the focal point. I don't think I understand what you mean by "she would not be the focal point". I would think that she would have the opportunity to compete for the second starting OH spot, as well as the possibility to continue playing six rotations, even with Raina playing six and even with Lily and Vanessa Pan joining the team. I'd think that there are no promises in Tamas's gym other than the promise to compete and earn one's position in the lineup. Are OH1 and OH2 different enough that someone would insist on being one over the other? I never played high-level volleyball so I'm honestly ignorant as to whether that difference is something outside hitters care about.
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Post by oldmanvb on May 3, 2023 19:14:24 GMT -5
My observation was an absolute guess based upon my dark and probably warped sense of human nature. Obviously I don’t know anything about what motivates Gursching. How often she is set may not be important to her or other D1 level players - I never played college volleyball. I just saw last year Gursching had 1412 attacks in 110 sets. Next on her team was 671. Raina had 1163 in 109 sets. Next on our team was Brooke with 644 in 109 sets, although some of her sets were playing back row. Taylor Landfair had 1231 swings, next on their team was 730. Most teams have one hitter who is set considerably more than anyone else. On Illinois that is going to be Raina. I set men’s club, so the comparison may not be apt, but distribution was something I was always concerned with, and the best players were always calling for the ball in tough situations, a personality trait which contributes to being the best. Regardless, Gursching would come here not knowing if she would be starting, much less getting the lion’s share of the sets. Hopefully our players don’t count sets and accept situations in which someone else is on the court. She was clearly the biggest part of Youngstown’s offense and would not be if she came here, which is why I said I don’t know if she would want to join our program. She sounds like she would be an ideal addition.
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Post by exit237a on May 3, 2023 19:44:53 GMT -5
My observation was an absolute guess based upon my dark and probably warped sense of human nature. Obviously I don’t know anything about what motivates Gursching. How often she is set may not be important to her or other D1 level players - I never played college volleyball. I just saw last year Gursching had 1412 attacks in 110 sets. Next on her team was 671. Raina had 1163 in 109 sets. Next on our team was Brooke with 644 in 109 sets, although some of her sets were playing back row. Taylor Landfair had 1231 swings, next on their team was 730. Most teams have one hitter who is set considerably more than anyone else. On Illinois that is going to be Raina. I set men’s club, so the comparison may not be apt, but distribution was something I was always concerned with, and the best players were always calling for the ball in tough situations, a personality trait which contributes to being the best. Regardless, Gursching would come here not knowing if she would be starting, much less getting the lion’s share of the sets. Hopefully our players don’t count sets and accept situations in which someone else is on the court. She was clearly the biggest part of Youngstown’s offense and would not be if she came here, which is why I said I don’t know if she would want to join our program. She sounds like she would be an ideal addition. Thanks for the additional context, oldman. I hadn't seen those stats on the massive gap between Raina's swing total and Brooke's. We're reminded of how much lineup juggling Tamas had to do last year with Jess's foot injury. In 2021, when both Jess and Raina played every set, Raina took 1304 swings and Jess took 1024. Cooney took 930 at opposite. Hope that whoever is on the roster this year, that we are healthier than we were last year. I've wondered if Tamas doesn't get another OH from the portal, what are the chances he tries to get Jess to come back for one more season. I haven't heard of her entering the portal, so she's probably got other plans than volleyball, but I wonder if there's a chance she'd consider coming back with a scholarship. Use that time to get a masters or some certificate.
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Post by ilalum92 on May 3, 2023 21:19:09 GMT -5
My observation was an absolute guess based upon my dark and probably warped sense of human nature. Obviously I don’t know anything about what motivates Gursching. How often she is set may not be important to her or other D1 level players - I never played college volleyball. I just saw last year Gursching had 1412 attacks in 110 sets. Next on her team was 671. Raina had 1163 in 109 sets. Next on our team was Brooke with 644 in 109 sets, although some of her sets were playing back row. Taylor Landfair had 1231 swings, next on their team was 730. Most teams have one hitter who is set considerably more than anyone else. On Illinois that is going to be Raina. I set men’s club, so the comparison may not be apt, but distribution was something I was always concerned with, and the best players were always calling for the ball in tough situations, a personality trait which contributes to being the best. Regardless, Gursching would come here not knowing if she would be starting, much less getting the lion’s share of the sets. Hopefully our players don’t count sets and accept situations in which someone else is on the court. She was clearly the biggest part of Youngstown’s offense and would not be if she came here, which is why I said I don’t know if she would want to join our program. She sounds like she would be an ideal addition. Thanks for the additional context, oldman. I hadn't seen those stats on the massive gap between Raina's swing total and Brooke's. We're reminded of how much lineup juggling Tamas had to do last year with Jess's foot injury. In 2021, when both Jess and Raina played every set, Raina took 1304 swings and Jess took 1024. Cooney took 930 at opposite. Hope that whoever is on the roster this year, that we are healthier than we were last year. I've wondered if Tamas doesn't get another OH from the portal, what are the chances he tries to get Jess to come back for one more season. I haven't heard of her entering the portal, so she's probably got other plans than volleyball, but I wonder if there's a chance she'd consider coming back with a scholarship. Use that time to get a masters or some certificate. Looking at our lineup and who we have coming in as a recruit, we need an OH with a few years of eligibility to shore up the line-up. Raina coming back for a Covid year is an option but not a sure thing. If she leaves, we have 2 OH on the roster and thats it.
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Post by exit237a on May 3, 2023 21:32:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the additional context, oldman. I hadn't seen those stats on the massive gap between Raina's swing total and Brooke's. We're reminded of how much lineup juggling Tamas had to do last year with Jess's foot injury. In 2021, when both Jess and Raina played every set, Raina took 1304 swings and Jess took 1024. Cooney took 930 at opposite. Hope that whoever is on the roster this year, that we are healthier than we were last year. I've wondered if Tamas doesn't get another OH from the portal, what are the chances he tries to get Jess to come back for one more season. I haven't heard of her entering the portal, so she's probably got other plans than volleyball, but I wonder if there's a chance she'd consider coming back with a scholarship. Use that time to get a masters or some certificate. Looking at our lineup and who we have coming in as a recruit, we need an OH with a few years of eligibility to shore up the line-up. Raina coming back for a Covid year is an option but not a sure thing. If she leaves, we have 2 OH on the roster and thats it. Good point, alum. That's why I think Tamas will need to keep an open mind about the OH that are available in the portal this cycle. For instance, I wouldn't eliminate someone entirely on the basis of their height.
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Post by Pasquale on May 3, 2023 22:01:09 GMT -5
My observation was an absolute guess based upon my dark and probably warped sense of human nature. Obviously I don’t know anything about what motivates Gursching. How often she is set may not be important to her or other D1 level players - I never played college volleyball. I just saw last year Gursching had 1412 attacks in 110 sets. Next on her team was 671. Raina had 1163 in 109 sets. Next on our team was Brooke with 644 in 109 sets, although some of her sets were playing back row. Taylor Landfair had 1231 swings, next on their team was 730. Most teams have one hitter who is set considerably more than anyone else. On Illinois that is going to be Raina. I set men’s club, so the comparison may not be apt, but distribution was something I was always concerned with, and the best players were always calling for the ball in tough situations, a personality trait which contributes to being the best. Regardless, Gursching would come here not knowing if she would be starting, much less getting the lion’s share of the sets. Hopefully our players don’t count sets and accept situations in which someone else is on the court. She was clearly the biggest part of Youngstown’s offense and would not be if she came here, which is why I said I don’t know if she would want to join our program. She sounds like she would be an ideal addition. Thanks for the additional context, oldman. I hadn't seen those stats on the massive gap between Raina's swing total and Brooke's. We're reminded of how much lineup juggling Tamas had to do last year with Jess's foot injury. In 2021, when both Jess and Raina played every set, Raina took 1304 swings and Jess took 1024. Cooney took 930 at opposite. Hope that whoever is on the roster this year, that we are healthier than we were last year. I've wondered if Tamas doesn't get another OH from the portal, what are the chances he tries to get Jess to come back for one more season. I haven't heard of her entering the portal, so she's probably got other plans than volleyball, but I wonder if there's a chance she'd consider coming back with a scholarship. Use that time to get a masters or some certificate. Her plans may have changed, but a radio announcer said Nunge would be heading to Africa this year (but didn’t elaborate).
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Post by exit237a on May 3, 2023 22:11:00 GMT -5
Thanks for the additional context, oldman. I hadn't seen those stats on the massive gap between Raina's swing total and Brooke's. We're reminded of how much lineup juggling Tamas had to do last year with Jess's foot injury. In 2021, when both Jess and Raina played every set, Raina took 1304 swings and Jess took 1024. Cooney took 930 at opposite. Hope that whoever is on the roster this year, that we are healthier than we were last year. I've wondered if Tamas doesn't get another OH from the portal, what are the chances he tries to get Jess to come back for one more season. I haven't heard of her entering the portal, so she's probably got other plans than volleyball, but I wonder if there's a chance she'd consider coming back with a scholarship. Use that time to get a masters or some certificate. Her plans may have changed, but a radio announcer said Nunge would be heading to Africa this year (but didn’t elaborate). Nice! I hadn't heard that. Best wishes on that trip.
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Post by pointillinois on May 4, 2023 10:28:27 GMT -5
Season ticket renewals opened today!!!
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Post by definitelymaybe on May 4, 2023 20:07:08 GMT -5
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Post by oldmanvb on May 6, 2023 11:57:03 GMT -5
Abby Vander Wahl is one of 12 players selected for the U19 Pan Am games team. Where do we stand with her?
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