Kansas 2023

[buttery]

Nov 10, 2023 10:06:59 GMT -5 friendlybanter said:

How do we feel about Kansas’ recruiting class? They seem to bring in good talent.

Feel like this KU class has some more offensive firepower than we usually see from the Jayhawks. Nelson and Dean look like they can both hammer the ball. Heidi Devers is a great addition to the gaggle of DSs. Bechard says in the recruiting class press release that Ptacek is very good off one foot and Burgess looks good as well.

Next year is gonna have some serious talent assuming Elnady, Bien, Turner, Davis, Burns and Onabanjo stay.

My from the hip shot at the starting line-up would be:
S: Turner
RS: Davis (Dalton DS)
OH1: Elnady
OH2: Nelson (Bien DS)
MH1: Ptacek (maybe Burgess, I have no idea - I think there’s gonna be a lot of investment in these two though)
MH2: Onabanjo
L: Burns

I’ve been really impressed with the development of Turner and Davis this year. Davis is a solidly reliable RS now and Turner I would say has taken a step from a good setter to an arguably elite one. Burns is already looking like one of the top 20 or so liberos in the country. We’re already in the hunt to potentially host the first 2 rounds and I imagine that will definitely be the expectation next year (maybe even start to talk Top 10 territory).

The need for the portal, in my opinion, this off-season will be a matter of making sure players stay not adding any.

[buttery]

Sad that there was no Kansas-Baylor thread (unless I completely missed it) and I wasn’t going to try to make one as an unseasoned volleytalker. I was at the game though:

- I almost had a heart-attack when I walked in during warm-ups and saw what looked to be Caroline Bien in crutches…it was Molly McCarthy (who is obviously redshirting this year)
- Outstanding that Cooper is back so quick - Patrick Mahomes’ trainers needs whatever treatment for her ankle she got because I can’t believe she’s back so soon after how she went down in the first KSU game.
- Baylor progressively got more and more frustrated as the match went on…seemed like it was Briseno and Carlson trying to carry the team but there wasn’t a consistent or reliable hitter for the Bears tonight.
- Really impressed with Elnady over Big 12 play - hope she gets some accolades…her all-around game does so so much for the Jayhawks and her passing has really gotten good. Bien and Dalton had brief periods of struggle in serve receive, but she’s been pretty much nails through Big 12 play
- I feel like I don’t give enough credit to Turner - so impressed by how much she’s risen her game since she joined in 2021. I was a McGhie fan in 2021 because I thought she was more deceptive and had good hands, but by the end of the season Turner was about on par and then you have her offensive ability as a lefty that made her a slightly better option for the 5-1. But she’s proved me and everyone that Bechard and the coaching staff obviously found a gem. She gets a lot of praise for being athletic, but this year I feel like her volleyball IQ/decision making has gone to a different level (albeit, generally great passing helps) and she can put up a good set from pretty much anywhere.
- Lastly, Horjesi gets LOUD. I feel like there’s a lot of investment in volleyball specific arenas in the last couple years and upcoming, but love the intimacy of Horjesi. It also leads to consistent sellouts - if you wait like I did, you might find yourself buying them on SeatGeek for $43 a pop!

[bluepenquin]

Nov 15, 2023 22:23:27 GMT -5 buttery said:

Sad that there was no Kansas-Baylor thread (unless I completely missed it) and I wasn’t going to try to make one as an unseasoned volleytalker. I was at the game though:

- I almost had a heart-attack when I walked in during warm-ups and saw what looked to be Caroline Bien in crutches…it was Molly McCarthy (who is obviously redshirting this year)
- Outstanding that Cooper is back so quick - Patrick Mahomes’ trainers needs whatever treatment for her ankle she got because I can’t believe she’s back so soon after how she went down in the first KSU game.
- Baylor progressively got more and more frustrated as the match went on…seemed like it was Briseno and Carlson trying to carry the team but there wasn’t a consistent or reliable hitter for the Bears tonight.
- Really impressed with Elnady over Big 12 play - hope she gets some accolades…her all-around game does so so much for the Jayhawks and her passing has really gotten good. Bien and Dalton had brief periods of struggle in serve receive, but she’s been pretty much nails through Big 12 play
- I feel like I don’t give enough credit to Turner - so impressed by how much she’s risen her game since she joined in 2021. I was a McGhie fan in 2021 because I thought she was more deceptive and had good hands, but by the end of the season Turner was about on par and then you have her offensive ability as a lefty that made her a slightly better option for the 5-1. But she’s proved me and everyone that Bechard and the coaching staff obviously found a gem. She gets a lot of praise for being athletic, but this year I feel like her volleyball IQ/decision making has gone to a different level (albeit, generally great passing helps) and she can put up a good set from pretty much anywhere.
- Lastly, Horjesi gets LOUD. I feel like there’s a lot of investment in volleyball specific arenas in the last couple years and upcoming, but love the intimacy of Horjesi. It also leads to consistent sellouts - if you wait like I did, you might find yourself buying them on SeatGeek for $43 a pop!

My guess - Cooper had a lower ankle sprain, otherwise I don't know how she could have come back this soon w/o severe pain.  Mahomes had an upper ankle sprain, which is by far the worst kind of sprain possible.  Mahomes turnaround from his sprain was an all-time medical phenomenon.  Regardless - Cooper was awesome.  She had a couple close call/potential collisions at the net, and she showed no fear.

Yes - Bien and Dalton had some struggles on serve receive.  Baylor put 3 of the first 4 serves on Burns and quickly found out that this wasn't going to work.  Burns was outstanding on serve receive.  Elnady had the most attempts on the team (she became the ultimate target for Baylor) - and she was good.  No bad passes, but not the high % of perfect passes that were coming from Burns.

Turner is such a treasure to this team.  She literally ran/played her ass off all weekend against Iowa State.  Last night was the best connection on face up sets to Myers and Onabanjo.  

Elnady is also very good.  I expect that Turner will be 1st team all Big 12 this year.  Cooper and/or Elnady have a chance, they will at least be 2nd team.  Davis has a chance for 2nd team.  Burns will be on the all Freshman team.

[katn]

www.instagram.com/reel/CzsTqvrsER9/?igshid=ODhhZWM5NmIwOQ==

thought this clip was cool with cooper

[bluepenquin]

Nov 10, 2023 13:05:37 GMT -5 buttery said:

Nov 10, 2023 10:06:59 GMT -5 friendlybanter said:

How do we feel about Kansas’ recruiting class? They seem to bring in good talent.

Feel like this KU class has some more offensive firepower than we usually see from the Jayhawks. Nelson and Dean look like they can both hammer the ball. Heidi Devers is a great addition to the gaggle of DSs. Bechard says in the recruiting class press release that Ptacek is very good off one foot and Burgess looks good as well.

Next year is gonna have some serious talent assuming Elnady, Bien, Turner, Davis, Burns and Onabanjo stay.

My from the hip shot at the starting line-up would be:
S: Turner
RS: Davis (Dalton DS)
OH1: Elnady
OH2: Nelson (Bien DS)
MH1: Ptacek (maybe Burgess, I have no idea - I think there’s gonna be a lot of investment in these two though)
MH2: Onabanjo
L: Burns

I’ve been really impressed with the development of Turner and Davis this year. Davis is a solidly reliable RS now and Turner I would say has taken a step from a good setter to an arguably elite one. Burns is already looking like one of the top 20 or so liberos in the country. We’re already in the hunt to potentially host the first 2 rounds and I imagine that will definitely be the expectation next year (maybe even start to talk Top 10 territory).

The need for the portal, in my opinion, this off-season will be a matter of making sure players stay not adding any.

I missed this. 

In my mind - the 2024 class on paper is the 3rd best in school history (before they play, not looking back).  Looking only since I have been following women's volleyball.

2014 Class:  Kelsie Payne, Ainise Havilli, Madison Rigdon, Kayla Cheadle, Tori Miller, Addison Barry.  No class will be better than this one after the fact.  Ended up being the all-time greatest class in school history.

2020 Class:  Caroline Crawford, Kim Whetstone, Karli Schmidt, Elise Mcghie, Ayah Elnady, Molly Schultz, Kaiti Parks.  This was a monster class at the time - and before anyone had any clue how good Elnady would be.  However, this class didn't really meet expectations.  Crawford and Mcghie bolted early and Schmidt later because of lack of playing time.  Whetstone and Schultz didn't play nearly as much as expected (or recruiting rankings).  Elnady ended up being the huge bright spot.

2021 Class:  Caroline Bien, London Davis, Camryn Turner, Bryn McGehe.  This wasn't supposed to be as good as the other 3 on the list, but as it turns out, this was one monster class.  Bien was a major recruit, but her value was unknown with being recruited as a libero and then playing her way into a viable OH by the time she was a senior in HS.  Davis was a very good recruit out of Ohio.  Turner was nowhere on any recruiting list and ended up being a huge star.  3 very valuable players on this class - it absolutely ended up being a home run.

2024 Class:  Grace Nelson, Zoey Burgess, Reese Ptacek, Kenzie Dean, Heidi Devers, Ellie Moore.  We don't have a reliable prepvolleyball rankings from year's past, but I have seen most of these players in person and have some feel for this class.  Nelson is a stud - I don't know if she will be as high as Crawford or Bien on overall lists, but she should be somewhere and I think she has a chance to be very good.  Burgess and Ptacek are interchangeable in watching them and should be top 100 type recruits.  I like the chances that at least one of them excels at a high level for Kansas.  I know virtually nothing about Kenzie Dean (haven't seen her play).  Sounds like she is the top player coming out of Iowa (or at least one of them) - but that doesn't really tell me how good she is or will be. 

It will be very interesting to see what they do with Nelson.  She could fill the Cooper role, or they could just go with Bien in her senior year if Nelson isn't up to it.  The thing about Nelson - she is VERY effective hitting out of the backrow - and they would lose that hitting out of the front row.  With her size and hitting style, it may take a while before she gets to the level of Cooper on the front row.

Onabanjo has been better than I thought she would be.  I don't see either Burgess or Ptacek moving her out as a starter.  The 3 of them are similar players.  Athletic enough to serve and play defense as a middle blocker for one rotation.  Good on slides.  When watching - Burgess looks like the most physical player of the 3 and if I had to guess, I would put her slightly ahead of Ptacek (but this is really unpredictable).

 

[bluepenquin]

Looking at a couple other highly rated classes:

2018: Camryn Ennis, Rachel Langs, Kailea Carrier, Lacey Angello. There was some disagreements on Ennis. Prepvolleyball had her around #80, but other people considered her as at least a top 50 recruit and probably a top25 recruit. Langs and Carrier were also top 100 recruits and Angello was close to being a T100 recruit. Ennis and Carrier didn't last - although Ennis was good with Kansas, she didn't seem to want to continue as a setter. Langs ended up being a 5 year star for Kansas and exceeded expectations.

2019: Morgan Christon, Gracie Van Driel, Rachel Hickman, Kennedy Farris. This also was a pretty big recruiting class with Christon being the highlight of the class. Those first 3 were considered top 50 recruits. But - Christon and Hickman transferred quickly and Van Driel never ended up being a starter - other than her Freshman year starting as a OH (which in some ways may have hurt her development as a MB). Farris ended up being the most impactful of the group.

[buttery]

Nov 16, 2023 10:20:45 GMT -5 bluepenquin said:

Looking at a couple other highly rated classes:

2018: Camryn Ennis, Rachel Langs, Kailea Carrier, Lacey Angello. There was some disagreements on Ennis. Prepvolleyball had her around #80, but other people considered her as at least a top 50 recruit and probably a top25 recruit. Langs and Carrier were also top 100 recruits and Angello was close to being a T100 recruit. Ennis and Carrier didn't last - although Ennis was good with Kansas, she didn't seem to want to continue as a setter. Langs ended up being a 5 year star for Kansas and exceeded expectations.

2019: Morgan Christon, Gracie Van Driel, Rachel Hickman, Kennedy Farris. This also was a pretty big recruiting class with Christon being the highlight of the class. Those first 3 were considered top 50 recruits. But - Christon and Hickman transferred quickly and Van Driel never ended up being a starter - other than her Freshman year starting as a OH (which in some ways may have hurt her development as a MB). Farris ended up being the most impactful of the group.

I feel like they didn’t have the accolades to back it up, but the 2016 class was good too in Burse, Hill, Mostrom, and Allie Nelson. Obviously, Burse and Hill played immediately on a very high-level 2016 team and Nelson was a good libero for three years. That 2018 team very much got hot and then ice cold.

[bluepenquin]

Nov 16, 2023 15:26:41 GMT -5 buttery said:

Nov 16, 2023 10:20:45 GMT -5 bluepenquin said:

Looking at a couple other highly rated classes:

2018: Camryn Ennis, Rachel Langs, Kailea Carrier, Lacey Angello. There was some disagreements on Ennis. Prepvolleyball had her around #80, but other people considered her as at least a top 50 recruit and probably a top25 recruit. Langs and Carrier were also top 100 recruits and Angello was close to being a T100 recruit. Ennis and Carrier didn't last - although Ennis was good with Kansas, she didn't seem to want to continue as a setter. Langs ended up being a 5 year star for Kansas and exceeded expectations.

2019: Morgan Christon, Gracie Van Driel, Rachel Hickman, Kennedy Farris. This also was a pretty big recruiting class with Christon being the highlight of the class. Those first 3 were considered top 50 recruits. But - Christon and Hickman transferred quickly and Van Driel never ended up being a starter - other than her Freshman year starting as a OH (which in some ways may have hurt her development as a MB). Farris ended up being the most impactful of the group.

I feel like they didn’t have the accolades to back it up, but the 2016 class was good too in Burse, Hill, Mostrom, and Allie Nelson. Obviously, Burse and Hill played immediately on a very high-level 2016 team and Nelson was a good libero for three years. That 2018 team very much got hot and then ice cold.

Burse was a good - top 50 recruit.  Hill was a very late signee that I don't think was considered a high recruit nationally - she was short and not with a premier club (I don't think).  I don't know that there was anything special about Nelson that made her different than many other L/DS Kansas recruit.  Overall - this class exceeded expectations - although - there was hope that Burse could have been better.  Hill and Nelson were certainly pleasant surprises - but they also played at a time when Kansas lacked the kind of depth it has now.

[bluepenquin]

More than 24 hours after the biggest road win I have seen from Kansas volleyball;

I want to mention The Play of the year.

Kansas is up 2 sets to 1 and 24-23 in the 4th set. 3 times this season, Kansas has lost the 4th set, then gone on and lost the 5th set. BYU was gaining momentum at 24-23 - and Kansas certainly didn't want this match to go to the 5th set. Kansas is in rotation 1 - with all 3 front row hitters bunched on the left side. Cooper is receiving the line - but essentially, Kansas is playing with only 2 players receiving serve (Burns and Elnady) with no potential help on any short serve, or net serve. This is a very vulnerable rotation for Kansas.

BYU goes with a hard flat serve to the right of Elnady - forcing her to bump straight up well past the 10 foot line and actually past the sideline on the right side. Turner is forced to make a high bump set to Cooper on the right side. BYU has Love and Prior (I believe it was Prior) setup nicely with a double block and the entire defense set. The set is probably 8 feet off the net - Cooper has a limited approach. Typically - Cooper would have 2 options here. 1) hit a roll shot and extend the point with BYU having the advantage, 2) Take a full swing with a high percentage chance of being either blocked or hitting the ball out.

And this is where Cooper made The Play - one of the best I have ever seen given the importance of the point. Cooper with an extremely high contact point and the ball behind her body, snaps off a bullet over the double block and far enough away from the baseline defender (at least 10 feet in front of the baseline) to create an overpass where Cooper finishes it off with the match point kill.

Great week from Cooper - I assume she will be B12 player of the week and potentially NPOW. Despite missing 3+ matches of conference play - I think she has now locked up being 1st team all conference. Kansas is very blessed to have had Cooper be a graduate transfer this year.

[Deleted]

Nov 19, 2023 11:00:33 GMT -5 bluepenquin said:

More than 24 hours after the biggest road win I have seen from Kansas volleyball;

I want to mention The Play of the year.

Kansas is up 2 sets to 1 and 24-23 in the 4th set. 3 times this season, Kansas has lost the 4th set, then gone on and lost the 5th set. BYU was gaining momentum at 24-23 - and Kansas certainly didn't want this match to go to the 5th set. Kansas is in rotation 1 - with all 3 front row hitters bunched on the left side. Cooper is receiving the line - but essentially, Kansas is playing with only 2 players receiving serve (Burns and Elnady) with no potential help on any short serve, or net serve. This is a very vulnerable rotation for Kansas.

BYU goes with a hard flat serve to the right of Elnady - forcing her to bump straight up well past the 10 foot line and actually past the sideline on the right side. Turner is forced to make a high bump set to Cooper on the right side. BYU has Love and Prior (I believe it was Prior) setup nicely with a double block and the entire defense set. The set is probably 8 feet off the net - Cooper has a limited approach. Typically - Cooper would have 2 options here. 1) hit a roll shot and extend the point with BYU having the advantage, 2) Take a full swing with a high percentage chance of being either blocked or hitting the ball out.

And this is where Cooper made The Play - one of the best I have ever seen given the importance of the point. Cooper with an extremely high contact point and the ball behind her body, snaps off a bullet over the double block and far enough away from the baseline defender (at least 10 feet in front of the baseline) to create an overpass where Cooper finishes it off with the match point kill.

Great week from Cooper - I assume she will be B12 player of the week and potentially NPOW. Despite missing 3+ matches of conference play - I think she has now locked up being 1st team all conference. Kansas is very blessed to have had Cooper be a graduate transfer this year.

I’m so confused haha I just watched match point and that wasn’t the play lol

[bluepenquin]

Nov 19, 2023 11:24:47 GMT -5 @madden55 said:

Nov 19, 2023 11:00:33 GMT -5 bluepenquin said:

I’m so confused haha I just watched match point and that wasn’t the play lol

Whoops - my memory.

It was to close out s3.  Still a great play and a critical point, but does change the narrative.

[buttery]

Nov 19, 2023 11:00:33 GMT -5 bluepenquin said:

More than 24 hours after the biggest road win I have seen from Kansas volleyball;

I want to mention The Play of the year.

Kansas is up 2 sets to 1 and 24-23 in the 4th set. 3 times this season, Kansas has lost the 4th set, then gone on and lost the 5th set. BYU was gaining momentum at 24-23 - and Kansas certainly didn't want this match to go to the 5th set. Kansas is in rotation 1 - with all 3 front row hitters bunched on the left side. Cooper is receiving the line - but essentially, Kansas is playing with only 2 players receiving serve (Burns and Elnady) with no potential help on any short serve, or net serve. This is a very vulnerable rotation for Kansas.

BYU goes with a hard flat serve to the right of Elnady - forcing her to bump straight up well past the 10 foot line and actually past the sideline on the right side. Turner is forced to make a high bump set to Cooper on the right side. BYU has Love and Prior (I believe it was Prior) setup nicely with a double block and the entire defense set. The set is probably 8 feet off the net - Cooper has a limited approach. Typically - Cooper would have 2 options here. 1) hit a roll shot and extend the point with BYU having the advantage, 2) Take a full swing with a high percentage chance of being either blocked or hitting the ball out.

And this is where Cooper made The Play - one of the best I have ever seen given the importance of the point. Cooper with an extremely high contact point and the ball behind her body, snaps off a bullet over the double block and far enough away from the baseline defender (at least 10 feet in front of the baseline) to create an overpass where Cooper finishes it off with the match point kill.

Great week from Cooper - I assume she will be B12 player of the week and potentially NPOW. Despite missing 3+ matches of conference play - I think she has now locked up being 1st team all conference. Kansas is very blessed to have had Cooper be a graduate transfer this year.

Was huge - you’re right in that she would usually just roll it over. If she can start swinging like that even 1/3 of the time on OOS sets then KU can really do some serious damage in the tournament.

I was so impressed with the poise of the team - Smith Fieldhouse on senior night is no joke and it was high-level volleyball all match long from both sides.

[buttery]

Kansas swept Cincinnati, as they should. With the UCF being Saturday, regardless if they win or lose, it may not matter for the committee’s decision. They’ve pretty much locked up a Top 16 seed, correct?

The head-to-head win vs. BYU is huge because if anyone is going to be blindsided by the committee, it’s probably BYU vs. KU.

[bluepenquin]

Nov 22, 2023 15:12:36 GMT -5 buttery said:

Kansas swept Cincinnati, as they should. With the UCF being Saturday, regardless if they win or lose, it may not matter for the committee’s decision. They’ve pretty much locked up a Top 16 seed, correct?

The head-to-head win vs. BYU is huge because if anyone is going to be blindsided by the committee, it’s probably BYU vs. KU.

Kansas losing their last match could matter.  Futures shows they would drop to #16 - but this may depend on what BYU and Florida do.  

It would appear that Saturday matches aren't always taken into consideration - but Kansas has first hand experience of when it does matter.  In 2017 Kansas was going to be a seed and host Wichita State and Missouri.  They got upset on the final Saturday and the committee just gave Wichita State the seed hosting Kansas and Missouri.

I think seeding matters (particularly this year).  #12 is more valuable than #13.  And either #13 or 14 is much more valuable than #15 or 16.  Kansas is in that #13 to 16 range - and I am hoping they don't get the 15 or 16.

[buttery]

Nov 23, 2023 7:10:42 GMT -5 bluepenquin said:

Nov 22, 2023 15:12:36 GMT -5 buttery said:

Kansas swept Cincinnati, as they should. With the UCF being Saturday, regardless if they win or lose, it may not matter for the committee’s decision. They’ve pretty much locked up a Top 16 seed, correct?

The head-to-head win vs. BYU is huge because if anyone is going to be blindsided by the committee, it’s probably BYU vs. KU.

Kansas losing their last match could matter.  Futures shows they would drop to #16 - but this may depend on what BYU and Florida do.  

It would appear that Saturday matches aren't always taken into consideration - but Kansas has first hand experience of when it does matter.  In 2017 Kansas was going to be a seed and host Wichita State and Missouri.  They got upset on the final Saturday and the committee just gave Wichita State the seed hosting Kansas and Missouri.

I think seeding matters (particularly this year).  #12 is more valuable than #13.  And either #13 or 14 is much more valuable than #15 or 16.  Kansas is in that #13 to 16 range - and I am hoping they don't get the 15 or 16.

Assuming we beat UCF, any chance Kansas could sneak into #12 with a Marquette win over Creighton? Avoiding GT, ASU, Florida, Penn State would be huge.