Houston 2023

[vballfreak808]

Houston 2023

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Conference: Big 12

2022 Record: 30-4 Overall, 19-1 AAC (1st)

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2023 ROSTER

2022 Returning Accolades
Kate Georgiades (DS/L) - AVCA All-American HM, AVCA Southeast All-Region, AAC Libero of the Year, All-AAC First Team
Abbie Jackson (OH) - AVCA All-American HM, AVCA Southeast All-Region, All-AAC First Team
Rachel Tullos (MB) - All-AAC Second Team

Coaching Staff
David Rehr - Head Coach (4th Season)
Taylor McColskey - Assistant Coach (2nd Season)
Caitlin Nolan-Ayeni - Assistant Coach (5th Season)
Jorge Penate - Director of Operations (3rd Season)

Newcomers (7)
Kenna Sauer (OH) - Transfer [2x AVCA Southwest All-Region, 2x First Team All-Big 12]
Nena Mbonu (OH) - Transfer
Katie Corelli (OPP) - Transfer
Ashlyn Bellamy (OH) - Freshman
Reagan Fifer (S) - Freshman
Kayla Knowles (OH) - Freshman
Sunni Sheppard (DS/L) - Freshman

Players Lost (4)
*Isabel Theut (MB/OPP) - Graduation [All-AAC First Team]
*Kennedy Warren (OH) - Graduation
*Kortlyn Henderson (OPP) - Graduation
Jillian Thompson (MB) - Graduation
* = Starter

[slxpress]

I’m looking forward to seeing what UH can do in their inaugural season in the Big 12. Both “Cougars” teams should be on the prowl! I could easily see a Sweet 16 type team from both UH and BYU.

Nice job by UH athletic administration to keep Rehr in place!

[khcoogs]

Nice team summary OP, thanks for putting it up!

Anyone have any idea how they played against SMU on Saturday? Looked around and haven't found anything.

[fromonhigh]

Setting looks to be the question mark. What do you see happening?

[anOPINionATEDbeACH(hookemboo)]

Houston coming off the sweet 16 has the potential to be even better this year, but i agree setting seems like the biggest question. I wonder if they'll continue the 6-2 or run a 5-1.

[volleyballer8992]

Apr 17, 2023 19:24:23 GMT -5 anOPINionATEDbeACH(hookemboo) said:

Houston coming off the sweet 16 has the potential to be even better this year, but i agree setting seems like the biggest question. I wonder if they'll continue the 6-2 or run a 5-1.

Hard to believe they wouldn’t be in a 6-2 with all the firepower they added, and both setters are probably more of a liability blocking than not. With Jackson being 6-Ro and possibly one of the others as well, subs won’t be an issue. Tullos and Morin back in the middle and Kate making her NCAA insta approved plays at the bro spot.

[anOPINionATEDbeACH(hookemboo)]

Apr 17, 2023 20:31:06 GMT -5 volleyballer8992 said:

Apr 17, 2023 19:24:23 GMT -5 anOPINionATEDbeACH(hookemboo) said:

Houston coming off the sweet 16 has the potential to be even better this year, but i agree setting seems like the biggest question. I wonder if they'll continue the 6-2 or run a 5-1.

Hard to believe they wouldn’t be in a 6-2 with all the firepower they added, and both setters are probably more of a liability blocking than not. With Jackson being 6-Ro and possibly one of the others as well, subs won’t be an issue. Tullos and Morin back in the middle and Kate making her NCAA insta approved plays at the bro spot.

I'm assuming Mbonu will be playing opposite this fall, with Saur and Jackson as the two outsides. Who do you think the other opposite would be?

[friendlybanter]

Houston returns a very talented team, and add some really good transfers. The duo on the outside of Jackson and Sauer is probably the second best outside duo in the Big12 after Texas. And they’ll both probably play 6 rotations. They’ll probably have transfers Corelli and Mbonu playing on the right side. Interested to see how Mbonu transitions over there. They lose a middle, but have two good ones coming back. Then you have Janda and Cooke as a pretty good duo. Remember Cooke won AAC Setter and Freshman of the Year in 2020. Her block was the problem which is why they brought Janda in to run the 6-2. Then you have Georgiades being spectacular and will be in the running for Libero of the year with Briseno from Baylor.

So you have a team that will probably start 6 seniors/graduate students and 2 juniors. They went to the sweet 16 last year. They add a couple good transfers. And they return most of their talent from last season. Sounds like recipe for success to me. I don’t think this Houston team will have this huge transition period into the Big12. They will compete from day 1. Texas is the most talented but aye, new setter and new libero. After that, Baylor, Kansas, BYU all have talent, but all three have to replace big pieces in the middle. TCU, Kansas State, and Iowa State should be solid.

When I look at this UH team, Nbonu and Corelli should be at least a wash against last years opposite duo. Amd then Sauer should be an upgrade over Warren. And with them three transfers they are all used to P5 conference play. It’ll come down to how well they play together. They will have all spring and summer to get ready. But I think UH could finish as best as 2 in the Big12 this year.

[Bud Kilmer]

Apr 19, 2023 23:28:50 GMT -5 friendlybanter said:

Houston returns a very talented team, and add some really good transfers. The duo on the outside of Jackson and Sauer is probably the second best outside duo in the Big12 after Texas. And they’ll both probably play 6 rotations. They’ll probably have transfers Corelli and Mbonu playing on the right side. Interested to see how Mbonu transitions over there. They lose a middle, but have two good ones coming back. Then you have Janda and Cooke as a pretty good duo. Remember Cooke won AAC Setter and Freshman of the Year in 2020. Her block was the problem which is why they brought Janda in to run the 6-2. Then you have Georgiades being spectacular and will be in the running for Libero of the year with Briseno from Baylor.

So you have a team that will probably start 6 seniors/graduate students and 2 juniors. They went to the sweet 16 last year. They add a couple good transfers. And they return most of their talent from last season. Sounds like recipe for success to me. I don’t think this Houston team will have this huge transition period into the Big12. They will compete from day 1. Texas is the most talented but aye, new setter and new libero. After that, Baylor, Kansas, BYU all have talent, but all three have to replace big pieces in the middle. TCU, Kansas State, and Iowa State should be solid.

When I look at this UH team, Nbonu and Corelli should be at least a wash against last years opposite duo. Amd then Sauer should be an upgrade over Warren. And with them three transfers they are all used to P5 conference play. It’ll come down to how well they play together. They will have all spring and summer to get ready. But I think UH could finish as best as 2 in the Big12 this year.

Curious why was Cooke's block a problem but a team like San Diego who had a 5'8" setter went to the final four and it wasn't a problem? 

[ltdks01]

Apr 20, 2023 9:32:24 GMT -5 Bud Kilmer said:

Apr 19, 2023 23:28:50 GMT -5 friendlybanter said:

Houston returns a very talented team, and add some really good transfers. The duo on the outside of Jackson and Sauer is probably the second best outside duo in the Big12 after Texas. And they’ll both probably play 6 rotations. They’ll probably have transfers Corelli and Mbonu playing on the right side. Interested to see how Mbonu transitions over there. They lose a middle, but have two good ones coming back. Then you have Janda and Cooke as a pretty good duo. Remember Cooke won AAC Setter and Freshman of the Year in 2020. Her block was the problem which is why they brought Janda in to run the 6-2. Then you have Georgiades being spectacular and will be in the running for Libero of the year with Briseno from Baylor.

So you have a team that will probably start 6 seniors/graduate students and 2 juniors. They went to the sweet 16 last year. They add a couple good transfers. And they return most of their talent from last season. Sounds like recipe for success to me. I don’t think this Houston team will have this huge transition period into the Big12. They will compete from day 1. Texas is the most talented but aye, new setter and new libero. After that, Baylor, Kansas, BYU all have talent, but all three have to replace big pieces in the middle. TCU, Kansas State, and Iowa State should be solid.

When I look at this UH team, Nbonu and Corelli should be at least a wash against last years opposite duo. Amd then Sauer should be an upgrade over Warren. And with them three transfers they are all used to P5 conference play. It’ll come down to how well they play together. They will have all spring and summer to get ready. But I think UH could finish as best as 2 in the Big12 this year.

Curious why was Cooke's block a problem but a team like San Diego who had a 5'8" setter went to the final four and it wasn't a problem? 

? Blossom's block was a problem, and it got abused often. Their other strengths, coupled with Blossom's strong setting strengths, were enough to overcome weakness from her block

[stanfordvb]

Apr 19, 2023 23:28:50 GMT -5 friendlybanter said:

 They’ll probably have transfers Corelli and Mbonu playing on the right side. Interested to see how Mbonu transitions over there. 

mbonu actually trained equally on both pins at Louisville! she was considered the 'backup' OH and OPP for all 4 of her years. obviously with debeer getting injured she had to focus on the left more her senior year but she saw most of her court time as a sub for jones on the right prior to debeers injury. shouldn't really be a 'transition' for her if that's where she ends up

I also think she's better from the right anyways so id be excited to see her play there. really good blocker too

[volleyballer8992]

Apr 19, 2023 23:28:50 GMT -5 friendlybanter said:

Houston returns a very talented team, and add some really good transfers. The duo on the outside of Jackson and Sauer is probably the second best outside duo in the Big12 after Texas. And they’ll both probably play 6 rotations. They’ll probably have transfers Corelli and Mbonu playing on the right side. Interested to see how Mbonu transitions over there. They lose a middle, but have two good ones coming back. Then you have Janda and Cooke as a pretty good duo. Remember Cooke won AAC Setter and Freshman of the Year in 2020. Her block was the problem which is why they brought Janda in to run the 6-2. Then you have Georgiades being spectacular and will be in the running for Libero of the year with Briseno from Baylor.

So you have a team that will probably start 6 seniors/graduate students and 2 juniors. They went to the sweet 16 last year. They add a couple good transfers. And they return most of their talent from last season. Sounds like recipe for success to me. I don’t think this Houston team will have this huge transition period into the Big12. They will compete from day 1. Texas is the most talented but aye, new setter and new libero. After that, Baylor, Kansas, BYU all have talent, but all three have to replace big pieces in the middle. TCU, Kansas State, and Iowa State should be solid.

When I look at this UH team, Nbonu and Corelli should be at least a wash against last years opposite duo. Amd then Sauer should be an upgrade over Warren. And with them three transfers they are all used to P5 conference play. It’ll come down to how well they play together. They will have all spring and summer to get ready. But I think UH could finish as best as 2 in the Big12 this year.

They didn't lose a middle, they lost Theut (played RS pretty much the entire season) with Tullos and Morin at the middle position.

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