Big Ten 2024 - Oh My!

[bprtbone]

This is my annual Kingsley appreciation post. Thank you! These are better than anything the conference or school PID's put out.

[Kingsley]

 
Purdue Boilermakers


2023 Record: 23-9

Conference Record: 15-5 (T-3rd)

NCAA Tournament Placement: Regional Semifinals (L, 0-3 vs. Oregon)

Final AVCA Ranking: 13


Head Coach: Dave Shondell

Record at Purdue: 458-226 (22nd year at Purdue)

Returning Starters	Departures * - 2023 Starter () - Transfer Destination	New Additions () - Transfer Origin
Taylor Anderson - SO - 6'1 S Chloe Chicoine - SO - 5'10 OH Raven Colvin - SR - 6'1 MB Grace Heaney - SO - 6'2 RS Ali Hornung - SR - 5'10 DS/L Eva Hudson - JR - 6'1 OH Lourdes Myers - R-SR - 6'3 MB Kenna Wollard - SO - 6'1 OH/RS	Emily Brown - 5'7 DS/L Lorrin Poulter - 5'11 S Maddie Schermerhorn* - 5'10 DS/L Brielle Warren - R-SO - 6'1 OH (Baylor via Colorado State)	Sienna Foster - FR - 5'9 DS/L Raven Gray - SR - 6'1 OH/RS (Winston-Salem State) Ryan McAleer - FR - 5'6 DS/L Allie Shondell - FR - 5'10 S

2023 Results:

2023 could have been billed as a bounce-back bid for the Boilermakers. Purdue tallied ten regular-season losses in 2022 and failed to reach the NCAA tournament's regional weekend for the first time since 2018.

The comeback bid got off to a chaotic start. After a four-set win over Duke in the season opener, the Boilermakers dropped back-to-back home tilts against Creighton and Loyola Chicago. This Week 1 struggle cast early doom on Purdue with the schedule getting even tougher the following week.

Somehow, the Boilermakers recouped well enough to score a pair of five-set ranked wins against Kansas and Marquette. Sure, it was more chaos, but Purdue had a fruitful road trip that put things back on the right track.

SMU and Kentucky were ousted in West Lafayette as Purdue continued its upward climb. However, USC scraped past Purdue on the road to cap off a strange, up-and-down prelude to conference play.

Why not keep the trend going? Maryland and Rutgers offered little resistance to start Big Ten play, but everyone was focused on the Sept. 29 contest anyway. Purdue welcomed Nebraska to Holloway Gym in a battle of conference heavyweights. The Huskers narrowly escaped with a five-set victory, denying Purdue an early marquee win.

Following the disappointing loss, the Boilermakers just needed to avoid a letdown. Cue one of the most bizarre matches of the conference season. Purdue cruised to a 2-0 lead against Northwestern before being absolutely dismantled at home by one Julia Sangiacomo. The disastrous reverse sweep capped a sour weekend that was so close to being much more than that.

Purdue refused to follow any logical pattern for much of the season. After the 2-2 start in conference play, Purdue notched a pair of routine wins and suffered a bitter road loss to Indiana. We had more high points: a road takedown of Penn State and a home sweep over Minnesota. Then the Boilermakers would be derailed again with consecutive road losses to Illinois and Wisconsin. The lack of consistency was confounding, even as Purdue remained in the Big Ten's upper tier.

The Boilermakers completed season sweeps over Penn State and Minnesota to start a seven-match winning streak at the end of the regular season. This run was keynoted by a five-set win over Wisconsin which effectively knocked the Badgers out of B1G title contention.

West Lafayette had first- and second-round NCAA hosting rights after 2022's hiatus. Fairfield was dispatched, followed by another win over Marquette. Back to the regional round.

Unfortunately, this is where Purdue hit the wall. The Boilermakers had few answers for Oregon's offense and fell in a largely uncompetitive regional semifinal.


2023 Lineup:

Purdue had a few different things on its lineup wishlist for 2023. Perhaps the No. 1 item was a stable, consistent starter at setter after a revolving door hamstrung the team throughout 2022.

The solution was a true freshman. Texas native Taylor Anderson entered the picture and eventually established herself as the primary starter. Denver transfer Lorrin Poulter saw some action early in the year, but her appearances were mostly sporadic once Purdue got into the heart of conference play. For the most part, this was Anderson's spot.

Freshman influence was also present at opposite, but Purdue had a dual approach here. The starter for most of the non-conference slate was Grace Heaney, a lefty attacker from the Omaha area. Heaney had some modestly successful matches and faced considerable struggles in others. The "co-starter" was fellow freshman Kenna Wollard, who was thrust into an opposite role despite her native position being on the left. Wollard was the starter toward the end of the season and into the NCAA Tournament. Several matches featured appearances from both freshmen, but neither managed to eclipse a 0.200 hitting efficiency on the season. The right-side hitter spot was a glaring weakness for Purdue in 2023.

Purdue did its best to overcome the lack of right-side production, which usually involved pumping an exorbitant number of swings to its left sides. Underclassmen Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine were the unquestioned six-rotation stalwarts on the outside. Hudson was already a known commodity at this point after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2022. Chicoine, meanwhile, was a highly decorated recruit who played a major frontcourt role despite her height deficit. Both ended 2023 in the NCAA's top 60 in attacks per set with Hudson just outside the top ten. This left-side reliance was comparable to regional finalist Arkansas from the SEC.

The Boilermakers found their next-best offensive option in the middle. Junior middle blocker Raven Colvin had been a mainstay in the Purdue lineup since her freshman year and retained her grip on the M1 position. Her 2023 kill total was identical to 2022, as was her hitting efficiency. A 0.280 clip from a middle blocker leaves much to be desired, and we're left to wonder how much Colvin has been limited by setter discontinuities. She has yet to match the 0.348 output from her freshman year--the final year of Hayley Bush.

Redshirt junior Lourdes Myers finally got her turn as Purdue's full-time M2. Like many M2s, blocking was Myers' best contribution to the net. Myers led the team with a 0.333 season hitting percentage but did not receive nearly as much attacking volume as Colvin.

2023's defensive unit was a familiar sight. Maddie Schermerhorn opted to return for her fifth year at Purdue and anchored the libero jersey. Purdue topped the Big Ten in team digs per set while Schermerhorn had the best individual average.

Junior Ali Hornung was back as the DS for whichever opposite was playing across the front row. Emily Brown also appeared in nearly every match but saw a diminished role with Purdue now having two six-rotation outside hitters. Brown was a frequent serving sub but did not make as many trips across the back row.

---


2024 Projected Lineup:

Embrace the status quo.

Not many spots are up for grabs in Purdue's 2024 lineup. Anderson will strengthen her grip on the setter spot heading into Year 2. Dave Shondell's niece, Allie, joins that position group.

The left-side hitters will still carry the offense, absorb first contacts, and might even drive the team bus. Hudson's appreciable jump in hitting efficiency last year was impressive, especially with so little production on the other pin. We'll see if Chicoine rises to that challenge.

While we're on the pins, somebody has to step up on the right. Wollard and Heaney return. This collective unit often struggled to muster one kill per set last year, but we can hopefully assume things only go up from here. Purdue also made a late offseason addition with Winston-Salem State's Raven Gray joining the roster. Gray was an all-CIAA (DII) performer with the Rams last year.

Middles look set with Colvin and Myers in their respective places. Redshirt sophomore Lizzie Carr saw some spot duty in 2023.

The biggest question mark for Purdue's 2024 squad is at libero, where Schermerhorn's graduation leaves a void. Hornung would be the logical replacement at this spot. We have not seen much of returning backups like Julia Kane and Rachel Williams. A freshman to watch here is Ryan McAleer, a decorated DS recruit from the Kansas City area. Even if McAleer doesn't swipe the libero jersey, Purdue will presumably still need a backcourt sub for its opposite.


2024 Schedule:

The 2024 campaign starts with a sneaky good home matchup against Kansas State. UMBC and UC Davis offer the easiest outings on Purdue's pre-conference slate.

Week 2 features a tour of Utah with Cal, Utah State, and the Utes on the docket. A bit of spooky potential is there, but Purdue should be favored in each matchup.

Purdue heads south for contests with Houston and "SMU or Kentucky." Conditional schedules are annoying. At least we know the Boilermakers will face Kansas, Creighton, and Tulsa in Lawrence. That's going to be rad, and we'll have a great litmus test for Purdue right before conference play.

Conference play:

Home + Away	Home	Away

2024 Outlook:

Purdue was picked to finish fourth in the conference by fellow coaches. It's familiar territory for the Boilermakers: not quite in the B1G's top tier, but solidly in the next tier.

The great news is that Purdue has a continuity advantage over many of the teams it's sparring with. We know what we're getting here. Hudson and Chicoine will get a massive share of the sets, and Purdue will rise and fall with them. You'd hope that Anderson's experience and incumbency at setter will help.

It's easier to be optimistic about a team like Purdue that appears to have a much more stable floor than other Big Ten competitors. At the same time, we're reminded of last year's matches when Purdue spectacularly underperformed. With less lineup uncertainty, we can hope the rough patches get smoothed out. But, for Purdue Pete's sake, get some production on the right side.

Purdue should be comfortably in the NCAA Tournament field. Breaking the program's Final Four curse is a massive hill to climb, but single-elimination tournaments are like that.

[Kingsley]

On deck:

[ted_heise]

Aug 6, 2024 15:48:47 GMT -5 Kingsley said:

 
Purdue Boilermakers


2023 Record: 23-9

Conference Record: 15-5 (T-3rd)...But, for Purdue Pete's sake, get some production on the right side.

Great stuff, as always, Kingsley! Feels like we've seen Colvin for a decade now.  And the "for Purdue Pete's sake" quip?  Top shelf.

[kevinmalone]

Aug 4, 2024 21:30:33 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

Aug 4, 2024 21:29:55 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

So you have maybe the best middle in the Big Ten as an honorable mention

who? Carter Booth? mmmm yes. I don't think Wisconsin's passing and setting will give her the offensive opportunities to shine and she hasn't shown any ability to be an offensive force but for an in system set with one blocker in front of her, she doesn't serve, and if Wisconsin does go to a 5-1, where she actually does lead the conference (blocking) will take a big hit if she's next to Charlie F. rather than always being next to Smrek or Robinson. I'm not saying Carter Booth can't or won't be all conference, but I think the fundamentals aren't working in her favor as an individual contributor.

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

[vergyltantor]

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

Aug 4, 2024 21:30:33 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

who? Carter Booth? mmmm yes. I don't think Wisconsin's passing and setting will give her the offensive opportunities to shine and she hasn't shown any ability to be an offensive force but for an in system set with one blocker in front of her, she doesn't serve, and if Wisconsin does go to a 5-1, where she actually does lead the conference (blocking) will take a big hit if she's next to Charlie F. rather than always being next to Smrek or Robinson. I'm not saying Carter Booth can't or won't be all conference, but I think the fundamentals aren't working in her favor as an individual contributor.

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

I found Sheffield's interview with Lincoln Arneal, at media days interesting. He wasn't ready to tip his hand and commit to a 5-1 and left the possibility of a 6-2 option open.

[25or624]

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

Aug 4, 2024 21:30:33 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

who? Carter Booth? mmmm yes. I don't think Wisconsin's passing and setting will give her the offensive opportunities to shine and she hasn't shown any ability to be an offensive force but for an in system set with one blocker in front of her, she doesn't serve, and if Wisconsin does go to a 5-1, where she actually does lead the conference (blocking) will take a big hit if she's next to Charlie F. rather than always being next to Smrek or Robinson. I'm not saying Carter Booth can't or won't be all conference, but I think the fundamentals aren't working in her favor as an individual contributor.

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

ay2013 suffers from Badger Derangement Syndrome. I'm looking forward to 10/6/24 when The Huskies visit The Field House and The Badgers Hulk Stomp them into the new Taraflex floor.

[volleyball90]

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

Aug 4, 2024 21:30:33 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

who? Carter Booth? mmmm yes. I don't think Wisconsin's passing and setting will give her the offensive opportunities to shine and she hasn't shown any ability to be an offensive force but for an in system set with one blocker in front of her, she doesn't serve, and if Wisconsin does go to a 5-1, where she actually does lead the conference (blocking) will take a big hit if she's next to Charlie F. rather than always being next to Smrek or Robinson. I'm not saying Carter Booth can't or won't be all conference, but I think the fundamentals aren't working in her favor as an individual contributor.

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

There is potential for Wisconsin's passing to be worse because Orzol is moving back to OH. Her passing might dip because she has to focus on hitting now too. GG will be back at libero and she hasn't shown consistency in serve receive. Still, I don't see how this as any effect on Carter Booth who is a stud.  

[ceebs1219]

Aug 7, 2024 9:17:01 GMT -5 volleyball90 said:

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

There is potential for Wisconsin's passing to be worse because Orzol is moving back to OH. Her passing might dip because she has to focus on hitting now too. GG will be back at libero and she hasn't shown consistency in serve receive. Still, I don't see how this as any effect on Carter Booth who is a stud.  

I mean, if serve receive quality drops she’s not going to get as many attacks out of the middle, overall production has potential to drop

[25or624]

Aug 7, 2024 9:17:01 GMT -5 volleyball90 said:

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

There is potential for Wisconsin's passing to be worse because Orzol is moving back to OH. Her passing might dip because she has to focus on hitting now too. GG will be back at libero and she hasn't shown consistency in serve receive. Still, I don't see how this as any effect on Carter Booth who is a stud.  

GG at libero is far from a done deal. Saige Damrow is back from an injury. In addition, The Badgers have 2 intriguing freshman, Lola Schumacher and Maile Chan.

[NYCHusker]

Aug 6, 2024 15:48:47 GMT -5 Kingsley said:

 
Purdue Boilermakers


2023 Record: 23-9

Conference Record: 15-5 (T-3rd)

NCAA Tournament Placement: Regional Semifinals (L, 0-3 vs. Oregon)

Final AVCA Ranking: 13


Head Coach: Dave Shondell

Record at Purdue: 458-226 (22nd year at Purdue)

Returning Starters	Departures * - 2023 Starter () - Transfer Destination	New Additions () - Transfer Origin
Taylor Anderson - SO - 6'1 S Chloe Chicoine - SO - 5'10 OH Raven Colvin - SR - 6'1 MB Grace Heaney - SO - 6'2 RS Ali Hornung - SR - 5'10 DS/L Eva Hudson - JR - 6'1 OH Lourdes Myers - R-SR - 6'3 MB Kenna Wollard - SO - 6'1 OH/RS	Emily Brown - 5'7 DS/L Lorrin Poulter - 5'11 S Maddie Schermerhorn* - 5'10 DS/L Brielle Warren - R-SO - 6'1 OH (Baylor via Colorado State)	Sienna Foster - FR - 5'9 DS/L Raven Gray - SR - 6'1 OH/RS (Winston-Salem State) Ryan McAleer - FR - 5'6 DS/L Allie Shondell - FR - 5'10 S

2023 Results:

2023 could have been billed as a bounce-back bid for the Boilermakers. Purdue tallied ten regular-season losses in 2022 and failed to reach the NCAA tournament's regional weekend for the first time since 2018.

The comeback bid got off to a chaotic start. After a four-set win over Duke in the season opener, the Boilermakers dropped back-to-back home tilts against Creighton and Loyola Chicago. This Week 1 struggle cast early doom on Purdue with the schedule getting even tougher the following week.

Somehow, the Boilermakers recouped well enough to score a pair of five-set ranked wins against Kansas and Marquette. Sure, it was more chaos, but Purdue had a fruitful road trip that put things back on the right track.

SMU and Kentucky were ousted in West Lafayette as Purdue continued its upward climb. However, USC scraped past Purdue on the road to cap off a strange, up-and-down prelude to conference play.

Why not keep the trend going? Maryland and Rutgers offered little resistance to start Big Ten play, but everyone was focused on the Sept. 29 contest anyway. Purdue welcomed Nebraska to Holloway Gym in a battle of conference heavyweights. The Huskers narrowly escaped with a five-set victory, denying Purdue an early marquee win.

Following the disappointing loss, the Boilermakers just needed to avoid a letdown. Cue one of the most bizarre matches of the conference season. Purdue cruised to a 2-0 lead against Northwestern before being absolutely dismantled at home by one Julia Sangiacomo. The disastrous reverse sweep capped a sour weekend that was so close to being much more than that.

Purdue refused to follow any logical pattern for much of the season. After the 2-2 start in conference play, Purdue notched a pair of routine wins and suffered a bitter road loss to Indiana. We had more high points: a road takedown of Penn State and a home sweep over Minnesota. Then the Boilermakers would be derailed again with consecutive road losses to Illinois and Wisconsin. The lack of consistency was confounding, even as Purdue remained in the Big Ten's upper tier.

The Boilermakers completed season sweeps over Penn State and Minnesota to start a seven-match winning streak at the end of the regular season. This run was keynoted by a five-set win over Wisconsin which effectively knocked the Badgers out of B1G title contention.

West Lafayette had first- and second-round NCAA hosting rights after 2022's hiatus. Fairfield was dispatched, followed by another win over Marquette. Back to the regional round.

Unfortunately, this is where Purdue hit the wall. The Boilermakers had few answers for Oregon's offense and fell in a largely uncompetitive regional semifinal.


2023 Lineup:

Purdue had a few different things on its lineup wishlist for 2023. Perhaps the No. 1 item was a stable, consistent starter at setter after a revolving door hamstrung the team throughout 2022.

The solution was a true freshman. Texas native Taylor Anderson entered the picture and eventually established herself as the primary starter. Denver transfer Lorrin Poulter saw some action early in the year, but her appearances were mostly sporadic once Purdue got into the heart of conference play. For the most part, this was Anderson's spot.

Freshman influence was also present at opposite, but Purdue had a dual approach here. The starter for most of the non-conference slate was Grace Heaney, a lefty attacker from the Omaha area. Heaney had some modestly successful matches and faced considerable struggles in others. The "co-starter" was fellow freshman Kenna Wollard, who was thrust into an opposite role despite her native position being on the left. Wollard was the starter toward the end of the season and into the NCAA Tournament. Several matches featured appearances from both freshmen, but neither managed to eclipse a 0.200 hitting efficiency on the season. The right-side hitter spot was a glaring weakness for Purdue in 2023.

Purdue did its best to overcome the lack of right-side production, which usually involved pumping an exorbitant number of swings to its left sides. Underclassmen Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine were the unquestioned six-rotation stalwarts on the outside. Hudson was already a known commodity at this point after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2022. Chicoine, meanwhile, was a highly decorated recruit who played a major frontcourt role despite her height deficit. Both ended 2023 in the NCAA's top 60 in attacks per set with Hudson just outside the top ten. This left-side reliance was comparable to regional finalist Arkansas from the SEC.

The Boilermakers found their next-best offensive option in the middle. Junior middle blocker Raven Colvin had been a mainstay in the Purdue lineup since her freshman year and retained her grip on the M1 position. Her 2023 kill total was identical to 2022, as was her hitting efficiency. A 0.280 clip from a middle blocker leaves much to be desired, and we're left to wonder how much Colvin has been limited by setter discontinuities. She has yet to match the 0.348 output from her freshman year--the final year of Hayley Bush.

Redshirt junior Lourdes Myers finally got her turn as Purdue's full-time M2. Like many M2s, blocking was Myers' best contribution to the net. Myers led the team with a 0.333 season hitting percentage but did not receive nearly as much attacking volume as Colvin.

2023's defensive unit was a familiar sight. Maddie Schermerhorn opted to return for her fifth year at Purdue and anchored the libero jersey. Purdue topped the Big Ten in team digs per set while Schermerhorn had the best individual average.

Junior Ali Hornung was back as the DS for whichever opposite was playing across the front row. Emily Brown also appeared in nearly every match but saw a diminished role with Purdue now having two six-rotation outside hitters. Brown was a frequent serving sub but did not make as many trips across the back row.

---


2024 Projected Lineup:

Embrace the status quo.

Not many spots are up for grabs in Purdue's 2024 lineup. Anderson will strengthen her grip on the setter spot heading into Year 2. Dave Shondell's niece, Allie, joins that position group.

The left-side hitters will still carry the offense, absorb first contacts, and might even drive the team bus. Hudson's appreciable jump in hitting efficiency last year was impressive, especially with so little production on the other pin. We'll see if Chicoine rises to that challenge.

While we're on the pins, somebody has to step up on the right. Wollard and Heaney return. This collective unit often struggled to muster one kill per set last year, but we can hopefully assume things only go up from here. Purdue also made a late offseason addition with Winston-Salem State's Raven Gray joining the roster. Gray was an all-CIAA (DII) performer with the Rams last year.

Middles look set with Colvin and Myers in their respective places. Redshirt sophomore Lizzie Carr saw some spot duty in 2023.

The biggest question mark for Purdue's 2024 squad is at libero, where Schermerhorn's graduation leaves a void. Hornung would be the logical replacement at this spot. We have not seen much of returning backups like Julia Kane and Rachel Williams. A freshman to watch here is Ryan McAleer, a decorated DS recruit from the Kansas City area. Even if McAleer doesn't swipe the libero jersey, Purdue will presumably still need a backcourt sub for its opposite.


2024 Schedule:

The 2024 campaign starts with a sneaky good home matchup against Kansas State. UMBC and UC Davis offer the easiest outings on Purdue's pre-conference slate.

Week 2 features a tour of Utah with Cal, Utah State, and the Utes on the docket. A bit of spooky potential is there, but Purdue should be favored in each matchup.

Purdue heads south for contests with Houston and "SMU or Kentucky." Conditional schedules are annoying. At least we know the Boilermakers will face Kansas, Creighton, and Tulsa in Lawrence. That's going to be rad, and we'll have a great litmus test for Purdue right before conference play.

Conference play:

Home + Away	Home	Away

2024 Outlook:

Purdue was picked to finish fourth in the conference by fellow coaches. It's familiar territory for the Boilermakers: not quite in the B1G's top tier, but solidly in the next tier.

The great news is that Purdue has a continuity advantage over many of the teams it's sparring with. We know what we're getting here. Hudson and Chicoine will get a massive share of the sets, and Purdue will rise and fall with them. You'd hope that Anderson's experience and incumbency at setter will help.

It's easier to be optimistic about a team like Purdue that appears to have a much more stable floor than other Big Ten competitors. At the same time, we're reminded of last year's matches when Purdue spectacularly underperformed. With less lineup uncertainty, we can hope the rough patches get smoothed out. But, for Purdue Pete's sake, get some production on the right side.

Purdue should be comfortably in the NCAA Tournament field. Breaking the program's Final Four curse is a massive hill to climb, but single-elimination tournaments are like that.

Phenomenal work, Kingsley! Will be interesting to see if Purdue can get over the hump this year with so many returners. Also, how fun to have two Ravens on the team! 

[ay2013]

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

Aug 4, 2024 21:30:33 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

who? Carter Booth? mmmm yes. I don't think Wisconsin's passing and setting will give her the offensive opportunities to shine and she hasn't shown any ability to be an offensive force but for an in system set with one blocker in front of her, she doesn't serve, and if Wisconsin does go to a 5-1, where she actually does lead the conference (blocking) will take a big hit if she's next to Charlie F. rather than always being next to Smrek or Robinson. I'm not saying Carter Booth can't or won't be all conference, but I think the fundamentals aren't working in her favor as an individual contributor.

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

Why are you focusing on hitting percentage? IMO you are already missing the point. Booth didn't even have 2 kills per set. That's a low offensive middle, period - it doesn't matter what her hitting percentage is. I know she hits for a high hitting percentage - like I said, she pretty much ONLY got set off a good pass and when facing one blocker. On the blocking, a lot of her blocks per set stat is because she was always blocking next to massive experienced blockers. *IF* she's Wisconsins's M1 next year and *IF* Wisconsin goes to a 5-1, that scenario is not going to manifest itself again. Instead, she'll be blocking 2 rotations next to Charlie F., who is undersized and unproven as a Big 10 blocker. Booth's blocking numbers could very well go down by .3 or .4 just on the fundamentals. Here is what I want to know, if Booth replicates her offense numbers (1.7 kill per set, .430%) but drops to 1.1 blocks per set, is that a for sure all conference middle to you? I'm not saying they WILL, I'm saying they COULD, which factored into my thinking when suggesting preseason all conference. I don't think anything of the above is unreasonable.

[avid 2.0]

Colvin is an under appreciated blocker in the country.

She was second in the NCAA (after Magda) in actual blocks/set (Not block assists per sets) last year.

[ay2013]

Aug 7, 2024 9:14:57 GMT -5 25or624 said:

Aug 7, 2024 8:36:23 GMT -5 kevinmalone said:

so my question is why would Wisconsin's passing be any worse than it was last year?  What first contact person did they lose that was so important that passing becomes worse.  Most people will tell you that Wisconsin's setting the last few years has been one of their weak links.  Maybe the setting is getting upgraded.  Here is what i know you have a middle that hit .431 with 1.56 bpg on honorable mention while you have a middle that hit .280 with 1.34 blocks per game on first team - no matter who is playing i dont see Carter Booth hitting .180 - PS no one cares if the middle serves when it comes to awards

ay2013 suffers from Badger Derangement Syndrome. I'm looking forward to 10/6/24 when The Huskies visit The Field House and The Badgers Hulk Stomp them into the new Taraflex floor.

Question - are you incapable of disassociating reasonable opinions about what a players numbers may be from the overall quality of the team? I fully recognize Wisconsin will be a better team than Washington next year...wtf does that have to do with my outlook on why Carter Booth's numbers may drop?

Also, Badger derangement syndrome? lol wtf is that? I have no reason to be deranged about the Badger. 1- I really don't care that much about whether the Huskies win or not. I have much higher standards for what does and doesn't phase me in this world. 2- When was the last time Wisconsin even beat Washington? I vividly remember a few years ago Wisconsin and Washington did a home and home and the Huskies embarrassed them. What could I possibly be "deranged" about when it comes to the badgers?

[Kingsley]

 
Maryland Terrapins


2023 Record: 17-15

Conference Record: 7-13 (11th)

NCAA Tournament Placement: N/A

Final AVCA Ranking: NR


Head Coach: Adam Hughes (7th year at Maryland)

Record at Maryland: 88-92

Returning Starters	Departures * - 2023 Starter () - Transfer Destination	New Additions () - Transfer Origin
Sam Csire - SR+ - 6'0 OH Sydney Dowler - SR+ - 6'0 S Lilly Gunter - SR+ - 5'8 DS/L Laila Ivey - JR - 6'1 OH Alex McGillivray - SO - 5'8 DS/L Eva Rohrbach - SO - 6'2 MB Anastasia Russ - SR+ - 6'5 MB Samantha Schnitta - SR+ - 6'0 RS Jonna Spohn - SO - 5'5 DS/L	Erin Engel - SR - 5'9 S (Florida) Laila Ricks - SR+ - 6'0 RS (Wake Forest)	Skylar Gerhardt - SO - 6'0 OH (Villanova) Duru Gokcen - FR - 6'3 MB Katie Scherer - FR - 6'2 OH/RS Lilly Wagner - FR - 6'0 S

2023 Results:

The Hughes era at Maryland can be characterized in many different ways depending on which connotation you want to put on it. Consistent. Stagnant. It all fits.

Maryland finished with a 7-13 Big Ten mark in 2021 and 2022. Since Hughes took over in 2018, the Terrapins have spent most of their time oscillating between 8th and 11th in the conference standings--never in the bottom tier, but always in the next tier above the bottom.

Despite the limited success in conference play, Maryland is known for padding the win column against lesser opponents in the non-conference slate. That was the case again in 2023 as the Terrapins notched a 10-2 record against out-of-conference foes. The lone losses came against Miami (FL) and Navy, but it's also hard to find an endearing win on the calendar. Five-set wins over Coastal Carolina or Florida Gulf Coast are probably the most notable. That's it.

The Terrapins dropped their conference opener against Purdue. Matches against Michigan and Rutgers offered a nice counterbalance, putting Maryland back on the plus side.

The early-conference period was highlighted by perhaps Maryland's best win of the season. Xfinity Center Pavilion witnessed a five-set bruiser in which the home-standing Terps took down Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were ranked at the time, and never mind what became of Minnesota after that. It was Maryland's only 2023 victory over a conference rival that would eventually make the NCAA Tournament.

That means Maryland primarily found its wins against the bottomdwellers. A Nov. 12 sweep over Ohio State was
a decent result. Other than that, Maryland found season sweeps over Rutgers and Iowa--the bottom two finishers in the conference.

Maryland had earned a reputation for putting a few scares in top Big Ten competitors. Aside from the Minnesota result, it didn't happen as much in 2023. Nine of Maryland's 13 conference losses came in straight sets. The final mark was 7-13, identical to the previous two seasons.


2023 Lineup:

Maryland's 2023 lineup has a few different combinations to explore. Sounds like fun.

Let's start with the constants and build a solid foundation first. Sydney Dowler returned as the multi-year starter at setter. She earned reps as a freshman in 2020 and has been the ringleader ever since. Fittingly, Dowler's 2023 numbers were on par with 2021 and 2022.

Sam Csire remained the team's go-to attacker at the L2 position. She paced Maryland's kill tally during her sophomore and junior seasons. History repeated itself in 2023. However, Csire's volume diminished considerably while her 0.141 season hitting percentage was a career low. This is while Maryland's collective kill-per-set average actually increased from 2022. Perhaps we can credit the Terrapins for seeking more balance, but Csire did not have the senior campaign she had hoped for.

One more source of continuity resided at the M2 spot. Anastasia Russ transferred from Pittsburgh in 2022 and retained her starting role the following year. She was Maryland's most efficient attacker at a 0.346 clip and was still a productive anchor in the blocking phase.

A new name occupied the other middle blocker spot. True freshman Eva Rohrbach arrived in College Park and was the only Terrapin to start every match in 2023 (liberos can't be starters, but whatever). The San Diego native seized the M1 spot, hit 0.302 in her debut season, and was allowed to stay in and serve throughout much of 2023. The middle blocker vacancy was a question mark heading into the fall, but Rohrbach provided a stable starting presence.

Other positions were not as stable. The revolving door persisted at L1, the position across from Csire. Like 2022, the primary contributor at L1 last year was Laila Ivey. The sophomore tied Russ in the final kill tally while appearing in 30 few sets. Ivey faced similar efficiency struggles as Csire and was occasionally swapped out for returning veteran Erin Morrissey. That didn't solve many problems, either.

Then, there's the right side. Ole Miss transfer Samantha Schnitta was the focal point at the position and was second in total kills behind Csire. After a handful of early absences, Schnitta participated in all of Maryland's Big Ten matches. She had occasional stints in the back row. The opposite position was further complicated by returning senior Laila Ricks, who earned some frontcourt playing time in September and October. Maryland would even try lineups with Schnitta coming in as a DS for Ricks.

The defensive specialist unit was entirely new in 2023. Mississippi State transfer Lilly Gunter had an iron grip on the libero jersey. Maryland's other two DS contributors were true freshmen. Jonna Sponn came in for whoever was playing the L1 position. Alex McGillivray played in all but eight matches as the DS for the opposite. This unit collectively ranked dead last in the Big Ten in digs per set, which is not unprecedented for Terrapin teams.

Finally, we'll give a nod to Erin Engel. She played in every Maryland match last year but had one job: serve. Her serving sub role persisted, but she usually came in for the opposite instead of the middle blocker. Maryland would get in Rotation 4, bring in Engel, and then put McGillivray or Schnitta back in.


---

2024 Projected Lineup:

2024 is the last hurrah for the fifth-year "COVID senior," and Maryland has a lot of them.

Csire, Dowler, Gunter, Schnitta, and Russ have all opted to take their fifth years and return to the Maryland program. This automatically gives the Terrapins one of the oldest rosters in the conference, and all of the aforementioned players are expected to remain starters at their respective positions.

So, there's not a lot of prognostication to do here other than questioning how these athletes might perform compared to 2023. Will we see Csire return to her 2021-22 form? Does Schnitta tighten her grasp on the right side with Ricks departing for Wake Forest? Could we see a six-rotation opposite?

Stability at the L1 spot would help, too. Ivey will probably get the first reps--as she has since her freshman year. Perhaps will see more from sophomore Sydney Bryant, who randomly dropped 18 kills in the 2023 season finale against Rutgers. The position group adds Villanova transfer Skylar Gerhardt, a six-rotation starter for the Wildcats. History suggests we'll see her at some point, too.

The freshman DS duo is back. The necessity for an opposite DS is the biggest variable there.


2024 Schedule:

Traditions are renewed as Maryland brings a light non-conference schedule into 2024. The toughest test is probably the Week 1 meeting with LSU, which is actually more than we've gotten from past Maryland slates. We'll see what the Terps are made of.

Week 2 features Alabama A&M, American, and North Texas. Wild. Seeing Alabama A&M on the schedule would be more distressing if not for the Le Moyne thing last year. That was heinous.

Lehigh, UMBC, and Delaware State visit in Week 3. Maybe the defending America East champs give us something to look at. I don't know.

Nevada and UCF cap off the slate in Orlando. Indeed, Maryland's most interesting non-conference matches are all on the road.

After that:

Home + Away	Home	Away

2024 Outlook:

If Maryland wants to do something different and exciting, this has to be the year, right?

Differing opinions are welcomed regarding this Maryland team. I can't tell you how to feel about a team that effectively returns its entire starting lineup--but from a team that was fairly underwhelming a year ago. Could we at least argue that things can't get any worse?

And this isn’t just about returning starters. These players have been around for a while. Dowler will play her fifth complete season as Maryland’s starting setter. Csire has been in the mix the whole way. That has to mean something.

At the very least, Maryland should restore its tradition of one monumental upset per year. At least one top team goes to die at Xfinity Center Pavilion every season. It would take a lot more than that to even sniff the NCAA Tournament bubble. The non-conference schedule leaves little margin for error—and even fewer opportunities to earn a resume-building win.

With four new teams joining the conference, we can move the goalposts on the eight-to-eleventh rut that Maryland has been in. The coaches picked the Terrapins to finish 14th, which is not exactly a rousing endorsement of an experienced roster. I think Maryland can do a little better than that, but that happens when roster continuity equates to overall improvement.