Volleyball Offseason/Roster Changes

[WuDrWu]

I wonder if Lauren Wheeler, who redshirted this year, is the heir apparent to Kayce Litzau who I believe finishes up her eligibility next year? Of course, I think Hailey Plugge has 2 years of eligibility left if their is a mutual interest in that. What are your thoughts about that WuDrWu?

Honestly, no idea. I've speculated that Wheeler has the physical tools to be an elite setter but you have to develop as well. And I think the world of Hailey Plugge......but I'm not sure she can be elite. Given the likely returners up front, I would have to think we'll redshirt the incoming front line players unless there's a stud in there that makes a spot for themselves (highly unlikely).

I guess the fact we aren't bringing in a setter (or apparently recruiting one until 23-24 at least) says Wheeler is someone we're counting on heavily.

[jimshocker]

Honestly, no idea. I've speculated that Wheeler has the physical tools to be an elite setter but you have to develop as well. And I think the world of Hailey Plugge......but I'm not sure she can be elite. Given the likely returners up front, I would have to think we'll redshirt the incoming front line players unless there's a stud in there that makes a spot for themselves (highly unlikely).

I guess the fact we aren't bringing in a setter (or apparently recruiting one until 23-24 at least) says Wheeler is someone we're counting on heavily.

I believe there is a local setter from Northwest HS. She has D1 offers. If the NIL money is right, maybe she walks on.

[WuDrWu]

What does "if the NIL money is right, maybe she walks on" mean exactly?

If she's good enough to command NIL money, at least I would think she'd be good enough to get a full ride, one way or the other.

I'd be curious what kind of NIL money would sway a potential walk on. A couple of sawbucks?

[jimshocker]

What does "if the NIL money is right, maybe she walks on" mean exactly?

If she's good enough to command NIL money, at least I would think she'd be good enough to get a full ride, one way or the other.

I'd be curious what kind of NIL money would sway a potential walk on. A couple of sawbucks?

Take that statement for whatever you think it to mean in the context of WSU Volleyball.

Honest Question. Really not trying to be combative.

Had Abbie Lehman and Emily Hiebert (local kids that turned into lottery tickets) NOT developed into HOF players. Would Chris Lamb still be the WSU volleyball coach.

I ask because outside of those two. What transfer or recruit actually met or exceeded their potential, while on the court for WSU. Several have achieved more successful elsewhere.

[WuDrWu]

Seriously?

Literally every setter this millennium before Hiebert:

Abby Harsh, Sarah Lungren, Sarah McGee (be still my heart), transfer Emily Stockman, Mary Elizabeth Hooper, Stephanie Tokarz, Ashley Andrade, Chelsey Feekin, transfer Camri Zwiesler, Emily Adney, Elizabeth Field, Katie Reilly, Dani Mostrom, Mikaela Raudsepp, transfer Jody Larson, Emma Wright, Gio.

I'm sure I glossed over others.

[jimshocker]

Seriously?

Literally every setter this millennium before Hiebert:

Abby Harsh, Sarah Lungren, Sarah McGee (be still my heart), transfer Emily Stockman, Mary Elizabeth Hooper, Stephanie Tokarz, Ashley Andrade, Chelsey Feekin, transfer Camri Zwiesler, Emily Adney, Elizabeth Field, Katie Reilly, Dani Mostrom, Mikaela Raudsepp, transfer Jody Larson, Emma Wright, Gio.

I'm sure I glossed over others.

I think you missed and proved my point all at the same time.

So, NONE since Hiebert and Lehman?

That’s almost two full four year cycles and several recruiting coaches in an out. NO recruits meet or exceed since the assistant coach merry go round began. The coaches that trained all those setters above left with or before Emily.

WSU can take NO credit for Gio. They damn near ruined her career. Her “injury” sure recovered nicely in Wisconsin.

Larson. Really? Good player. She ended up at WSU for reasons I’m sure most on this board know nothing about. She benefited greatly from the HOF players on her roster,

Emma Wright. OK. did WSU win with her?

Just asking what indication there is for improvement based on the

[Critter's Pa]

How many, if any, of the incoming players be eligible to play in spring scrimmages, assuming there will be spring scrimmages? Hopefully, if there are spring scrimmages, they will be held here.

Brylee, Kayce, and Sophia will all be seniors and out of eligibility next year. That will be a lot of scoring that will need to be replaced and hopefully upgraded. It would be great if Emerson or the incoming transfers or freshmen can push Brylee and Sophia for playing time.

I don't think anyone is knocking Frosty out of the rotation, but I predict that Addy Badly will find her way on the floor next year, pushing for playing time with Lauren and Morgan S. I suspect any incoming middle blocker freshmen will be redshirting next year.

Is there anyone that is going to take playing time away from Morgan Weber? That person will have to be really good everything volleyball, including hyping up the team.

My wish list for next year:
A Foster with a killer mentality and improved serving. She needs to play like the other team just kicked her dog and smashing volleyball sized holes on their side of the court is how she is getting revenge.

A healthy Sophia and another right side that can push her for playing time.

A Brylee that passes nails on serve receive.

A huge increase is serve receive. Shockers have to have better passing next year.

An improvement at setting, hopefully this will be because of improved passing, regardless of who is playing the position.

Aces for everyone. No in-the-net service errors.

Many three set victories. Quick starts and pedal to the metal the whole game.

In every match, there are at least 3 players with double digit kills, and not because the Shockers played five sets.

[WuDrWu]

I think you missed and proved my point all at the same time.

Yeah, no.

You asked 2 questions, the first was moronic. If the best team in the history of the program were terrible. Ok, if Baker and VanVleet were terrible, WSU never gets to a Final Four.

And if you kept your trap shut, we wouldn't have to deal with you on a regular basis. Ifs and buts my friend.

So lets address question two which was what recruit or transfer actually met or exceeded their potential while on the court for WSU. You didn't qualify it by saying after 2017. So naturally I answered correctly and shut you up by listing a ton of both recruits and transfers. You come in later with your made up variable.

And you don't have a point, you have a vendetta.

But ok, let's play your game. Since 2017 there's little doubt recruiting and development have tailed off some. And for the 1st time in almost 20 years we've missed on an elite setter (which I've been saying for some time). We've also run into the REALITY that while we took volleyball seriously 20 years ago, a TON of other schools are now taking it seriously, and many of those schools have deep pockets. Just like baseball, it's a different world now.

But it's also factual that we're at least as competitive with say, KU and KSU today (physically, on the floor) as we were say 15 years ago, and maybe even more so, even though the overall record doesn't show it. Teams and programs (other than the UTs NUs etc of the world) ebb and floor. And WSU isn't immune from that. No one would argue these are the golden years of WSU volleyball.

But you keep talking about all these players that are so good where they transfer. I listed one ELITE all american type transfer and 2 really good transfers that all exceeded here. Where are these so called superstars that thrived elsewhere that weren't any good here? Because with almost no effort I can create a LONG list of players that transferred out and did nothing or are out of volleyball.

Whatever is stuck in your craw regarding Lambo, you have to let it go man. It's not healthy.

[WuDrWu]

Sadly, I see Hailey Plugge's name in the portal. She will be a fantastic adult, partly due to her time here but mostly because she's an intelligent and strong young woman. I wish her the very best.

[jimshocker]

Yeah, no.

You asked 2 questions, the first was moronic. If the best team in the history of the program were terrible. Ok, if Baker and VanVleet were terrible, WSU never gets to a Final Four.

And if you kept your trap shut, we wouldn't have to deal with you on a regular basis. Ifs and buts my friend.

So lets address question two which was what recruit or transfer actually met or exceeded their potential while on the court for WSU. You didn't qualify it by saying after 2017. So naturally I answered correctly and shut you up by listing a ton of both recruits and transfers. You come in later with your made up variable.

And you don't have a point, you have a vendetta.

But ok, let's play your game. Since 2017 there's little doubt recruiting and development have tailed off some. And for the 1st time in almost 20 years we've missed on an elite setter (which I've been saying for some time). We've also run into the REALITY that while we took volleyball seriously 20 years ago, a TON of other schools are now taking it seriously, and many of those schools have deep pockets. Just like baseball, it's a different world now.

But it's also factual that we're at least as competitive with say, KU and KSU today (physically, on the floor) as we were say 15 years ago, and maybe even more so, even though the overall record doesn't show it. Teams and programs (other than the UTs NUs etc of the world) ebb and floor. And WSU isn't immune from that. No one would argue these are the golden years of WSU volleyball.

But you keep talking about all these players that are so good where they transfer. I listed one ELITE all american type transfer and 2 really good transfers that all exceeded here. Where are these so called superstars that thrived elsewhere that weren't any good here? Because with almost no effort I can create a LONG list of players that transferred out and did nothing or are out of volleyball.

Whatever is stuck in your craw regarding Lambo, you have to let it go man. It's not healthy.

Admittedly I made a mistake in the original post. I DID mean since 2017 but did not directly state that. However, if you actually read my post and follow the vendetta, you will see that I am focussed on POST 2017.

My point "overarching point" as Chris likes to use is this.

Since 2017, when Chris Lamb found lightening in a bottle with a fantastic duo of local kids, and quality players around them, won National Coach of the Year, AND took a huge payout to essentially ensure he stayed at WSU. (read the language in that contract)

1. WSU has lost the entire coaching staff that recruited players prior 2017.
2. WSU has not been able to find another setter. Either recruited or developed. (Heibert last good one)
3. WSU passing has been rough despite nearly double digit # of players cycling through. (Mostrom last good one)
4. WSU has not made an NCAA tournament. (the longest gap in the Lambo era)
5. WSU has not performed within their own "new world" conference as they did before.

You are right. Just like baseball times have changed. Just like baseball, the HC that built the program in the "good old days" appears to not be able to deal with the new world.

-How long does he get to be retired on the job before change is made.
-Will the WSU Volleyball program settle into mediocre status just as baseball did when the school held on to the nostalgia too long.

You have said multiple times in multiple posts "it's a new world". You are correct. I don't understand how you can see the "new world" outside the box, and inside the box keep sticking up for and making excuses for the coach still living in the "old world"

[WuDrWu]

1) We're not terrible. We weren't that far out of the tourney this year, and next year should be better.

2) There's more to the program than just wins and losses and Lambo checks the hell out of that page.

3) No one has argued that the trend isn’t down since 2017. I don't know the answer on how long he gets, but given that athletics does not rely on volleyball to pay the bills, that Lambo raises a lot of money for his own projects, that he and Shannon have built this from scratch, that yet another semester of honor roll students have turned in a 3.5ish GPA and are pillars of the volleyball community......I'd say the answer is somewhere a little bit on the other side of don't hold your breath.

It is the first time we've missed on a setter. The thought that we don't have recruiters anymore could be factual. I don't know. You could be 100% right there. We are going to lose a ton after next season. Maybe the program will suffer then and Lambo will want to step away. Again, I don't know. But I know the time isn't now, and I'm certainly willing to see what happens for now.

[Critter's Pa]

Sadly, I see Hailey Plugge's name in the portal. She will be a fantastic adult, partly due to her time here but mostly because she's an intelligent and strong young woman. I wish her the very best.

Hailey landed at Sacramento State, a bit closer to home. I wish her luck there, I'm sure she will be a great addition to the team.

It looks like Hailey has a chance at some playing time since their senior setter graduated this year and may be leaving the program. Probably a good move for her.

[flyingMoose]

Hailey landed at Sacramento State

Sac State is part of the Big Sky along with Idaho State where the Carters are.

[WuDrWu]

Sac State is part of the Big Sky along with Idaho State where the Carters are.

Just discussing recruiting and losing the Carters, I believe they lost their Conference FOY to Utah. The portal giveth, and the portal taketh away.

[WuDrWu]

Looks like Sophie Childs landed at Texas State. Hope she kills it there.