Looking Ahead to 2011

[1972Shocker]

I don't know much, if anything, about what MVC teams are bringing in, but based on what teams are losing I see more of the same for the MVC next year. In other words, another very competitive league with very good teams at the top.

Most MVC teams are losing 2-3 quality players but most are also returning a good number of quality players and none are really losing their No. 1 setters.

I really don't see much change at the top. I look for UNI, WSU, CU and MSU to lead the league again next year.

[JayJ79]

New coach at Bradley. Don't know if that will really affect things, though.

Supposedly, their new facility puts them in a "position to make a climb to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference."
So we better watch out. ;op

[1972Shocker]

Northern Iowa

Losing:

Ellie Blankenship 5'10" DS - An outstanding Libero and a good server.

Beth Discher 6'1" OH - Solid pin player averging 2.93 KPS

Chelsea Saunder 5'11" DS - Good server.

Coming Back:
Seniors Bre Payton, Michelle Burrow
Juinors Krista DeGeest, Amy Braun, Megan Lehman
Sophomore Shelby Kintzel

As long as UNI has Bre Payton running the show they are the favorite to win the MVC.

[1972Shocker]

Wichita State

Losing:

Sarah McGee 6'3" MB - MVC Defensive Player of the Year and the heart and soul of the 2010 Shockers.

Amanda Backes 5'11" OH - A very solid player who battled shoulder problems throughout her senior year. Was very good when she was on.

Lindsey Eckenrode 6'2" OH - A wonderful young lady with a wonderful attitude who never fully recovered from her ACL tear.

Key Returning Players:

Seniors - Mary Elizabeth Hooper, Sarah Waldorf, Camri Zwiesler
Juniors - Emily Adney, Jackie Church, Jada Witham
Sophomores - Elizabeth Field, Ashley Andrade, Sam Sanders, Katie Vogts, Chelsey Feekin
RS Freshman - Hannah Eakin

I'm not sure what Mary Elizabeth's lower leg problems are but hopefully the off-season will give her an opportunity to heal.

As with this past year Lambo will have to decide whether he wants to go with the 6-2 or the 5-1. I suspect he will experiment with both this Spring.

The Shocks would seem to have all the pieces in place to make a run at UNI. Perhaps the key will be who will provide the leadership and toughness.

[1972Shocker]

Creighton

Losing:

Allie Oelke 6'1" OH - Good Server, 2.38 KPS
Alicia Runge 6'1" OH 3.73 KPS
Nayka Benitez 5/3" DS - Great Server and Very Good Libero

Key Returners:
Seniors - Kariza "The Stomper" Almgren, Heather Thorson
Juniros - Megan Bober, Brooke Boggs
Sophomores - Julianne Mandolfo, Savannah Smith

Creighton was playing very well at the end of the year. Bober is an outstanding setter and they will be very strong in the middle with Sanford, Thorson and Smith. Almgren is a powerful OH. They will have some production to replace on the OH with the loss of Runge and Oelke. Benitez was also playing outstanding defense at the end of the year. I would expect Mandolfo to step into the Libero position.

Doc will no doubt miss the intangibles that Alicia Runge and Nayka Benitiez brought to the court. ;-)

Creighton should be very competitive again. Their new facility should be a plus for them in recruiting.

[1972Shocker]

Missouri State:

Losing:

Bethany Fuller 6'3" MB - Solid middle, good blocker, 1.56 KPS
Shayla Patrick 6'0" MB - Very athletic, good blocker, 1.39 KPS
Cara Hackaman 6'0 OH/DS - Maybe the most versatile player in the MVC, solid attacker, terrific defensive player (has played Libero)
Melissa Gmur 5'9" S - Shared setting duties in tehe 6-2 during most of the year, but went to the bench behind Freshman Carly Thomas when the Bears went to the 5-1

Key Returners:
Seniors - Calli Norman, Kelley Michnowicz, Megan Bess
Juniors - Abby Padlock
Sophomores - Christine McCartney, Carly Thomas
Redshirt Freshman - MSU did redshirt 3 freshman - Most likely to contribute (guessing) would be 6'2" MB Amber Doolittle

MSU kind of stumbled down the stretch this year part of which was due to fighting some injuries. The main holes they will need to plug will be at the M2 position and Cara Hackman's versatility and leadership will be tough to replace.

I don't see much, if any fall off with the Bears.

[1972Shocker]

Illinois State:

Losing:

Katie Culbertson 6'1" MB - Solid MB, 1.32 KPS, .59 BPS
Hailey Kelley 6'1" MB - Solid MB, 1.65 KPS, .79 BPS
Mallory Leggett 6'0" OH - Best Server on Team, 3.39 KPS

Key Returners:

Seniors: Kristin Stauter, Tabatha Visk, Laura Wakefield
Juinors: Jenny Menendez
Sophomores: LeighAnn Hranka, Shannon McGlaughlin

Illinois State is returning their Setter and Libero. Visk and Hranka will give them two solid Middles. McGaughlin is a solid OH. They need to find or develop more scoring on the outside and any injuries will make it difficult for the Redbirds. Still they will no doubt be their usual pesky selves.

[1972Shocker]

Drake:

Losing:

Angela Bys 6'1" OH - Leader in kills at 3.44 KPS
Alisa DeBerg Roth 6'3" OH - 2.04 KPS, .65 BPS
Alana Wittenberg 5'2" DS - Very solid Libero - Drake career leader in digs
Susan Clausen 5'8" S - looks like she shared serving duites with Caitlyn Johnson. 4.24 APS vs 6.42 APS for Johnson.

Key Returners:

Seniors: Mikayla Sims, Michelle Reidy, Caitlyn Johnson, Erika Price
Juniors: Whitney Westrum, Emily Heffernen
Reshirt Freshman: Drake may have reshirted as many as 4 freshmen. However, hard to say who will be ready to contribute next year.

I don't really see that Drake making and upward move next year.

[1972Shocker]

Southern Illinois

Lose:

Jennifer Berwanger 5'10" OH - 3.62 KPS
Alicia Johnson 5'11" OH - 2.25 KPS
Jasmine Connor 6'1" MB - 1.66 KPS
Sydney Clark 6'0" OH - 1.62 KPS (Played in 57 of 99 sets)

Key Returners:

Seniors - None
Juniors - Rachael Brown, Bailey Yeager, Alysia Mayes
Sophomores - Jessica Whitehead
Redshirt Freshman - None

The Salukis lose 67% of their kill which is by far the biggest scoring loss in the league. Salukis maybe moving down towards the bottom of the league next year.

[1972Shocker]

Evansville

Losing:

Emily Wandersee 5'10" MB - 3.37 KPS and .93 BPS
Viera Rajcan 6'1" OH - Only 0.70 KPS but teams best server

Key Returners:

Seniors - Ellen Sawin, Brooke Maher, Kaisi Nixon, April Lubrecht
Juniors - Hannah Wilson
Sophomores - Katie Klages
Redshirt Freshman - None

I can see Evansville in the battle for the 6th spot in the MVC Tournament next year, but probably not much more than that.

[1972Shocker]

Bradley & Indiana State

Neither team loses much but that may or may not be good considering they tied for 9th at 3-15 in 2010.

Indiana State only loses Ana Maria Charun a decent 5'10" OH (2.11 KPS) and Bradley only loses a couple of OH's who played in aboout one-half of Bradley's total sets played in 2010.

I thought Bradley definitely showed improvement over the second half of the conference season although their HC has resigned. I'm not sure whether or not that resignation was under pressure or not.

I'm not sure either team is ready to compete for an MVC Tournament slot but they both should be improved just on the basis of being more experienced next year.

[1972Shocker]

The big unkown, of course, is whether or not there are any unknown Redshirts or incoming Freshman that will make a big impact on their teams.

In other words who make up the 2011 All-Freshman team.

[shock10]

http://www.goshockers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=2838&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=7500&SPSID=61210

2011 roster up to 15.

[Volleyballfan]

Has anyone noticed that several girls are missing from the roster for next season. All in all, minus the graduating seniors, there are 6 girls who have chosen to leave. Witham was a known transfer, but what of the others? Where did they go? Injuries?

[The Mad Hatter]

Has anyone noticed that several girls are missing from the roster for next season. All in all, minus the graduating seniors, there are 6 girls who have chosen to leave. Witham was a known transfer, but what of the others? Where did they go? Injuries?

Here is the list of those non-seniors missing from this year's roster:

Haley Dotson
Lindsey Engel
Alysa Heath
Brianna Kaiser
Katie Vogts
Jada Witham

I haven't been able to find much info other than a facebook reference to Alysa Heath now being at Metropolitan State College of Denver, but she isn't listed on their volleyball roster.