Ashley Engle and Destinee Hooker are training with the U.S. National volleyball team: U.S. National Team Update May 23 Lauren Paolini is on the National team but is still playing with her club team. Some of our current team members were selected for the National A2 team - Michelle Kocher, Ashley Bannister, and Rachael Adams. Would have liked to have seen Hannah Allison on the A2 team. National A2 team May 21 According to Volleytalk, Brian Hosfeld, ex-UT assistant, will be helping to coach one of the A2 teams. Very cool to see so many Longhorns at this level! --
Hannah Allison is on the USA Junior National Training Team as is MB Madelyn Hutson, who enrolled early to UT in the spring to train with the team. Both of them are alternates to the Junior National Team and will train with the team from 7/10-7/19. Incoming freshman OH Haley Eckerman did make the 12-player roster of the JNT and will travel to Peru 7/20-7/31. This opportunity should provide Haley good training and playing experience to come in and hopefully make an immediate impact when preseason training starts in early August. UT Assistant coach Erik Sullivan will also be an assistant for the JNT so that should give him an early start in coaching Haley up defensively. Link
Thanks for the update, I hadn't seen that. So that means six of our current roster are associated with one of the National teams in some way, and at least three of our alumni. Wouldn't be surprised to see Juliann Faucette and Jen Doris play a role somewhere down the line. I believe Michelle Moriarty is still playing beach, and so is Dariam Acevedo, for Puerto Rico. - -
Very nice interview. When asked about personal honors, she first mentioned an academic one, being chosen as a student/athlete. Also glad to hear she's training and will be playing professional volleyball this fall.
Khat Bell and Haley Eckerman are already on campus. Along with Hutson, the trio's early collegiate training only means good things for Texas this fall. I'm most curious to see which pin hitter will become the next 6 rotation player who passes in serve/receive and attacks from the backrow. Options are Bannister, Bell, and Eckerman. I'm not too sure about adding Roberson to the list as she is recovering from surgery. Also, it's been almost 9 months since Bailey's knee surgery. I'm wondering if she will be able to play at the level she was at prior to her injury. It was said that she had made great strides last summer, but not everyone recovers well from an ACL surgery. I think for this team to be unstoppable next season, it needs another effective right side hitter (opposite McNeal) who can contribute offensively and also put up a good block since they will be running a 6-2. And of course the team will need to have great passing and backrow defense for the 6-2 to be remotely effective... Coach "Sulli" better earn his paycheck this year! **** Looks like we have another stud OH in the making. Ashley Bannister was 1 of 6 players named to the USA Women's Open Division All-Tournament Team****
Bell will definitely be a 6 rotation OH (PERIOD)! Bannister was just named to all tournament team at USA Nationals on the A2 team. If everyone is healthy this team is will very deep at every position. Very likely we will see some sort of 6-2 offense. Lots of options Eliott has on hand.
According to Volleytalk, Ashley Bannister was selected to the all tournament team, which is very cool, given the players on the the three A2 teams. Ashley was sure playing well last season at UT before she got hurt. Apparently the coach of Rachael Adams' team tweeted that she was playing with a dislocated finger.
G2BB, I like your confidence in Bell! This line-up could potentially be Bell and Bannister on the left side, and Adams and either Hutson/Cameron in the middle. McNeal has one of the RS spots locked up while the other could go to either Webster or Eckerman. Looking at the JNT roster, I don't see a true opposite listed. Maybe Eckerman can start training as a RS pin hitter, establish herself as a starter at that position on the JNT and gain valuable playing experience, and then transition to it in the Texas line-up?!?! In any case, as stated above, Elliot will have lots of options provided everyone stays healthy!
Don't be surprised to see McNiel in the middle. Along with Adams they would arguably make the most athletic, quick and physical MB duo. Eckerman & Webster at OP in a 6-2 offense gives you the same; arguably the most physical duo on the right side. The athleticism of this team may be very impressive & scarey. After last year, Texas deserves an injury free season. Here's hoping that Roberson and Webster are at 100% and no injuries to the whole team. (knock on wood)
No way Sha'dare moves to middle. She played all 6 rotations in serve/receive last season as well as this spring and her experience is going to be needed to pass all the way around this upcoming fall. Plus, when they were running the 6-2 in the spring, the setters came in for the middles when they rotated to the backrow. If she were to play middle, she would be taken out completely in serve/receive and passing would be left to Palmer, Bell, Bannister, and/or Eckerman... that's a lot of pressure and inconsistency with newbies in the line-up. That's why I think Sha'dare will remain as the passing opposite in the line-up and b/c she also has setting duties if the setter ends up digging the ball on first contact.
texasdpt - never say never. Fact of the matter is she is our second best MB on the roster. Read my other previous posts. We will likely see some sort of modified 6-2. Just because Sha'Dare is at MB does not mean she will not pass or must always hit out of the middle. She can read the opponent's offense, is quick and can close the block to the outside. I'm not sure our other MB's or Utility players can do that just yet. I'm not here to argue, just pointing out the fact that Jerritt will have lots of options.
2012 recruits Molly McCage (6'3 MB) and Nicole Dalton (6'2 S/Opp) were selected to the 2011 USA Youth National Team. 2013 recruit Chloe Collins (5'7 S) is an alternate. Youth National Team We have some great players coming out of the USA pipeline!
I certainly don't know all the dynamics or substitution patterns involved in running a 6-2 offense, but do both setters have to sub in for the same position (MB or RS, for example)? I recall a couple of years ago when Coach Elliott ran a "modified 6-2" where Engle stayed on the floor the entire time, but Kocher only came in for a few rotations. Could Kocher sub in for Adams (MB) and Allison sub in for Webster (RS), leaving both setters in the backrow for a rotation or two? Something tells me that we need an "explosive" MB2 once Adams goes to the bench. Any chance Bailey Webster or Eckerman can play MB? No offense to Cameron, but I just don't think she's the answer in the middle yet. I wouldn't mind seeing Bell as MB2, but she might be needed to play 6 rotations, and her jump serve is really good, and I'm guessing she can also hit out of the back row. Or, maybe Bell can be another 6 rotation RS (she's a great blocker) with Sha'Dare and neither ever leaves the floor! Lots of options, that's for sure. Hope everyone stays healthy and competes at 100% for those starting spots and playing time.
Is it August yet?? I'm so excited to get this season under way. I bought my Final Four tix this week. I'll be there in San Antonio in December and I'm hoping the Horns will be there as well.. The roster is updated for this coming season and the pics of the Freshmen have already been posted!
Jenny Andrew, UT volleyball alumnus, is now assistant coach at Houston Baptist University. She had been at Virginia. Jenny Andrew HBU So she's much closer to home. Wonder if one day we'll see one of our players back as assistant coach at UT.
Juliann Faucette signed a contract to play professional volleyball in Italy. Chateau D'Ax Urbino Volley - Faucette Urbino is halfway between Rome and Venice, not too far from the Adriatic. I don't know how the volleyball is, but somehow, that sounds better than Azerbaijan to me.
Note too sure if this is still correct but per Mar weekly update it also has Destinee competing for Scavolini Pesaro of the Italian Serie A League & Lauren competing in Italy with Asystel Volley Novara of the Italian Serie A Division. So hopefully Juliann will have some friends to go site seeing with. But still, what's that like 6 former players in the past few years that are now playing professional ? Update: Let us not forget 6'5"! Jen Doris - Playing for: Gigantes de Carolina (PUR) Jen 1 & Jen 2 & Jen 3
Destinee departed Pesaro back in March to have surgery on her knee. Supposedly she is trying to sign with a team in Brazil. There is 13 page thread on volleytalk discussing all the drama around Destinee's early departure to have the surgery and her agent switch and attempt to play for Brazil. DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA
Sidewinder, I think that's about right...besides Juliann, there's: Destinee Hooker - was in Italy, heading to Brazil; playing with National team Ashley Engle - was in Azerbaijan, was training with the National team this summer Heather Kisner - was in Azerbaijan with Ashley Lauren Paolini - playing pro, and part of the National team Dariam Acevedo - playing beach volleyball & also indoor with P.R. national team Michelle Moriarty - playing beach & practicing with USA Beach team. I might be forgetting someone....but it's pretty cool to see so many continue their careers after Texas.
06/26 Daily Texan article on 2011 recruiting class: The Link And, an article on future 2012 Longhorn, Molly McCage of Klein Collins H.S.: The Link
Here is an update on the U.S.A. Junior National team: Juniors - July 18 update Hannah Allison, Madelyn Hutson, and Haley Eckerman all mentioned: - The setters for the 19-player preliminary roster are Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.), Lauren Plum (Poway, Calif.), Hannah Allison (Siloam Springs, Ark.) and Mackenzie Dagostino (Tampa Bay, Fla.)...Plum, Allison and Dagostino have been named to the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team and one will likely be in Peru with the 12-player roster. - Haleigh Hampton (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Samantha Cash (San Diego), Sallie McLaurin (Midwest City, Okla.) and Madelyn Hutson (Brentwood, Tenn.) are serving as middle blockers on the 19-player preliminary roster. - Haley Eckerman (Waterloo, Iowa), Madison Kingdon (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Moneshia Simmons (Buford, Ga.) are the new outside hitters on the 19-player preliminary roster. New UT assistance coach Erik Sullivan is helping to coach the Junior team. Hope all our girls get selected for Peru!
It's official. Hannah, Haley, and Madelyn made the final roster for the 2011 Women's Junior National Team. Good luck girls and stay healthy! Link
That's outstanding. When the preliminary rosters were posted (Preliminary Roster), Hannah and Madelyn were listed as alternates. They must have turned in an impressive training period to work their way into the final roster going to Peru. As you say, stay healthy.
For those interested in purchasing a NIKE Longhorn volleyball shirt, I saw these listed on eBay: The Link The Link The Link
