2000 Volleyball Season Outlook
8/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
For the first time in school history, the Horned Frogs will field a volleyball squad without the likes of Stacy Olson, Jill Pape and Jessica Rangel. This trio started as freshmen in 1996 and set the foundation for what exists now.
"Not having Jill, Jess and Stacy will be something different," said head volleyball coach Sandy Troudt. "But we have an excellent group of players returning and good players incoming, and we will be successful."
While the 35-90 record doesn't indicate success, what Olson, Pape and Rangel accomplished isn't indicated in statistics. Not only were the members of this trio on-the-court leaders, but they led off the court as well. All three graduated on time and accomplished more than realized for this program.
New Leadership
With the first senior class now departed, new leaders will be developed. The
group that will likely become the voice of the team is the outside hitters.
Two of the four returning outside players are the two lone seniors on the
club -Amy Atamanczuk and Bethany Toce.
Joining Atamanczuk and Toce as returning players are juniors Marci King and Rachel Shirley and sophomores Jennifer Cuca and Stephanie Watson. Freshman Brooke Worthington rounds out the outside hitters.
King is the most dominating player of the group. The 1998 WAC Mountain Division Player of the Year led the Horned Frogs in kills in 1999, following up her team lead in 1999.
"Our offense will improve greatly as Marci becomes more and more comfortable in her role in it. Marci at times is simply dynamic," Troudt said.
While King was not the force that she was at time her freshman season, she still led the Frogs in kills in 10 matches. Where King will need to develop will be on the back row. While her serving talents are well noted, she will be asked to replace the team-leading 279 digs lost by Pape's departure.
Atamanczuk was sporadic throughout much of the 1999 season, but will be expected to be a big contributor in the 2000 season. While the offensive contribution provided by Pape dwindled each year, Atamanczuk will largely be responsible for making up for the loss of Pape's 228 kills.
Not a heavy contributor in the early part of the 1999 season, Toce will also be relied upon to replace Pape's absence at the net. The majority of Toce's offensive output came in conference season, but she will be asked to be a part of the TCU offense from the first match of the season on.
"The position is lead by seniors Amy Atamanczuk and Bethany Toce," Troudt said. "Amy had her best spring and was healthy enough able to play match after match. Bethany has been training at both right and leftside and her improvement is noticeable."
An early-season strength, Watson stepped in and quickly made the transition from the high school to the college level. While Watson led the team in kills in four of TCU's first five matches -including a 22-kill output against Missouri -her performance late in the season did not mirror her beginning. She will be asked to be a part of the TCU offense for the duration of the season if the Frogs are to be successful.
Jennifer Cuca spent most of last season as a defensive specialist, but was asked to replace Pape in the starting lineup for the one match Pape missed early last season. While Cuca wasn't able to duplicate Pape's numbers, her talents are noticeable and she is steadily learning the college game. With work and time, she could become a vital part of both the TCU offense and floor defense.
Making her second position change in as many seasons, Shirley came to TCU as a middle blocker. Shirley spent last season as a setter, backing up Lindsay Hayes, but saw very little playing time and even less at the net.
"Rachel Shirley has now come back to the outside hitter spot and simply loves it," Troudt said. "Rachel is playing good defense and her ability to pass will get her on to the court."
Offensive Catalyst
As can be said with most setters, when they are on, the respective offense
is on. That statement is no different for the TCU setters.
Junior Lindsay Hayes returns for her second full season of setting duties. Joining Hayes at setter is a talented newcomer, Tori Barlow.
Hayes begins the 2000 season with the job as hers to lose, but this season, she has a natural setter to challenge her for the starting spot. Hayes held on to the role for the duration of 1999, starting all 30 matches, but her only challenge came from two converted setters -converted outside hitter Rachel Shirley and converted defensive specialist Stacy Olson.
"For the first time in our program, we will have a setter and a back up setter that have played the position before," Troudt said. "I am pumped to finally have two really good players in this position."
While Hayes set season marks for assists per game and led TCU to its most assists ever, she needs to be more consistent over the duration of the season. The primary play for the Frogs this season will be the Hayes-to-King connection. This duo has played together since their club days in junior high school and are very familiar with one other's tendencies.
"After a great spring, Lindsay continues to improve her defense and serving game and I feel she is ready for a great season," Troudt added.
Barlow joins the Frogs with an impressive list of credentials. An all-state selection in her senior year, she led her Oak Ridge team to the state championship match. But the transition from high school to college is difficult for a setter. Barlow will have have an adequate amount of time to adjust.
"She is a tremendous leader on the court and a great defensive player," Troudt noted. "Tori is a determined competitor and she will assist this position greatly."
Behind Hayes for likely two seasons, Barlow will have the opportunity to mature into the college game, whereas Hayes was thrown in with no collegiate experience and was asked to learn in match situations.
Net Minding
The most questionable part of the TCU roster heading into the season is the
position of middle blocker. Again, the Frogs are young at this position,
with three freshmen joining a pair of returning players. TCU took hits in
the off-season, losing Rangel and freshman Katie Kieffer. The 1999 leader in
blocks per game, left the school for personal reasons and left a hole in the
middle.
The two returning middles -juniors Allison Lynch and Jennifer Sebastian - will likely be the opening season rotation in the middle. Three freshman, Courtney Beach and Myshara High -who were signed in the February signing period as scholarship players -and Jaclyn Van Tiem will battle for playing time.
"With Allison Lynch returning with more confidence than ever, she is ready to turn it up a notch," Troudt said. "Jennifer Sebastian had a great spring season both on the court and in our off-season conditioning. Jennifer is the best jumper in program."
Lynch, who is the most talented athlete on the floor at any time for TCU, is both an offensive threat and impressive net defender. While lacking in speed to be a floor defender, her athleticism and versatility allow her to play on the back row. Despite being hampered by a nagging injury late in the season, Lynch still had the ability to set school records for attack percentage in a match (.817 against Villanova) and for season blocks (95).
Sebastian, a regular in the second half of the 1998 season, was bumped for playing time by Kieffer late last season, but is as solid of a blocker as the Frogs have ever had.
While depth is a question, Troudt's uncanny ability to trust and rely on unproven freshmen make the four newcomers as vital as the returning players.
Beach is a versatile player who can play on the outside or in the middle. That ability will help her get more playing time.
A multi-sport athlete, High will focus solely on volleyball for the first time in her career. She will be given time to grow and mature into the sport.
"Myshara has great quickness and a vertical jump that will prove to be the best in the program," Troudt said.
Van Tiem, a walk-on, will also be in the mix for playing time at middle blocker.
"Jaclyn is a hard worker and will find herself getting playing time because of her determination and effort," Troudt stated.
For the Defense
The TCU floor defense is in question for this season. The three primary
defenders for last season -departing seniors Olson and Rangel and retired
junior Crissy Grimm -all departed the squad. Jennifer Cuca is the only
returning player with experience as a defensive specialist. The role of
back-row only player could fall unto a number of different players. Shirley
and Cuca may be depended upon for the back row as are any of the incoming
freshmen.
The Schedule
The 2000 TCU schedule mirrors that of the 1999 schedule. Twenty-three of
TCU's 30 matches are against foes faced in 1999.
While the 2000 loop isn't filled with as many teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a year ago, the schedule is difficult. Hawai'i, Baylor, Marquette and Stephen F. Austin State are the TCU opponents with 1999 NCAA experience, but the likes of San Jose State, Fresno State, SMU, Texas-Arlington and Miami each had credentials worthy of a trip to the NCAA field of 64.
The traditionally difficult WAC won't be easier by any means, but the level of competition is balancing out, top to bottom.
"The conference race will be more of a race than ever. Hawaii of course will be the team to beat," Troudt said. "The most improved teams in conference this year -besides TCU -will be Tulsa and UTEP. SMU will be very strong again and Fresno will be much stronger than last year. Rice will be healthy again this year and having their setter back will make a huge difference for the Owls."
