Tigers at the 2008 Black & Gold Match
 
Tigers at the 2008 Black & Gold Match
  
 
Mizzou Volleyball 2008, A Season Preview

Tigers have been to EIGHT-straight postseasons

Aug. 24, 2008

What have we learned so far in 2008? If the Beijing Olympics taught us anything, it's that the number eight is a lucky number for the Chinese and in its culture, all the more evident with its beginning of the Olympic Opening Ceremony on 8-8-08 at 8:08:08 p.m.

The Missouri volleyball team in the 2008 season also wishes to employ the luck of the number EIGHT. The Tigers have been to EIGHT-consecutive NCAA Tournaments - every one of them in the decade, with Nebraska being the only other team in the Big 12 to match. For as young as the Tigers seemed last season, they return EIGHT to the team this season, five of which started in more than 20 matches last year. And, get used to the faces - there are zero seniors in 2008, meaning it will be a carbon-copy roster in 2009.

"I look at us on paper and what we have returning, and that makes me feel positive about what we are able to do this year," said Head Coach Wayne Kreklow. "We've got a core group - we've got a returning setter, we've got a lot of returners from last year's team back."

Not included in the list of "technical starters" from last season is junior OH Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa). Klein started last season on a roll, recording kill-dig double-doubles in five of her seven matches played, averaging a then-team high 4.44 kills and 2.85 digs per set, and tabulating a career-high 26 kills in the season opener at Mississippi. But, in the September 7 match versus Houston, Klein went down in the third set, tearing the ACL in her left knee - her season would be over. However, Klein has bounced back, gone through rehab, and is ready to pick up where she left off.

"Jules has had a great spring in coming back from her injury," said Kreklow. "She's worked really hard in rehab and has consistently been ahead of all of her rehab goals, so she's really put in the time and effort in the training room to come back. I thought by the end of the spring she was close to where she was in the fall, so she's made a lot of progress off the court. She's obviously very anxious to get back out on the floor again and she's done a good job working on the little things, like her passing game. She's always been a big power hitter, and she's worked hard on the things that are going to be necessary for her to get where she wants to go if she wants to be all-conference, be an All-American player, and help us get back to the tournament again."

 

 

With the renewed optimism surrounding the returning veterans, including Klein's resurgence, the team will still have to deal with the loss to graduation of OH Na Yang and L Tatum Ailes. Yang set a Mizzou record in single-season kills in 2007, placing fifth in the Big 12 with 4.54 kills per set during league play. Ailes is arguably the best defensive player to have worn a Mizzou uniform. Having been the Tigers' libero for four years, Ailes was a passing and digging dynamo, nearly impenetrable on occasion. Ailes was the Big 12 Libero of the Year as a sophomore and finished her career second in the Big 12 in digs.

"I think the big question for us as a team will be defensively and passing," said Kreklow. "Obviously with Tatum Ailes out of the picture, somebody has got to step in and kind of take over that position, and that's what we are going through in the preseason, give everyone a shot and see what everyone can do. So, we've got to find that first pass and that role of libero is critical."

The understudy to Ailes in 2007 was now-sophomore Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.). Vann was impressive in her freshman campaign as the team's primary defensive specialist, tallying 2.72 digs per set in half-rotation play. Vann also showed a tough serving style, allowing the Tigers to go on multiple runs with her behind the stripe.

"Vann is kind of the Energizer bunny for our team," said Kreklow. "She provides a lot of the spark, a lot of the fire for our team - she's a great competitor. I thought she had a great freshman year last year as an understudy for Tate, and she's been working very hard during the off season to put herself in that position to take over that libero spot. She's got big shoes to fill, but she's one of the hardest working kids we've got in the program, and I think she's a real competitor and will do what she has to do to try to be that libero, to be that person that will play that position."

The Tigers will have two very talented freshmen vying for playing time in the back row with Priscilla Armendariz and Annie Lopez taking center stage. Armendariz (Blue Springs, Mo.) has already earned a nickname - "Pip". On her high school team, she was a setter, on her national-caliber club team, she was the libero.

"Pip is going to be somebody we look to contribute right away, said Kreklow. "Pip came out of a very good club and was a setter in high school and a libero for her club team. Her 18-and-under team finished fifth, I believe, at the U.S. junior national tournament last summer. She's a great little defensive player. She's got good quickness; she reads well and has a great feel. She's very vocal and upbeat. She's somebody we anticipate we play quite a bit in her freshman year."

Annie Lopez (St. Louis, Mo.) has made quite an impression during the early days of practice and will also see her share of playing time in 2008. Lopez was a two-time All-State selection at her high school, St. Joseph's Academy, helping her team to three-consecutive MSHSAA Class 4 runner-up finishes. Lopez's club team was a national champion in 2005, as Lopez was part of several national-caliber club teams.

"Annie also came out of a great club program. Annie is another one that has a great natural feel for the game. She reads well, she's extremely quick. She has very quick feet - moves well. She's got a great platform, and is a very competitor - she's not as vocal yet, but that's often typical for freshman. She's a great first passer and is just a phenomenal little defensive player. She's another one we anticipate seeing a lot of playing time this year as a freshman."

Along with Vann, another Mizzou freshman who made a huge impact in 2007 was MB Weiwen Wang (Nanjing, China). Wang was named the 2008 Preseason All-Big 12 team, and for good reason. In her role, Wang led the Tiger team last year in service aces (34), and was second on the team in kills per set (2.96), blocks per set (0.89), hitting percentage (.256), and points per set (3.78). In addition, "Wendy" was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on October 8 after posting school records with 19 errorless kills and 13 total blocks in the October 3 match at Colorado. She repeated the 19 errorless kills when the Buffaloes came to Columbia on November 24.

"I was really pleased with Wendy as a freshman," said Kreklow. "Wendy is one of those players, that, when you look at your typical Big 12 players, she's not the big imposing middle blockers that you see so often, but she's got such a quick arm and she's such a smart hitter that she proved over the course of last season that she's very difficult to defend."

Now in her fourth year in the Mizzou system, S Lei Wang (Shanghai, China) has a lot to look forward to in her redshirt-junior campaign. Having already guided the Mizzou ship in the last two years as setter, Wang has seemingly found her stride improve with each match experience. Oddly enough, her experience last year had to be tweaked a notch because of the injury to Klein. On occasion, Kreklow would utilize the 6-2 system, making Wang's play in the front row strictly at the net as a right-side hitter. Although her overall assist-per-set average was down because of the variety of positions that she had to play, Wang still recorded two triple-doubles including a 10 kill, 49 assist, and 15 dig effort versus No. 25 Oklahoma on September 29.

"I thought she had a great second half of last season," said Kreklow. "She really came on during the month of November and into tournament time and did a real excellent job. What we've worked on during the spring has been her individual defense and blocking. I think she's got a good grasp of what is required of her as a setter and I look for that to improve."

Wang has the benefit of playing for three years with Amanda Hantouli and Megan Wilson, all three of which redshirted together in 2005, allowing for an all-in-one learning and sharing experience.

Hantouli, going into her junior year as one of the Tigers' middle blockers, had a breakout season in 2007, challenging the competition with her quick arm and presence at the net. Hantouli had 11 matches last season with 10-or-more-kills, including a five-match streak of 10+ kills that included a drubbing of Texas Tech on November 10 where she put down a career-high 16 kills on zero errors and only 24 attacks. Hantouli led the team with 1.03 blocks per set in 2007 and is now third all-time in Mizzou history in the category (0.92).

"Amanda really had a great second half of the season last year," said Kreklow. "Amanda was somebody that, us as coaches, was very impressed by the improvement that she made and she had a great spring. For Amanda, it's always been the mental side of the game more than anything. She's got great lateral quickness, a fast arm, and has always been competitive. I think what held her back a little bit was her tendency to make unforced errors and sometimes lets that affect her mentally. I thought the last half of the season last year, she made tremendous strides - hitting percentage went way up, unforced errors went way down, and she started to play like a veteran. If she can continue that again this season, I look for her to have a very good year and she'll be a main part of what we do."

Megan Wilson had a multi-dimensional role in 2007, having to switch from a middle blocking, right side hitter to a left-side, outside-hitting type when Klein stepped down early in the season. As a result, Wilson had 18 matches in which she scored on 10-or-more-kills, including a career-high 18 kill performance over No. 25 Oklahoma on September 29. At Colorado on October 3, Wilson tallied 13 kills and 10 total blocks to score her first double-double. Wilson finished the season as the third on the team in points per set (3.21) and kills per set (2.66).

"With Megan, we've been very pleased with the progress that she's made," continued Kreklow. "Again, it was the second half of the season last year things started to fall into place for her. I thought she started to play with a lot more maturity, and a lot more confidence. Megan has been that one player in the program over the past eight years that has probably played more positions than anyone we've had. She's very versatile. When Jules went down with the ACL, we had to move Megan from the right side and put her to the left. So early in the season, she's playing a position that she's never played before. By the time we got to the second half of the Big 12 season, she started to get more comfortable over there and developed into a pretty consistent attacker. I felt like the big bonus in putting her over there on the left side was that her block on the left side was probably more of a factor to the team's success than her hitting. She's worked very hard all spring to improve on her attacking. I think over the summer, hard work in the weight room has paid off. She's in great shape, she's jumping well and I think she's playing with a lot of confidence. I look for her to have a great year attacking on the left side to go with her block."

Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) is back for her sophomore campaign, most-likely playing as a right-side, middle hitting type in the 2008 season. Wilson has six matches with five-or-more blocks and started in 22 contests for the team in 2007.

"Catie I thought last year as freshman, did a good job of coming in during a tough situation and playing well on the right side for us," said Kreklow. "It's not an easy position to play, you know there's a lot more to playing right side than just putting up a block - you've got to handle the ball, you've got to help defensively. I think Catie is worked hard during the offseason and worked hard during the summertime to develop her strength and athletic ability a little bit and has become a little bit more quicker and faster over there. Catie is also another intelligent player. While she may not have the jumping ability and quickness in that position, I think she's done a very good job in using her knowledge of the game to put herself in position to make plays when she needs them."

Kreklow knows he has a good number of veterans to fill a vast majority of the lineup, but one spot seemingly remains up for grabs, the second right-side hitting position.

"As a team, we've got two returning middles, we've got Megan and Jules back on the left side, we've got Catie back on the right side, Lei setting. I think the other big question mark is who will be counted on for that other right-side swing," said Kreklow. "I think we are trying to bring the freshmen up to date as quick as we can, trying to make them contributors as quick as we can. It will be interesting to see how all of that unfolds."

Junior Lauren Nuckolls (Overland Park, Kan.) transferred from the University of Central Missouri before last season and has looked to fully recover from an ACL injury suffered prior to her trip to Mizzou.

"Lauren had a great spring," said Kreklow. "Lauren has not had a lot of playing time and has not seen the court too much, but Lauren's main contribution to us so far has been on a daily basis in practice and in the weight room - just being a great team player. She's got a very good attitude, she works hard. I think she raises the commitment level of the team when she's around. I think she sets a very good example, and when you have players like that in the program, I think they may not get on the floor as much as they'd like, but there still very valuable people to have."

Freshmen Brittany Brimmage (East St. Louis, Ill) and Allison Johnson (Sycamore, Ill.) will be two to watch as well, as their experience will seemingly grow day-to-day. With Brimmage at 6-3 and Johnson at 6-4, their heights will garner some attention.

"Brittany is an interesting story," said Kreklow. "That was somebody we heard about late, going into her senior year, actually. We just got a head's up from somebody we knew that saw her high school team play and said `Look, you've got to go see this girl play'. We went to go see her play and we were incredibly impressed by her athleticism. Her skill level and experience in the game of volleyball is relatively low, because she never played club or had the benefit to play club and getting a higher level of experience and training. But, she's got a very good grasp of basic skills and I think, athletically, she's one of the best pure athletes we've ever had in the program, and we've had some good ones, so that's saying a lot. She jumps out of the gym, she's got good size, she's got quickness and agility, she's got a great personality and attitude and I think Brittany is going to be somebody that before her career at MU is over, she has the athletic ability to play at an All-American level. We look for her to contribute very early in her college career."

Brimmage was an all-conference performer for her high school in volleyball, but found most of her successes as a jumper on the school's track & field team. This spring, Brimmage earned all-state honors in the long jump, placing sixth at the IHSA Championships.

Johnson was a two-time captain and three-time all-conference selection for her high school in Sycamore, Ill., honored also with a mention by prepvolleyball.com as one of its Top-100 Senior Aces. Her club team, Club Fusion, also had some national prominence.

"Allison is somebody that we think has the potential to develop into a very good front row player. Obviously, she's got great height. I think what intrigued us about Allison is that her lateral movement for someone who is so young and has that kind of height - I think she has the potential to develop into a very good volleyball player here at Mizzou. Strength is an issue for Allison, but I think once she gets the benefit of a strength program and the consistency of training that she's going to make big strides. I think what you look for in a player like Allison, is, one, do they have the movement skills, even though they don't have the strength to dominate matches."

The team begins the season with a very interesting schedule, as the first home match will not be but over four weeks from the start of the season when the Tigers welcome the Baylor Bears on September 21. The first three weekends, Mizzou will attend tournaments in Utah, Maryland, and Nevada, in that order, before starting the Big 12 season on the road, on the following Wednesday, September 17 in Norman, Okla.

"It will be a challenging non-conference schedule," said Kreklow. "Being on the road that much is going to be a challenge as well. I think the only way you get better is to challenge yourself and challenge the team."

In the non-conference tournament action, the Tigers will face BYU and St. John's, two NCAA-Tournament teams from 2007 that finished in the top 15 nationally.

"Over the years you take a look at different scheduling philosophies, and I think it helps going out and playing people," Kreklow said. "You do have to keep everyone on board with the notion that the purpose of doing that is not to see if we can be in first place after the first weekend, or the second weekend, but rather, use that as preparation tools for the conference season and November."

Mizzou was picked to finish fifth in the league by the Big 12 Coaches.

"You know, the conference is once again going to be strong," said Kreklow. "I think the last four or five last years, the Big 12, top-to-bottom has gotten stronger. I think on a night-in-night-out basis every time you go out to play, you are good enough to beat anybody, and anybody you play is good enough to beat you. So, we are going to put a lot of emphasis on being prepared and I think playing with confidence, and I do think having some of these people back again after going through the season last year will be helpful. I think they know what to expect, and I think they know what it takes to be successful, and they also know, I think, how to not let a tough conference like the Big 12 beat you up - it's very easy for that to happen because every Wednesday and Saturday you are playing some of the best teams in the country."

Vann Tries Out For USA National Team

02/26/2009 - W. Volleyball

Last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colorado, junior setter for the Mizzou Tiger volleyball team, Caitlyn Vann, participated in the USA National Team tryouts.

Volleyball Standout Returns To Mizzou

02/17/2009 - W. Volleyball

In a glass case, adjacent to one of the many entrances in the Hearnes Center, hangs a red, white and blue jersey covered in black ink. Mostly silent and surrounded by memories of the past, the name on the jersey speaks loudly than any piece of memorabilia in that case: Hunter.

Tiger Volleyball Inks Three for `09

11/17/2008 - W. Volleyball

Three have signed National Letters of Intent to play volleyball at the University of Missouri next fall: Paola Ampudia, Kate Harris, and Lindsey Petrick.

Mizzou Volleyball Camps Finalized

01/21/2009 - W. Volleyball

Mizzou will once again offer summer camps for high schoolers interested in learning more about the sport of volleyball.

VB's Post-Season Push Brings No. 13 K-State

11/18/2008 - W. Volleyball

The Mizzou volleyball team has won four straight home matches and three of its last four overall, but No. 13 Kansas State comes to the Hearnes Center Wednesday.