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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Volleyball Looks to Step Up in 2009
8/21/2009 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 21, 2009
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SALT LAKE CITY - Entering her 20th season at Utah, head coach Beth Launiere faces one of the biggest challenges of her career: replacing departed student-athletes Lori Baird, Kathryn Haynie and Emillie Toone. The trio accounted for 61% of the team's kills, 52% of the aces, and 39% of the blocks during Utah's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 run last season. But Launiere, who owns a 391-212 record in 19 seasons at Utah, knows what it will take for her team to have another successful season in 2009.
"You don't lose that much talent and leadership and not have a void," Launiere said. "With that said, I firmly believe that people will step up. We saw that already this spring and we'll face more of those kinds of challenges in the fall. People will come through."
The Utes have six returning players who were key contributors last year, led by returning All-Mountain West Conference performer Karolina Bartkowiak. Middle blocker Chelsey Sandberg, libero Keisha Fisher, outside hitter Cinthia Silva and setters Stephanie Neeley and Abby Simmons all return to form a core of players who had major roles in last season's success and are looking forward to assuming even greater responsibilities this year.
"When you do lose a lot of veteran talent, it means that you're working with the younger players that much more," Launiere said. "The training and the attention really allowed us to make huge progress in the spring.
"We have the talent, but more than anything, our leadership and role development for this group will determine how much success we have this season," Launiere continued. "It's a matter of the players on this team stepping up. That's what this season is going to be about, and I believe they will."
"Chemistry doesn't just happen, we have to work at it and it's something we work hard at all the time in our program," Launiere said. "It's about communication, understanding and relating. Those are things that we will spend time building. It always begins with strong leadership."
Outside Hitter
Silva returns along with Sarah Hibbert at the outside hitter position this season.
"There's going to be a good competition between the three of them," Launiere said. "I anticipate needing all three of them to perform this season."
Silva will be counted on for increased production after her first season at the NCAA Division I level. The San Paulo, Brazil native finished fourth on last year's team, averaging 1.99 kills per set, and was third with 2.25 digs per set. Silva saved some of her best performances for the end of last season and was selected to the 30th annual Pacific Bankers' Classic All-Tournament team. She averaged 2.57 kills per set on a .385 hitting percentage to go along with 3.00 digs and 1.14 blocks per set in the last two matches of the regular season against Nevada and at Pacific.
"It's going to be night and day for Cinthia from last season to this season," Launiere said. "She has adjusted in every aspect - on the volleyball court, academically, socially, and emotionally. She made such progress in the fall, but she made that much more in the spring. She's going to be ready to go."
Hibbert, a sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska, got her first taste of collegiate action in 2008, appearing in 23 sets while posting her best performance of the season in a road sweep at BYU: five kills with a .222 hitting percentage to go along with 10 digs and two blocks.
"[Hibbert] has a year under her belt now and got some playing time last season so we expect her to have a more significant role this season," Launiere said.
Freshman Natalie Nichols will be counted on to provide depth for the Utes at the outside hitter position. The Salt Lake City native was an honorable mention all-state and all-region selection at Olympus High School and helped the team to the state tournament in 2008.
Setter
For the first time in several seasons, neither depth nor inexperience will be a problem for Utah at the setter position as both Neeley and Simmons come back while newcomer McKenzie Odale will work into the mix as well.
"It's pretty exciting to have three very good setters," Launiere said. "For the last couple of years, we've been inexperienced at the setting position, so we're thrilled to have that experience there as well as bringing in [Odale]. That's going to allow us to have good competition."
Neeley started 29 matches last season and ranked seventh in the MWC with 7.53 assists per set, including a career high 52 assists in a 3-1 win at New Mexico State Sept. 7. She surpassed the 30-assist mark in nine matches and also turned in career-highs of 19 digs and two service aces against then-No. 15 Purdue.
Simmons saw significant playing time in 30 matches as part of a 6-2 offense during her freshman campaign and distributed a career-high 31 assists against Florida Gulf Coast and dished out a conference career-high 27 assists in the Nov. 14 win over BYU. She had at least 20 assists in eight matches and came up with a career-high 10 digs in Utah's win over No. 15 Colorado State.
"With the experience that Neeley brings as a two-year starter and [Simmons] has as a one-year starter, they have both been successful and proven themselves at a very high level," Launiere said.
"[Odale] is a tremendous athlete and all-around player who can now add to our talent level at the position as well. To go along with her setting abilities, she is a great defensive player and attacker."
Middle Blocker
The position group hit the hardest by the loss of Baird and Toone will be middle blocker. Sandberg, along with Miranda Bradshaw and Danielle Killpack, will be first in line to help fill the void.
"[Middle blocker] is the biggest position needing to be filled after losing [Toone] and [Baird]," Launiere said. "That position was a key for us in our spring training and all three of our returning players there improved so they're ready to go."
Sandberg played mostly on the right side last year but will move back into the middle in 2009. Sandberg ranked third on the team with 1.14 blocks per set last fall and led or tied for the team lead in blocks in six matches. She was also third on the squad after registering 1.36 blocks per set in 16 matches of conference play. The West Jordan, Utah native tied her career high with 11 blocks in Utah's three-set win at BYU.
After playing sparsely early in their Utah careers, Bradshaw and Killpack will both get opportunities to earn increased playing time this year.
"[Killpack] and [Bradshaw] have a great opportunity in front of them and they know it," Launiere said. "They're each working very hard to take advantage of it and have both improved a lot. They were a high priority of our practice planning and a lot of teaching went on because we put them in a lot of tough situations and they played in all of the spring tournaments. We tried to get them the experience that they need to be prepared for the fall."
Opposite/Right-Side Hitter
Bartkowiak, an All-MWC selection last season, will play a larger role in Utah's offense and will be asked to increase her blocking production as well. Bartkowiak finished second in the MWC with a .356 hitting percentage and was fourth on the team with 1.83 kills per set.
"[Bartkowiak] comes into this season with a tremendous amount of experience," Launiere said. "Not only did we add sets to her game, but we increased her offensive load and she is learning how to handle that. She'll be ready for it this season."
Jennifer Lanting is also looking forward to increasing her role this season after appearing in 12 sets, totaling eight kills and four blocks, with a .316 hitting percentage last year. The Corcoran, Calif., native stepped up during the final two matches of the regular season, totaling three kills, three blocks and three digs in matches against Colorado State and Nevada.
"[Lanting] got a lot of experience at the end of last season and this spring," Launiere said. "She played almost all of the time in the spring and made really big strides. Her size is something that is valuable and as she becomes more versatile her role will increase."
Libero
After playing the setter position her freshman season, Fisher settled into her role as Utah's libero last season. The Ririe, Idaho native owned or tied for the team lead in digs in 20 matches last season, including a 21-dig performance against Furman that set a new school NCAA Tournament single-match record. With 33 digs at Colorado State, Fisher not only set a new career best, but recorded the second-highest single-match dig total in the MWC last year.
"The biggest thing [Fisher] improved on last year was developing her confidence and an attitude of taking control of her position in the back row," Launiere said.
Corinne Crump will be counted on to provide depth at the defensive position after appearing in 16 sets during nine matches as a freshman. A two-time first-team all-region selection at Alta High School, Crump made a smooth transition to the college ranks. She came up with a career-high five digs at New Mexico State and had three digs against Utah State in the Ute Invitational.
"[Crump] made some nice technical changes this offseason and is also playing with a lot more confidence," Launiere said.
Schedule
The Utes will be challenged with a difficult non-conference schedule to prepare themselves for the rigors of MWC play, including Pacific-10 Conference foes Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington State, BIG EAST Conference member Cincinnati, and Missouri of the Big XII Conference.
"I feel really strongly that you have to play a tough, competitive early-season schedule to prepare you [for conference play]," Launiere said. "We have to win some of these matches against a lot of good competition. It's a great schedule, featuring a lot teams in the top 10-30. Those are the teams we want to be playing and beating."
Utah begins MWC action with three straight home matches, starting Sept. 17 against Air Force, and the Utes expect a competitive league this season.
"[Perennial conference title contender] Colorado State lost a lot of talent due to graduation," Launiere said. "It's really up in the air. Last year, the conference was so dominated with strong seniors, but I don't see any teams who have that this year. BYU and New Mexico will have plenty of talent as will many other schools in the MWC."
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