Category: Volleyball

The Height of Women PAC-12 Volleyball Players in the 2014-15 Season

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An analysis was conducted of the women’s PAC-12 volleyball programs to identify the height of players by teams and positions. Coaches and players can use this information to set realistic and attainable team and individual performance goals. As a result it coaches will be able to better manage their player’s expectations when they are competing for college scholarships.

Women’s college volleyball is a great sport for players of all heights; however, it favors women who are taller than average. Key findings from this analysis show that:
• The range of height is 63 inches to 80 inches.
• The average height for all players is 71.6 inches.
• For many reasons, there is not a correlation between average team height and won-lost record.
• The top teams in the conference had fewer players who played half the sets (9 or 10 players vs. 11 or 12).
• Slightly more than 50% of the players are between 72 inches and 75 inches.

The breakdown of the 120 players by position category was:
• DS/L 32 players 26.7%.
• Setters 18 players 15.0%.
• Middles 27 players 22.5%.
• OH 43 players 35.8%.
Competition is stiffest for setters.

The average height and range by position category was:
• DS/L 67.1 inches 63 to 72 inches.
• Setters 70.2 inches 66 to 72 inches.
• Middles 74.5 inches 73 to 80 inches.
• OH 73.8 inches 71 to 80 inches.
These tendencies can be oversimplified as follows:
• Players under six feet tall are setters or DS/Liberos.
• Players who are at least six feet tall are middles or outsides.
Because players grow at different rates, they must learn to adapt as they get older. For example, the tallest 13-year old may be the middle for the 13U team. If her teammates outgrow her then four years later it may be appropriate for her to become the libero for the 17U team.

For more details about the height of the women’s PAC-12 volleyball players click here.

PAC-12 Volleyball Mary-Kate Marshall
OSU star hitter Mary-Kate Marshall receiving serve against the CU Buffs.

Where Do PAC-12 Volleyball Players Reside?

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Are you a junior volleyball player thinking about playing on your favorite PAC-12 volleyball team?

If so, you have to be good – really good!

The following stats from the 2014-2015 season may help you understand your chances of playing in one of the country’s elite volleyball conference:
• There were 120 players who played more than half the sets. In other words, the coaches generally had rotations of 9 or 10 players and occasionally 11 or 12 players.
• The PAC-12 is a regional conference. Almost 3-in-4 of the players were from the 6 states where PAC-12 universities were located.
• About 43% of the players on all teams were from California. Each of the teams had at least 2 Californians. It seems there is a mandate that coaches and recruiters  live and breathe the words of the infamous Beach Boys tune, “I Wish they All Could be California Girls.”
• The more successful teams had a higher percentage of out-of-state players. As well, they had a greater percentage of California players. In other words, the top teams more effectively attracted the top players from in-state and other states.
• Unlike some other sports, only about 8% of total players are from foreign countries. It is ironic that American players have to play professional ball overseas; however, overseas athletes don’t dominate U.S. college volleyball.

Specifically, the PAC-12 players reside in the following states:
• 52 players were from California.
• 9 Players were from Arizona.
• 8 Players were from Oregon.
• 7 Players were from Utah.
• 7 players were from Texas.
• 6 players were from Colorado (3 of the players were sisters who played on the same team).
• 5 players were from Washington.
• 4 players were from Hawaii.
• 12 players were from 9 other states.

PAC-12 Volleyball is clearly the conference of choice – both for players and coaches. Unfortunately, only a handful players make the cut. Hopefully, you are one of them!

PAC-12 Volleyball Karsta Lowe
Karsta Lowe attacks against the CU Buffs in PAC-12 volleyball play.

Big Ten and Pac-12 Dominate NCAA Volleyball Championships

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Once again the women’s  NCAA Volleyball Championships were a showdown between the Big Ten and the Pac-12. The Big Ten captured bragging rights for quality with six teams entered and three of the eight quarterfinalists. The Pac-12 laid claim to the deepest conference, with ten teams entered and one semifinalist.

On December 4th, 64 teams from 31 conferences kicked off regional play for the 34th NCAA women’s volleyball tournament. On December 20th, Penn State won the championship for the second consecutive year.

Each of the six Big Ten representatives won matches. The overall conference record was 17 wins and 5 losses.

Big Ten Won Lost
Penn State 6 0
Wisconsin 3 1
Nebraska 3 1
Ohio State 2 1
Illinois 2 1
Michigan St. 1 1
Conference Total 17 5

Each of the ten Pac 12 teams won matches. Conferences teams were 17-10 in championships.

Pac 12 Won Lost
Stanford 4 1
Oregon 2 1
Oregon State 2 1
UCLA 2 1
Washington 2 1
Arizona 1 1
Arizona State 1 1
Colorado 1 1
USC 1 1
Utah 1 1
Conference Total 17 10

The 16 teams from the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences won 34 of the 63 matches played in the championships. That is dominance!

Five teams represented the SEC. Florida had three wins and was the only SEC team that had a strong presence in the championships. Texas @&M was the only team that did not win a match.

SEC Won Lost
Florida 3 1
Alabama 1 1
Kentucky 1 1
LSU 1 1
Texas A&M 0 1
Conference Total 6 5

Four teams represented the ACC. North Carolina and Florida posted winning records.

ACC Won Lost
North Carolina 3 1
Florida 2 1
Miami (FL) 1 1
Duke 0 1
Conference Total 6 4

Four teams represented the West Coast Conference. The strongest WCC team was finalist BYU. The Cougars were the only team from the conference to win matches.

WCC Won Lost
BYU 5 1
Loyola Marymount 0 1
San Diego 0 1
Santa Clara 0 1
Conference Total 5 4

With the exception of Texas, the Big 12 was represented by teams that were weak by Big 12 standards.

Big 12 Won Lost
Texas 4 1
Iowa State 1 1
Kansas 0 1
Kansas State 0 1
Oklahoma 0 1
Conference Total 5 5

Combined, the 19 teams from the SEC, ACC, WCC, and Big 12 won 22 matches of the 63 matches played.

There were 5 conferences that had the remaining 7 wins in the championships. CSU was the only team to have two wins.

School and Conference Won Lost
Colorado State Mountain West 2 1
Hawaii Big West 1 1
Long Beach State Big West 1 1
Dayton Atlantic 10 1 1
UALR Sunbelt 1 1
Illinois State Missouri Valley 1 1
Total 7 6

In total, the 41 teams that represented the 11 conferences mentioned above had a combined record of 63-39.

Of the 41 teams representing the 11 conferences mentioned above only 9 teams did not win a match. In addition, there were 24 teams from 20 conferences represented that did not win a match.

Generally speaking, these teams were admitted to the tournament as a courtesy because they were conference champions. While these teams and conferences all have solid programs, they are not competitive with the top teams or conferences. This is evident by the first round match scores for the losers. The majority of first round losers lost their only match 3-0. The summary of first round match scores follows:

  • 23 matches, 71.9%, were 3-0.
  • 5 matches, 15.6%, were 3-1.
  • 4 matches, 12.5%, were 3-2.

For the 31 other matches played (second round through the finals) the  majority of the scores were 3-1, i.e. the matches were more competitive. A summary of these scores follows:

  • 12 matches, 38.7%, were 3-0.
  • 14 matches, 45.2%, were 3-1.
  • 5 matches, 16.15%, were 3-2.

It is clear from the results that there are multiple tiers of ability within the NCAA Division I teams. The good news is that these 64 programs offer athletic opportunities for 600-700 of the country’s top women volleyball players.

Congratulations to Penn State on another NCAA volleyball championship!

Colorado Lady Buffs Volleyball Ranked 21st

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Congratulations to the Colorado Lady Buffs volleyball team and the PAC-12 on their 2014 season. Setter Nicole Edelman and AVCA All-American hitter Taylor Simpson led the Lady Buffs to a year-end ranking of 21st in the country. Nine PAC-12 teams were ranked in the top 25.

Lady Buffs Volleyball
Nicole Edelman (5) has set Taylor Simpson (16).

Best wishes to the Lady Buffs for a productive off-season and strong recruiting to fill the voids left by the graduating seniors.

2014 Season Ending AVCA Rankings (PAC-12 Teams in Blue)

Rank School Total Points Adjusted 2014 Record Previous Rank
1 Penn State 1500 36-3 4
2 Stanford 1432 33-2 1
3 BYU 1374 30-5 12
4 Wisconsin 1306 31-3 2
5 Texas 1276 27-3 6
6 Florida 1183 28-4 5
7 North Carolina 1115 29-3 7
8 Nebraska 1074 23-10 11
9 Washington 1049 31-3 3
10 Florida State 921 30-3 8
11 Illinois 900 26-8 10
12 Colorado State 853 31-3 9
13 Ohio State 744 23-12 18
14 Oregon 681 23-10 16
15 UCLA 659 22-12 17
16 Arizona 613 24-10 14
17 Kentucky 497 27-6 13
18 Utah 443 20-13 20
19 Long Beach State 407 27-5 15
20 Oregon State 376 20-13 NR
21 Colorado 333 20-14 19
22 Arizona State 231 20-14 22
23 Hawai'i 204 22-7 23
24 Arkansas-Little Rock 96 30-5 NR
25 Duke 74 22-8 21

 

Elementary Intramural Volleyball Program – A Rarity

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For the past six weeks the elementary students at the Academy of Charter Schools in Westminster Colorado have had an opportunity to test their skills at bumping, setting, passing, and serving the volleyball in practices and match play. Programs like this don’t exist everywhere, but they should!

Here’s the scoop about the program:
• Teams included boys and girls from the 3rd through 6th grades.
• Light balls were used to make it easier for the players to learn the skills.
• The elementary physical education teacher was the program director. Parents and members of the community coached the teams.
• Since the Academy is a K-12 charter school, players from the junior high and high school teams served as mentors and assistant coaches.
• There were about 60 participants on the teams.
• Practices and matches were held on Saturdays for six weeks. Each team practiced an hour (8:00, 9:00, or 10:00) and matches were played between 11:00 and 2:00.
• Team fees were minimal and the price included a t-shirt.
• The players were allowed to select their team names. Over the years team monikers have included the Highlighters (neon yellow t-shirts), Spicy Cheese Nachos (dark yellow shirts) and the Mean Green Serving Machine (green t-shirts).
•  Each match included two games to 25 and a third game to 15, no matter who won the first two games.
• The 3rd and 4th graders were allowed to serve form a special line closer to the net. In addition, they got two chances the first time they served.
• The better serving teams won most games, yet there was no restriction on the number of consecutive points a team could win (welcome to reality).
• There was ongoing substitution so everyone played.
• For the younger players, the snacks after the game were often the most important part of the activity.

The value of this elementary intramural volleyball program extended beyond the boundaries of the court into the hallways and community.

elementary intramural volleyball program

 

Colorado Volleyball is the Winner in NCAA Tournament

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Colorado volleyball will be the winner on December 5th and 6th as the University of Northern Colorado squares off against the University of Colorado and the University of Denver faces Colorado State University in the first round of play of the 2014 NCAA Division I volleyball championships.

The first round play will be special because twenty of the fifty-eight rostered players on the four teams played high school volleyball in Colorado.

The leader is DU. Seven of the fourteen players are from the Centennial State.

  • Nola Basey, Outside Hitter, 6-2, Sophomore, Lyons
  • Erica Denney, Middle Hitter, 6-5, Red-shirt Senior, Aurora
  • Monique Domme, Setter, 5-11, Sophomore, Colorado Springs
  • Bailey Karst, Setter, 5-10, Senior, Aurora
  • Taylor Loyd, Defensive Specialist/Libero, 5-7, Freshman, Centennial
  • Ruth Okoye, Middle Blocker, 6-1, Sophomore, Aurora
  • Sarah Schmid, Middle Blocker, 6-1, Junior, Highlands Ranch

Five of the fifteen Buffs are Coloradans.

  • Kelsey English, Middle Blocker, 6-2, Senior, Colorado Springs
  • Nicole Edelman, Setter, 6-0, Junior, Boulder

    Colorado volleyball - Nicole Edleman and Cierra Simpson
    Setter Nicole Edelman and Cierra Simpson (10) are two of the five in-state Buff players.
  • Cierra Simpson, Defensive Specialist/Libero, 6-0, Sophomore, Colorado Springs
  • Gabby Simpson, Setter ,6-3, Freshman, Colorado Springs
  • Simpson, Outside Hitter, 6-3, Senior, Colorado Springs

Four of the fourteen Rams are from Colorado.

  • Jaime Colaizzi, 5-4, Libero, Junior, Windsor
  • Grace Gordon, 5-7, Defensive Specialist/Setter, Junior, Denver
  • Kelsey Snider, 6-1, Middle Blocker, Red-shirt Senior, Westminster
  • Kaitlind Bestgen, 5-10, Defensive Specialist, Red-shirt Junior, Fort Collins

Four of the fifteen women from UNC call Colorado home.

  • Kim Weissmann, 6-0, Outside Hitter, Freshman, Loveland
  • Meagan Garcia, Defensive Specialist, Junior, 5-4, Platteville
  • Ryleigh Haynes, Setter, Freshman, 5-11, Eaton
  • Kendra Cunningham, OH, Junior, 5-9, Eaton

CU and CSU are favored to win the first round matches and the Rams are likely to come out on top against CU.

No matter the outcome of the matches, Colorado volleyball is the winner!

 

Lady Buffs Volleyball Attendance on the Rise

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The University of Colorado became a member of the PAC-12 Conference in 2010 and began competition in 2011. After tough seasons in their first two years, the Lady Buffs volleyball team won half their matches in 2013 and 2014.

The Lady Buffs won only 1 of 22 conference matches in their first season. On a positive note, they won their only conference match at home. Since the first year, there has been steady improvement on the court and in the stands.

On the court their Pac-12 record has improved over time. The Lady Buffs were:
• 1-21 in 2011.
• 4-16 in 2012.
• 9-11 in 2013.
• 11-9 in 2014.
In 4 years they have had 3 losing seasons and won 25 conference matches and lost 57.

Their home court conference record also got better. The Lady Buffs were:
• 1-10 in 2011.
• 4-6 in 2012.
• 7-3 in 2013.
• 6-4 in 2014.
The Lady Buffs have won 18 home matches and lost 23 in four seasons. On the road they were 7-34.

Finally, their average attendance at conference home games has shown steady gains. Attendance at the Lady Buff home matches was:
• 814 in 2011.
• 1,226 in 2012.
• 1,169 in 2013.
• 1,452 in 2014.

The reported average attendance during the 2014 season was noticeably greater than 2013. With the exception of the first match, more than 1,000 players were in attendance at all home matches.  They have a ways to go to catch up with Washington and other top teams, but at least they are headed in the right direction.

Lady Buffs Volleyball Home Conference Attendance 2014

Date Opponent Score Attendance
25-Sep Utah 3-2 462
3-Oct Arizona State 2-3 1 185
5-Oct Arizona 3-1 1 112
17-Oct Stanford 2-3 2 846
19-Oct California 3-1 2 035
6-Nov UCLA 0-3 1 280
9-Nov USC 0-3 1 672
13-Nov Washington 3-2 1 029
16-Nov Washington State 3-2 1 239
26-Nov Oregon State 3-1 1 655

Best wishes to the Lady Buffs volleyball team for a productive offseason and for continued improvement in 2015.

mary kate marshall Lady Buffs Volleyball
Mary Kate Marshall hits through a double block by the Lady Buffs volleyball team.

 

The Top Volleyball Players – Exceptional Skills in Multiple Areas

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There was a time when many of the better setters and defensive specialists were less than six feet tall. In other words, the shorter players were often the best ball handlers and played in those positions. That is not necessarily the case anymore, especially in Division I volleyball, where many of the top players have exceptional skills in multiple areas.

Consider Samantha Bricio, the outside hitter from the University of Southern California. She and her fellow Lady Trojans recently swept the CU Lady Buffs 3-0.Samantha Bricio - exceptional skills in multiple areas

In that match Bricio led her team with 20 kills. She also had 8 digs, only one less than the libero.

On the season so far, Bricio has about 30% of the team’s total kills and 19% of the team’s digs. This compares to the libero, who has 29% of the team’s total digs.

At the national level, Bricio’s statistics are equally as impressive. Through the games played on November 9th, her rankings follow:
• 2nd in aces per set ( 0.77).
• 2nd in total number of aces (68).
• 24th in points per set (5.22)
• 40th in kills per set (4.17).
• 69th in total kills (367).

Bricio is one of several taller players who have exceptional skills in multiple areas. That group includes such players as Mary-Kate Marshall of Oregon State University and Karsta Lowe of UCLA. Samantha Bricio - Excetptional Skills in Multiple Areas

While these three women play “shock and awe” volleyball, the lesson that should be learned from watching them play is that they are well-rounded athletes who have exceptional skills in multiple areas.

Volleyball is a sport that rewards athletes who are strong in multiple areas. Junior players should take notice. If they will learn to pass, set, serve, hit, block, and communicate they will be welcome to play on almost every team.

Learn from the Legends – Online Anytime

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The Art of Coaching Volleyball (ACV) Tour, “Learn from the Legends – Online Anytime” hit Regis College in Denver on May 17th and 18th. The 2014 ACV “Legends” tour has made stops at Chapel Hill and Denver, and will visit Toronto, Portland, and Austin later this summer.LEARN FROM THE LEGENDS - ONLINE ANYTIME - The Art of Coaching Volleyball

An unscientific tally of attendees showed they enjoyed the Denver event. One participant said, “While the bleacher seats were hard and uncomfortable, it was worth it because of the quality of the presentations. I’ve been to a number of coach’s workshops that were well done, but this was exceptional.”

It stands to reason the event was successful given the quality of the speakers:

  • Russ Rose – Penn State University – 6 NCAA National Championships.
  • John Dunning – Stanford University – 4 NCAA National Championships.
  • Terry Liskevych – Oregon State University – Former USA National Team Coach, 1985 – 1996.
  • Frank Lavrisha – Head Coach Regis University – 11 Conference Titles.
  • Beth Launiere – Head Coach University of Utah – 3 Conference Titles.

ACV is a new kid on the block for coaching education. In addition to their clinics they offer an excellent selection of instructional videos on their website free of charge. For a nominal fee, subscribers receive access to additional videos and resources.

So what’s the big deal about ACV?

Simply put, it will play a major role in raising the standards for coaching volleyball in the following ways:
• USAV and AVCA have excellent certification programs. Unfortunately, they only reach a small percentage of  coaches. By providing credible material “online anytime” coaches will have an opportunity to learn more about coaching all aspects of the sport (technique, tactics, nutrition, injury prevention). This is important because only a handful of coaches work in the profession on a full-time basis. Most coaches are eager to learn, but they have to do it on their own time.
• By making videos available to the masses, parents and players will be more knowledgeable about the sport. As a result, they will have greater expectations of their coaches, which will motivate coaches to strengthen their skills.
• The sport is in a growth mode that will continue because of greater interest in boys’ programs and increased popularity of beach volleyball. The demand for ACV will remain high  because there currently are not enough qualified instructors. That situation will only get worse in the near-term.

If you haven’t done so, check out the “Legends” when they come to a town near you. And if you can’t do that, remember, “Online Anytime.”

 

Colorado Junior Volleyball on Tenuous Path for Growth

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What is the state of Colorado junior volleyball?  The quick and dirty answer is, “It’s gaining in popularity.” The challenge will be – can Colorado junior volleyball continue to grow at its current rate?

The quick and dirty methodology was to look at the number of teams that played in the 12U and 18U divisions of the USAV Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) Junior Regionals for the period 2009 to 2013. This data was taken from the RMR website.

The data shows there was strong growth in the number of teams in the 12U division.
• 2009 – 18 teams.
• 2010 – 12 teams.
• 2011 – 16 teams.
• 2012 – 27 teams.
• 2013 – 31 teams.

Colorado junior volleyball is growing - too fast!
Colorado junior volleyball is growing – too fast!

The data shows there were wide fluctuations in the team participation for the 18U division, however, growth occurred.
• 2009 – 28 teams.
• 2010 – 32 teams.
• 2011 – 36 teams.
• 2012 – 25 teams.
• 2013 – 35 teams.

A more reliable case for growth could be made by looking at additional data; however, increased information would likely produce similar results. It is exciting that more girls are choosing to play the sport, however, there are several reasons for concern about how long this growth can be sustained:
• Currently, there is a lack of quality entry-level coaches in parts of the metro area. There are many well-intended coaches who lack the skills and knowledge to provide their teams with efficient practices.
• Because volleyball and basketball fall at the same time of the year, court-time during winter months has become a precious commodity.
• There appears to be increased interest for boys’ programs.
• On a similar note, there is increased interest in beach volleyball.

If participation in the sport continues on an upward path, these factors could put a damper on the growth of the sport. What is RMR doing to address these issues?