Bowling Green State University Athletics
Spring Forward
September 04, 2003 | Volleyball
Sept. 4, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Note: The following was written prior to the Falcons' season-opening tournament title in Boise, Idaho
READY TO WIN AGAIN
After three consecutive seasons of over 20 wins, the Bowling Green State University volleyball team took a step backwards last fall.
Now, after a solid spring season, the Falcons of head coach Denise Van De Walle are a little older, a little wiser and a lot more determined to prove that last fall's record was an aberration.
The Falcons, in the team's first season in the rugged West Division of the Mid-American Conference, went 9-21 overall and 4-14 in league play.
Van De Walle, the dean of MAC coaches, takes some of the blame for last season's record, although a myriad of factors combined to work against the Brown and Orange.
"When I look back at last fall, I think I put together too demanding of a schedule," said the head coach, entering her 21st season. "We were replacing a six-member senior class (from 2001).
"We were replacing a veteran at setter, in the middle, two veteran left-side hitters ... basically, we were starting over with a new lineup.
"To play as many top-20 teams as we did in the pre-conference schedule was very tough."
Now, however, Van De Walle and assistant coaches Jeff Belmonte and Sean Huiet have nine of last year's 11 letterwinners returning, led by a four-member group of veteran seniors. BG laid the groundwork for a successful season several months ago, as the Falcons won 26 of 32 games during the spring schedule, and the coach feels that the success enjoyed during that spring slate can carry over to the fall.
"I can't say enough about the improvement that we made in the spring," said Van De Walle. "A lot of opponents that saw us in the fall and again in the spring said we were a completely different team.
"In the spring, we were much more confident, hit the ball harder, and blocked the ball much better. It looked like Bowling Green volleyball once again.
"To be honest, however, it wasn't as if we were getting blown out last fall. We were in almost every match, but we just had trouble closing out a match. That's a case where experience can help you."
Students of recent history will recall that the 1998 Falcons dropped 14 consecutive matches to end the season with 21 losses. Then, in 1999, Van De Walle welcomed back 10 letterwinners, including four seniors, who reversed the trend and led the Falcons to 21 wins.
The 2003 team, like that '99 squad, is coming off a 21-loss season. And, this year's team has four senior returnees -- Nadia Bedricky, Susie Norris, Samantha Rennau and Sara Sikorski -- among the nine returning letterwinners.
"I feel that this team, after having the spring season they had, is very optimistic and determined," said Van De Walle. "This senior class is used to winning, with Susie, Nadia and Sara being on teams that won back-to-back division championships.
"They have had one bad season, and I know this past fall was very difficult on them. I think that the seniors are ready to take leadership roles and really carry this team."
THE SENIORS
While the Falcons would seem to be a veteran team -- BGSU actually has five seniors on the roster, along with four juniors -- only five of Van De Walle's 12 players have been with the team for more than one season. Three of the seniors have three letters apiece, led by a three-year starter in Norris.
A native of Bascom, Ohio, Norris has been in the starting lineup virtually since her arrival on the Falcon campus, and will look to start on the left side again this season. She set school single-season records for digs and digs per game as a freshman, and is in line to set the career records in both categories.
"Susie has the most experience on the 2003 team," said Van De Walle. "I look at her as someone who can help carry this team back to the top.
"She was on the floor, in a primary role, when we won two (MAC) East Division championships. In fact, she rarely left the floor. She's our most experienced player, and all of her skills are sharp. I have to look at her as the go-to player right now.
"This is a big year for Susie, as with the other fourth-year seniors. They want to return to the success of their first two years, and really leave their mark on this program."
Bedricky started 22 matches for the 2001 division winners, and has been a part-time starter in each of her other two seasons. Bedricky likely will be on the right side for the Falcons, but is arguably the most versatile player on the team, having also seen time as a defensive specialist and libero during her first three years. Van De Walle notes that Bedricky's plate will be full once again in 2003.
"Nadia has been on the floor in a variety of roles, and brings us a lot of experience," said the head coach. "She's done just about everything except set and block middle.
"Nadia really made a big improvement this spring. She did a nice job on the right side in the spring, after playing backcourt in the fall.
"She is probably the best passer in the conference. I would put Nadia's backcourt passing skills up against anyone in the nation. She is so technically sound, and is one of the best passers I have ever seen.
"This year, we will be asking her to block, play the right side, hit quickly, and do a lot of different things. I am hoping she is up for the challenge. Being a senior, and having spent time on the floor in a number of roles, I think she will rise to meet that challenge."
Sikorski, after seeing time off the bench her first two seasons, was a part-time starter last fall. She started nine matches a year ago, but was challenged by Amber Mareski for the starting job at setter. As is the case with many rising seniors, said her coach, Sikorski seemed to take on more of a leadership role in the spring. Sikorski and Norris co-captained the Falcons in the spring season.
"Sara is one of the hardest workers on the team, in any role," said Van De Walle. "Whether in the weight room, on the track, or on the court, anything we ask Sara to do, she does at 100 percent. She loves being captain, and loves the opportunity to help, to lead, and to take people under her wing.
"Setting-wise, Sara improved a great deal in the spring. The fall was very challenging for both Sara and Amber, because we changed the lineup quite bit. We probably used over 10 different lineups (in the fall), and changed setters frequently.
"Sara was somewhat discouraged in the fall, but she really fought back in the spring and did an outstanding job." Rennau is entering her second season with the Falcons after spending two years at Illinois Central College. She made five starts last fall, but -- like many of her teammates -- had success and gained confidence in the spring.
"This spring, Samantha really showed us that she has the potential to play at a high level," said Van De Walle. "She is a phenomenal athlete. She is in great shape, and can jump out of the gym.
"But, she has had some trouble in match situations in the past, and I really think this spring gave her confidence. From what I understand, she has played a lot over the summer and is excited for her senior year. I am looking for her to challenge for a left-side position."
Clearly, Van De Walle is expecting a great deal out of all four returning seniors, as they look to culminate their respective Falcon careers on a high note. While the Falcons had just one senior (Kristin Gamby) on last year's team, the coach envisions four seniors on the floor this year. The last two times the Falcons had that many seniors in the lineup at the same time, 1999 and 2001, BG posted 21-win seasons.
"I sat the (returning) seniors down at the end of spring practice," said the coach. "I told them I expected that all four would be on the floor in the fall. That would put Sam and Susie on the left side, Sara setting and Nadia on the right, if that were to come true.
"They know it is going to be challenging, because of how well Amber has done, as well as Taylor Twite, Melissa Mohr; you can go right down the list. All of the spots were very competitive in the spring, but I'm looking for all four seniors to be on the floor. They have paid their dues, gotten a lot of experience, and now they're looking to leave a legacy."
There is an additional senior on the Falcon squad, as Libby Voshell joins the volleyball program after a successful four-year career with the BGSU softball team. Voshell, whose name can be found throughout the BG record book for her exploits on the diamond, had a solid high-school volleyball career at Brighton (Mich.), and Van De Walle feels she adds a dimension to the Falcon program.
"Libby is going to be a great person to have in the program because of all the intangibles she brings," said Van De Walle. "She already has four years of high-level Division I athletics under her belt, and she was a very good volleyball player coming out of high school. She is strong with good size.
"It's not as though we've got someone who is just going to give volleyball a try. We have a player who played softball, and now she is returning to volleyball. She played with us a little bit in the spring, as kind of a tryout, and I was very impressed with how easily she adapted to the things we were doing. She comes in, and she's hitting the ball as hard as anyone we have.
"Technically, of course, Libby is going to be behind, but she is such a fast learner. She is so disciplined and competitive, and she's used to winning. Our softball program here is terrific, so Libby is coming out of a winning program under (softball head coach) Leigh Ross-Shaw, and she knows what it takes to be a winner. She will probably be playing left or right side, and she brings a lot of things to the table."
THE JUNIORS
Van De Walle's junior class includes four members: Mareski, Mohr, Twite and Bridget Beers (formerly Protas). Mareski and Twite each enter their second year at BGSU after beginning their respective collegiate careers at St. Clair County CC in Michigan.
Three of the four juniors are in the mix for starting jobs in the middle, while Mareski, as mentioned, will be embroiled in the battle for setter with Sikorski. All three middles will be looking to return to health after suffering injuries during their college careers.
Mareski came to BG last fall and wound up starting 20 matches and averaging over 10 assists per game. Van De Walle looks for Mareski and Sikorski to battle for the starting job.
"All I can say is that it will be very competitive for that position," said Van De Walle. "Amber, a six-foot setter, blocks well, and she sets the middle quite well. I think she has one of the best 'setter tips' in the conference.
"Amber did a great job in both the fall and the spring. We went 26-6 in games in the spring season with Amber and Sara splitting time, so both of them found success. I'm looking for the battle for the setter position to be a real dogfight."
The other three juniors all have the capability to shine in the middle of the court when healthy, and Van De Walle hopes to have three healthy players and some tough decisions to make when the season opener rolls around.
Beers, a fourth-year junior, is looking to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered late last season. Prior to the season-ending injury, however, Beers was coming into her own as a hitter.
"Before the injury, Bridget had to be one of the best up-and-coming middles in the conference," said Van De Walle. "She was as fast, laterally, as anyone I have seen in the MAC, and she jumped as well off one foot and hit as hard as anyone. I just hope that she can overcome that mental hurdle.
"It is natural to lose some of your jump with that type of surgery. I want to be optimistic, based on Bridget's work ethic, that she will be fine. But, we will have to go slowly.
"I'm not looking for Bridget to start where she left off, because that would be unfair. But, I'm looking for her to come into camp and be competitive. And, as soon as she feels, mentally, that she can get over that hurdle and jump off one leg, I'm sure she will be fine."
Twite saw some time in the starting lineup last season, making 12 starts. Like Beers, she averaged over two kills per game last fall. But, Twite's coach said she really blossomed in the spring.
"I can't say enough good things about what Taylor did for us in the spring," said Van De Walle. "We saw glimpses of the player she can be in the fall, but we saw another side to Taylor in the spring. The biggest concern I have is her knee.
"She came to BG with a knee injury, and has been struggling with it. If we can keep her moderately pain-free, Taylor is big time! She hits the ball extremely well, blocks well, and is a presence at the net. She is definitely going to challenge some hitters across the net when they see her."
Mohr, the third 'wounded warrior' among the junior middles, is another player that blossomed in the spring, according to Van De Walle. After playing sparingly in each of her first two seasons, Mohr saw a great deal of playing time in the spring due to Beers' injury, and made the most of the opportunity.
"Mel met and surpassed my expectations in the spring," said Van De Walle. "Gamby was gone and Bridget was still injured, so Mel got a lot of time on the court. And, she became our best blocker, by far, in the spring. She put up numbers we just could not believe.
"We had had her on the right side, but she felt so comfortable being back in the middle. She's not a big middle, so when you (opponents) look at her through the net, she may not be someone that you feel you need to worry about.
"But, she is probably our best natural straight-up-and-down blocker, and statistically blocked more balls that anyone else in the spring. If we can just keep her injury-free, she will be fine.
"So, in the middle, we have Taylor with a bad knee, Mel with a bad hitting shoulder and Bridget coming off acl surgery. If we can keep those three healthy, we should be very good."
THE SOPHOMORE
Emily Manser is literally in a class by herself. The Westerville native is the lone sophomore on the Falcon roster. In her initial season, Manser moved into the starting lineup for 15 matches and finished second behind Norris in digs.
"Any time a freshman can come into a conference as tough as the MAC and get on the floor, it says a lot for her athleticism," said Van De Walle. "It is hard to compete with some of the left-side hitters in our league, but if anyone can do it, Manser can.
"She is 5-11 and can jump out of the gym. She is a strong athlete, too, very competitive. A lot of freshmen have to sit on the bench and wait their turn. But, Emily came in and beat out some people to get that position.
"She got her feet wet, and I look to Emily to come in and expect to play in her sophomore year. That's what I want her to be thinking. All of her skills are very good -- she is a good server, good passer -- she just needs more experience. By the time she is a senior, she is going to be awesome."
THE FRESHMEN
Van De Walle will have a pair of freshmen on the 2003 roster in Chrissy Gothke and Corrie Mills. Gothke, a setter/hitter, hails from nearby Whitehouse, Ohio. Mills, a native of Elgin, Ill., will be in the mix for playing time in the middle.
With two veteran setters already on the roster, Van De Walle is considering sitting Gothke out as a redshirt this season.
"Chrissy is tentatively set to redshirt," said the coach. "She is a setter with some good size, good hands and foot speed. And, she is a solid blocker. With two upperclass setters in Amber and Sara, however, we may redshirt Chrissy this year. Or, we may give her some time on the right side."
While the Falcons have three upperclass middle blockers on the roster, Mills still could challenge for playing time in her initial season. And, if one or more of the three veterans does not return to full health as quickly as hoped, Mills' playing time could increase.
"Corrie is a strong athlete, and people will see what I'm talking about as soon as they see her," said Van De Walle. "She works out extremely hard in the weight room.
"As with everyone, Corrie will have to adjust to the college game. I can tell, though, that as soon as she starts to feel comfortable, she will really blossom."
THE SCHEDULE/THE MAC
The Falcons begin the 2003 campaign with three weekend tournaments. BGSU begins the season at Boise State's Bronco Invitational (Aug. 29-30), where the Brown and Orange also face Portland and first-year NCAA Division I member Utah Valley State.
Then, BGSU returns to the Midwest for the Bradley Invitational on Sept. 5-6. The field for that four-team tourney also includes Eastern Illinois and UMBC. The Falcons begin the home portion of the schedule the following weekend (Sept. 12-13), welcoming Iowa State, Murray State and West Virginia for the BGSU Invitational in Anderson Arena.
The Falcons' non-conference schedule also includes September home matches vs. Oakland (Sept. 16), Valparaiso (Sept. 17) and IPFW (Sept. 26), along with road matches against Ohio State on Sept. 20 and Cleveland State on Oct. 14.
The night after the IPFW match, the Falcons dive into the MAC schedule with a home contest vs. Western Michigan (Sept. 27). The Brown and Orange will play home-and-home sets vs. West Division foes WMU, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois and arch-rival Toledo.
BGSU will play single matches against each of the other eight MAC teams, hosting Akron, Ball State, Kent State and Miami while travelling to Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Marshall and Ohio.
Van De Walle feels that the 2003 schedule, while not featuring as many national powers as last year's slate, remains challenging for her team. This year's schedule, however, gives the Falcons the opportunity for success.
"Our goal is to be competitive in every tournament," said Van De Walle. "If we are playing well, I would love to see us win two of the three. That would give us the confidence we need to go up against Western in the MAC opener.
"We know that everything we do from the start of preseason camp until September 26 is done to get us ready for the MAC.
"Our conference is far more difficult than people give us credit for. I would put our league in the middle of the Big Ten. I really respect and admire those teams in the Big Ten, and the teams at the top of that league are a cut above.
"But, I feel that there are a block of teams in the middle of the Big Ten pack that we in the MAC can compete with and beat. We do not get the respect we deserve as a conference, but there is no match that is an easy win in the MAC. We beat each other up in conference play, and the team that wins the MAC truly deserves its title."
FINAL THOUGHTS
With nine juniors or seniors on the 12-woman BGSU roster, some might label the Falcons a veteran team. Only five of the 12 players, however, have been with the program longer than a single season.
"You could look at our roster and think, 'Wow, they have five seniors,' now that we have added Libby to the roster," said Van De Walle. "But, she is brand new, and Sam Rennau is entering just her second year with us.
"And, in the junior class, both Amber and Taylor have been here for one year only."
While the Falcons may not be as experienced as one might think, they hope to prove that the 2003 team is much better than last year's final record might attest.
"I was very optimistic at the beginning of last season. I did not think our early losses would take such a toll," said Van De Walle. "Plus, as I said, I may have overscheduled for us.
"Now, though, we have all but two players back, and I think that having the fall we had (last season) really bonded this team together. Our kids have decided that they don't want to have a fall like that ever again, and they showed that in the spring by winning 26 of our 32 games.
"If the team chemistry that we had in the spring is still intact, and they can carry that into the season, we will be in terrific shape.
"I am looking forward to the return of Bowling Green volleyball."
