University of Miami Volleyball: Season Preview
Aug. 24, 2009
Coral Gables, Fla. – Coming off the second-best season in school Division I history and the best Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record in school history, this year’s University of Miami volleyball team has a reservoir of optimism that can be felt around the entire program. Four starters including the libero are back, and that gives the UM coaching staff a reason to think this could be a year towards a charge for the ACC title.
Last season, the Hurricanes opened the year with a 13-0 record that included three in-season tournament championships in San Marcos, Texas, San Francisco and at home in Coral Gables. The 26-6 record (14-6 ACC) was just short of an NCAA Tournament appearance, but was good enough for a share of third place in the final ACC standings. With the addition of two highly-touted freshmen, head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch enters her ninth season in Coral Gables with what many seem to believe can rival as one of her best teams ever.
“With a lot of people coming back, I feel the attitude of our returnees is one of confidence, yet really having something to prove,” states Lantagne Welch, the reigning ACC and AVCA East Region Coach of the Year. “They want to accomplish a lot of great things.”
The loss of two key players from last year’s team, right side hitter Ashley Woods and outside hitter Angelica Ellis, does produce a question mark for the Hurricanes as to whom will step-up and share the load of being a team leader and key contributor on and off the court. All eyes will be on seniors Genny Mayhew and Cassie Loessberg, but the improvement of players such as Lici McGee and Maria Andersson could be ones to watch as well.
“Naturally, we have to fill one of our starting middle positions and our right side position heading into the season,” expressed Lantagne Welch. “We have a lot of returning players, and there’s going to be competition at a lot of positions. We are ready for some players to step up and go after the positions. And as always, depth will be important to our success.”
On offense, the `Canes return senior key attackers in outside hitter Mayhew and sophomore Lane Carico. Junior setter Katie Gallagher also returns, and will once again be asked to rely on her game experience to play at a higher level in a critical position for UM. The primary passing core of players is senior Cassie Loessberg, Mayhew, Lane Carico and Maria Andersson.
“Cassie and Genny have a lot of experience, and a lot of leadership,” expresses Lantagne Welch. “They’ve been on the court for much of their careers, so they know how to handle different situations. That’s good to have. Katie’s been setting for us for a couple of years, and she has experience running the court. Just having someone that has that confidence and experience brings out the best in everyone around them.”
OUTSIDE HITTER
The outside hitter position for the Hurricanes was instrumental last season, and the return of two impact players at that position, as well as growth and experience from some younger players returning will only help that much more. Miami tallied the third-best attack percentage as a team in school history last year, staking claim to a .251 clip (1594k-530e-4231ta) on the campaign.
This year, the return of the top two kills production leaders in Mayhew and Carico will be vital, while senior Maria Andersson and sophomore Christine Williamson have each worked hard during the off-season to increase their ability at the net. Williamson earned valuable playing experience last season, tallying 30 kills in 26 sets, while Andersson moved around the court more for defensive speed and helping setup the Hurricanes offense.
Mayhew (Clovis, Calif.) finished the year second on the team in kills in 2008, and looks to be ready to lead by example in 2009 as a team captain. She also produced 40 assists and 17 service aces last season, but attacking power is unmatched on the squad. She was named as MVP of both the Century Tel Premier and Asics/Coca-Cola Invitational last season, while also being selected to the All-ACC Second Team for the first time in her UM career. Notably, she added production and consistency last season by increasing her hitting percentage by 30 points, going up to .212 on the year.
“We have Genny [Mayhew] coming back, and she’s played a considerable amount in her career, and has a significant amount of experience,” expressed Lantagne Welch about Mayhew. “She’s ready to have the best season of her career. That’s something we’ll be looking for her to have as a senior and leader.”
Returner Lane Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) had the best freshman season of any to wear an orange and green volleyball jersey at UM. She was decorated as a second team All-ACC selection, in addition to being the ACC Freshman and AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year. She would also make an appearance on the All ACC-Freshman Team after posting a team-leading 369 kills (.217 pct), 32 assists, a team-best 35 service aces and a UM second-best 416 digs. She was also present at the net to record 49 blocks (40 assisted).
“Lane is coming off an incredible freshman season,” commented Lantagne Welch on Carico. “Her all-around skills and feel for the game really had an impact quite early in her career. We’ll look for her to add more experience to that, and more of a passing role as well this year.”
Maria Andersson (Ängelholm, Sweden) may be an underestimated piece of the outside hitter equation teams may overlook. She did play that position at times in 2008, but moved to the outside spot for good in the spring. In fact, she had some big matches for the Hurricanes in the three spring matches versus FIU, as well as tournaments at UCF and Florida. She was used more for passing last year, but in the spring exploded for kills and experience on the outside, picking that part of her game up tremendously.
Christine Williamson (Tampa, Fla.) is a player that entered UM as a highly-touted player from the Tampa area of Florida. Since arriving at UM, Williamson has endured some injuries and minor setbacks to her career, appears ready to make the charge to being 100 percent ready for the Hurricanes in 2009. Last season, she claimed a .237 clip (30k-12e-76ta), while adding seven digs and 10 block assists.
“We’re really hoping to have Christine healthy and ready to go, and she could have a big impact on the court this season,” added Lantagne Welch. “With her athleticism and high-reach, getting more game experience could make her an important player for us.”
Incoming freshman Lizzie Hale (Menlo Park, Calif.) will also add depth for the Hurricanes this season as she is expected to come in and train at both the right side and in the middle.
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
The middle blocker position for the Hurricanes is one in which UM is going to have plenty of depth, returning three players to the lineup. The UM coaching staff welcomes back a trio of players from last year that all earned valuable playing time during the course of the season.
“In the middle, we have three players with a lot of experience,” stated Lantagne Welch on the depth available in the middle for her team. “It’s going to be a battle, and I can see all of the players getting in and helping us at different times.”
Ready to try and take the reigns as the next great middle blocker at UM are Lici McGee (Warr Acres, Okla.), Arielle Cooke (Oakland, Calif.) and Ali Becker. All three players picked up considerable playing time last season, including McGee’s school second-best hitting percentage for a five-set match (.522 pct) in the championship of the Asics/Coca-Cola Invitational against San Francisco in California.
“Lici [McGee] is just continuing to get better and better, and she is primed for a huge breakout season,” commented Lantagne Welch.
Also at the net is Ariell Cooke, a junior from Oakland, Calif. that earned valuable playing time last season for the `Canes as a sophomore. Cooke is already tied atop the all-time UM record books for most solo blocks in a three-set match (3) from a match against Delaware in 2007. In 2008, she collected 68 kills and 35 blocks (0.62 bps) as she stepped in and immediately provided great stability at the net.
“Ariell [Cooke] is a really steady player, and she’s had some key matches for us,” commented Lantagne Welch. “We can see her taking a bigger offensive load and getting more blocks this season. If she can make that happen, then she’s going to be out on the court.”
Returning sophomore Ali Becker (Katy, Texas) started off the year red-hot for the Hurricanes as she was named to the Hurricane Invitational All-Tournament Team following a stellar performance in three matches against South Dakota State, Alabama and VCU. On the year, Becker turned in 64 kills and 30 blocks (27 assisted). She was also named to the Century Tel Premier All-Tournament Team in her home state of Texas.
“Ali is in really great shape, and she’s ready to have a great season,” praises Lantagne Welch. “She is a very good attacker, and has worked hard on some things with her blocking. That’s going to make her more valuable to our team, and I can see her having a huge season for us.”
Newcomer Jenna Berkley (Wildwood, Mo.) comes in off a club season that concluded at the junior Olympics in Miami this summer. As she transitions to the speed of the collegiate game, she will surely provide great depth in the middle for the `Canes.
As a senior at Eureka High School, Berkley totaled 333 kills to average 3.48 kills per set, while also amassing 105 blocks (80 solo) for average of 1.09 blocks per set. Those numbers would help in her being named Suburban South Conference First Team, as well as a First Team All-District–Class 4-A, District 4, and All-State First Team. She would go on to collect All-Region honors while being tabbed as the team’s most improved player by the Eureka coaching staff.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST
The defensive specialist position for UM is one that has been solid the past three years with Cassie Loessberg (Sacramento, Calif.) holding down the defensive efforts. Not only did she set a new school record for single-season digs (554) in 2008, but she also moved into second place all-time for career digs (1,424). She enters the 2009 campaign needing just 198 digs to surpass Jamie Grass on the all-time list.
Loessberg was named to the Century Tel Premier All-Tournament Team last season, in addition to leading the team in digs per set (4.78), as well as serving up a team second-best 34 aces. She would go on to finish second in assists from her primary libero position with 53. For these accomplishments, and much more, Loessberg was selected as last season’s Team MVP for the `Canes.
“It’s great being in a situation where you have your libero as a senior and a three-year starter and just one of the steadiest players on the team,” spoke Lantagne Welch about Loessberg. “She’s a rock, and you need that in your passing. She can cover a huge ground defensively, and one of the best liberos I’ve seen out there.”
Also seeing time at the defensive specialist position are going to be seniors Maria Andersson and Griffin Udelson (Addleboro, Mass.). Andersson has played a regular backcourt role in the past for the `Canes, and Udelson has seen time as a reserve defensive specialist since arriving at UM as a freshman.
“Maria brings an impactful jump-serve to the team, and some nice quickness defensively,” adds Lantagne Welch on Andersson. “She’s been steadying her passing, and that’s important to have as well.
SETTER
The setter position is one that is under the control of a two-year starter that has only gotten better throughout her time in the Orange and Green of Miami. Junior Katie Gallagher (Winter Park, Fla.) is second all-time at UM in assists (2,445) after just two seasons as the starting setter. Gallagher was named to all three in-season tournament teams including MVP of the Hurricane Invitational. Gallagher finished fifth in the ACC in assists (1,202) while also leading the `Canes in assists per set (10.54). She enters the season with a lot of experience and confidence that will only aid in her quest to lead the Miami offense.
Gallagher has also been the team’s 100 percent award winner back-to-back years as she gives 100 percent of her emotion, hustle and spirit to the game each and every time out on the court. Gallagher returns holding two of the program’s top 10 single-season assist counts, including the third-highest (1,243 – 2007) and sixth-best (1,202 – 2007) marks in school history.
“Katie is now advancing her game to a new level with trying to read defenses and create more and more opportunities for her hitters,” stated Lantagne Welch. “Coming in as an upperclassman now, she’s going to have a lot more experience. She keeps progressing every year.”
Newcomer Nrithya Sundararaman (Naperville, Ill.) will also be in the role of setter for the Hurricanes. She enters the program as a highly-touted setter and hitter from the suburban Chicago area of Naperville. During her senior year at Naperville High School, Sundararaman assisted the Huskies to a 34-3 overall record while posting a 13-1 record in league play–finishing as regular season co-champs of the DuPage Valley Conference. She would be tabbed DuPage Valley Conference First Team, in addition to First Team Naperville Sun and First Team Daily Herald by the local media/press.
“Nrithya will compete at both the right side hitter and setting position,” admitted Lantagne Welch. “She’s had experience playing at both. She’s a huge jumper and dynamic athlete, and can put up a nice block there on the right.”
