2007 Miami Volleyball Season Preview
Aug. 22, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla.-The University of Miami volleyball team enters the 2007 season looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2006 campaign in which the Hurricanes finished below .500 for the first time in Nicole Lantagne Welch’s six-year tenure. Despite returning nine letterwinners, the Hurricanes have a young squad this season with nine of the team’s 14 players comprised of freshmen and sophomores.
“We feel being young has a lot of advantages,” Lantagne Welch said. “And we are led by a couple of very strong seniors in Ciara Michel and Michelle Bruin.”
In addition to Michel and Bruin, redshirt junior Ashley Woods, a co-captain along with Michel, provides crucial leadership heading into the 2007 season.
“Ciara and Ashley were very serious about creating a new environment for our program and raising our team’s expectations for this year,” said Lantagne Welch.
Whether or not the leadership from the upperclassmen translates into the Hurricanes getting back towards the top of the ACC standings, Lantagne Welch feels this team has the potential to make some noise in ’07.
“I really like this group of players. I think that we have a lot of great team chemistry, and we are bringing out a new level of competitiveness in each other. We are excited to see how it all fits together.”
Middle Blockers
Michel, a member of the 2007 Preseason All-ACC Team, is not only the top middle blocker on the team, but the most tenured Hurricane and the unquestioned leader of this year’s squad. Last season, she ranked fourth in the ACC with a 1.41 blocks per game average, while also setting single-season UM records for solo blocks (39) and total blocks (168). She also leads all returning players with 336 kills and a .299 hitting percentage.
After Michel, Lantagne Welch also expects junior Angelica Ellis to have a breakout season in the middle. Ellis, who finished with 83 kills and 50 blocks in 2006, has enough experience to compliment Michel.
“She is a very dynamic athlete,” Lantagne Welch said. “Her strength is going behind the center, going off one foot. As she gets a little stronger with the blocking side of the ball, she will really do some great things.”
Behind Michel and Ellis is newcomer Ariell Cooke, a highly-touted freshman from Oakland, Calif. Cooke, a top-50 recruit according to Prepvolleyball.com, could find her way onto the court early in the 2007 season.
“She is smooth, she can hit a variety of sets and she has the great ability to close a block, which is difficult to do in that position,” Lantagne Welch said.
Outside Hitters
Expected to start on the right side is Woods, a southpaw from Round Rock, Texas. After collecting 225 kills and 76 blocks last season, Woods will be relied on even more so this season to provide a spark to the Hurricane offense.
“She brings great leadership, great court energy and has a lot of court savvy moving the ball around with different types of shots,” said Lantagne Welch. “Being a lefty on the right side, it is such an advantage for her to be able to find those areas of the court.”
The left side rotation remains up for grabs heading into fall practice with freshmen Christine Williamson and Maria Andersson joining sophomores Genny Mayhew and Lici McGee. Mayhew brings the most experience of the group, having played in 73 games last year, while McGee brings great athleticism and upside into the position, with a strong ability to hit over blocks. Andersson, who gained valuable experience playing internationally in Sweden, brings more finesse to the position, and Williamson offers versatility having spent time at every front row position during her prep career.
Liberos
Both Bruin and sophomore Cassie Loessberg will spend time at the libero spot in 2007. Loessberg has the ability to make plays all over the court with her athleticism, while Bruin offers phenomenal passing ability with a disciplined passing form. The coaching staff plans on keeping both players on the court at once, with one at libero and the other in as a defensive specialist.
Defensive Specialists
Freshman Tatiana Alvarez, a Miami native, and sophomore Griffin Udelson will join Loessberg and Bruin defensively, adding depth and solidifying the Hurricane defense.
Setters
With the loss of four-year starter and UM record-holder Jill Robinson, the Hurricanes will likely turn to two players to fill the void at the setter position. Junior Bridget Bomhack and freshman Katie Gallagher are both capable of running the offense and give the coaching staff two solid options heading into the 2007 season.
Bomhack has more experience in the system, after running the offense in the spring and having played the past two years behind Robinson. Gallagher brings a excellent skill-set with a lot of experience on winning teams in her prep career.
