F
Impact frosh for top 25 teams * Ranking based on AVCA Sept. 19 poll
n Khat Bell (Mesquite, Texas), 6-1, outside hitter, University of Texas. Note: Ranked as the nation’s No. 2 recruit by
PrepVolleyball.com and has delivered 2.35 kills per set while playing for No. 8-Texas.
n Liz Brenner (Portland, Ore.), 6-1, outside hitter, University of Oregon. Note: Hitting a team-high .344 for the 8-1 Ducks, who were ranked No. 15.
n Samantha Cash (San Diego), 6-3, middle blocker, Pepperdine University. Note: Leads No. 19 Waves with a 1.02 blocks per set average.
n Jane Croson (Lakewood, Calif.), 5-11, out- G
side hitter, University of Hawaii. Note: Produced 23 kills, 15 digs and four aces in a big victory over Pepperdine. Leads team in services aces with 15 and was brandishing a .257 attack percentage for No. 11 Hawaii.
n Lexi Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio),
5-11, setter, University of Michigan. Note: Steady leadership directed Michigan to a 12-0 start and a No. 18 ranking.
n Lara Dykstra (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 5-10, libero, University of Nebraska. Note: Con- tribution defined by a .959 reception efficiency percentage and a team-high 3.73 digs per set. Huskers were ranked No. 10 after a 7-1 start.
n Marlee Davis (Napa, Calif.), 5-9, defen- sive specialist, University of California Berkeley. Note: Has earned playing time on the nation’s top-ranked NCAA Division I team full of veterans and is averaging 2.00 digs per set playing in 35 of the first 40 sets.
I
done a great job of taking pressure off of her to be perfect and this has allowed her to work her way into the role.”
The pressure on a H
freshman setter can be even greater. “I do think it is more difficult for setters to make that impact early since there are so many more factors that go into their position,” says Rosen. “From talking with Lexi, the speed of the game, intensity of training and the defensive tactics of the opponents are at a much
n Haley Eckerman (Waterloo, Iowa), 6-3, outside hit-
ter, University of Texas. Note: Played in 33 of 34 sets for the Longhorns, pounding down 3.21 kills per set.
n Nia Grant (Warren, Ohio), 6-2, outside hitter, Penn State University. Note: Hitting .319 while earning a start- ing spot.
n Micha Hancock (Edmond, Okla.), 5-11, setter, Penn State University. Note: Good enough to move the setter from 2010 NCAA Division I national championship team (Kristin Carpenter) to libero position. Hancock has team-high 29 service aces and is averaging 9.28 assists per set. Penn State was ranked No. 5.
n Madison Kingdon (Phoenix), 6-2, outside hit-
ter, University of Arizona. Note: Leads 9-2 Wildcats in total kills with a 3.82 average. Arizona receiving votes in AVCA poll.
n Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), 6-6, out-
side hitter, University of Illinois. Note: Produced 20 kills and a .576 attack percentage in five-set win over Louisville Sept. 17. Illinois was 11-0 and No. 3 in the AVCA poll.
n Summer Ross (Carlsbad, Calif.), 6-2, outside hitter, University of Washington. Note: Ross hitting at .323 at- tack percentage clip for the No. 4 Huskies.
n Krista Vansant (Redlands, Calif.), 6-2, outside hit-
ter, University of Washington. Note: Leads team with 3.58 kills per set and .316 attack percentage. Averaging 3.58 kills per set.
n Sarah Wickstrom (Stuart, Fla.), 5-11, setter, Flori- da State University. Note: Running 6-2 offense and played in every set for the Seminoles, who were ranked No. 23 in AVCA Division I poll on Sept. 19 with a 7-4 record.
higher level in the college game and those have been the big challenges for her to overcome. She is doing a great job of making the transition and we are very happy with where she is at in that growth process.” Cook does not necessary subscribe to the theory that junior coaches are delivering a more polished product to the NCAA Division I game. “I don’t think they are coming in any better pre- pared than they were 10 years ago unless they have played in the National team programs,” he says. Rosen says extra experience at the USA Volleyball High Performance level is a key. “I do still think it is a major transition, even for the very prepared players and they are often not expecting the challenges that they face,” he says. “The speed and physicality of play and practice I think is often difficult for the younger players to understand until they are thrown into it.”
YOUNG STARS: Among the top freshmen on the NCAA Division I top 25 teams this season have been A—Sa- mantha Cash (San Diego); B—Lara Dykstra (Nebraska); C—Liz McMahon (Illinois) D—Krista Vansant (Wash- ington); E—Liz Brenner (Oregon); F—Summer Ross (Washington); G—Jane Croson (Hawaii); H—Lexi Danne- miller (Michigan); and I—Khat Bell (Texas).
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