Aug. 17, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In 2008, the Nittany Lions became the sixth team to win back-to-back national championships. The big question heading into 2009 was if Penn State could make it three in a row. Any doubt was soon put to rest as Penn State became the first team to win three straight NCAA National titles with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory against Texas in the 2009 NCAA Championship.
Volleyball fans may wonder what is in store for the Nittany Lions in 2010. They may be quick to point out the loss of All-American talents in Alisha Glass and Megan Hodge and the youth of this year's squad. They may even be asking the question, "Can this team do it one more time?"
However, head coach Russ Rose isn't worrying about another national title or even a Big Ten Championship. His focus, as it has always been, is on developing a whole new team with the same rich tradition and high goals as the teams in years past. Youth aside, Rose will look to his experienced players, the same ones who have played key roles in the three championships, to set an example for the group of talented newcomers who will join them on the court this season.
Rose, who enters his 32nd season at the helm of the Penn State program, knows this year will be different. He knows it will be tough on everyone from the players to the staff. His time, effort and experience give him an advantage though. Rose knows what to expect and how hard everyone will have to work. Most importantly, he is realistic.
"The last two or three years, I thought on paper that we had a team that could legitimately compete for a national championship," said Rose. "I wouldn't say that about this team because it's unfair. What this team can do is improve throughout the season. I expect us to hit a lot of bumpy roads along the way. The conference is tough and our schedule presents us with some great challenges. Our goal in the end will be to be the best team we can be, to get better through the season, to play hard and play together. We'll see where we end up."
Sophomore Kristin Carpenter |
Setter
Who's Back?
Marika Racibarskas (Chatham, N.J.) and Kristin Carpenter (Mechanicsville, Va.) are back for their second season as Nittany Lions. The pair possesses experience setting from their high school and club careers, but saw action in their freshman season as serving and defensive specialists. While coach Rose feels Carpenter is the best athlete of the group and Marika is one of the hardest workers on the team, he may be looking at a newcomer to take over for three-time All-American Glass.
Who's New?
Freshman Mikinzie Moydell (Parker Colo.) is leading the pack as the potential starting setter according to Rose.
"Mikinzie has a good handle on the game and she interacts well with others. The physical nature of college volleyball is something she won't understand until she's in the gym and has balls being hit at her at a certain velocity, big outside hitters hitting over her and small outside hitters being crafty with her. It'll be a far cry from what we've done the last couple of years, but that's not going to stop us from going to practice every day and trying to find a way to be competitive both in the conference and in the national picture."
Moydell was named an AAU, AVCA Under Armour and ESPN RISE All-American as a three-year varsity letterwinner at Chaparral High School. She guided her team to the 2006 and 2009 District Championship, as well as the 2009 Regional title. A First Team All-Colorado nominee, Moydell was also named to the Volleyball Magazine Fab 50.
Senior Blair Brown |
Outside Hitter
Who's Back?
Junior Katie Kabbes (Raleigh, N.C.) is one of two returning outside hitters for Rose, but with sophomore Darcy Dorton (Muncie, Ind.) a question mark for the first part of the season, Kabbes will be the lone returner with any collegiate match experience. Kabbes will be looking to make an impact from the start at one of the two open outside positions. Her predecessors were All-Americans and Rose feels Kabbes is ready to step up.
"Katie certainly has made great strides over the last two years. I hope this will be a breakout season for her."
Kabbes appeared in 39 matches in her first two seasons as a Nittany Lion. She has totaled 68 kills and 24 blocks, while also posting 21 digs.
On the right side, Coach Rose can count on the leadership and experience of senior captain Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.). A two-time All-American, it will be necessary for Brown to lead the talented crop of newcomers.
"This is Blair and Ari's (Arielle Wilson) team this year and I trust they'll do their best," said Rose. "We might have to move Blair to the outside and have someone else play right if our hitting doesn't come along. At this point, I don't know. But Blair is a two-time All-American and I'm confident she'll play like one."
A unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection, Brown finished second on the team in 2009 with 347 kills for an average of 2.97 kills per set. She was a strong blocker for Rose, tallying 107 blocks for the season, while also making in impact in the back row and as a server.
Who's New?
Rose has two newcomers hoping to find a starting spot on the outside, including Maddie Martin (Tampa, Fla.) and Deja McClendon (Louisville, Ky.). Two other options Rose might look at are Carpenter and freshman Ali Longo (Littleton, Colo.), a defensive specialist.
"Deja is a great offensive player who plays high at the net, while Maddie is more of an all-around threat. Kristin and Ali are both small, but were successful at the junior and high school levels as passer/hitters. Although they're small, they play hard and might find themselves in the mix as well."
Martin, who is 6-2, was a four-year varsity letterwinner at H.B. Plant High School where she guided her team to four straight state championships. She was a two-year member of the USA A1 Select Team and was named the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year. Martin was a two-time PrepVolleyball All-American, as well as an AAU, ESPN RISE and AVCA Under Armour All-American.
McClendon comes to Penn State after being selected Miss Kentucky Volleyball and the Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year. A four-time AAU All-American, McClendon was a member of the 2009 JVDA National Champions and won a gold medal at the USAV High Performance Championships.
Longo played for the Juggernaut Volleyball Club and was a four-year letterwinner and three-year captain at Chatfield High. She was a three-time First Team All-Conference honoree and was a two-time Region All-Star selection.
Senior Arielle Wilson |
Middle Hitter
Who's Back?
Rose welcomes back AVCA First Team All-American Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.) and senior Fatima Balza (Merida, Venezuela) at middle.
"Ari led the nation in hitting last year, but it was with the aid of a great passing team and a terrific setter," said Rose. "She will have to adjust this year with the change in our level of passing and setting and will have to make good swings every time. Ari will be our leader in the middle.
"Fatima did a terrific job last year with what we asked her to do. She was not one of our primary offensive options, but was very good when offered the opportunity. Overall, Fatima made great contributions to the team and I believe she'll continue to be a hard worker and a good blocker."
Wilson was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team and earned First Team All-Big Ten status. She led the nation with a record-breaking .540 hitting percentage and her career hitting percentage of .489 tops the Nittany Lion career charts. She started all 38 matches in 2009 and finished third on the team with 337 kills and led the team with 186 blocks, averaging 1.52 blocks per set.
In her first year at Penn State, Balza played in all 38 matches, starting in all but one. She finished second on the team with 171 total blocks, averaging 1.47 blocks per set to rank 10th in the nation. Balza has three or more blocks in 32 matches and posted a career-best 12 against Ohio State.
Who's New?
Joining Wilson and Balza in the middle are freshmen Erica Denney (Aurora, Colo.), Ariel Scott (Ridgewood, N.J.) and Katie Slay (Raleigh, N.C.). While Rose will see the newcomers play for the first time during preseason, he's confident they will adapt well to the collegiate game and add some depth at the position.
"Erica and Mikinzie played well together in club so that experience may provide some intangibles," said Rose. "Ariel is a physical player who I think we'll look at to play this year at either middle or outside. She has a great frame, good strength and is very competitive. Katie may be the best incoming blocker we've ever had in the program. She may have to work hard to earn time on the court from an offensive standpoint, but she's going to be able to block a lot of balls."
Denney was a four-year letterwinner at Grandview High School where she led her team to the 2007 State Championship and a third place finish in 2009. The three-time All-State honoree was named an AVCA/Under Armour All-American and a PrepVolleyball.com Senior Ace. Denney picked up international experience with the Youth National Team aiding them in winning a gold medal at the 2008 NORCECA Championships, as well as competing in the 2009 World Championships in Thailand.
The New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, Scott was also an AVCA/Under Armour All-America. She was named to the USA A2 High Performance Team and joined Denney as a Prepvolleyball.com Senior Ace. At Immaculate Heart Academy, Scott guided her team to four straight league championship and three straight state championships.
Senior Cathy Quilico |
Defensive Specialist/Libero
Who's Back?
Rose most assuredly can count on the presence of seniors Alyssa D'Errico (Byron, N.Y.), Cathy Quilico (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and Jessica Ullrich (Winfield, Ill.) in the back row in 2010. The trio is joined by returning junior Megan Shifflett (Falls Church, Va.), as well as Carpenter.
"We're going to depend a lot on our seniors, Cathy, Alyssa and Jess. I think we'll be stronger in the back row. While I don't think you can win a lot of matches being stronger in the back, I think you can steal a couple of matches thanks to the impact of the back row players. It will prove to be a competitive position for us this year and the expectations of those individuals playing will be very high."
D'Errico was the starting libero last season playing in all 38 matches. She led the team in digs with 433, averaging 3.55 digs per set, and aces with 62. Quilico was a consistent presence at defensive specialist for Rose appearing in all 38 matches, starting in 18. While the shortest member of the team at 5-1, she is one of the quickest and made some big plays in the NCAA Finals.
Ullrich played in 29 matches last season as a serving and defensive specialist. Coach Rose knows he can count on Ullrich's serve, as well as Carpenter's. He also knows he can count on the experience and volleyball IQ of Shifflett, who played during the National Championship, as well as her ability to handle the pressure of making plays at critical times.
Who's New?
In addition to the experienced upperclassmen, Rose will have additional options in the back row thanks to a host of newcomers. Freshmen Maggie Harding (State College, Pa.), Ali Longo (Littleton, Colo.) and Krosby Pabst (Long Beach, Calif.) will all compete for time on the court this season.
"Krosby has a great volleyball IQ and always seems to be in the right place at the right time," said Rose. "Ali has a strong jump serve and while Maggie may not be as strong as some of the other players, she works hard and has the potential to make some great contributions to this team."
Harding, a four-year letterwinner and team captain at local State College Area High School, was an All-State selection her senior season and earned spots on the PVA Invitational, Rally in the Valley Invitational, Susquehannock Invitational and the Saint Francis Invitational All-Tournament Teams.
Longo, the third newcomer to the team this year from Colorado, was also a four-year varsity letterwinner in high school. A three-time First Team All-Conference honoree, Longo was named Second Team All-State and Jeffco League MVP in her senior season. She played for the Juggernaut Volleyball Club and was a two-time Region All-Star selection.
Pabst guided her high school team to two straight Moore League Varsity Volleyball Championships in Long Beach, Calif. A two-time All-Moore League Second Team honoree, Pabst earned a gold medal in volleyball at the Junior Olympics. She also lettered in soccer where she also earned All-Moore League Second Team accolades twice.