April 2, 2015
By Tyler Feldman, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions are on a roll. They have won eight-straight matches and are ranked sixth in the nation. Such recent and consistent success is a result of the stellar play of Penn State's orchestrator, redshirt junior setter Taylor Hammond.
Hammond, a native of Mission Viejo, California, developed a love for volleyball at a very young age thanks to his dad, Doug, who played club ball at the University of California, Irvine.
"I grew up around the sport, so I started playing beach volleyball first with my dad when he got me into it," Hammond said. "I fell in love with the sport."
Hammond would go on to be a three-year varsity letter-winner and team captain at Santa Margarita Catholic High, guiding his high school to four straight Trinity League Championships and two Orange County Championships.
When it came time for Hammond to look to play at the collegiate level, he sent out his resume to several schools, one of those being Penn State.
"I sent [a resume] to Penn State, and we started talking," Hammond said. "They came out [to California] to watch me. The conversation started, and I just really felt a connection with the coaches and felt a connection with the school. I really fell in love with [Penn State] when I visited."
It was during spring break in Hammond's junior year of high school when head coach Mark Pavlik and his coaching staff attended the Best of the West tournament in San Diego. Intentions were to scout former Nittany Lion Jace Olsen, but knowing his program needed a setter, Pavlik took notice of the young Hammond.
"We knew we needed another setter because it was that time where the generations of setters were changing," Pavlik said. "We're watching the Santa Margarita team, and we're seeing this setter that delivers a nice ball and moves well. That's where we saw Taylor first, during his junior year of high school. We kept in touch. He came out for an unofficial visit later on that junior year. He has turned out to be a really good match for us."
Not only was Hammond selected as the 2013 EIVA Newcomer of the Year after his redshirt freshman season, but he was also selected to first-team All-EIVA last year as a redshirt sophomore. Now in his third full season in a regular role, Hammond is the brain behind the Blue and White's efficient offensive scheme.
"Setters, much like quarterbacks and point guards, have to be the coach on the floor," Pavlik said. "It's more of a cerebral position. They need to understand what the defense is giving them. They need to understand and execute a game plan. They need to understand the tools that they have at their disposal...Look at any successful team, there's always been a great relationship between setters and the coaching staff."
In Hammond's case specifically, the strong relationship he has with the coaching staff is a huge reason why he has been able to continue the program's winning tradition.
Despite a slow start to the season for the entire team, Hammond has made the necessary midseason adjustments. Most notably, Hammond has worked with Pavlik and assistant coach Jay Hosack to hone in on going against the flow - establishing more offensive quick and bic plays - which has opened space for the pin hitters. He currently sits fifth in the country with 10.78 assists per set.
"Overall it has been his strength gains," Pavlik said on Hammond's growth. "Here in the last two to three months, he has really paid attention to his footwork. He has really made a conscious effort to be more efficient on how he gets his body in position to set the ball."
Hosack echoed Pavlik's observations of Hammond's development.
"His decision-making has improved," Hosack said. "He used to just set the best hitter as opposed to the best matchup. He's learned how to take the blame. When a hitter makes a bad swing, Taylor takes full responsibility to take the pressure off the hitter."
As opposed to three or four passers and four or five hitters rotating during a match, there is only one setter on a volleyball team. As a result, Hammond is an integral part of almost 97 percent of the plays.
"Hammond is touching every second ball, so he must be the standard that has to put the ball in a good place for the hitters," Hosack said.
According to the entire coaching staff, Hammond has transformed into a naturally strong leader by way of his consistent personality and response.
"Taylor is the one that runs the show," Hosack said. "He is the quarterback of the team. And, we still get him for another year, which is even better."