Aug. 24, 2009
Check back on Tuesday and Wednesday for the final two position previews. Next up: middle blockers.
On the outside, the Bears have two big swingers returning with likes of Katie Sanders and Ashlie Christenson. The duo had the top two kill totals for the Bears in 2008. Also joining them on the left side is sophomore Qian Zhang, and talented newcomers Zoe Adom and Kiley Sherman.
"The outside for any team is pivotal because they affect every part of the game," head coach Jim Barnes said. "What we like is that we have five outsides competing at that position. They all bring something to the game that our team needs."
Sanders, a senior, is another key part to the Bears trio of leaders. Sanders established herself as setter Taylor Barnes' main offensive target, piling up the kills in 2007 and 2008. The Katy, Texas, native led the Bears in kills and total attempts each of the last two seasons, and ranks eighth on the all-time kills list at Baylor. If Sanders matches her 2008 campaign this season, she will move into second place on the list.
"One of the most pivotal players on our team is Katie Sanders," Jim Barnes said. "She fills up the stat sheet across the board, digs, attacks, kills, passing, every part of the game. She is the person that needs to have a big year. Katie is a triple-double-type player. "
After breaking onto the scene as a freshman, earning all-Big 12 freshmen team honors, Christenson had another solid season as a sophomore with 2.43 kills per set. Her offensive production and physical style will be relied upon this season, giving the Bears two go-to options on the outside. Christenson spent the offseason refining her skills against some of the best competition in the world after becoming just the second player in program history to earn a spot on the United States A2 National Team.
"Ashlie had some good experience over the spring and summer playing with the A2 team," Barnes said. "She is just one physical player that can attack the ball at a Big 12 level. With Ash it has always been about maturing mentally, learning how to handle adversity. She could have a great season for us."
Qian Zhang, the only Chinese player in the history of Baylor volleyball, provides another level of veteran experience to the outside. Zhang brings a lot of experience to the squad, being named the MVP of her league in China and the top attacker during her final two seasons. She made the most of her playing time in 2008 with the Bears averaging 1.40 kills per set.
"Qian is back and healthy," Barnes said. "She is one of those all-around players that we hope can get to Katie's (Sanders) level. We like her game, she looks very strong."
Already with a spectacular group of veteran outside hitters, Barnes has stocked the position with two incoming freshman that each bring a set of talents to the table. Zoe Adom, a freshman from Euless (Texas) Trinity High School, brings a raw, athletic talent that can block, as well as rack up kills. Adom was a two-time all-district player, along with being named the Texas 7-5A Blocker of the Year as a senior.
"Zoe is one of those players that we are really excited about because we are not sure what she is going to bring to the table," Barnes said. "She is the most athletic player on the left side. She is, one day, going to be one of our best players because she has all the tools to be a great player in the Big 12."
Alongside Adom is Kiley Sherman, a freshman who enters with a solid set of skills and a deep background in volleyball. The Oswego, Ill., native will be able to play both outside hitter and defensive specialist because of her wide ranging abilities. She also provides some young leadership skills that she learned as the captain of her high school team for three years.
"Kiley comes in from a club where she has been trained in volleyball for most of her life," Barnes said. "She is very fit, very skilled. Kiley is one of those players that passes, digs, and provides a lot of stability for us that we have not had enough of in the past."
