‘WE’RE NOT SETTLING'
8/14/2018 9:15:00 AM | Volleyball
No. 16 Volleyball Building Off Consecutive NCAA Trips
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
Coming off the best two-year run in program history, Baylor volleyball is entering unchartered waters as far as preseason expectations.
After last year's 24-7 finish and the first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in school history, the Bears received two first-place votes and were picked a program-best second in the Big 12 coaches' preseason poll and are 16th nationally in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll that was released last Wednesday when they opened fall camp.
That's not enough.
"We want to be bigger than that," said outside hitter Aniah Philoh, a second-team All-Big 12 selection and one of only two seniors on the 17-player roster. "We want to be first, and we're not settling for second. . . . We want to win the Big 12, we want to win everything. And it doesn't necessarily have to be the NCAA championship, we just want to make a statement. Just because we're smaller . . . we have more fight than anyone has ever imagined."
As good as last year was – the highest-ever finish in the Big 12, first time to host NCAA Championship matches and first-ever national seed (12th) – fourth-year head coach Ryan McGuyre said the 3-0 second-round loss to Colorado left a sour taste.
"Definitely discouraged in how the season ended," he said. "Overall, it was a great season, but you never like to lose. I think if you ever get comfortable losing, then it's just going to happen more."
That's certainly not the expectation this year, even with a challenging schedule that includes 11 matches against eight NCAA Tournament teams plus Friday's exhibition opener at Denver. Wisconsin and UCLA both reached the Sweet 16, while defending Big 12 champion Texas made it to the region finals, a step away from the Final Four.
"It's by design, for sure," McGuyre said. "Last year was great that we got to host the first rounds. We're dreaming big. And the schedule this year, should we take care of business, could give us the opportunity to host even beyond that. And that's the expectations we have on ourselves."
While the Bears can certainly build off the recent success, sophomore All-American Yossiana Pressley said it's important to leave the past in the past, "because it's a new season, a new team, new everything, and we just have to stay focused and get it done."
Pressley, junior middle blocker Shelly Fanning and sophomore setter Hannah Lockin gave Baylor a program-high three Preseason All-Big 12 selections. Also returning are Philo, senior opposite hitter Ashley Fritcher, junior libero Tara Wulf, junior setter Hannah Fluegel, junior middle blockers Jaelyn Jackson and Nicole Thomas, junior setter/defensive specialist Braya Hunt, sophomore libero Taylor Marburger and redshirt freshman opposite hitter Marieke van der Mark.
But, there are holes to fill after the graduation of All-American outside hitter Katie Staiger, middle blockers Camryn Freiberg and Tola Itiola and libero Jana Brusek.
"Jana and Katie, for sure, were pretty special. Really that whole class with Camryn and Tola," McGuyre said, "because I could really get on the girls and knew they would support me. . . . Part of the deal with Katie was we worked and trained toward leaving a legacy. If you do your job right, the program gets better after you leave. That's because those girls did a phenomenal job pouring into the other girls in a way that is just spectacular.
"I look at Braya, I look at Hannah Fluegel, I look at Tara, Nicole, even Marieke, how she's grown and how they've become and grown into leaders has really been awesome in that aspect. I have a feeling I'm going to fall in love with a new group of athletes this year and miss them when they're gone, too."
Added to the mix is 6-2 junior outside hitter Gia Milana, a former high school All-American and honorable mention All-Big Ten selection who averaged 3.14 kills per set last season at Maryland.
"I like what she brings in playing in the Big Ten, so I don't expect her to be intimidated," McGuyre said of Milana. "She brings some experience, but she's also brought just a pure appreciation for who Baylor is beyond volleyball. The relationships and how she's connected has been great. So, I think it gives us another fierce warrior out there on the court that we're looking for."
Freshman libero Shanel Bramschreiber and outside hitter Bri Coleman both enrolled in January and were joined this summer by 6-4 middle blocker Sydney Sacra and freshman libero Emily Van Slate.
"When I think of fierce warrior, Sydney Sacra is one of those at 6-4," McGuyre said of his freshman middle blocker, a prep All-American who led Needville High School to the 4A state championship as a senior. "She's not a talker, but she loves to compete, she loves to win, she loves to pound the ball. She wants to see the set and crush the set. So, it's a competitive and simple approach for her that we really love."
McGuyre, who started two-a-day drills last Wednesday, said the rotation will have to figure itself out during training camp. The Bears will face Denver in an exhibition at 8 p.m. CDT Friday and wrap up preseason workouts with the Green & Gold Scrimmage at 5 p.m. next Tuesday before hosting Marquette, Texas State and LSU for the Hampton Inn & Suites Waco North Baylor Invitational on Aug. 24-25 at the Ferrell Center.
"This year, we probably have more question marks of all the time I've been here at Baylor," McGuyre said. "Two years ago, we just played who was healthy. The first year, it was who understood the principles we wanted. This year, we're really raltned. So, you've got three or four girls in each position that can really contribute and bring different strengths. . . . We'll have a lot of different ways to attack teams. We have to figure it out these couple weeks how we're going to attack LSU first."
Baylor Bear Foundation
Coming off the best two-year run in program history, Baylor volleyball is entering unchartered waters as far as preseason expectations.
After last year's 24-7 finish and the first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in school history, the Bears received two first-place votes and were picked a program-best second in the Big 12 coaches' preseason poll and are 16th nationally in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll that was released last Wednesday when they opened fall camp.
That's not enough.
"We want to be bigger than that," said outside hitter Aniah Philoh, a second-team All-Big 12 selection and one of only two seniors on the 17-player roster. "We want to be first, and we're not settling for second. . . . We want to win the Big 12, we want to win everything. And it doesn't necessarily have to be the NCAA championship, we just want to make a statement. Just because we're smaller . . . we have more fight than anyone has ever imagined."
As good as last year was – the highest-ever finish in the Big 12, first time to host NCAA Championship matches and first-ever national seed (12th) – fourth-year head coach Ryan McGuyre said the 3-0 second-round loss to Colorado left a sour taste.
"Definitely discouraged in how the season ended," he said. "Overall, it was a great season, but you never like to lose. I think if you ever get comfortable losing, then it's just going to happen more."
That's certainly not the expectation this year, even with a challenging schedule that includes 11 matches against eight NCAA Tournament teams plus Friday's exhibition opener at Denver. Wisconsin and UCLA both reached the Sweet 16, while defending Big 12 champion Texas made it to the region finals, a step away from the Final Four.
"It's by design, for sure," McGuyre said. "Last year was great that we got to host the first rounds. We're dreaming big. And the schedule this year, should we take care of business, could give us the opportunity to host even beyond that. And that's the expectations we have on ourselves."
While the Bears can certainly build off the recent success, sophomore All-American Yossiana Pressley said it's important to leave the past in the past, "because it's a new season, a new team, new everything, and we just have to stay focused and get it done."
Pressley, junior middle blocker Shelly Fanning and sophomore setter Hannah Lockin gave Baylor a program-high three Preseason All-Big 12 selections. Also returning are Philo, senior opposite hitter Ashley Fritcher, junior libero Tara Wulf, junior setter Hannah Fluegel, junior middle blockers Jaelyn Jackson and Nicole Thomas, junior setter/defensive specialist Braya Hunt, sophomore libero Taylor Marburger and redshirt freshman opposite hitter Marieke van der Mark.
But, there are holes to fill after the graduation of All-American outside hitter Katie Staiger, middle blockers Camryn Freiberg and Tola Itiola and libero Jana Brusek.
"Jana and Katie, for sure, were pretty special. Really that whole class with Camryn and Tola," McGuyre said, "because I could really get on the girls and knew they would support me. . . . Part of the deal with Katie was we worked and trained toward leaving a legacy. If you do your job right, the program gets better after you leave. That's because those girls did a phenomenal job pouring into the other girls in a way that is just spectacular.
"I look at Braya, I look at Hannah Fluegel, I look at Tara, Nicole, even Marieke, how she's grown and how they've become and grown into leaders has really been awesome in that aspect. I have a feeling I'm going to fall in love with a new group of athletes this year and miss them when they're gone, too."
Added to the mix is 6-2 junior outside hitter Gia Milana, a former high school All-American and honorable mention All-Big Ten selection who averaged 3.14 kills per set last season at Maryland.
"I like what she brings in playing in the Big Ten, so I don't expect her to be intimidated," McGuyre said of Milana. "She brings some experience, but she's also brought just a pure appreciation for who Baylor is beyond volleyball. The relationships and how she's connected has been great. So, I think it gives us another fierce warrior out there on the court that we're looking for."
Freshman libero Shanel Bramschreiber and outside hitter Bri Coleman both enrolled in January and were joined this summer by 6-4 middle blocker Sydney Sacra and freshman libero Emily Van Slate.
"When I think of fierce warrior, Sydney Sacra is one of those at 6-4," McGuyre said of his freshman middle blocker, a prep All-American who led Needville High School to the 4A state championship as a senior. "She's not a talker, but she loves to compete, she loves to win, she loves to pound the ball. She wants to see the set and crush the set. So, it's a competitive and simple approach for her that we really love."
McGuyre, who started two-a-day drills last Wednesday, said the rotation will have to figure itself out during training camp. The Bears will face Denver in an exhibition at 8 p.m. CDT Friday and wrap up preseason workouts with the Green & Gold Scrimmage at 5 p.m. next Tuesday before hosting Marquette, Texas State and LSU for the Hampton Inn & Suites Waco North Baylor Invitational on Aug. 24-25 at the Ferrell Center.
"This year, we probably have more question marks of all the time I've been here at Baylor," McGuyre said. "Two years ago, we just played who was healthy. The first year, it was who understood the principles we wanted. This year, we're really raltned. So, you've got three or four girls in each position that can really contribute and bring different strengths. . . . We'll have a lot of different ways to attack teams. We have to figure it out these couple weeks how we're going to attack LSU first."
Players Mentioned
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OPP
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MB
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L/DS
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OH
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OH
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OH
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MB
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Would go to battle with this crew anytime 🫶
Monday, December 08
Hearts stopped. Records fell. Bears won!
Monday, December 08
Elevate ⬆️ and celebrate 🎉
Monday, December 08
💼 Workin' our way to match day
Monday, December 08
