ZERO EASING INTO THE SCHEDULE
8/13/2019 5:30:00 PM | Volleyball
Volleyball Has to Hit Floor Running to Prepare for Challenging Slate.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Baylor volleyball had to hit the floor running when practice started Saturday. Fifth-year head coach Ryan McGuyre knows that there's a true gauntlet just around the corner.
"There is zero easing into the schedule," said McGuyre, whose 20th-ranked Bears open with back-to-back tournaments on the road at Nebraska and Wisconsin. "Sometimes, preseason, you're still trying to figure out lineups, you want to battle-test different people to see come conference who is going to play. We've got to have that figured out our first match."
Picked second in the Big 12 preseason poll and 20th in the AVCA rankings that were released Tuesday, Baylor will open the season at the Aug. 30-31 Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., facing UCLA and 18th-ranked Creighton.
The following weekend, the Bears play Syracuse and No. 5 Wisconsin in the HotelRed Invitational in Madison, Wis., and No. 16 Marquette that Sunday in Milwaukee. Continuing the early grind, eight of their first 10 opponents made the NCAA Tournament, including a 19th-ranked Tennessee team that will join Houston at the home-opening Baylor Invitational.
"We want to be able to host the first and second rounds here, maybe third and fourth round. Our schedule gives us the opportunity to do that," McGuyre said. "If all things come together, we're going to be in really good shape and have a really good seed. If we stub our toe along the way, we're going to be battle-tested. We really just want to be playing our best volleyball in December."
Baylor returns four starters from a 20-9 team that finished second in the Big 12 and lost a five-setter to Oregon in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That was an Oregon team that upset second-seeded Minnesota before losing to eventual national runner-up Nebraska in the Elite Eight.
After three straight second-round exits, the Bears are looking to advance farther this season, especially with a group of six seniors.
"I think playing Oregon, they're an awesome team and they fought really well," said second-team All-American middle blocker Shelly Fanning Stafford, who got married this summer. "But I feel like, for the first time, we felt that true competition, that true grit, that it's going to take to win a national championship. Having that taste of fight is something I feel like we've brought into every single practice since then."
Junior outside hitter Yossiana Pressley, a returning All-Big 12 pick and honorable mention All-American, said Saturday's first practice of fall camp was the "best we've had since I've been here."
"This year, I just think we're more focused on our goal," Pressley said. "The first year that I got here, it wasn't necessarily mandatory to go to the open gyms, but we didn't have the initiative to go to open gyms. We were just saying, 'Oh, I'll go in and get some reps.' But, whenever we went in this year, we went in as a team and we went in as one, all-in, to get better."
The Bears also return senior outside hitter Gia Milana, junior setter Hannah Lockin and senior libero Tara Wulf in the starting lineup, along with seniors Braya Hunt and Hannah Fluegel that rotated in at setter or defensive specialist.
"We have not had a senior class like that," McGuyre said. "We've had some pretty stellar seniors, but to have six of them makes it really good. I'm not really leaning on them, they're pulling me up. We've painted the vision, they've been invested in the vision. They're very responsible and mature, so they're able to police things within the team to make sure our standards are high."
With Stafford coming back from an offseason shoulder surgery, McGuyre said that was probably his No. 1 question mark going into the start of practice. But, "there is zero rust, she's as good as ever. . . . To have her at full speed is really awesome and exciting."
Stafford said her fifth year of eligibility wasn't something that was promised. "So, just having this extra year to play and compete and really cherish every moment, I'm super excited."
As good as Pressley has been the last two seasons – she was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2017 – McGuyre expects her to take it to another level this year.
"You're going to see it this year," he said. "She's gone from underclassman to upperclassman, and the second half of her career is going to be even more stellar than the first half. Her maturity is good, and then you have all these setters who have some experience as well. It just makes everybody better."
Bench players returning include senior middle blocker Nicole Thomas, sophomore right-side hitter Marieke van der Mark, sophomores Shanel Bramschreiber and Bri Coleman and redshirt freshman libero Emily Van Slate.
Newcomers to the roster include a pair of transfers – sophomore right-side hitter AJ Koele from Mississippi State and junior setter Callie Williams from Tennessee, the daughter of Baylor assistant coach Jason Williams.
Highlighting the six-person freshman class is first-team high school All-American middle blocker Kara McGhee from San Antonio.
"She's going to tear up the Big 12 this year," Stafford said of McGhee. "We're super excited about her. I could go down the list and name awesome qualities about (every freshman), but just having Kara to make me better every single day, I'm excited about her."
Before opening with five straight matches on the road, the Bears will have their annual Green & Gold Scrimmage at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Ferrell Center and close out preseason action with a scrimmage at Texas A&M at 2 p.m. the following Saturday, Aug. 24.
"We have to be ready to go," Pressley said. "And one thing that's preparing us is knowing exactly where we're playing, who we're playing, what time and how many days until that match. This is the 12th of August, so we'll say, 'We don't stop! We don't stop! 18 days!' That prepares us and gets us fired up for those 18 days and match time."
Baylor Bear Insider
Baylor volleyball had to hit the floor running when practice started Saturday. Fifth-year head coach Ryan McGuyre knows that there's a true gauntlet just around the corner.
"There is zero easing into the schedule," said McGuyre, whose 20th-ranked Bears open with back-to-back tournaments on the road at Nebraska and Wisconsin. "Sometimes, preseason, you're still trying to figure out lineups, you want to battle-test different people to see come conference who is going to play. We've got to have that figured out our first match."
Picked second in the Big 12 preseason poll and 20th in the AVCA rankings that were released Tuesday, Baylor will open the season at the Aug. 30-31 Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., facing UCLA and 18th-ranked Creighton.
The following weekend, the Bears play Syracuse and No. 5 Wisconsin in the HotelRed Invitational in Madison, Wis., and No. 16 Marquette that Sunday in Milwaukee. Continuing the early grind, eight of their first 10 opponents made the NCAA Tournament, including a 19th-ranked Tennessee team that will join Houston at the home-opening Baylor Invitational.
"We want to be able to host the first and second rounds here, maybe third and fourth round. Our schedule gives us the opportunity to do that," McGuyre said. "If all things come together, we're going to be in really good shape and have a really good seed. If we stub our toe along the way, we're going to be battle-tested. We really just want to be playing our best volleyball in December."
Baylor returns four starters from a 20-9 team that finished second in the Big 12 and lost a five-setter to Oregon in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That was an Oregon team that upset second-seeded Minnesota before losing to eventual national runner-up Nebraska in the Elite Eight.
After three straight second-round exits, the Bears are looking to advance farther this season, especially with a group of six seniors.
"I think playing Oregon, they're an awesome team and they fought really well," said second-team All-American middle blocker Shelly Fanning Stafford, who got married this summer. "But I feel like, for the first time, we felt that true competition, that true grit, that it's going to take to win a national championship. Having that taste of fight is something I feel like we've brought into every single practice since then."
Junior outside hitter Yossiana Pressley, a returning All-Big 12 pick and honorable mention All-American, said Saturday's first practice of fall camp was the "best we've had since I've been here."
"This year, I just think we're more focused on our goal," Pressley said. "The first year that I got here, it wasn't necessarily mandatory to go to the open gyms, but we didn't have the initiative to go to open gyms. We were just saying, 'Oh, I'll go in and get some reps.' But, whenever we went in this year, we went in as a team and we went in as one, all-in, to get better."
The Bears also return senior outside hitter Gia Milana, junior setter Hannah Lockin and senior libero Tara Wulf in the starting lineup, along with seniors Braya Hunt and Hannah Fluegel that rotated in at setter or defensive specialist.
"We have not had a senior class like that," McGuyre said. "We've had some pretty stellar seniors, but to have six of them makes it really good. I'm not really leaning on them, they're pulling me up. We've painted the vision, they've been invested in the vision. They're very responsible and mature, so they're able to police things within the team to make sure our standards are high."
With Stafford coming back from an offseason shoulder surgery, McGuyre said that was probably his No. 1 question mark going into the start of practice. But, "there is zero rust, she's as good as ever. . . . To have her at full speed is really awesome and exciting."
Stafford said her fifth year of eligibility wasn't something that was promised. "So, just having this extra year to play and compete and really cherish every moment, I'm super excited."
As good as Pressley has been the last two seasons – she was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2017 – McGuyre expects her to take it to another level this year.
"You're going to see it this year," he said. "She's gone from underclassman to upperclassman, and the second half of her career is going to be even more stellar than the first half. Her maturity is good, and then you have all these setters who have some experience as well. It just makes everybody better."
Bench players returning include senior middle blocker Nicole Thomas, sophomore right-side hitter Marieke van der Mark, sophomores Shanel Bramschreiber and Bri Coleman and redshirt freshman libero Emily Van Slate.
Newcomers to the roster include a pair of transfers – sophomore right-side hitter AJ Koele from Mississippi State and junior setter Callie Williams from Tennessee, the daughter of Baylor assistant coach Jason Williams.
Highlighting the six-person freshman class is first-team high school All-American middle blocker Kara McGhee from San Antonio.
"She's going to tear up the Big 12 this year," Stafford said of McGhee. "We're super excited about her. I could go down the list and name awesome qualities about (every freshman), but just having Kara to make me better every single day, I'm excited about her."
Before opening with five straight matches on the road, the Bears will have their annual Green & Gold Scrimmage at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Ferrell Center and close out preseason action with a scrimmage at Texas A&M at 2 p.m. the following Saturday, Aug. 24.
"We have to be ready to go," Pressley said. "And one thing that's preparing us is knowing exactly where we're playing, who we're playing, what time and how many days until that match. This is the 12th of August, so we'll say, 'We don't stop! We don't stop! 18 days!' That prepares us and gets us fired up for those 18 days and match time."
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
S/DS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
Took the W and sent 'em back to *est Texas
Monday, November 24
Thank you seniors! 🫡
Friday, November 21
A senior send-off from Manuela Bibinbe!
Friday, November 21
Baylor Volleyball: Highlights vs Texas Tech | November 20, 2025
Friday, November 21
