VOLLEYBALL HAS DEEP, TALENTED ROSTER
8/29/2019 6:59:00 PM | Volleyball
#20 Bears Opening on the Road at Nebraska Tournament
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
It's not just that the 20th-ranked Baylor volleyball team has a deep roster with 20 players, it's quality depth that pushes everyone every day.
"It helps in how we train because of how good they are on the roster," said Ryan McGuyre, who is 83-41 in four seasons at Baylor and 418-174 overall as a collegiate head coach. "It's not just fillers, but it is a great group of women that get to battle. So, it makes the quality of our reps really good in practice, because we're really competitive with each other without maybe the same people jumping 100,000 times."
Coming off a program-record third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the Bears will be tested right out of the gates with this weekend's Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Baylor plays perennial power UCLA at 4:30 p.m. CDT Friday and No. 18 Creighton at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
"This is a great measuring test," McGuyre said. "UCLA, receiving votes (in the coaches' poll), they've been a powerhouse volleyball program a long time. Creighton is ranked ahead of us, a Sweet 16 team last year. Great environment at Nebraska, perfect opportunity to be tested. There's no hiding from this weekend."
This tournament has been circled on the calendar for a long time, but the Bears don't get the chance to square off against second-ranked Nebraska, the NCAA national runner-up a year ago.
McGuyre was the associate head coach at Florida State in 2014 when the Seminoles upset eighth-ranked Nebraska, 3-1, in Lincoln.
"I've only played there once, but I'm 1-0 there as a coach," he said. "Ironically, that was the opening match that year as well. It's just a great environment. It will be good for our girls to see that as we're scouting and watching the other matches. They're a first-class program. You're going to have four programs that are all ranked or receiving votes there the same weekend. So, just a great place for volleyball."
As deep as the roster is, it starts with a core group of returners with fifth-year senior middle blocker Shelly (Fanning) Stafford, a second-team All-American last year; and junior outside hitter Yossiana Pressley, an honorable mention All-American and first-team All-Big 12 pick who led the league with 4.62 kills per set.
McGuyre believes there's another level Pressley can reach 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. And it just makes everybody better."
An honorable mention All-American as a freshman two years ago, Hannah Lockin missed all of fall camp and the first three matches with an injury and split time at setter with Hannah Fluegel. Added to that mix is junior Callie Williams, a transfer from Tennessee and the daughter of assistant coach Jason Williams, but she will redshirt this season.
Lockin calls it the "dream team of setters."
"We push each other, we make each other better, we all bring different things to the table," she said. "It's so comforting, but it also lights a fire under my butt to keep getting after it. But, it's also nice to know that two people have my back and I have theirs the same. It's awesome."
Pressley said it lit a fire under her when she had to sit out with an injury in the spring, "because you get to observe everything that's going on and figure out what you would do in certain situations."
"I feel like I've elevated in my game just by making sure I evaluate what's going on, make a smart decision and make that decision quickly, obviously," she said.
Stafford, who was married this summer, said she was never promised a fifth year of eligibility. She had to miss the entire 2016 season with an injury after earning second-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Freshman honors and also was named to the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team.
"Just having this extra year to play and compete and really cherish every moment, I'm super excited," she said. "I've seen tons of growth (with this program), and I'm definitely grateful that I've gotten to experience all of it. . . . Just from year one, little Shelly Fanning to now Shelly Stafford, so much has changed. But, it's really exciting."
Helping Stafford in the middle is 6-4 freshman Kara McGhee, the highest-ranked recruit in program history at No. 6 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com.
"I think these two weeks of preseason training, she's just grown more than I expected," McGuyre said of McGhee. "In the spring, there was some acclimation and she was already really good and physical, there was some steady growth. But, I think these couple weeks, she's just made a mental shift and we've had exponential growth. So, it's been beyond exciting to see that. She's going to break blocking records for Baylor, I feel very confident about that."
Also returning are senior libero Tara Wulf and 6-2 senior Gia Milana, a transfer from Maryland who averaged 1.93 kills and 0.4 blocks per set last season at right-side hitter.
"She came in as a mature woman and her shoulder's fully healthy, so she's got a cannon," McGuyre said. "Some games, we're just going to ride her and she's going to take us through it. And other games, she's going to have to bail us out and maybe send the ball over tough so that we get the ball back easier and somebody else gets to terminate."
Baylor goes back on the road next week to face Syracuse and No. 5 Wisconsin in the HotelRed Invitational on Thursday and Friday in Madison, Wis., and then No. 15 Marquette next Sunday, Sept. 8, in Milwaukee. The Bears return home to host the Baylor Invitational and Baylor Classic on back-to-back weekends for their first home matches of the season.
Baylor Bear Insider
It's not just that the 20th-ranked Baylor volleyball team has a deep roster with 20 players, it's quality depth that pushes everyone every day.
"It helps in how we train because of how good they are on the roster," said Ryan McGuyre, who is 83-41 in four seasons at Baylor and 418-174 overall as a collegiate head coach. "It's not just fillers, but it is a great group of women that get to battle. So, it makes the quality of our reps really good in practice, because we're really competitive with each other without maybe the same people jumping 100,000 times."
Coming off a program-record third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the Bears will be tested right out of the gates with this weekend's Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Baylor plays perennial power UCLA at 4:30 p.m. CDT Friday and No. 18 Creighton at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
"This is a great measuring test," McGuyre said. "UCLA, receiving votes (in the coaches' poll), they've been a powerhouse volleyball program a long time. Creighton is ranked ahead of us, a Sweet 16 team last year. Great environment at Nebraska, perfect opportunity to be tested. There's no hiding from this weekend."
This tournament has been circled on the calendar for a long time, but the Bears don't get the chance to square off against second-ranked Nebraska, the NCAA national runner-up a year ago.
McGuyre was the associate head coach at Florida State in 2014 when the Seminoles upset eighth-ranked Nebraska, 3-1, in Lincoln.
"I've only played there once, but I'm 1-0 there as a coach," he said. "Ironically, that was the opening match that year as well. It's just a great environment. It will be good for our girls to see that as we're scouting and watching the other matches. They're a first-class program. You're going to have four programs that are all ranked or receiving votes there the same weekend. So, just a great place for volleyball."
As deep as the roster is, it starts with a core group of returners with fifth-year senior middle blocker Shelly (Fanning) Stafford, a second-team All-American last year; and junior outside hitter Yossiana Pressley, an honorable mention All-American and first-team All-Big 12 pick who led the league with 4.62 kills per set.
McGuyre believes there's another level Pressley can reach 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. And it just makes everybody better."
An honorable mention All-American as a freshman two years ago, Hannah Lockin missed all of fall camp and the first three matches with an injury and split time at setter with Hannah Fluegel. Added to that mix is junior Callie Williams, a transfer from Tennessee and the daughter of assistant coach Jason Williams, but she will redshirt this season.
Lockin calls it the "dream team of setters."
"We push each other, we make each other better, we all bring different things to the table," she said. "It's so comforting, but it also lights a fire under my butt to keep getting after it. But, it's also nice to know that two people have my back and I have theirs the same. It's awesome."
Pressley said it lit a fire under her when she had to sit out with an injury in the spring, "because you get to observe everything that's going on and figure out what you would do in certain situations."
"I feel like I've elevated in my game just by making sure I evaluate what's going on, make a smart decision and make that decision quickly, obviously," she said.
Stafford, who was married this summer, said she was never promised a fifth year of eligibility. She had to miss the entire 2016 season with an injury after earning second-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Freshman honors and also was named to the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team.
"Just having this extra year to play and compete and really cherish every moment, I'm super excited," she said. "I've seen tons of growth (with this program), and I'm definitely grateful that I've gotten to experience all of it. . . . Just from year one, little Shelly Fanning to now Shelly Stafford, so much has changed. But, it's really exciting."
Helping Stafford in the middle is 6-4 freshman Kara McGhee, the highest-ranked recruit in program history at No. 6 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com.
"I think these two weeks of preseason training, she's just grown more than I expected," McGuyre said of McGhee. "In the spring, there was some acclimation and she was already really good and physical, there was some steady growth. But, I think these couple weeks, she's just made a mental shift and we've had exponential growth. So, it's been beyond exciting to see that. She's going to break blocking records for Baylor, I feel very confident about that."
Also returning are senior libero Tara Wulf and 6-2 senior Gia Milana, a transfer from Maryland who averaged 1.93 kills and 0.4 blocks per set last season at right-side hitter.
"She came in as a mature woman and her shoulder's fully healthy, so she's got a cannon," McGuyre said. "Some games, we're just going to ride her and she's going to take us through it. And other games, she's going to have to bail us out and maybe send the ball over tough so that we get the ball back easier and somebody else gets to terminate."
Baylor goes back on the road next week to face Syracuse and No. 5 Wisconsin in the HotelRed Invitational on Thursday and Friday in Madison, Wis., and then No. 15 Marquette next Sunday, Sept. 8, in Milwaukee. The Bears return home to host the Baylor Invitational and Baylor Classic on back-to-back weekends for their first home matches of the season.
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
vs. Oregon (NCAA Second Round)
Friday, November 30
Volleyball vs. Hawai'i
Thursday, November 29
Volleyball at Texas Tech
Monday, November 12
Volleyball at Kansas State
Friday, November 09
