D3 Volleyball and Underdog Talk

Disclaimer: I do not intend to knock any of the volleyball players with substantial playing time mentioned in this post–I only intend to post on how their statistical numbers looked and note their down the road potential–after all. there are so many factors beyond the control of each individual player (such as injury, or maybe a different system at the player’s destination point, coaching strategy, caliber and level of competition, balance of roster on the team the player transfers to, etc. etc.) I just like being more of a positive statistic “nerd’ than a negative one, with a very dry sense of humor.

Here we go: (all names are per “X”

Tam Nguyen- Blackburn L/DS-Sophomore: ’23 top stats: 408 digs, (led squad) 34 service aces.

Sydney Love -Dallas MB-Junior: ’23 top stats: 138 kills, 66 Total Blocks, 177.5 total points.

Rylie Kalahiki- Linfield OPP/DS-Junior: 21 Service Aces, 123 digs, 173.5 total points.

Kailee Turner- Goucher OH/S-Junior: 238 kills, 29 Service Aces, 276 total points.

Gabi Engels -UT Dallas OH/OPP Junior: 121 kills, 35 blocks, 144.5 total points.

Great opportunity when you can get it–it’ll be interesting to see where these players end up.

 

Now that Juniata has won back to back NCAA D3 titles, I figured I’d move on mostly to off-season material. Posted aii few things in Volley Talk, but couldn’t be very active there during the last couple of rounds because I was coordinationg things for the West Allis, WI holiday parade (which ran smooth as silk) but I digress.

Most of my Volley Talk entries focused on women’s JUCO action-polls and what not–I attended a JUCO in Wisconsin back in the early 1980’s but back then the facilities were nowhere near what they are now. I don’t recall even seeing an on-campus weight room that was that large, and back then, winning 1 match a season was a big thing.

Shortly after a JUCO national champ (Dallas-Eastfuekd) took the title the squad had several players enter the transfer portal. One D3 player from UT-Dallas has also entered. It’ll be interesting to see where they end up.

I’m tempted to do a number analysis “Statistics Loss” for several JUCO squads-still not sure yet.

Another D3 women’s volleyball regular season is in progress (3rd week). I guess the closest thing to a relative underdog who got off to a better than expected start at this point is UW-Stout, but we’ll see once that squad gets through with in-conference play how long that holds up. I’ve already found out that during this season, the NACC squads continue to have very limited success against ranked WIAC and other ranked opponents with Aroura and Concordia-WI providing exceptions to that pattern. Coe should hold its’ own, Trinity-Texas is slipping a bit of late. That’s all I have, for now, anyway.

#13 ranked Emory’s coach is stepping down after 26 years. Emory competes in the University Athletic Association, one of the strongest conferences in NCAA D3 (Emory, U of Chicago, Wash-MO, NYU and perhaps 1 or 2 other UAA squads qualified for the D3 Tournament in ’22).

The good thing about the immediate off-season notifiications is it allows for a staff that much more time to begin a search for a new coach, (moreso if the school decides not to go with an “in-house” hire.) Also, there are the players to think of (recruiting, effect on current player’s future plans and what-not).

This is somewhat comparable to the Wisconsin Badger’s football situation. I thought the Badgers would keep their ’22 interim coach on and make him head coach (he was very popular as a Badger player and had a successful NFL career), but a different direction was taken. Whether he’ll be allowed to stay on with the new coach’s staff remains to be seen. (Although Emory has been more consistent as a women’s volleyball power than Wisconsin has been in football.)

Per sources on Volley Talk Brockport State (SUNYAC) is coach hunting: the ’22 squad went 20-8 on the season and reached the SUNYAC Tourney Final before being knocked off by Cortland State. Brockport State had 5 Juniors and 5 Seniors/5th year players on its’ roster in ’22. The Golden Eagles have been a very strong SUNYAC in-conference team over the past several seasons, so it’ll be interesting to see who takes over.

Total Digs 2022: Scranton’s Maddie Forry was the only 1st year player to break into the top 20 in digs (12th, 646); 2021: 4 players did it (1 from Haverford, 1 from UW-Oshkosh, 1 from UW-Superior and 1 from Trine– first 2 of those squads qualified for ’21 NCAA tournament–); 2020; 3 players did it (1 from ETBU, 1 from Averett, 1 from Mary Hardin-Baylor); 2019-1 player did it (from Texas Lutheran)

Total Kills 2022: ETBU’s Graycee Mosley was the lone 1st year player to crack the top 20 in kills (466); 2021: 4 players did it (from UW-Stevens Point, Transylvania, Drew and NW-MN, respectively); 2020-1 player did it (from Otterbein), led the nation in kills in that shortened season (301); 2019; 3 players did it (from Coe, Susquehanna and Aurora, respectively).

Total Blocks 2022: 2 1st year players finished in the top 20 nationally in this stat–Marley Aune-NW-MN (6th, 129), and Brooke Murdoch-Randolph (14th, 118.) 2021; 3 players did it (from ONU, Cortland State and Calvin; 2020: 9 1st year players did it (COVID shortened season); 2019; 1 player did it (from ONU).

Again, with the exception of Randolph and Drew, these stats come from very strong squads, most of whom have been nationally ranked, and even mostly un-ranked Cortland State has been a top SUNYAC squad.

It’s that much more of a bonus when a first-year player can step in and make that strong a contribution right away, and even though it may not happen that often, relatively speaking, it’s that much more appreciated when it does.

Last stat of the day: Total Points:

2022: ETBU’s Grace Moseley was the lone 1st year player to crack the Top 20 (at #15 with 514.5) –my West Region WVB connection cheering–; 2021-4 1st year players did it (1 from UW-Stevens Point, 4th) (1 from NW-MN, 11th) (1 from Drew, 12th) (1 from Transylvania, 17th). 2020 and earlier, not available.

More high power squads show up for this stat (only Drew to the best of my knowledge has not been nationally ranked between 2020-22,)

Next: Service Aces

2022: NVU-Johnson 1st year player Max Ludlow placed 3rd nationally with 88 service aces: 2021-4 1st year players were in the Top 20 (1 from Mt. St. Mary-NY 2nd with 87): (1 from CCC squad Suffolk, 4th, 77); (1 from Neumann, 10th, 73); (1 from GNAC squad Lasell-McKenna McCool, 12th, 71); 2020 2 1st year players cracked the Top 20 (1 from Maranatha Baptist and 1 from Averett); 2019 3 in Top 20 (from CCIW North Park, Clarkson and Gallaudet, respectively)

Next stat: Hitting Pct.

2022: Highest placing 1st year player in Hitting Pct was ME-Maritime’s Ila Smith (8th in the Nation at .404). In 2021 3 first year players broke into the top 20 (1 from SAA power Berry–6th at .416), (another from Smith —14th-.395) (the 3rd from SCIAC power CMS -18th at .381); 2020-1 first year player from Cedar Crest was 5th at .455); 2019-2 1st year players-both from NEWMAC squads Babson and MIT respectively, were 9th and 11th (.402, .393)

Northeast Regions stood out a bit more for this stat.

For comparison sake, here is how the 2022 assist stat I mentioned in my previous post stacks up in relation to previous seasons:

2022: 7 1st year players placed in Top 20 for Total Assists: 2021: 2 1st year players in Top 20; (1 from MWC power Cornell-IA and the other from NJAC squad Rowan); Spring of ’21 4 1st year players in Top 20 (from HCAC power Transylvania, Covenant, Independent Maranatha Baptist and UMAC squad Northland); 2019–3 1st year players in Top 20 (from UAA squad Emory-that player was the most recent 1st year player to lead the nation in Total Assists (1,477); 2nd was from OAC power Otterbein, and the 3rd from C2C squad Christopher Newport: 2018; 2 1st year players (from UMAC power NW-MN and American Rivers Conference squad Dubuque).

So, more 1st year players finished strong as setters this last season than in the previous 4-interesting. To some observers, this may be a somewhat unexpected bonus. Either way, there’s been at least 1 squad that finds room for a 1st year setter to make a strong impact.