VBALL: PREVIEW of Pitt vs Louisville - National Semifinal

[Joe the Panther Fan]

The rich get richer. Especially in women's college sports, where talent is already concentrated among a few teams.

Isn't it really the opposite thing that is happening though? I mean look at volleyball. There are two ACC teams in the Final Four. That's never happened before, and until recently no ACC team had ever even made the Final Four. Tomorrow one of them has a chance to win the championship. And you also had a team from the WCC, but it wasn't someone like Pepperdine, a traditional power, it was San Diego. And the other team in the Final Four is from the Big 12. No Big Ten teams. No PAC12 teams.

And the same thing is happening in other women's sports. For instance basketball is way more diverse at the top than it has been. There is no one like Tennessee from the late 80s through the 00s that was a title favorite every single year. There is no one like UConn from the 00s through the 10s that was a title favorite every single year. Women's soccer is the same way. North Carolina won 21 national championships in 31 seasons from 82 - 12 (and lost in three other championship games). No one is dominating like that today, or even close to it.

Women's college sports are certainly more top heavy than men's college sports, but they are also getting more and more diverse at the top.

 

[Chaos]

I remember them saying that.I figured Akeo and Browske might be able to come back.Why not come back should be another good run.

Browske should not come back to Pitt. She was a liability last night in serve receive. Seems like a good teammate, but just lacks the talent needed at this level. Would love to see Nwokolo come back though. H2P

 

[levance2]

I mean, we are absolutely going to get a MB and a OH from the portal.

Buzzerio was a 1st team AA. That is like saying Capel should go sign a couple Dejuan Blairs or Narduzzi should sign a couple Picketts.

Buzzerio had the 2nd most kills in a Pitt season (behind Stephanie Williams) for the modern record. This is not a season that will be replaced next year, especially not with TWO comparable athletes.

Pitt might be very good next year, and they might even sign an AA transfer, but it isn't going to be "a Buzzerio." If this were a sport other than volleyball, you guys would recognize how insane that statement is.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Buzzerio was a 1st team AA. That is like saying Capel should go sign a couple Dejuan Blairs or Narduzzi should sign a couple Picketts.

Buzzerio had the 2nd most kills in a Pitt season (behind Stephanie Williams) for the modern record. This is not a season that will be replaced next year, especially not with TWO comparable athletes.

Pitt might be very good next year, and they might even sign an AA transfer, but it isn't going to be "a Buzzerio." If this were a sport other than volleyball, you guys would recognize how insane that statement is.

She's 3rd in the country in kills while hitting at a very high percentage. The chances that Pitt is going to replace that sort of volume with someone who can hit at that high a percentage is not good at all.

 

[levance2]

She's 3rd in the country in kills while hitting at a very high percentage. The chances that Pitt is going to replace that sort of volume with someone who can hit at that high a percentage is not good at all.

It is possible that no Pitt RS will ever match 2022 Buzzerio. 2018 Nika Markovic was also an AA RS for Pitt, and Buzzerio is orders of magnitude more dominant this year.

 

[whirlybird optio]

Buzzerio was a 1st team AA. That is like saying Capel should go sign a couple Dejuan Blairs or Narduzzi should sign a couple Picketts.

Buzzerio had the 2nd most kills in a Pitt season (behind Stephanie Williams) for the modern record. This is not a season that will be replaced next year, especially not with TWO comparable athletes.

Pitt might be very good next year, and they might even sign an AA transfer, but it isn't going to be "a Buzzerio." If this were a sport other than volleyball, you guys would recognize how insane that statement is.

Oh, ok. I wasn’t implying it’s that easy. I was only saying he will try, he will get some players, and Im sure they will be good. You are correct in that they absolutely have to hit the lottery again to be as good as Buzzerio.

I think Fairbanks has the potential to be a top 10 player nationally, and Dalton/Gomez are quality pieces. Im interested to see who he will add. I’d pick against Pitt and Fisher at your own peril.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Guys. Addressing some earlier posts, I think even the most novice of volleyball observers realize how important the first pass is and can immediately identify a good side out opportunity the very second that serve is received.

I think that why it was so disappointing to see a player in a gold shirt last night miss so many opportunities when that’s supposed to be her strength.

Does anyone know of any metrics that might help identify who Louisville’s most valuable player was last night? Dabeer? Scott?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Does anyone know of any metrics that might help identify who Louisville’s most valuable player was last night? Dabeer? Scott?

Their leading hitter was Chaussee, and it wasn't really all that close. She had 25 kills and only 4 errors on 49 swings, a .429 hitting percentage, which is really good. Their second best hitter by percentage was Kong at .333, but she only had 12 swings, and next was Jones at .310 on 29 swings. Dabeer only hit .195, which isn't good at all. Of course that doesn't capture what she did at the service line. Scott isn't a hitter, but she had 28 digs. The second most by anyone in the match was Klika with 13.

 

[PittMBA]

Oh, ok. I wasn’t implying it’s that easy. I was only saying he will try, he will get some players, and Im sure they will be good. You are correct in that they absolutely have to hit the lottery again to be as good as Buzzerio.

I think Fairbanks has the potential to be a top 10 player nationally, and Dalton/Gomez are quality pieces. Im interested to see who he will add. I’d pick against Pitt and Fisher at your own peril.

I mean , without back to back final 4s Fisher has added transfers Grey, Dalton, Ennis, Member-Meneh, Buzzerio … ( I feel like I’m missing someone)

It stands to reason he lands 2 or 3 high quality transfers again.

I suspect they’re preseason top 10 again next season- as you said starting with a top 10 class added to Vazquez- Gomez, Dalton, Fairbanks, Klika, Akeo, Flood, Jespen, Griffin … and we’ll see what transfers they add…

 

[KennyTheKangaroo]

Isn't it really the opposite thing that is happening though? I mean look at volleyball. There are two ACC teams in the Final Four. That's never happened before, and until recently no ACC team had ever even made the Final Four. Tomorrow one of them has a chance to win the championship. And you also had a team from the WCC, but it wasn't someone like Pepperdine, a traditional power, it was San Diego. And the other team in the Final Four is from the Big 12. No Big Ten teams. No PAC12 teams.

And the same thing is happening in other women's sports. For instance basketball is way more diverse at the top than it has been. There is no one like Tennessee from the late 80s through the 00s that was a title favorite every single year. There is no one like UConn from the 00s through the 10s that was a title favorite every single year. Women's soccer is the same way. North Carolina won 21 national championships in 31 seasons from 82 - 12 (and lost in three other championship games). No one is dominating like that today, or even close to it.

Women's college sports are certainly more top heavy than men's college sports, but they are also getting more and more diverse at the top.

You make a lot of good points. I feel like the "professionalization" of youth sports (ie non stop travel/club, recruiting services, etc) led to much of the leveling of the playing field over the last two decades. That and technology. Without the youth sports industrial complex and without technology, recruiting probably doesn't become a nation wide (and world wide) search.

I mean, does Kayla Lund ever make it past the Mountain Time zone and go to pitt if not for those factors? No. Hell no.

That being said, those trends are yesterday's news. Today's news is the portal. Louisville replaces Differ (a great setter) with USC's setter. Pitt replaces an all American right side...with an all american right side from Iowa. When Washington beat us in the quarterfinals a few years back, their best player was a transfer. Texas has an all american libero transfer.

It's a wide open market out there. What player doesn't want to take a chance on playing at the elite level?

Take a look at the avca's honorable mention all Americans list. Lots of players with eligibility from non elite or mid major programs. Every big-time program is going to pour over that list trying to find talent.

That's why I think the rich are going to get richer.

 

[Chaos]

You make a lot of good points. I feel like the "professionalization" of youth sports (ie non stop travel/club, recruiting services, etc) led to much of the leveling of the playing field over the last two decades. That and technology. Without the youth sports industrial complex and without technology, recruiting probably doesn't become a nation wide (and world wide) search.

I mean, does Kayla Lund ever make it past the Mountain Time zone and go to pitt if not for those factors? No. Hell no.

That being said, those trends are yesterday's news. Today's news is the portal. Louisville replaces Differ (a great setter) with USC's setter. Pitt replaces an all American right side...with an all american right side from Iowa. When Washington beat us in the quarterfinals a few years back, their best player was a transfer. Texas has an all american libero transfer.

It's a wide open market out there. What player doesn't want to take a chance on playing at the elite level?

Take a look at the avca's honorable mention all Americans list. Lots of players with eligibility from non elite or mid major programs. Every big-time program is going to pour over that list trying to find talent.

That's why I think the rich are going to get richer.

Hopefully Pitt is among the rich! H2P