Just going to add that overspecialization is getting a bit out of hand in the US. I spoke to a college coach that I know around Christmas. He said he gets a lot of emails from "six position OH's" and very few can actually play six positions.
Whats next at OH ?
- Thread starter PittMBA
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Dan & Chris.....you've given us a good discussion. It was was what I was hoping to hear. This is the kind of back and forth we need more of on Pitt VB. I'm still learning. Thanks
Thank you. It takes a little to learn some of the more subtle parts of the game and I don't always explain myself well. Never sure if I can talk about zones or alignments without being confusing but that's how my brain sees it. There is a lot more going on that what meets the eye and it can actually be very different at every level because of rules and skill levels. Coaches spend hours studying pre-serve alignments and teaching them. It's not wrong to say that if Pitt had elite littles, they could use a different strategy but Fisher sacrifices back row play to keep one of the best young players on the planet in the game to keep pressure on the other side. It's going to look weird when we don't have that player, someday.
You understand the nuances a lot better than I do and I appreciate that, I learn a lot from you in our discussions. I don't have any coaching experience, but I play a lot in local adult leagues (as a 5'10" 6-rotation setter) and watch a ton of women's volleyball so sometimes I think I know more than I actually do about some of the more tactical details. Glad we can both (and all of us on this board!) root for the Pitt ladies and share our thoughts/excitement/disappointment without it getting out of hand like the football or basketball boards can. Never feel bad about getting into detail on here imo, I think if someone is coming to this board rather than the occasional VB thread on F&F they want to learn.
We can have good discussions here because those same several posters who are constantly polluting the football and basketball boards have little interest in women's sports and/or specifically volleyball.
No, that's pretty cool. We don't have a decent adult league where I live or I would get back into playing. After my college football career went belly up, I played a year of volleyball as a middle. I've always loved the game and couldn't believe my luck when my daughter announced she was going to give the game a try in middle school and then begged us to try out for a local club. I wish she was taller. She is obsessed with the game now and is wading into college recruiting.
A lot has changed since I played so it's been fun feeding off of her enthusiasm. We watch a lot of volleyball (sat and watched some of her friends on BallerTV from Cleveland on Saturday and Sunday morning). Keep the book for her school team and spend a lot of time sorting through rotations with HS officials, which is always frustratingly fun (I love agitating officials). I've learned a few things from them and may pick up a whistle when my kid finally hangs it up because I love the atmosphere at tournaments. I'm very fortunate to be involved or have close contacts, from elementary up to D1, both coaches and officials, and I am treating this as a learning experience. Always something to learn because the game keeps evolving.
I'll be starting a thread on this next week but if anyone is still near Pittsburgh and would like to see some very good junior talent, the Steel City Freeze is next Saturday and Sunday. I'll give some insight into the schedule and will look to see which prospects might be playing. This is one of the big Nike tournaments and the convention center does a good job hosting the event. Will be a lot of talented players from Ohio, Michigan, NY, and PA. Sometimes get some teams from further west, too.
That was cathartic but Pitt still needs another outside. Right now, there really aren't any in the portal that Pitt could use. I'm assuming that there are feelers (tampering) going out to gage interest (offers) at the club level.
Apparently......Oregon incoming recruit.....Logan Bell OH.....has reopened her recruitment. She is Indiana's Gatorade POY and was on the U19 team. I checked her IG page and she is following Pitt VB. Interestingly....on the U19 team she was listed as a libero.
Only listed at 5'10 so very much on the smaller side like Chicoine or Luper - may have a long term future as a libero or DS. But we have plenty of roster spots so would be happy to take a shot on her and see where she ends up at the higher level
Florida brought in 3 OHs in the portal this winter - Byrd from Texas, Madkin from Arkansas (SEC all freshman team/ARK kills leader) and Flormarie Heredia Colon. Only two of them are going to start, so I wouldn't be surprised to see one transfer out and I would take either Byrd or Madkin in a heartbeat with our need at OH right now (assuming FHC wins a starting spot). Madkin has the advantage of collegiate playing experience but Byrd is a 6-4 OH and two time Florida gatorade POY but couldnt get on the court at Texas, so either would be a nice grab if one decides to leave for a better chance at starting
Well, that would solve any hand wringing about a six position OH in serve receive. Just kidding.
I don't know those players but it's hard to say what the thinking is or if someone will be moved.
Her recruiting profile has her at 5-11, of course. I kind of have a preference towards small, athletic OH's if they can play at this level. They usually lack the ability to hit over blocks but they are usually good at locating hits and cover a lot of territory.
Pitt's roster for 2025 sits at 13 athletes....4 of whom are new faces. Last year there were 16 total. NCAA rules now permit a roster size of 18 for 2025. I feel Fish is going to rebuild the roster back to 15 or 16.....but he's going to be methodical and patient about who he adds. This means 2 or 3 more new faces. One has to be an OH. The only position that doesn't need another new face is MB.
One of those guys said we choked, or quit vs Louisville. But for whatever reason he felt the need to start threads on the basketball board instead of here…which is a good thing I suppose.
I would like to see this board become a bigger community though.
Agreed, just looking at some of the other top teams to see where potential movement would come from and they're a candidate. Could come from anywhere though
And right now he has five freshmen coming in next year.
And so far as the middles are concerned, what a difference a year makes.
Not even suggesting it's for real but there are some quiet rumblings that Harper Murray may be weighing her options.
For what it's worth, Fish was at the Triple Crown NIT tournament this weekend. Probably the premier mid-season event for juniors although not all of the top clubs attend. Some east coast clubs, like Metro, were in DC this past weekend. I only bring it up because this is one of those events where coaches get into the ears of club directors and coaches to see if a current college player would be interested in being tampered with.
For what it's worth, Fish was at the Triple Crown NIT tournament this weekend. Probably the premier mid-season event for juniors although not all of the top clubs attend. Some east coast clubs, like Metro, were in DC this past weekend. I only bring it up because this is one of those events where coaches get into the ears of club directors and coaches to see if a current college player would be interested in being tampered with.
Love this rumor....keep feeding the Pitt VB fanbase with any news you feel worthy!
I'll be honest, there isn't any reason to believe this rumor is true but losing Stafford and picking up Murray would be so wild.
If you want a reason to believe, she and Olivia spent all of Super Bowl weekend together in New Orleans…
She was also at the NIT tournament and so was Fisher if you really want to go there but I just don't see her leaving Nebraska.
Some (me) would argue she's the best all-around OH in the college game. Head-to-head comparison with Torrey, she's better and plays a very solid back row. Future Olympian. And that's not a slight towards Torrey at all.
There are a few reasons she wouldn't come to Pitt. Mostly because I think it would take a lot to get her to leave Nebraska but most top tier players will hesitate at the risk of being overshadowed by Olivia.
Leaving Nebraska to get away from the loud idiots of the fan base wouldn't be the worst thing for her.
Yes indeed! That’s what I like about this story…..let the speculation continue!
Well, yeah. There are some real a-holes in their fan base. We saw a lot of casual fans saying Pitt choked this past season. Was way worse for Nebraska. Season before they nearly drove Murray crazy.
Didn’t she have people making comments about her dead dad? Super F-Ed up. Says something about how mainstream volleyball is getting that now the a-hole nature of fans from the major sports is making its way in. Can’t imagine you’d see that for any other women’s collegiate sport currently
I don't know there are any fan bases for a women's sport quite like Nebraska, either.
Maybe leaving the Lincoln campus and coming to Pittsburgh would be a change she is looking for. A city lifestyle most likely could be appealing
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Florida looks to have complete turnover in its coaching staff. Brought in the head coach from Marquette Theiss and all the assistants. To me that is a bit of a surprise and I expect the will see some players transferring out in May. Who? I have no idea. As mentioned above, they brought in 3 OH. Will Flormarie stay. These are not the people who recruited her. This will be interesting to watch.
By the way, Blaire Bayless in on the Women's National Team Open Program.
usavolleyball.org
Roster Announced for 2025 Women's National Team Open Program - USA Volleyball
As the pipeline between USA Volleyball and the NCAA continues to grow, more than 160 collegiate athletes will train at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs on February 21-23 for the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Program.
usavolleyball.org
