K-State Hosts Annual Volleyball Media Day
Aug 15, 2002 | Volleyball
Aug. 15, 2002
QUOTES FROM KANSAS STATE'S VOLLEYBALL MEDIA DAY
Head Coach Suzie Fritz
On the off-season...
"Spring was very good for us. We had four objectives that we really wanted to try and accomplish in that period of time. Two players I think in particular in Lauren Goehring and Cari Jensen emerged. I don't know if I want to say that they figured some things out, but it just clicked for them. I think there's a point in time in every player's career where it happens for them at different times. They matured as volleyball players and they started to gain stronger understanding of what they needed to be successful and what the team needed from them. As well, I think Jennie Pollard and Laura Downey did a nice job. We lost some significant leadership in Liz Wegner and Lisa Mimick. So I thought that Downey and Pollard did a nice job of starting to hone their leadership skills and develop this as their team now. Off-season, we had 12-of-13 players stay for the summer and take summer courses and stay and train, and workout and play. I think we are further ahead coming in this fall than we've ever been before because we just had more kids stay and make a commitment to the program."
On the newcomers...
"The learning curve is pretty steep in our program. They're surrounded by some really nice players, so it's hard to say right now. The first few days are very frustrating for them. They're learning a new system. They're adapting to new technical methods. They're trying to figure out where they're supposed to be standing, let alone what they're supposed to be doing. I don't know if I feel prepared to answer that question or not. I think they're doing a great job, I think they're figuring things out and they're learning very fast. There is no doubt that there are some of them in that group that could have the ability to contribute early."
On Michaela Franklin...
"She's from Lincoln High School, and we recruited Michaela out of high school. She ended up going to Northern Michigan and contacted us about two weeks ago to let us know that her coach had left. It was less a bad experience and more just a coaching change and wanting to maybe get closer to home, being from Nebraska. She wrote us, we got a release on her, we called up there and talked to her and her mom and they came down. She liked it a lot and she really felt good about how she connected with the team and those interpersonal relationships. I think she felt like we could get her better and that she could accomplish her goals. She has very high aspirations and I think she felt that she could accomplish those things here. She's tremendously competitive and a very nice athlete. She's kind of K-State. She's not so big, but she competes and she gets after it. So I think she really fits what we do really well. She's a very nice athlete. She very easily can tough the rim, so I like her athletic ability. I think once Michaela learns to develop some range so that she's not making so many unforced errors, the sky is the limit for her. She's a very nice volleyball player."
On Gabby Guerre...
"Gabby has a year of Big 12 experience, so she should be better. As well, I think Gabby made a commitment to getting stronger, getting faster and doing some things physically that she needed to do this summer. They played a lot this summer on their own. I don't know what Gabby's going to do. Gabby has to get better. She has to get better just like everyone else has got to get better. I'd like to see her jump-set a little bit more. I'd like to see her get involved a little bit more as far as interpersonally with the team. She has some significant demands I think with a young, but not so inexperienced young team."
On her goals and expectations...
"We don't really talk about wins and losses. My goal is to do better than we did last year. As generic that is sounds, we want to get better every day and we want to improve on the 2001 season. That season was a special season for me because it was my first. We were fortunate enough to go 20-8 and have more wins that any other K-State team in the history of our program. So, I think it's a significant challenge just to be better than we were a year ago. Certainly we want to make a run at the NCAA Tournament, but right now we don't have to be great until November. We want to be good. We want to beat lots of people in the preseason and we want to be ready to by the time the Huskers come in here for our first conference match. Ultimately, our goal is to get this team where they need to be by mid-November."
On the schedule...
"I think when we schedule, we want to have some significant challenges early to identify where the team is at. That gives us a really nice gauge of, 'okay, that's a nice volleyball team. That's a team that if we want to be a final four team, if we want a shot at an NCAA title some day, that's a team that we have to be able to beat.' I think we take that into consideration, as well as we don't want to get completely beaten up the first ten matches of the year either. We want some nice balance in our preseason scheduling. Michigan State's on there. Colorado State is on there and South Florida has a nice team. Georgia Tech has a nice team. So, I think those will pose some nice challenges."
On the Libero...
"I think the libero is great. I don't know how to coach with it yet. I'm going to have to figure it out because I've never had to do it before. I haven't put a lot of thought into it yet. The libero is the person that is able to come in at any point in time for any player in the back row. They can't serve. They can't attack from behind the 10-foot-line, but they can come in at any time. The only stipulation is that if they come out of the match they have stay out of the match for at least one play. I love what Jami Sleichter, Laura Downey and Kris Jensen are doing right now in our practices. They're passing a lot of perfect passes. They're passing it standard, what we want them to pass at. They're digging lots of balls. They're going to the floor and providing some emotional energy. That's what we need form libero's and defensive specialists. We've got some significant competition as to whom that libero is going to be. As well, we may use a libero and also sub. You're going in the front row and the back row to play all six rotations for us this year."
On the middle blockers...
"We are not as deep as I would like to be because we have two incoming freshman that are our third and fourth middle blockers right now. How good are we? I think we are very good. We're very athletic. We're fast in that position with Lauren Goehring and Lisa Martin. They're not tremendously big, but they're fast and they're disciplined. They're getting on the ball fast and they've developed some range. I love what they do defensively in terms of their eyes and seeing the play and defending what happens first, first. They're responsible for the organization, almost like a linebacker, for the organization of our defense, in terms of, 'hey, here's where the percentages are. Maybe we're going to dedicate this way. Maybe we're going to commit here, or maybe we're going to stay in a read.' I like what those two players are doing and they're just a junior and redshirt sophomore. We're young but athletic."
On being more comfortable this season...
"I don't think it can get more hairy that last year. Six days before the season and then deciding, 'oh my gosh, I better decide what we're going to do in practice.' I had months, and months to prepare for, 'here's where I think this team needs to get better and here's our goals. Here's the four things that are my objectives.' I think if we do these things, I think we can win a lot of matches. I've had maybe too much time to think about it this year. Certainly preparation has been key for me this summer."
On Molly Lindquist...
"Molly is doing a really nice job. We have her in the middle right now, I'm not sure that's where she'll end up. But the learning curve on the left side is pretty steep and right now she needs to gain some high level experience and get in there and understand our systems and our methods. So being in the middle for her gives her an opportunity to get on the floor. Because we are only four-deep, she can get more playing experience in practice. I'm not sure that's eventually where she'll end up, but she's very disciplined, highly intelligent kid. So, it's going to happen for her because she learns pretty fast."
On the strength's of the team...
"The strength of this team is that they just work really, really hard. They come to practice every day prepared to just get after it. They understand that at the core of our philosophical beliefs, is competition. So every day in practice, 'I'm going to compete against you, and you're going to compete against me, and you're going to duke it out.' I think they understand that the relationships are important to them, the relationships they have off the floor. But ultimately, we want to be able to compete in practice every day and earn a position on the floor. They work really, really hard and I think that's our biggest strength. Defensively, I think we've got some good things in place. We're going to be able to score points. Our serving has improved and we are digging lots and lots of volleyballs.
Senior outside hitter and co-captain Jennifer Pollard
On the strengths of the team...
"Just from the practices that we've had, I think speed and defense will be a big factor. I think we are going to surprise people with how much balls we touch. We're not the biggest, strongest or the fastest in the Big 12, but I think we're going to touch and get a lot of balls and convert them."
On being the only senior...
"I don't think it's a burden. I knew it was coming so I think I am going to enjoy the challenge and I look forward to leading this team. I've had a lot of great leaders in my time here. I've learned a lot so I think I am ready to lead this team and share my knowledge with the girls on the court. I feel I'm ready for that and I'm looking forward to it."
On what she learned from Dawn Cady and Liz Wegner...
"Just their composure on the court and their ability to finish plays and never give up. I think that's something that you have to learn. It takes a while. Every day in practice that's what we try to teach the girls. Just to be aggressive and go for it."
Junior libero and co-captain Laura Downey
On replacing Liz Wegner and Lisa Mimick...
"I think we have a lot of good returnees that started last year. I think there is a lot of good young talent this year. They will be missed, but every year is a new year. Every team is different, every year. I think those holes in the shoes will be filled in."
On the differences between this team and teams of the past...
"I love the chemistry on our team right now, it's really, really good. I think we all get along really well, on and off the court. I think it's something we've never really had before."
On this teams work ethic...
"The last week of two-a-days has been tremendous. We've been working really, really hard.
On the libero...
"It's good. I'm excited about it. I'm excited that I redshirted now so that I have a chance to be a libero this year and maybe one more year. I think it's going to add a lot of defense to the game, a lot longer rallies and I think it's going to be good for volleyball."
Sophomore setter Gabby Guerre
On summer workouts...
"It was really, really great. It helped us a lot to get on the ball right from the beginning, from the first day of practice we were ready to go. We weren't dragging and we weren't sluggish. Having everyone there really helped everyone bond. Even some of the freshman came up and worked with us. They stayed a little bit before and after camp to work with us. So it let us get to know them a little bit better."
On the team...
"I think we're young, but I think we've got a lot of talent. I don't think I'm worried. I mean, I love Liz (Wegner) to death, she's a wonderful player and a wonderful person on and off the court, but I think we'll be okay. I don't have a problem and I'm not worried. I love Michaela (Franklin). Michaela is fresh, and I love Polly's (Jennifer Pollard) consistency. I am really happy with Lauren (Goehring) in the middle. Her and (Lisa) Martin have been working a lot. With these new freshman coming in, I think it will be a really good mix."
