2009 Season Preview
After capturing its second consecutive regular season conference championship and becoming the first school in NAIA history to reach 1,000 all-time wins, the bar has been set high for the Taylor volleyball program. Returning to maintain that standard of excellence are five starters and a total of seven letter winners from a 2008 squad that compiled an overall record of 32-8, including a perfect 8-0 mark in the Mid-Central College Conference.
Taylor received national recognition to begin the 2009 season as the 19th-ranked team in the NAIA Volleyball Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Despite an exceptionally talented group of individuals returning this season, Taylor head coach Brittany Huyser Smith will continue to build the program's success on a team-first foundation.
"Taylor volleyball has always been about playing as a team for God's glory," Smith said. "We work very hard both on and off the court of developing singlemindedness that we play to win for Him. This impacts how we train, how we prepare, how we recruit, and how we view success. Having that one love was instrumental for us last year, and we are determined to build upon that legacy."
Among the group of returnees are four of the team's top five kill leaders from last season. With nearly 80 percent of last year's kill total returning to the court in '09, the Trojans are expected to have one of the more lethal offensive units in the nation.
Sophomore setter Betsy Brown returns to the court after missing the postseason conference tournament last season due to injury, and will orchestrate the offense as she returns to the form that earned her MCC Setter of the Year and a spot on the NAIA Honorable Mention All-American list as a freshman.
Following the graduation of her starting libero and three defensive specialists, Smith struck gold on the recruiting trail with three highly-skilled defensive specialists. The trio will team with senior Molly Larkin to give the Trojans their quickest back row during Smith's five-year tenure.
"We see the building of a solid and quick defense as the next step in capitalizing on our offense," Smith noted. "We know the more we keep the ball up and the play alive, the more opportunities our offense will have to make an impact and continue to get better. We plan on using our defensive system to help make our offense faster and more impactful and will be excited to see how soon the impact will be felt."
With several underclassmen expected to see significant playing time throughout the season, the Trojans could face some early season inconsistency. However, the group of veterans are expected to bring along the youngsters into a highly competitive team expected to contend for its third straight MCC championship.
Setters
Betsy Brown enters her sophomore season after being named MCC Setter of the Year following her freshman campaign. An injury kept Brown on the sidelines for the conference tournament last season, but she underwent a rigorous offseason rehabilitation program and has returned to full strength to direct the Trojans offense for the second straight year.
The nation took notice of Brown a year ago following her freshman season in which she recorded 1,382 assists. The Michigan native had 71 blocks and 374 digs to go along with 59 kills in 37 matches. She was honored as an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American and was one of just three freshmen to be selected to the 72-player All-American Team.
Backing up Brown will be Whitney Sweet, a freshman from Heritage Christian High School in Indianapolis. Transitioning to the tempo of the college game and the Taylor offense will be her main challenge during preseason camp.
"Our setters do an excellent job of setting the tone for how we play. Both work extremely hard, are very competitive, yet provide the constant encouragement and confidence for each member of our team," Smith said. "Betsy will be continuing to elevate her game through her strategic choices and speeding up the offense. Whitney comes from a very successful program and has shown her ability to make great plays. I'm looking forward to seeing how they will complement each other and build up our team both on and off the court."
Middle Blockers
The middle blocker position has the most depth of any position in Smith's lineup. Sophomore Bethany Beck returns to the starting lineup following a freshman season that saw the Colorado product lead the team with 128 blocks.
Last season's other starter at middle blocker, Rachel Kizer, will continue to see time in the middle but also spent the preseason transitioning to play a role as an outside hitter when needed. Kizer finished 2008 with 267 kills and finished just behind Beck with 125 blocks.
Colleen Nelis, a senior from Grand Haven, Mich., has battled injuries throughout most of her career but is poised to be a major contributor during her final season. Nelis has the potential to add a whole new dimension to an already potent Taylor offense.
The newcomer of the group is junior Kristen VandeBunte, a power hitter playing her first season for the Trojans. A two-time MHSAA All-State selection from Grandville, Mich., she is expected to push for immediate playing time.
"Our middles have demonstrated great versatility on the net through their hard work and desire to play," commented Smith. "This should be one of our most competitive positions on the team outside of our defenders. And through the cross-training we do in our program, we expect to see several of our middles making an impact throughout the year."
Outside Hitters
Taylor's top two offensive producers from last season return to the outside hitter position in 2009. MCC Freshman of the Year Kelsey Pritchard became just the third freshman in Taylor history to eclipse the 500-kill mark with 505. The Indianapolis native posted a .399 hitting percentage in conference play on her way to becoming one of the most dominant attackers in the conference. Pritchard will continue to be the focal point of opponents' scouting reports.
Junior Jackie Geile was second on the Trojans kill list with 345 a year ago. A powerful attacker from Muskegon, Mich., Geile can swing on the outside or right side, and can also fulfill backup setting duties. She was second on the team with 421 digs last season. Much like Pritchard, her presence in the lineup draws blockers away from her teammates which allows for more open hitting lanes.
A pair of freshmen in Ali Swart and Elizabeth Luke were added to the roster in the offseason to provide depth on the outside. Swart, from Oostburg, Wisc., was a standout middle hitter in high school, but has been converted to the left side for the Trojans. Luke is from Yorktown, Ind., and will play exclusively on the right side.
"We've been building our reserves on the outside, and the addition of Ali and Liz to our roster will continue to give us some significant options," said Smith. "Between their ability to contact the ball over the block as well as the power both bring to the court, we're excited about the additional competition within our outside hitting position. In addition, we will continue to look to Jackie and Kelsey to anchor our offense and are excited about the work both have done throughout our off-season and over the summer. The maturation in their game is going to be something to watch."
Defensive Specialists/Liberos
One senior and three freshmen defensive specialists make up the youngest position group on the '09 roster. Large holes were left in the back row when four senior defensive specialists completed their eligibility last spring. However, Smith brought to Upland a trio of talented defenders that will be called upon to contribute from day one.
A fourth-year player from Excelsior, Minn., Molly Larkin returns as the veteran of the group after recording 170 digs as a junior. Larkin will provide vital leadership to the group of rookies both on and off the court as they learn the Taylor defensive system.
Courtney Herschberger is slated to take over the libero position for departing senior Lindsey Bayle. From Goshen, Ind., Herschberger was First Team All-State as an outside hitter following her senior season at Fairfield High School. She was named the 2009 IHSAA Class 2A Mental Attitude award winner.
Amanda Beebe is perhaps the quickest of the three freshmen. As a four-year starter for Aurora (Ill.) Christian High School, she was an all-conference selection her final two years for the Eagles. Beebe is the daughter of former NFL star Don Beebe.
Hope Knowling is from Crawfordsville, Ind., where she was named the Journal Review Volleyball Player of the Year following her senior season at North Montgomery High School. She was first team All-County, All-Conference, and All-Area both her junior and senior seasons.
"What great fun we are going to have on defense this year! With the senior leadership we have in Molly, and the addition of three outstanding young defenders, I'm very excited to work with this group on how they can impact our program and help us be successful," Smith said. "I see the true attitude and hard work that it takes to be a successful defensive player in each one of them and am excited to see how that translates onto the court as they begin to get comfortable in our system."
The Schedule
The 2009 schedule reflects Coach Smith's understanding of the importance of playing nationally-ranked competition to help prepare her young team for a postseason run. Not only that, but the national ratings committee has continually placed a greater emphasis on performances against Top 25 opponents.
Of Taylor's 36 scheduled opponents, 12 of them were ranked or receiving votes in the 2009 NAIA Volleyball Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll. That includes matches against No. 6 Columbia (Mo.), No. 12 Madonna (Mich.), No. 14 Lindenwood (Mo.), No. 17 Indiana Tech, and two matches against No. 13 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.).
Also factoring into the Trojans' challenging 2009 schedule are two NCAA Division II opponents in Saint Joseph's College (Ind.) and Div. II No. 13, University of Indianapolis.
Taylor will again host the annual Trojan Challenge, a five-team event to be held the weekend of October 30-31. The marquee matchup will feature Taylor against NAIA Preseason No. 6 Columbia (Mo.) College at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 30.
The competitive regular season schedule culminates with the MCC Tournament scheduled for November 10, 12, and 14 at the home of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Volleyball National Championships.
"We've got another great schedule this year as we've allowed ourselves to build early and compete consistently throughout the season as a measuring stick of where we need to be and how we need to improve. I think the balance we have of travel with class time will prove invaluable as many of our players carry significant class loads in their pursuit of several degrees. It's exciting to know the players on our team represent collegiate athletics so well."