Don’t follow Volleyball all that close but the last 4-5 years appear to be pretty mediocre.
Is a change needed? We seem to have taken a step or 2 back. 2-3rd best in Big 12 to middle of the pack?
I see comments about facilities. What’s changed?
CJL did make a staff change after last season with Neef replacing Fiona, a supposed move to a younger, more energetic recruiter.For what it's worth WBB slumped like this a few yrs back and then the rumor is Billy got deeper into recruiting and we got things turned around (That's what I heard not, I'm not a WBB insider) Maybe need to hire someone young and hunger to do some recruiting?
CJL did make a staff change after last season with Neef replacing Fiona, a supposed move to a younger, more energetic recruiter.
Lots of things to point to regarding the recent regression: loss of Dawn Sullivan, slippage in team conditioning and player development and slippage with recruiting and part of that IMO is playing in Hilton when the competition in the Upper MW are playing in smaller VB venues with better home court environments.
Previously posted that a shared VB/WR venue with approx 3K seating as part of CyTown that would be used year round for Club VB/BB/WR events, conventions, student/alum events would likely have been economically viable.Then it becomes a revenue equation, do we build a VB only facility on a sport that runs in the red? I realize the only sports that run in the black are FB and MBB. Maybe a shared VB wrestling facility? Using Hilton for wrestling when Iowa comes to town (maybe the same with VB?) to drive revenue?
Previously posted that a shared VB/WR venue with approx 3K seating as part of CyTown that would be used year round for Club VB/BB/WR events, conventions, student/alum events would likely have been economically viable.
I don't think so unless they make the planned convention center space a suitable multi purpose venue with bleacher and/or permanent seating.So is it still in the Cytown plans?
CJL did make a staff change after last season with Neef replacing Fiona, a supposed move to a younger, more energetic recruiter.
Lots of things to point to regarding the recent regression: loss of Dawn Sullivan, slippage in team conditioning and player development and slippage with recruiting and part of that IMO is playing in Hilton when the competition in the Upper MW are playing in smaller VB venues with better home court environments.
Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois were good before the ISU slide. Creighton, Marquette and KU not so much but they are now clearly above ISU.Doesn't help that we are the northernmost Big 12 school and residing in Big 10 country, the league with the nations best volleyball. Three top 10 teams with 4 hours of us, sort of a losing proposition for recruiting these days IMHO. With Texas leaving the Big 12 will drop even further with only Baylor and Kansas (sort of) as having relevance, and maybe the added BYU.
All those assistant coaches are gone- Malcom has been the only one retained. Libero U has not had an outstanding Libero since Hillegas or Caitlyn Nolan. If I remember right we had Schuler an OH beat out all the liberos and she is no longer with team. Popovich did a good job filling in but we need to go get a good one asap.There have certainly been head scratchers over the years. Sometimes I don't get the choices with the middles and even the libero for starting line ups.
The fact that we had a good libero a few years back lose her starting spot with ISU, transfer and start with a much better program makes me question if the staff is maybe not making wise choices with recruiting and who they pick for starting line ups.
To VOLLEYMH's point, Hillegas was benched at libero by CJL at ISU, transfers to Pitt and then starts for a Top 10 program. That has been the most perplexing personnel management decision by the staff amongst others in recent years. The libero play has obviously not been up to prior standards but there are issues at the other positions as well outside of Holthaus whose own production/efficiency is down from prior seasons.All those assistant coaches are gone- Malcom has been the only one retained. Libero U has not had an outstanding Libero since Hillegas or Caitlyn Nolan. If I remember right we had Schuler an OH beat out all the liberos and she is no longer with team. Popovich did a good job filling in but we need to go get a good one asap.