2004 Volleyball Season Outlook

For Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook, there is a sense of excitement as the 2004 season nears.

After entering last season looking to replace a trio of All-Americans, the Huskers relied on a relatively inexperienced lineup ? using as many as five freshmen in the lineup ? to go 28-5 and reach the NCAA Regional semifinals for the 10th consecutive year.

The result of the youth movement is that nine letterwinners ? including five starters ? return from a team that closed 2003 by winning 13 of its last 15 matches. Add into that mix a recruiting class that is considered by many to be the nation's best, and Nebraska is primed to reclaim its Big 12 title after a one-year absence.

"There is a lot of excitement and anticipation heading into the fall," Cook said. "We know we are going to have enough talent to play with anyone in the country."

While the Huskers used a 6-2 offense last year, Cook said that it may take the early part of fall drills to figure out what lineup and offensive system to use, as he looks for the best combination of players.

According to the fifth-year Husker mentor, the fierce battles for playing time will make fall camp very interesting as players will have to be physically and mentally ready at the onset.

"The anxiety going in (to fall practice) is that we really don’t know what our lineup is and what system we’ll run, so I am anxious in that regard," Cook said. "It is also exciting because we are going to have such great competition for spots. Anytime you have great competition, it brings out the best in people. I think that will pay off for us down the road."

With nearly every starting spot open, Cook believes the key to the success of the 2004 Huskers is how they gel together, especially facing a difficult early-season slate.

Middle Blockers
Traditionally, one of Nebraska’s strengths has been the play of the middle blockers, and the return of All-American Melissa Elmer makes the Huskers’ attack formidable.

"We think that Melissa may be the best middle blocker in the country," Cook said.

Elmer led the Big 12 and ranked sixth nationally with a 1.59 blocks per game, while her .352 hitting percentage also ranked among the Big 12 leaders. Elmer’s 169 block assists last fall ranked as the third-highest single-season total in school history. The 6-foot-2 junior trained with the U.S. National training team in the spring, helping the team win the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships. Cook said Elmer's hard work to improve her back row play will make her a more versatile player this fall.

"She can help us win matches in many ways, and we are going to give her the opportunity to do that."

Freshmen Tracy Stalls and Meghan Smith both bring impressive credentials into the Husker program and will challenge for playing time in 2004.

Stalls trained with the USA Volleyball National Developmental Program for two years following her graduation from high school in 2003. She has competed in several international competitions, including the 2003 Pan American Games, and her national team experience will help her make the transition to the collegiate ranks.

"She is someone who can play all the way around and hit from a variety of sets, so we will have different ways to use her," Cook said. "She's going to give us a chance to have a very creative offense."

Smith was a first-team All-Nebraska selection and was chosen to Volleyball Magazine’s Fab 50 after leading Class B in kills, aces and blocks in 2003. She set an all-class state record with 604 blocks, including 191 as a senior.

"Meghan may be the quickest middle that we have had in a while," Cook said. "She is someone who we think will blossom in our program."

Outside Hitters
The outside hitter positions are the deepest spots in the Husker lineup, as four of the top five hitters return from a year ago, including Jennifer Saleaumua, a first-team AVCA All-Region honoree.

Saleaumua made the transition from right to left side look effortless in 2003, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors. An excellent all-around player, she led the Huskers in kills per game (3.27), digs per game (3.90) and double-doubles (17), was tied for third in service aces (33) and ranked fifth in total blocks (71). According to Cook, Saleaumua's statistics only show a small portion of her true value on the court.

"Jen is the heart of our team," Cook said. "When we are on the court, a lot of the emotional energy and communication revolves around her because she is so gifted in that area."

Dani Mancuso took over the second spot on the right side down the stretch and is on the verge of a breakout 2004 season. The 6-2 sophomore from Omaha started the Huskers’ final 12 matches and averaged 2.24 kills and 2.29 digs per game. Cook credits the Huskers' strong play down the stretch last season to Mancuso's insertion into the lineup.

"One of the reasons we made the change was we felt that we needed some emotion out there." Cook said. "Dani has a gift for that and a great passion when she plays. That enthusiasm and energy rubs off on the other players. She is a good all-around player and has a great opportunity to be a starter this year."

Senior Ally Rebholz found her way into the rotation on the right side in 2003. The 6-1 outside hitter started 21 matches and was fourth on the team with 2.33 kills per game and third with 93 total blocks. The lone senior on the roster, Rebholz was slowed by a shoulder injury last fall, but is healthy and will be counted on for her leadership.

"Ally was playing at an All-Big 12 level before injuring her shoulder," Cook said. "She is healthy after shoulder surgery and is coming into camp in the best shape of her career. We know she can play at a high level and make a major contribution for us."

Sophomore Kelsey Fautsch gained valuable experience teaming with Rebholz and Anna Schrad at the right-side hitter positions. Fautsch, a 6-foot-1 left-hander averaged 2.17 kills per game and had six double-figure kill efforts, including a season-high 13 against Missouri. Cook, who raves about Fautsch's work ethic and said that she could see time at either outside position.

"She has trained to play both sides for us and has really worked hard so she can play all the way around, which will be important with the position she plays," Cook said.

Sophomore Christina Houghtelling will also move to outside hitter after playing middle blocker as a freshman. According to Cook, the move will utilize Houghtelling's skills and help her remain healthy. She posted eight or more kills on three occasions, including a season-high nine against Georgia Tech, before she was sidelined with a knee injury.

"We are going to pace ourselves with Christina and bring her along slowly so she is healthy," Cook said. "We saw last year that Christina is a great competitor who plays her best in the biggest matches."

Emily Schroeder will provide depth on the outside after redshirting in 2003. The former all-state selection walked on to the Husker program and made strides in her redshirt year.

"Emily is a great athlete and knows what it takes to contribute at the outside hitter spot," Cook said. "She has worked hard and is developing the all-around skills to be a contributor for us."

Sarah Pavan is the cornerstone of a recruiting class that is ranked No. 1 nationally by prepvolleyball.com. The 6-5 outside hitter has been a member of the Canadian National Team since she was 16 - the youngest player in the program's history. She won MVP honors at the 2002 NORCECA Championships, including a 24-kill performance against the U.S. Junior National Team.

"Sarah has the experience to come right in and have an immediate impact in our program," Cook said. "She’s played against the best players in the world and has experience way beyond her years. She is a very focused and determined player who wants to come here and help Nebraska win national championships."

Setter
While the position was considered the least experienced entering last season, junior Michelle Lynch and sophomore Dani Busboom combine to make the position a strength entering 2004. Both saw significant time in the Huskers’ 6-2 offense and possess different strengths. Cook expects this battle to be hotly contested through the fall.

"We want competition and someone is going to earn the spot in the first two weeks of the fall because we have such a short window to be ready for the season."

Lynch played in all of NU’s 117 games a year ago and averaged a team-high 7.21 assists per game in her first season as a starter. She had at least 30 assists eight times, including a career-high 40 assists against Georgia Tech. Lynch also paced the Huskers with 47 service aces, including five in a win at Texas. She battled a back injury last season, but looks to be fully healthy after off-season surgery.

"Michelle's strengths are that she has the most experience of our setters, and her ability to attack from the front row if we go to a 5-1 offense," Cook said. "That is what sets her apart. She has worked hard to get back to 100 percent, and we would like to see her stay healthy for the entire season."

Busboom, who was an outside hitter in high school, quickly made the transition to setter, and averaged 5.98 assists per game while appearing in all 117 games. She came on strong at the end of the season, averaging 7.40 assists in three NCAA Tournament matches. Cook says that Busboom's competitive nature and her experience as a freshman will help her challenge for a starting role.

"Dani potentially could be the most physical setter in the country with her size and athleticism," Cook said. "She gained a lot of experience last year, and we'll see in the fall if she can take what she learned from last year and transfer that into becoming a starter."

Libero
While sophomore Amanda McCormick is the only libero on the 2004 roster, Cook is fortunate to have one of the league’s best at that position.

McCormick overcame an early elbow injury to become a vital cog in the Husker rotation. She shattered the NU freshman record with 3.72 digs per game, including a career-high 31 digs ? the highest total in the Big 12 last season ? in her second career start. She continued to raise her game during the postseason, averaging 5.67 digs per game, including a postseason school mark of 20 against Dayton.

"We felt there were matches last year where she was as good as any libero in the Big 12," Cook said. "As our only libero, she is the only player who doesn't have much competition, but she has embraced that situation and has an understanding what it takes to be successful at that position."

2004 Schedule
Nebraska faces a daunting schedule this fall, as 15 of the Huskers' matches come against teams that made the 2003 NCAA Tournament. The Huskers open the season with a pair of matches at Notre Dame on Sept. 3-4, before concluding the three-match swing with a match at Western Michigan on Sept. 6. Nebraska opens the home portion of the schedule the following weekend when it hosts the First National Bank/Arby's Classic. The tournament features matches against NCAA Tournament qualifiers Florida A&M (Sept. 10) and Maryland (Sept. 12) along with a contest against Ball State.

Nebraska begins its trek through the Big 12 on Sept. 15, against Missouri - one of six conference teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season. In fact, the Huskers play four of their first five league matches against NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

"I think the Big 12 will be as competitive as it has ever been," Cook said. "We had six teams make the tournament last year, and Texas was very young last year and has as much talent as anyone in the conference."

"To win the Big 12, you have to be good for 11 weeks," Cook said. "You can’t afford a slip-up, and it takes a lot of mental toughness. It is a great challenge, and if you can do that, you’ll be in a great position to compete for a national championship."

In addition to the 14 matches in Lincoln, the Huskers will travel west on Oct. 10 to take on Creighton in North Platte. The Huskers played one spring match in the western part of the state in each of the past two seasons, selling out matches in Ogallala and Scottbluff, and Cook believes bringing a regular-season matchup will generate more excitement.

"We have traveled to the western part of the state twice in the spring and have had a great response," Cook said. "By playing Creighton, it not only promotes the in-state rivalry, but also allows us to showcase the level of volleyball played in the state. It should be a great experience for our student-athletes."