Huskers Look Forward to 2008

Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook and seniors Jordan Larson, Amanda Gates and Rachel Schwartz talked about the upcoming season at Husker Volleyball Media Day Friday afternoon. The Huskers begin practice Saturday morning at 9 a.m. in preparation for the team's annual Red/White Scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 23.

Head Coach John Cook
Opening Statement
“Thanks for being here today. We start practice tomorrow. Our red-white scrimmage will be our fist organized event, and that night we’re going to hopefully present our players with their Big 12 championship rings, and were going to retire the next Nebraska jersey.  I won’t tell you who it is. You will have to wait until that night, but we’re excited about that. 

Then we go to the Runza/AVCA Showcase. Each year you never know how tough that tournament is going to be.  This year I think we’re going to find out where we are at, and really it’s going to show us what we’re going to have to do to get to Omaha.  It’s going to tell us where we’re at, and what we are going to have to do over the next three months to get us to Omaha.  We’re gong to San Luis Obispo the second weekend to return, they have been here twice so we want to return the favor by going out there.  Their telling me it’s going to be sold out, it’s going to be a Friday night.  They play a football game on Saturday, so that will be a big deal for that community.  Then we come back here and we’re going to change our (Ameritas) Players Challenge by starting at Devaney.  Then we start off the Big 12 at Kansas State and then Texas.  We have a very challenging schedule, and the theme this summer has been for our players to get ready for the challenges.  This isn’t a schedule that we’re just going to be able to work into.

On his lineups going into practice
“We’ll right now we have three line-ups were going to look at.  I don’t have a feel yet.  I haven’t been in the gym with Sydney (Anderson), and I haven’t been in the gym with some of our freshman, so we have three potential line-ups we are going to look at and see how it goes.  Hopefully by the first week, we will be evolving toward one of those.  It is kind of unfair to Sydney (Anderson) to have her master all that, but that’s how were going to approach it. I really can’t tell you what our best line-up is right now.”

On the new points system
“I was little indifferent whether it was 30 or 25. I think it will be great for the fans. You have to have a little bit more mentality of you can’t take points off and have to be low error.  You make three or four errors in a row and get down, it’s a shorter distance to be able to come back.  I think it is going to make more competitive games and there will be a lot more close games.  I think you’re going to see more four- and five-set matches.  The people that wanted that decision in the NCAA, I think they are going to get what they want.  I worry that some of the matches, the fans may not feel like they got much for their money, because if there is a 3-0 match, maybe it goes pretty short.   That’s the downside of it.  The best analogy I can give you, when you’re watching the Olympics you watch the 800-meter dash, they have two or three minutes to finish it, and the 100-meter dash you have ten seconds to decide who is going to win it.”

On having to rely on Jordan Larson throughout the year
“Everybody in the country knows that Jordan is going to get a lot of attempts.  Jordan knows that.  You’ve got to have your role players, and Jordan is going to be that go-to player.  But also you have to be a balanced team because teams will want to find ways to slow her down.  We have to be creative in where we give her those opportunities. We have to move her around.  She is going to hit out of the front row and the back row. She is going to have a lot of chances to win games.”

On who is going to be the other role players
“We’ll that is what we have to find out (during practice).  I don’t know and that’s what the next few weeks are going to be about.  I know several players have been challenged this spring and this summer to be able to step up.”

On the chemistry of this team compared to past years
“We’re still doing the same things.  We’re working hard, building that team chemistry. We do have five new players, but fortunately with the bridge program they were able to get here four weeks ago, so there has been a smoother transition.  But the biggest thing is not having a setter this spring.  That was the biggest unknown and the biggest anxiety for me.  Until we can get in there and get going, it felt like we went through the spring without a setter.  That’s why I say we have three line-ups. We have to figure out how we can be really great. That’s the most unusual thing that I have ever had to go through since being at Nebraska.”

Senior Jordan Larson
Opening Statement
“First of all, I think it is crazy that we are starting practice tomorrow (Saturday), and two-a-days already.  It seems like summer has flown by.  Everybody is taking summer classes, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s great to have all the freshman here.  We’re really excited to get started.”

On her being a leader
“I probably have the most experience on the team, but I also look to the other seniors as well because we came into together and were going to leave together.  I’d say it’s our team, and I think everybody plays a part in that as well.  We have a lot of young players and they need to find themselves as well.  I think it is our team together, and I’m going to try and lead the best I can.”

On if the youth will make the team more competitive
“Yeah, it’s going to be fun.  They are going to bring a whole new attitude towards the game, and it’s going to be a lot of fun seeing what the talent level is out there.”

On if she relishes the role of being the underdog
“I don’t think we’re the underdog.  I think you have great programs and we have been a great program for a long time.  Just because we lost four All-Americans doesn’t mean we’re going to be bad.”

On her senior season
“I’m just going to cherish every moment.  When I think of when I came in as a freshman, I really looked up to those seniors.  I hope I can walk away, and have the freshman say ?I want to be like her.’”

Senior Amanda Gates
Opening Statement
“I think we’re all really excited for this new season to start.  We have been working since January and I know a lot of us have been thinking about it since December.  We’re just really excited to begin and start paving our new path for this season.”

On stepping up and being a go to player
“I’m really excited to have a chance to step up right away.  It’s not going to be easy, it’s definitely going to be a challenge. We have five middle blockers returning to our team this year.  Bringing my game everyday is going to be important, and being challenged everyday and being able to challenge back is going to be something to keep in mind. I’ve been looking forward to this day a lot, and all I can do is work hard everyday.”

On her goals
“The first personal goal that I kind of had in mind since I found out that we have the Final Four in Omaha is that us three seniors started in Omaha, and getting back to Omaha has been one of my biggest personal goals, and to figure out how I can help my team get there. I have had many goals in the weight room, and personally on the court I have some high standards for myself. I love our team and I think we’re ready to grow and makes some great strides this season.”

Senior Rachel Schwartz
On the start of practice
“I am extremely excited for practice tomorrow.  It’s the first time I will get to be on the court with six people or six members of the team.  I am really excited.  I’m actually more excited than I thought I would be.”

On why she is excited
“I think this year people don’t know what to expect from us, and I think that’s exciting in itself.  We have a chance to go out there and be great, and we have a chance to do a lot of things that some people may not think we can do.”

On being a libero
“I think defense can control a game.  Being a libero or a defensive specialist, I think you can have great leadership.  You can be almost like the quarterback. They always give the analogy of the setter being the quarterback, but I think a libero can do that to. They have to make sure everyone is on the right page, and everyone is doing the same thing all the time.  I think it’s a great opportunity for tremendous leadership.