MONROE, La. – The ULM volleyball team is only four days away from its first serve of the 2018 season. ULM will open up its fall slate in Starkville, Miss. at Mississippi State's StarkVegas Classic on Friday, Aug. 24.
First-year head volleyball coach
Russ Friedland talked about his 2018 roster and what fans can expect to see on the court this year.
Now that we've seen the girls in action during the intersquad scrimmage, what are your thoughts and reflections about the upcoming season?
It was fun to just sit back and watch our team compete. The scrimmage is a great way to get some jitters and nerves out before play actually begins this weekend, especially for our newcomers, to be able to play in the arena, with the music and the people in the stands. We know of some technical things we want to continue to tweak before we play Friday, so it was good to catch those in the scrimmage so we have time to prepare.
Let's discuss more in detail, each of the positions and where they stand right now.
We have the most experience from top to bottom in our middle blocker position. My preferred style of play demands a lot from the middles and some of the techniques we use are new to Cat [Griffith], Taylor [Woods] and Alix [Christie]. They've done a great job learning and working hard at perfecting those new techniques. I'd expect them all to get plenty of court time this fall.
We are lucky to have all of our outside hitters able to play six rotations. I like to have them in all the time to really get into the flow of each match and be a weapon from the back row. We've focused a lot of our efforts on passing and ball control dating back to my arrival in February, and I'm looking for that focus to translate onto the court. Adding Kate [Blasingame] and Cali [Assaley] to the mix on the outside has been great; they are working hard to get accustomed to the college speed and will be great assets for us this fall along with our returners, Mikaela [Worley] and Lauren [Appleman]. Our right side attack is going to be very important for our success this year and between Sarah [Wood], Karlee [Wilkerson] and Emma [Vann], we've got some options. All of those players add to our offensive & defensive tool belt so I am excited to see where that position goes and how the players grow as the season progresses.
The setters have the toughest job when a new staff comes in. There are new play calls and new tempos added to the practice and game plans and they need to know it all. The staff has worked with the setters a tremendous amount this preseason and they've done a great job adapting to their roles on the court. They give us options to run a few different offenses going into preseason.
Our defensive specialists have been solid thus far. Albany [Schaffer] and Katie [McKay] will be a great asset to our attackers and our serve and pass game this fall. We've asked a lot from them and they have responded very well so I am excited to see what kind of defensive energy they will add once competition begins.
Friedland mentioned the return of key players in Griffith, Woods, Worley, Jenkins, and Schaffer, while looking ahead at the addition of McKay, Blasingname, and Thiede. After the Warhawks finished the 2017 season with a dismal 5-28 record, Friedland has come to Monroe with the hopes of recreating the culture here at ULM, building back what used to be a strong, competitive program.
Looking forward at our non-conference schedule, what are your thoughts on our opponents and how the next three to four weeks will prepare us for Sun Belt play?
I'm excited to see us compete in these next four weeks leading up to Sun Belt play. We've got a great balance of competition that will test us early and give us the opportunity to see where we stand and where we need to improve before starting conference play. I'm really happy to have two matches at home before conference starts. It will be great to play in our home arena in front of our fans and our ULM community.
Last season ULM managed only one win in conference play, what types of changes are you making to prepare for conference play and compete with other Sun Belt teams?
The Sun Belt is tough; there are a lot of great programs and great coaches in the league. The mentality here is different now. We are looking to push really hard at a spot in the conference championships this fall. It's going to be hard work, yes, but every challenge we've put in front of this team, they have crushed. So I am excited to see what other walls they can knock down in 2018.
Assistant coach
Sara Rishell commented on the Warhawks' fresh go-getter attitudes and ability to tackle all the challenges they have come across so for this year.
Our team has been challenged this pre-season with lots of new faces, new plays and having to overcome last year's reputation. Each time, they have risen to the occasion and thrived. They always work hard, and I am excited to see that transition in our upcoming tournaments.
Friedland closed out by bringing to light what the fans of Warhawk nation can expect to see this season in Fant-Ewing.
This team works so hard. They are high energy and enjoy being on the court with each other. That's always fun to watch. Fans will be able to see and hear that as soon as they enter the arena.
ULM will open the season on Friday, Aug. 24 at the StarkVegas Classic, hosted by Mississippi State and will host Grambling on Friday, Sept. 14 for their home opener.
