No seniors, no problem: Knights confident in youngsters

When women's volleyball began their season at 8-2 last year, hope was high that the Knights might regain its past success.

In year two under Todd Dagenais, injuries to Brittanie Wallace, Nichole Riedel and others sent things into a tailspin, with the team losing seven in a row and finishing with a 12-18 record.

With a challenging early schedule, it is unquestioned that a young team will have to come together quickly.  The roster has no seniors and 11 of the 15 girls are underclassmen.  

Dagenais was quick to point out his team's youth at Fan and Media day this past Saturday.  In front of the room of assembled fans, he asked all his seniors to stand up.  With not one senior standing, he had made his point that his team would have to mature quickly in 2010.  

"I think right now we have a range of where we could be, just because there is so much inexperience and so many young players," he said. "We could be middle of the pack to really good.  I've been around the block once or twice so I know it is going to fall into that range."

Dagenais remains cautiously optimistic in the health of his team as they prepare for the season opening Florida Gulf Coast Tournament this weekend.  

"As of right now, knock on wood, everyone's 100%," he said. " Relatively, going into it, we're as healthy as we've ever been."

With all the injuries and inconsistency that the black and gold experienced last year, there is a strong desire to get back out on the court.  Practices started Aug. 9 and the team is ready to see live game action.  

"I'm really excited to get started," said sophomore Evija Vilde. "I want to see how the team will compete in games and how strong we can be.  When we play against each other it's a little different."

As Dagenais enters his third season he hopes that a successful camp pays dividends early in the season.  Even the coach will admit that there are still some things in flux as the Knights get set to play Houston Baptist, Florida Gulf Coast and Bethune-Cookman in the three day tourney.  

"I think we're ready right now," he said. "We still have a lot of battles we're trying to figure out.  I was hoping that we would know for sure who our setter will be right now.  The other battle is at libero, as well."

The importance of knowing who the starting setter will be significant.  Much like a basketball point guard, the setter becomes the initiator and creator of an offensive attack.  Two newcomers in true freshman Marie Reiterova and Tulsa transfer Rachel Vukson are competing for the position.  

At libero, Meredith Murphy is facing a tough battle after posting record numbers in 2009.  Murphy set the UCF single-season record with 4.27 digs per set, but sophomore Dani Harrison might be the most improved player since winter, according to Dagenais.

Redshirt junior Kristin Fisher says the competition has been helpful for the Knights.

"It's definitely something that is going to help our team.  The difference between this year and last year is that we have backups, we have the depth we need on the bench.  Everyone is pushing everyone which I think that is one thing that is going to catapult us to get a lot better," he said.

Outside hitter, the position that Fisher roams, has a little more clarity.  Dagenais says the junior from Clearwater will be one of the most consistent players in Conference USA.  Angelica Crump is a redshirt freshman who recorded some big numbers in spring competition, has the edge to start opposite Fisher.  Vilde will round out the outside hitting corps after playing in all 30 matches as a freshman last year.

The final unit is the middle blockers.  Junior Sara Rex and sophomore Tory McCutchen will compete for time with Riedel.  Before she suffered a torn abdominal muscle, Riedel was billed as one of the top players in the conference.  

Fisher expects big things from the redshirt freshman.

"I really think people are going to be very impressed with Nichole," he said.  "I think she is going to be a key for us in the middle that people aren't expecting because they didn't see her last year."

The team should be challenged right off the bat by their schedule.  They play in back-to-back road tournaments to start the year before coming home to face Baylor, who is receiving votes in the AVCA Division 1 Coaches Preseason poll.  

Other highlights on the schedule include VolleyBowl III against ECU on Oct. 10 and a Bright House Sports

Network televised game against Southern Miss on Nov. 7.  

The team that wins the regular season title will now get the automatic NCAA Tournament bid.  

Recently, the players and coaches had a meeting to lay out season goals.  Among the things that were discussed was the possibility of bringing the program back to the NCAAs for the eighth time and first since 2003.

"We want to be top four in conference," said Fisher. "We want our RPI to be in the top 75.  Both of those things will help us have a really good shot of going to the tournament.  We have a lot of high expectations for this year."