Illini Volleyball 2019
BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
Nope. No sit-out years for vball transfers.
I am guessing Kylie and maybe even Diana will move on after this signing.
BRucks, who are the walk-ons?
BRucks, who are the walk-ons?
Dan
Admin
“I answered the phone and he was like, ‘You’re coming here, but I haven’t even talked to you once,’ ” Allison said with a laugh. “I honestly I have no idea how everyone found out. It was really hard kind of living this secret life because I couldn’t say a word and my family couldn’t say a word. Everybody was making assumptions.”
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/2018-12-20/update-illini-best-fit-stm-star.html
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/2018-12-20/update-illini-best-fit-stm-star.html
ilphotog
The camera never lies
- Champaign
Many of the walk-on players are told what their duties are. Mainly to be practice players and that they will probably see little court time unless injuries happen etc. The coaches have made it clear to how important they are towards the success of the team. Some accept that as their role, some do not. They also get the perks of being on the team minus playing time. Travel, nice hotels, academic support, food/nutrition plans, Illini swag etc. It's not for everyone, but for those who do, it can have a rewarding impact on their college experience.
Those listed as DS (defensive specialists) are most likely walkons.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Looks like we're reloading. Absolutely great that we're near the top of the food chain.
I believe the NCAA limits travel squads to 15 and some conferences or schools to fewer. Though they don't receive an athletic scholarship walkons are entitled to all other types of financial aid that any other student might get. Often times they are very good students as well as volleyball players which can enable them to receive academic aid. The new Illinois Commitment program could be a boon for recruiting middle class Illinois students. Often times administrators will encourage female walkons for Title IX reasons.
Oh, and if you are a 300 farm boy in Nebraska you are almost assured of receiving a full ride 'leadership' scholarship to the state university if you agree to walk on to the football team.
KrushCow31
Former Krush Cow
- Chicago, IL
Everyone knows we're a volleyball school now.
Deleted member 11196
D
Guest
WOW.. Way to go....
Such a huge accomplishment.
https://fightingillini.com/news/2019/5/7/volleyball-welcomes-in-three-additions-for-2019.aspx
Boom! After not being cleared to play last year, former Croation pro Bruna Vrankovic will officially be eligible. She could be a massive difference maker. Poulter is irreplaceable, but if one of our setters can step up this could be another very good season.
Boom! After not being cleared to play last year, former Croation pro Bruna Vrankovic will officially be eligible. She could be a massive difference maker. Poulter is irreplaceable, but if one of our setters can step up this could be another very good season.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
So for the locals that can follow a bit more closely, what is our outlook for this season looking like? The girlfriend and I watched the Final Four game vs. Nebraska together, and it was honestly riveting ... volleyball is cool! Lol, it was also genuinely fun and rewarding to watch the Illini be on a national stage again, regardless of the sport. I would love to see us back there. I even got my originally-a-Hawkeye-fan girlfriend to get really into it, though I did receive a friendly eye roll when I stated that my favorite player was Morgan O'Brien. 
Lol
LolSo for the locals that can follow a bit more closely, what is our outlook for this season looking like? The girlfriend and I watched the Final Four game vs. Nebraska together, and it was honestly riveting ... volleyball is cool! Lol, it was also genuinely fun and rewarding to watch the Illini be on a national stage again, regardless of the sport. I would love to see us back there. I even got my originally-a-Hawkeye-fan girlfriend to get really into it, though I did receive a friendly eye roll when I stated that my favorite player was Morgan O'Brien.
The outlook is very good. We lose two All-Americans in Poulter and Bastianelli, but return one in Jacqueline Quade and we return pretty much everyone else. Poulter was probably the best setter in the country last year and the best to ever play at Illinois, so losing her REALLY hurts. However, we have two very capable new setters (redshirt freshman Diana Brown and sophomore transfer Mica Allison) who will both compete for the starting spot. As for replacing Bastianelli, we have two solid freshman MBs coming in along with Bruna who's an OH but can also play MB. We should definitely be at least a top 25 team this year. I would expect a little bit of a dropoff from losing Poulter and Bastianelli, but we have a ton of returning and new talent. If the X-factors play well (new setters, Bruna, freshmen) then I don't think another Final Four appearance is out of the question. Should be a fun season!
Deleted member 11241
D
Guest
I'm looking forward to this upcoming season and would absolutely love to see them return to the F4. I'm taking my daughter to the F4 this year as part of her graduation gift and we would love to watch our Illini in it
I expect that Tamas will run a 6-2 offense with both Allison and Brown in the rotation and setting from the back row. With Quade, Vrankovic, Cooney, and Prince as OHs/OPPs; Fleming and Holzman as MBs; two of Kuper, O'Brien,and Welsh as DS; and Allison and Brown as S, Tamas has all the tools he needs to run a 6-2, and that doesn't even consider Swanson or Hinton who might force their way into the lineup as the second MB and maybe shifting Holzman to a OH/OPP spot.
If Quade and Vrankovic are six-rotation players, they might go with an initial rotation of (where players substituting in when that position moves to the front row are in [ ] and players substituting in when that position moves to the back row are in { }):
Quade - Fleming {Kuper}- Prince {Allison}
Brown [Cooney]- O'Brien [Holzman]- Vrankovic
That would keep their six front row hitting/blocking lines as:
Rotation 1: Quade - Fleming - Prince
Rotation 2: Cooney - Quade - Fleming
Rotation 3: Holzman - Cooney - Quade
Rotation 4: Vrankovic - Holzman - Cooney
Rotation 5: Prince - Vrankovic - Holzman
Rotation 6: Fleming - Prince- Vrankovic
We know that Quade can kill opponents attacking out of the back row. If Vrankovic can as well, that would give them four attacking options on every rotation.
Even with the losses of Poulter and Bastianelli, both of which are major, because they are going to be (much) deeper than last year, they may actually be better.
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Who their 2nd MB will be might be the most interesting question.
Based on what the university has put out, they list Fleming as the only returning MB, they list Swanson (Fr.) and Hinton (Fr.) as MBs, Collins (Fr.) as an OH and they list Holzman (Fr.) as both an OH and a MB.
https://fightingillini.com/news/201...ball-welcomes-three-for-2019.aspx?path=wvball
https://fightingillini.com/news/201...al-student-athletes-for-2019.aspx?path=wvball
Maybe Prince or Hollowell could move to the middle, but that would certainly remain to be seen.
In an interview I read, Tamas made it pretty clear that Vrankovic is going to be a pin hitter, so she's out as an MB option.
So I'd assume that Quade, Vrankovic, and Cooney at a minimum are going to be OHs/OPPs, Fleming will be their MB #1, and they'll have to figure out one more OH/OPP and one more MB out of Prince, Holzman, Swanson, Hinton, Hollowel, and Collins. It seems like a lot of it will depend on just where Beth Prince ends up fitting in.
I'm just hoping that Holzman is simply too good to keep off the court in some capacity. But, long term, I'd expect Holzman to be on the outside.
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Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Great insight, thanks. Casual observer take: despite 2 big losses, we're reloading. Floor is a VG team, ceiling is perhaps even better than last season's squad. This is how big time programs roll. Tamas appears to be the right guy at the right time.