Michigan State University Athletics
2000 Volleyball Outlook
8/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 9, 2000
It's time. Michigan State's senior class, the much-heralded Class of '97, has put in all the repetitions and gained all of the experience to put itself in position to go far into the postseason in the year 2000.
Disappointed by their failure to advance past the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the seniors: middle Jessica Sanborn, outside hitter Sarah Gustin and setters Christie Landry and Vicki Basil, stand poised to take charge and lead the team farther than it's ever been.
Michigan State, ranked preseason No. 12 by Volleyball Magazine, returns six starters, including three of the aforementioned seniors, from last year's 21-13 team. Though the team kept the streak alive and advanced to the NCAA's for the sixth-straight year, Pepperdine played spoiler for the second time in as many appearances. With that loss still fresh in their minds, the players went about readying themselves for a seventh trip with a hard spring of practice and a successful European tour.
How much have they learned from past mistakes? And how much will an influx of new talent in the form of six freshmen add to the mix?
Though picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten in the preseason coaches poll, Michigan State head coach Chuck Erbe thinks otherwise.
"I expect this team to seriously challenge for the Big Ten Championship," said Erbe. "And, as we work our way through the Big Ten, to be a top 10 team.
"We have depth and talent, returning experience and a great freshman class. If we stay healthy and don't have any unfortunate injuries to main players, this team is going to be right there at the end, contending not only for the Big Ten, but for national honors."
Sanborn, an AVCA All-District and first-team All-Big Ten pick last season, returns as an All-America candidate in the middle. A preseason All-Big Ten pick, she brings nearly three years of starting experience and a career .281 hitting percentage with her.
There to set her up is Landry, another preseason All-Big Ten selection, just 10 months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. Despite missing most of '99, Landry begins the season ranked No. 4 in MSU history for career assists with 2,258.
Hartley, MSU's third preseason All-Big Ten choice, will start on the right side. Hartley had a down year in '99 but still led the team in digs with 2.58 per game and was second in kills at 3.81 pg.
Gustin, a first-team All-Big Ten selection in '99 in her first full season at outside hitter, looks to further improve upon her team-leading 4.36 kills per game.
Redshirt sophomore Angela Morley returns as one of the most imposing middles in the Big Ten. At 6-4, she was third in the Big Ten and 13th in the nation with 1.53 blocks per game while hitting .321.
The Spartans' one question is at the L2 position. Redshirt junior Maren Witzel is penciled in but will be competing with four others for starting honors.
"Our strengths are our seniors, our hunger and our sense of urgency to fulfill the promise," says Erbe. "It promises to be a great season of opportunity."
MSU's freshman class, ranked No. 10 by Volleyball Magazine, begins its career as heralded as this year's seniors and includes two Fab 50 players in Jenny Rood (Ada, Mich.) and Nikki Colson (Lincoln, Neb.). Joining them are Amy Sibbernsen (Omaha, Neb.), Naomi Taylor (Winnipeg, Manitoba), Emmy Miller (Okemos, Mich.) and Stephanie Knopp (Cupertino, Calif.).
"This 2000 class is a very confident group of young women and our future leaders will come out of this group," says Erbe.
In between the end of 1999 and the start of the 2000 slate was a three-week trip to five European countries (Denmark, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic and France). The last time the Spartan volleyball team traveled overseas was in 1995 and that team went to the Final Four. Timing is everything.
"We brought some real positives out of this trip," said Erbe. "We competed well in a foreign environment and had a lot of shared experiences. One of the things that concerned me last fall was that we were 1-5 in five-game matches. In Europe we found the heart that we need in that fifth game and won some key matches. In Munich, Germany, we were down 0-2 and came back to win in five. We haven't done that since the 1995 Regional Finals in Hawai'i. This team did it. It's not the same situation and there wasn't as much on the line but it's still representative of a greater will to win. Did Europe help? I won't know until the season."
The 2000 schedule hopes to shape up as an effective blend of experience-building and challenge. The Spartans open their slate with the L&L Classic on Sept. 1-2 and continue the next weekend with what may be one of the hardest on the entire schedule as the team travels to the Notre Dame/adidas Invitational featuring UCLA, Notre Dame and Nebraska, all preseason top 25 selections. Fifteen of State's 18 opponents this season went to the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and five were the champions of their conference.
"I like how our schedule is set up," says Erbe. "The first tournament is a good opportunity to look at a lot of players and give people some playing time early. The second tournament is a national tournament and, outside of NACWAA, could be the toughest in the nation. We will get to step into the fire two weeks before the Big Ten season starts and address issues before conference play."
Position-By-Position Breakdown
Setter Starter: Christie Landry Backups: Vicki Basil, Nikki Colson
Two seniors and a Fab 50 freshman mean experience and talent at the most important position on the floor for MSU.
Middles Starters: Jessica Sanborn, Angela Morley Backup: Naomi Taylor
The thinnest position for Michigan State may also be its most talented. Sanborn will be vying for All-America honors while Morley looks to add more offense to her stellar blocking.
Outside Hitters L1 Starter: Sarah Gustin L2 Probable Starter: Maren Witzel OPP Starter: Erin Hartley Backups: Kyla Smith, Jenny Rood, Amy Sibbernsen, Stephanie Knopp
State is deep and talented at outside hitter. All-America candidates Gustin and Hartley are incumbents at L1 and on the right side. Witzel, who started most of '99 at L2 will be in the hunt for the starting spot with Smith, Rood, Sibbernsen and Knopp.
Defensive Specialist Potential Starters: Lisa Ashton, Emily Engel Backups: Lucy Lee, Emmy Miller, Stephanie Knopp
Another deep and talented position for the Spartans. All five players boast solid defensive skills and great heart, determination and leadership.
