NCAA Ladies
August 21, 2024
Most coaches are loath to replicate on their accomplishments whereas nonetheless within the prime of their careers.
So when requested if this was what he envisioned for this system when he took over 12 years in the past, Pitt’s Dan Fisher, usually considerate and erudite in his solutions to the media, responded in less complicated phrases.
“It’s in all probability greater than I envisioned,” he mentioned. “I used to be simply making an attempt to make playoffs and never get fired.”
There’s little probability of that taking place within the foreseeable future. Not for a coach who has taken his staff to the final three NCAA nationwide semifinals.
Since taking up in 2013, Fisher has constructed his personal nationwide energy on prime of so-called Cardiac Hill in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.
And as Pitt embarks on the 2024 season, expectations are maybe greater than they ever have been. Whereas the ultimate 4 groups of 2021 and 2022 featured a largely rotating solid of characters – significantly on the pins – this staff will look quite a bit just like the 2023 group that received 29 matches and a second straight ACC title (the Panthers’ fifth since 2017).
There’s sixth-year outdoors hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez, the 6-foot-1 Puerto Rican who earned second-team All-ACC honors after averaging 2.27 kills and 1.96 digs per set whereas recording 34 aces. She was a VolleyballMag third-team All-American in 2022.
There’s 6-2 grad outdoors hitter Cat Flood, the consummate function participant from Wilmette, Illinois, who simply may have spent her fifth 12 months at a program the place she may get extra touches however as a substitute returned to Pitt.
There’s 6-foot senior setter/proper facet Rachel Fairbanks, the 2023 ACC Setter of the Yr and VolleyballMag second-team All-American from Tustin, California, who has performed greater than 300 units in her profession.
And there’s senior libero/defensive specialist Emmy Klika, an All-ACC second-teamer and VBM honorable point out All-American who averaged greater than three digs per set.
“They’ve been in massive moments,” mentioned Fisher, whose staff was ranked No. 4 within the AVCA preseason ballot behind Texas (1), Nebraska (2) and Wisconsin (3). “They’ve succeeded in massive moments. I feel they convey a stage of self-belief.”
However, regardless of their glowing resumes, aren’t even the staff’s most gifted gamers.
Final 12 months’s unbelievable freshman trio at the moment are sophomores.
— Olivia Babcock, a 6–5 proper facet from Los Angeles who saved statisticians busy with 3.62 kills per set, a .306 hitting proportion, 51 aces and 1.08 blocks per set. She earned nearly each award possible, together with being named VolleyballMag’s Freshman of the Yr and a first-team All-American. And, together with Fairbanks, she received into the USA ladies’s nationwide coaching fitness center.
— Torrey Stafford, a 6-2 outdoors hitter from Torrance, California, who put up 3.26 kills per set whereas hitting at a .273 clip. She earned first-team All-ACC honors and was a VBM fourth-team All-American.
— Blaire Bayless, a 6-2 outdoors from Plano, Texas, who noticed restricted motion with the Panthers final season however was on the USA U21 staff that received a gold medal on the NORCECA Continental Championship. Babcock additionally was a part of that staff.
Little surprise Pitt was picked to complete first within the ACC preseason ballot.
Stress?
“We discuss strain being a privilege,” Stafford mentioned. “We practice for it, so once we’re within the massive moments, it’s simply sort of pure for us. We signed up for it.”
Fisher mentioned Babcock’s and Bayless’ expertise with USA Volleyball might be invaluable and that Babock is able to take it up a stage.
“I don’t assume she’s feeling loads of strain for issues which are prior to now as a result of her aspirations are a lot greater,” Fisher mentioned. “She desires to play within the Olympics … And I can let you know this: She’s method higher proper now than she was a 12 months in the past.
“She’s been concerned within the decrease ranges (of USA Volleyball) earlier than, however based mostly on the season she had, she was invited to characterize the senior nationwide staff. It was a bunch (USA ladies’s coach Karch Kiraly) felt who have been gamers in school now who doubtlessly have an opportunity on the 2028 Olympics. And he or she was the one freshman invited to that group.
“I feel that claims quite a bit.”
Bayless, in the meantime, ended up being a key a part of the U21 staff that defeated Puerto Rico for the NORCECA title. Within the title match, she had three kills, a block and an ace. In an earlier match in opposition to Suriname, she had 4 kills, three aces and a block.
“I feel it ended up being actually good for her,” Fisher mentioned. “I feel she went in in all probability considering she wouldn’t play quite a bit, however I feel she went in and ended up taking part in quite a bit in each recreation and taking part in a good quantity of proper facet.”
Stafford is getting again to full velocity after having surgical procedure on her leg within the offseason. Fisher mentioned he was impressed by how diligently Stafford labored to get well, and he anticipates an enormous step ahead for her as nicely.
Stafford mentioned through the occasions she was restricted in what she may do bodily, she labored on her psychological recreation.
“I sort of did extra psychological reps,” she mentioned. “I used to be getting via (the damage) and getting my thoughts proper, so now I’m simply build up my physicality for the season.”
Fairbanks had the nice fortune of organising the likes of Stafford and Babcock, and she or he marveled at how shortly they established themselves.
“For those who take a look at their efficiency final 12 months, it was wonderful,” Fairbanks mentioned. “A number of the finest pins within the nation, they usually have been simply freshmen. And that was within the fall. Now we’ve had an entire spring of coaching and being coached by Fish and our teaching workers, and I feel they’re simply going to go up from right here.
“They haven’t peaked but.”
Whereas Pitt has stability and depth all around the court docket, there’s one place that could be a bit unsettled: center blocker.
Essentially the most skilled center, rising junior Rachel Jepsen, paused her eligibility to do an 18-month Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission journey. Which means considered one of three freshmen – Argentinian Bianca Garibaldi, Romanian Dalia Virlan or Ryla Jones, from Fort Washington, Maryland – and/or redshirt junior Bre Kelley.
Jones, a 6-2 product of Michigan’s Flint Hill Excessive Faculty, was among the many early standouts in preseason exercises, Fisher mentioned.
Kelley, a product of Rockwall, Texas, is an intriguing risk. At 6-4, she was a preseason All-ACC choose earlier than the 2023 season, however her marketing campaign was lower brief after solely 4 matches due to an damage. As a sophomore at Florida in 2022, she performed in 31 matches, recording a minimum of 4 blocks in 15 of them, together with a 10-block effort in opposition to Stanford.
And talking of the Cardinal, that brings up an additional diploma of problem for the Panthers as they pursue their third consecutive ACC title. The seismic shift in Energy 5 conferences introduced Stanford, Cal and SMU into the ACC.
Stanford comes east with an NCAA Division I-high 9 NCAA titles, the final in 2019. SMU went 18-1 within the American Athletic Convention final season and superior to the second spherical of the NCAA Match.
Stanford was picked second within the preseason ACC ballot, and SMU was sixth.
As if the likes of Louisville, Florida State and Georgia Tech didn’t current sufficient of a problem.
“Once we did the pre-conference voting for who can be the preseason all-conference gamers, you begin Stanford’s roster and SMU and also you say, that is fairly laborious to get down (to 18 gamers),” Fisher mentioned. “That was the second I assumed, ‘Man, we’ve received some actually good gamers on this convention.’ ”
However, for now, a minimum of, the highway to the highest of the ACC runs via Pittsburgh. In the end, nonetheless, the Panthers have greater objectives in thoughts, specifically getting over that hump into the nationwide title recreation.
Pitt has come up brief in three earlier possibilities.
In 2021 nationwide semis, Pitt misplaced to Nebraska in 4.
In 2022, the Panthers misplaced an epic five-set battle to Louisville.
After which final 12 months, after pulling off a reverse sweep on Louisville within the regional ultimate to get there, Pitt misplaced to Nebraska once more, this time in a sweep.
“We have now so many returners, we’ve got so many individuals who know what it’s wish to be at a ultimate 4 and compete in strain conditions,” Fairbanks mentioned. “Together with that … I feel our new individuals are bringing in a lot expertise additionally that anybody we placed on the court docket, we may win.
“It’s a mix of stamina and resilience over time, and I feel all of us care an immense quantity. It’s carrying that care right through the top of December.”
Added Vazquez Gomez: “We have now confidence, however we’re not complacent. We nonetheless have a mission to perform, and we nonetheless must work on a pair issues that we didn’t do final 12 months and will certainly assist us win a nationwide championship this 12 months.”
Fairbanks mentioned Pitt will go into this season because it has some other: with an underdog mentality.
That appears odd for a staff that has been to a few consecutive nationwide semifinals and received 90 matches in that span.
“We haven’t received the natty but,” Fairbanks mentioned, “so we’re nonetheless an underdog.”
