Volleyball Preview, Part 3: Butler
Aug. 17, 2006
A single expression seems to dominate the vocabulary of head coach Sharon Clark when speaking about the 2006 edition of the Butler volleyball team: Young Guns.
When the Bulldogs take the floor for the first time this year against Marian, nine of the 13 players will be freshmen or sophomores. The talent that this youthful group exhibits, however, only makes Clark more excited about the potential of this year's team.
"We are young, but we are individually very talented," Clark said. "We are deeper and more skilled when compared to past seasons. Our practices are much more competitive, which will only make us stronger against our opponents. I'm really excited for this season."
Clark's optimism about this year's squad is not without merit. The Butler coaching staff, with associate head coach Karen Weatherington and assistant coach Sara Gallagher, has a history of recruiting and developing some of the top talent in the Horizon League. During Clark's six seasons at Butler, nine Bulldogs have been named to All-Horizon League teams and seven have been tabbed to the All-Newcomer squad, including current members Alicia Coltrane and Dana Daprile.
"A great coaching staff is able to get all of the potential out of young players," Clark added. "We have some extremely talented young athletes on this team, and they will be ready to compete for us this season and for seasons to come."
Outside Hitters
The Bulldog's outside hitting corps will feature several young components led by a seasoned veteran in senior Susana Henri.
Henri returns for her final campaign after putting together her finest season in 2005, pacing Butler with 298 kills while her 3.17 kills per game was ninth-highest in the Horizon League. Her 2005 total was nearly quadruple the amount in her first two seasons combined thanks in part to 18 double-digit matches, including a career-best 20 against Wright State.
"Susana is a silent and deadly weapon," Clark said. "She is extremely dependable and consistent, and I feel that she is primed for her best season yet."
Henri will be joined by sophomore Alicia Coltrane and freshmen Porshia Allen and Stephanie McGurk.
Coltrane returns to the lineup after a strong freshman season in which she finished fourth on the team with 181 kills and 2.06 kills per game. Allen, a 6-1 freshman from Indianapolis, should make an immediate impact in the lineup thanks to superb ball handling skills and smartness on the court. McGurk, a 5-11 freshman from Manhattan Beach, Calif., comes from a winning program at Mira Costa High School, where she was a member of two state championship teams.
"Alicia is a powerful athlete and hits a very heavy ball," Clark said. "I also expect Porshia and Stephanie to be major contributors this season as well. They are both smart players and excellent ball handlers."
Middle Blockers
The Butler middle blockers wield a bit more experience than the outside, with senior Krystal Hendrix and junior Michelle DeGeeter anchoring the front line. Freshmen Melody Austin and Stephanie Steele will also be relied upon for substantial playing time.
Hendrix enters her final campaign as Butler's active leader in block solos (24), block assists (303) and total blocks (327). She also paces current Bulldogs with 618 kills, 1,875 attacks, 487 digs and 73 service aces. Last year, she finished third on the squad with 82 total blocks, including 75 block assists.
"Krystal brings a solid presence and stability to the court," Clark said. "She has tremendous court experience and will be one of our contributing leaders on the floor."
DeGeeter gave the Bulldogs another strong presence at the net in 2005, trailing only departed senior Candice Washington with 86 total blocks. She also saw a large amount of action at outside hitter last season, racking up a team second-best 223 kills at a rate of 2.40 per game.
"Michelle has made huge leaps in her game," Clark commented. "She is one of the most dependable players in our program and is always hustling."
Austin and Steele will also vie for significant playing time. Austin, a 6-1 freshman from New Orleans, earned all-district honors her senior season at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. Steele, a 5-11 freshman from Sellersburg, Ind., was named to the all-conference team all four years at Silver Creek High School.
"Both Melody and Stephanie are great true middles," Clark said. "They are both excellent jumpers and hard workers."
Setters
The Bulldogs should have very little to worry about when it comes to their ability to pass the ball. Butler boasts a pair of experienced setters in sophomore Dana Daprile and senior Laura White as well as a capable newcomer in freshman Adrianna Higle.
Following a dedicated rehabilitation, Daprile is tabbed for the starting role following a break-out freshman campaign that was cut short due to a mid-season knee injury. Despite playing in only 59 games, she still managed to pace the squad with 476 assists and kept the opposing defense off balance with 72 kills.
"Dana is our floor captain," Clark stated. "She is an incredible athlete and a gifted setter with a keen ability to attack, which really sets her apart from other setters in the league."
White stepped in admirably following Daprile's injury last year, dishing 435 assists and knocking down 33 kills. A versatile component of the team, she could also be used as an outside hitter or a defensive specialist.
"Laura is experienced in quite a few roles," Clark said. "She has a lot of energy and can channel that energy into whatever role we need her to fill."
Higle, a 5-6 freshman from San Antonio, brings added quickness to the setter spot. A three-year letterwinner and team captain at Robert E. Lee High School, she should see considerable playing time this season.
"Adrianna provides us with excellent foot speed and great location as a setter," Clark commented. "Her work ethic in practice is giving her a chance to be a contributor this season."
Libero/Defensive Specialist
Sophomores Chloe' Blasingame and Nina Inic will fill the void left by departed senior Megan Knightly, who finished her career as the Bulldogs' and Horizon League's all-time digs leader. Clark feels that both players will challenge for the starting libero spot and have the potential to make significant contributions on the back line.
Blasingame made the most of her first season with the team, recording 111 digs in 77 games last season. She is a superb communicator and has displayed the quickness necessary to play the role of libero.
Inic performed to a similar caliber during her freshman season in 2005, recording 103 digs in 77 games. She is exceptionally quick to the floor and has a keen ability to read the offense.
"Chloe' and Nina are both excellent options for the position," Clark stated. "They are quick to the ball and are strong defensively."
The Schedule
Three invitational tournaments, four first-time opponents and a challenging non-conference slate highlight the 2006 schedule. The Bulldogs will play 14 matches at Hinkle Fieldhouse and travel as far as Tempe, Ariz. in preparation for the Horizon League Championship in November.
"The league is going to be strong all around," Clark said. "We are going to battle it out with some high-caliber teams early in the season so that we will be prepared for the strength of the league."
The early-season slate features three tournaments, including the Butler Invitational from Sept. 1-2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse which includes matches against Army, Evansville and Kennesaw State. The Bulldogs are 40-12 all-time in the invite, which dates back to the 1985 season. Butler also travels to Macomb, Ill. for the Western Illinois Invitational (Sept. 8-9) and to Tempe, Ariz. for the Sun Devil Classic (Sept. 15-16).
The Bulldogs will see their fair share of new opponents, battling Army, Arizona State, Duke and Kennesaw State for the first times in school history. The team will also continue its in-state rivalries, as five of the Bulldog's opponents hail from the Hoosier State, including Ball State, Evansville, IPFW, IUPUI and Marian.
Butler will spend most of September on the road, with 10 of 15 contests being played away from Hinkle, including a two-week trek of nine-straight. The road-swing wraps up in Chicago, with the Bulldogs taking on UIC on Sept. 22 and 2005 Horizon League Champion Loyola on Sept. 23 in the opening weekend of the Horizon League schedule.
After a quick stop in Dayton, Ohio to battle Wright State (Sept. 29), Butler returns home to host Cleveland State (Oct. 6) and Youngstown State (Oct. 7) for the first conference home matches of the year. The Bulldogs swing through Wisconsin the following weekend, taking on UW-Green Bay (Oct. 13) and UW-Milwaukee (Oct. 14) before returning to Indianapolis for league matches against Loyola (Oct. 20), UIC (Oct. 21) and Wright State (Oct. 27).
Butler plays their final two road contests in Ohio against Cleveland State (Nov. 3) and Youngstown State (Oct. 5) before concluding the season at home against UW-Milwaukee (Nov. 10) and UW-Green Bay (Nov. 11). The final contest with the Phoenix will also serve as senior day, with Krystal Hendrix, Susana Henri and Laura White being honored prior to the match.
The Horizon League Championship runs from Nov. 17-19 in Dayton, Ohio, with the champion earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
Story provided by Butler Office of Sports Information
