Reader D.S. writes: I’ve enjoyed reading the blog, John, and your insights into the 2021 Gopher VB squad. Their depth appears to be their greatest strength with excellent young players just waiting their chance to play. Two questions: 1) Where do you see Miyabe, Rubright and Husemann finding quality playing time? and 2) With Division 1 athletes given an extra year of eligibility due to Covid, do you foresee the possibility of seniors coming back next year (e.g., Pittmann ,Samedy) impacting recruitment for next year?
JOHN: Thanks, D.S., I agree with you regarding the depth.
I think Miyabe’s role (and McMenimen’s) were defined in this first match. They’ll be available if someone gets injured, but their primary role will be to “shake things up” when the team isn’t performing at the level McCutcheon expects. (What an asset!)
Rubright and Husemann are both great athletes, and I assume both arrived on campus, in the summer of 2019 — Husemann local (Eagan), and Rubright, from Yakima, WA (herself highly-recruited) expecting to be starting middles by August of 2020. There must have been some sense of disappointment to see Myers (a junior) transfer in and grab the other (besides Pittman) middle position. Maybe one of these two will end up playing an important role before the season is over, or next year. Or maybe one or both will take advantage of the dramatically loosened transfer rules. Hard to keep 14 athletes happy when the court only holds 6 at a time.
The NCAA’s extra year of eligibilty due to Covid, the chance of this year’s seniors coming back next year, and the impact of this on recruiting is a topic I am planning to address in the future. In the mean time, maybe other readers have their own thoughts???
Reader G.U. writes: I like your blog and I agree with most of your comments. I know you are in love with the new kids playing and from watching yesterday I agree with your grading, but a couple observations:
The image in my head of top volleyball players, male and female, is long and lean. But Pittman, a terrific player, isn’t lean. And the new setter is a big gal. Just sayin’.
JOHN: Thanks, G.S., you raise an interesting point. You know I am not lean; are you not impressed by my “credit card vertical?”
Pittman’s weight hasn’t changed significantly since she was a freshman. The first time I saw her I thought, uh-oh; she’ll need to lose some weight before she can be any good. But she didn’t or couldn’t, and she was good as a freshman, and better each year so far — GREAT hands for a big gal. Could she be better/quicker if she lost 25 lbs? Maybe, but who knows?
Shaffmaster’s not “heavy,” but at 6-3 with broad shoulders, she is big. I too am concerned about both her quickness and her endurance. Can she really play all 6 rotations for 5 sets on back to back nights versus Penn St. or Nebraska — without running out of gas?
I’ve previously mentioned Coach McCutcheon’s success with the 2012 London Olympics. McCutcheon ran a 5-1 one throughout that grueling tournament, with the Gopher’s own Lindsey Berg as his setter. Berg wasn’t skinny either, and she was 32 yrs old (and at 5-8, not able to block much). Berg and McCutcheon lost the Gold Medal Game to Brazil in 5 sets, but walked away with Olympic Silver Medals. So let’s give Shaffmaster the benefit of the doubt.