Photo by: Bobby R. Hester, (c) 2009
2010 Volleyball Preview: Q&A With Head Coach Ron Larsen (push play)
8/26/2010 9:51:28 AM | Women's Volleyball
Riverside—With just a day remaining in training camp before the Highlanders open the 2010 Volleyball Season against Fresno State, Head Coach Ron Larsen took some time to stop by the gohighlanders.com offices to give us his take on the upcoming season. (View the video preview).
Q: Before we get into the 2010 season, let’s take a quick look back at 2009. Did last season turn out the way you expected, and what does this year’s squad carry forward from a year ago?
A: I think last year was a growing process, trying to learn how to develop as a team and change the culture. I think we accomplished what we were trying to do. Our culture changed, we competed, we played hard, and I think we started getting some things in place for this year.
I think this year the people returning have a better understanding of how we want to play the game and a better understanding of the fundamentals of the game. We’re hoping we’re going to be able to master them a little better this year.
Q: There were six seniors on last year’s team, Kelley Quinn, Brittney Murrey, Angela Pizzella, Dominique Cowling, Tonbara Youpele, and Amanda Nilsson. Who replaces their contributions in the lineup this season?
A: We have some people returning from last year [to replace them]. Kelly Simpson should step in and be a good outside hitter for us. I would expect to see Savannah Thomas also be able to step in. Those two will replace our outside hitters.
Bianca Endersby is returning in the middle for us from last year, and she’ll be helpful. Shelby LeDuff is coming back from last year as our starting opposite, so she’ll be there.
Where we’re going to get the most help is setting, where we have two transfers that came in. We’ll find out which one of them rises to the top.
Q: You have a lot of newcomers this season; you mentioned a couple transfers already. Which of those players can we expect to see making immediate contributions on the court?
A: Amanda Vialpando, the outside hitter who transferred from Riverside Community College, will have an immediate impact. Courtney Wypiszynski will also be able to contribute for us as a setter. She transferred in from Texas A&M. I think those two very clearly.
And then I think we have some freshman that have come in: Chelsee Arnitz will be helpful and get playing time in the middle or in the back.
Q: The season opener quickly approaching. What have you learned about your team from practice and intersquad scrimmages?
A: The thing that I like the most is that we’re holding on to some of the changes that we tried to make. More importantly we’re competing. In practice they compete hard for every point. They’re always talking about how can they score. I’m pretty excited about that prospect because we’re learning how to be competitors.
Q: Fresno State is the opponent in the season opener, Friday, August 27 at 7 pm. You have seven matches this year against teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament last season, including three of your first six contests. What would you say is your philosophy in terms of scheduling your non-conference opponents?
A: We have four tournaments equaling 12 matches. I’m trying to schedule so that we have some matches that are maybe an overreach for us (like the teams who made it to the NCAA Tournament last year).
We’re also trying to get some that are equal to our ability, and then one or two that are not as good as we are. So we have some kind of even balance to get a better chance of understanding how we’re going to play.
Q: Are there matches along the way that you look to as “benchmark” matches, matches that will give you the best idea of how things are going prior to the start of Big West competition?
A: I don’t look at any as benchmark matches. I look from tournament to tournament to see if we’re continually improving ... from match to match and game-to-game. So a steady increase in the way we play volleyball and the right progress each time.
Q: The Big West Conference Coaches Poll came out this past week, and Long Beach State is picked to finish first in the league. They won the Big West Conference in 2008 and 2009. Why are they the favorites again?
A: They’ve got a rich tradition: they’ve won some NCAA Championships and Big West Championships, so when you’ve got a team like that of course they’re going to be the favorites. They have history on their side, and until someone beats them on a continual basis, they will continue to have that history on their side. So I think right now they’re the right team to be picked first in conference.
Q: Who do you think in the conference is going to challenge them this season?
A: I clearly think that UC Irvine can challenge; they’ve got a good team with a lot of returners. UC Santa Barbara has a rich tradition and has a lot of good players. Those two particularly.
Then I think on an outside chance might be Cal Poly. They were pretty young last year. Their coach, Jon Stevenson, gets them to work hard and get after it, so I think they’ll be pretty good.
And then maybe UC Davis. They kind of came from nowhere last year and had a really nice season. I think they’re returning most of their players.
Q: Where do you see the Highlanders fitting in to that mix.
A: I think if things go correctly and we keep improving the way we’ve been improving, we’re going to be in the mix somewhere. I for sure think we can compete in every match. We can make people work hard. And then it’s just a matter of whether we can finish and win the matches we need to win.
Q: And finally when November rolls around, if the Highlanders are preparing for a first-round NCAA Tournament match, what will have been the keys to the team’s success along the way?
A: I think first and foremost, we’ll have learned how to be a team. We’ll have learned that this sport is about a team, not a bunch of individuals. That’ll be the first thing we learn. Secondly, to be there at the end, we will have learned how to master the fundamentals and also to side out at a high efficiency level.
Q: Before we get into the 2010 season, let’s take a quick look back at 2009. Did last season turn out the way you expected, and what does this year’s squad carry forward from a year ago?
A: I think last year was a growing process, trying to learn how to develop as a team and change the culture. I think we accomplished what we were trying to do. Our culture changed, we competed, we played hard, and I think we started getting some things in place for this year.
I think this year the people returning have a better understanding of how we want to play the game and a better understanding of the fundamentals of the game. We’re hoping we’re going to be able to master them a little better this year.
Q: There were six seniors on last year’s team, Kelley Quinn, Brittney Murrey, Angela Pizzella, Dominique Cowling, Tonbara Youpele, and Amanda Nilsson. Who replaces their contributions in the lineup this season?
A: We have some people returning from last year [to replace them]. Kelly Simpson should step in and be a good outside hitter for us. I would expect to see Savannah Thomas also be able to step in. Those two will replace our outside hitters.
Bianca Endersby is returning in the middle for us from last year, and she’ll be helpful. Shelby LeDuff is coming back from last year as our starting opposite, so she’ll be there.
Where we’re going to get the most help is setting, where we have two transfers that came in. We’ll find out which one of them rises to the top.
Q: You have a lot of newcomers this season; you mentioned a couple transfers already. Which of those players can we expect to see making immediate contributions on the court?
A: Amanda Vialpando, the outside hitter who transferred from Riverside Community College, will have an immediate impact. Courtney Wypiszynski will also be able to contribute for us as a setter. She transferred in from Texas A&M. I think those two very clearly.
And then I think we have some freshman that have come in: Chelsee Arnitz will be helpful and get playing time in the middle or in the back.
Q: The season opener quickly approaching. What have you learned about your team from practice and intersquad scrimmages?
A: The thing that I like the most is that we’re holding on to some of the changes that we tried to make. More importantly we’re competing. In practice they compete hard for every point. They’re always talking about how can they score. I’m pretty excited about that prospect because we’re learning how to be competitors.
Q: Fresno State is the opponent in the season opener, Friday, August 27 at 7 pm. You have seven matches this year against teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament last season, including three of your first six contests. What would you say is your philosophy in terms of scheduling your non-conference opponents?
A: We have four tournaments equaling 12 matches. I’m trying to schedule so that we have some matches that are maybe an overreach for us (like the teams who made it to the NCAA Tournament last year).
We’re also trying to get some that are equal to our ability, and then one or two that are not as good as we are. So we have some kind of even balance to get a better chance of understanding how we’re going to play.
Q: Are there matches along the way that you look to as “benchmark” matches, matches that will give you the best idea of how things are going prior to the start of Big West competition?
A: I don’t look at any as benchmark matches. I look from tournament to tournament to see if we’re continually improving ... from match to match and game-to-game. So a steady increase in the way we play volleyball and the right progress each time.
Q: The Big West Conference Coaches Poll came out this past week, and Long Beach State is picked to finish first in the league. They won the Big West Conference in 2008 and 2009. Why are they the favorites again?
A: They’ve got a rich tradition: they’ve won some NCAA Championships and Big West Championships, so when you’ve got a team like that of course they’re going to be the favorites. They have history on their side, and until someone beats them on a continual basis, they will continue to have that history on their side. So I think right now they’re the right team to be picked first in conference.
Q: Who do you think in the conference is going to challenge them this season?
A: I clearly think that UC Irvine can challenge; they’ve got a good team with a lot of returners. UC Santa Barbara has a rich tradition and has a lot of good players. Those two particularly.
Then I think on an outside chance might be Cal Poly. They were pretty young last year. Their coach, Jon Stevenson, gets them to work hard and get after it, so I think they’ll be pretty good.
And then maybe UC Davis. They kind of came from nowhere last year and had a really nice season. I think they’re returning most of their players.
Q: Where do you see the Highlanders fitting in to that mix.
A: I think if things go correctly and we keep improving the way we’ve been improving, we’re going to be in the mix somewhere. I for sure think we can compete in every match. We can make people work hard. And then it’s just a matter of whether we can finish and win the matches we need to win.
Q: And finally when November rolls around, if the Highlanders are preparing for a first-round NCAA Tournament match, what will have been the keys to the team’s success along the way?
A: I think first and foremost, we’ll have learned how to be a team. We’ll have learned that this sport is about a team, not a bunch of individuals. That’ll be the first thing we learn. Secondly, to be there at the end, we will have learned how to master the fundamentals and also to side out at a high efficiency level.
Thursday, May 21
Monday, May 04
Friday, May 01
Tuesday, March 24
