DRC Volleyball to lean on recruits

OldTimer · September 1, 2004

Volleyball: Mean Green volleyball to lean on recruits

Gregory, Pope have most of team’s match experience

09:30 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 1, 2004

By Matthew Postins / Staff Writer

For North Texas volleyball, youth will be served this season. It pretty much has to be.

Gone are the five seniors, players like Corina Marginas and Kristin Sheppard, that helped turn around the Mean Green program. In their place come six freshmen, plenty of underclassmen and just two seniors that must try and build on last year’s 22-win season.

But don’t cry for fifth-year coach Cassie Headrick, because she’s not crying either.

"We did this four years ago when I got here," said Headrick. "I don’t look at this like a rebuilding job. I like what I see. The future is right in front of us, and I like it."

Headrick is optimistic because she has a Sun Belt first-team performer returning in middle blocker Brittney Gregory. Headrick is optimistic because she might get to play middle blocker Anne Pope inside or outside this season. Headrick is optimistic because sophomores like outside hitter Taylor Lawrence and setter Heidi Johnson did great work in spring practice and appear ready to start. Headrick is optimistic because the six freshmen she recruited may be the best class the program has had in years.

And, after being voted to finish third in the preseason Sun Belt Conference coaches’ poll, the pressure is off.

"That’s about right where we want to be," she said about the poll. "The pressure is not on us. New Mexico State has a little pressure on it now, and we’ll let them take it for now."

After four years of Marginas being the focus of UNT’s offense, Headrick expects her team to be more balanced this season. But if one player has the potential to dominate, it’s Gregory. The junior earned second-team All-Sun Belt honors last season, ranking in the SBC’s Top 10 in kills per game at 3.45. While Gregory also emerged as one of the team’s best servers last year, she didn’t play back-row defense. That will change this season.

"Brittney’s finally finding a rhythm in practice," said Headrick. "She’s finally communicating well with the setter [Johnson]. She had a real good practice the other day. She played well, and her teammates played well around her."

Gregory also might have a chip on her shoulder. She wasn’t a preseason All-SBC selection.

"We’ll see if that’s any extra motivation for her," Headrick said, grinning.

Pope has practiced both on the outside and the inside during fall practices. Teaming with Gregory in the middle last year, the pair gave the Mean Green defensive stability. Pope also had career highs in five categories a year ago, including blocks (89) and kills (262).

"We’ve put Anne back in the middle for now," said Headrick. "We’ve tried to move her outside because that’s where we wanted her in the first place. She’s the consummate team player."

The Mean Green’s other senior, Amber Clearman, will be a defensive specialist.

Part of the reason Pope is back in the middle is Erica Wendell, a 6-1 freshman middle blocker. Wendell is pushing for playing time, but a knee injury has kept her out of several practices. She’ll play in the opener today against Tulsa, but Headrick wants to lean on Pope’s experience for now. Wendell is the freshman recruiting class’ only nationally-ranked recruit and Headrick expects her to make an impact.

Like Wendell, the rest of the team is an intriguing mix of unknowns and potential. It’s made for a competitive fall, and Headrick says one freshman will start, and three other will see playing time.

Katy Prokof, a six-footer from Waxahachie, will start at one of the outside hitter positions. Prokof had an impressive scrimmage last Saturday, finishing with 11 kills. She showed the jumping ability and live right arm Headrick has talked about during fall workouts.

Sophomore Taylor Lawrence will start at left outside hitter. The 6-0 sophomore had just 19 kills last year in limited duty, but Headrick says she’s impressed with Lawrence’s improvement and work ethic. She can also play middle blocker.

Tara Hooser (6-0) will start at right outside hitter, though she’s been locked in an intense competition with freshman Brooke Engle (6-0). Hooser started just two matches a year ago but played enough to notch 37 blocks. Both are left-handers, an option Headrick admits she’s never had in five years at UNT.

"We hope to have them open up the right side," said Headrick. "It’s a rare situation to have two leftys like that."

Freshman Jessica Hulsebosch has nailed down the libero job. She played three years for the Texas Tornadoes 18, the state’s No. 1 18s team this year, in addition to a standout career at Spring High School. Headrick says she’s done a great job grasping the "team concept."

Johnson has the unenviable job of replacing Sheppard, the program’s all-time assist leader. The sophomore started 11 matches last year as a redshirt freshman, finishing with 84 assists, including a 37-assist contest against Arkansas.

Johnson has the advantage of being in the program for two years and having worked with most of the returning players. She walked on at UNT after a solid career at Garland Christian.

"Heidi has the upper hand," said Headrick. "She seems to be on the same page with her hitters. We really need her experience at the start of the season."

But that doesn’t mean her job is safe. Freshman Ashley Bass has pushed Johnson in practice. Bass left Hurst Bell early and enrolled at UNT in January so she could go through spring practice with the rest of the team. She was the only member of the freshman class to do so. In 2002-03, Bass had 1,069 assists for Bell and her club team, Team North Texas.

Additionally, Headrick has other options. Sophomores Ashley Hull and Kaydee Fuller are also back. Hull, a middle blocker, played in four matches last year, and Fuller, a defensive specialist, walked on last year and played in one game. Freshman Brittney Hays is a defensive specialist.

MATTHEW POSTINS can be reached at 940-566-6874.

2004 UNT volleyball schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 1 at Tulsa 7 p.m.

Sept. 3 vs. Oral Roberts-1 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 vs. Kansas-1 10 a.m.

Sept. 4 vs. Loyola-Chicago-1 5 p.m.

Sept. 10 vs. UT-El Paso-2 10 a.m.

Sept. 10 vs. UT-Pan American-2 5 p.m.

Sept. 11 vs. Texas Tech-2 2 p.m.

Sept. 14 Texas Southern 7 p.m.

Sept. 17 vs. Saint Louis-3 noon