Florida Volleyball Notebook: Aug. 12
Thursday, August 13, 2009 | Volleyball
AUDIO: Coach Wise podcast discussing the team's defense(MP3). The necessity of having a great defense to epitomize championship teams has been noted throughout the history of collegiate volleyball and, if Wednesday's practices are any indication, Florida is poised to be a much improved defensive team during the 2009 season.
The Gators entered Wednesday's dual sessions with a focus on their transition defense and scoring points off of serves, and head coach Mary Wise expressed how much further Florida's team is able to progress in those areas as compared to the 2008 campaign.
"We're working on point-scoring off of serves – that includes serving, blocking and transition defense," Wise said. "I think about where we were a year ago and how much better of a serving team we are. For teams to serve well, they have to block well. If your blocking is disciplined, then it is so much easier to dig balls and go from defense to offense."
Leading the charge on Florida's back line during the 2009 season is libero Elyse Cusack (Melrose, Fla.), the school's all-time career digs leader entering her senior season. Cusack is a nine-time Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week and a two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-America selection.
"How valuable is a four-year starting libero?" Wise mused. "It's not just the skills that Elyse brings to the table, but also her volleyball IQ and her leadership. She is a special talent to have on this team and we're really going to enjoy her because she won't be around next year."
The Gators also are much more effective and skilled when it comes to blocking, a skill that often has to be cultivated in young players. Now, with Florida's large 2008 freshman class a year older, the focus on blocking can be much more tactically driven.
"You look at women's volleyball and, if you're going to win championships, you have to block balls," Wise said. "A year ago, we spent so much time on both the tactical and technical side of the game. Right now, we're moving our blockers and doing a lot more tactical things than we were able to do a year ago."
The middle blocking corps will be anchored by senior Kristina Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) and sophomore Cassandra Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif.), who in 2008 became the first Gator freshman to lead her team in blocks since 2000.
The team will hold its annual preseason media day on Thursday and will only practice once.
The University of Florida is home to the 2009 NCAA Volleyball Regional. To order 2009 regular season and NCAA Regional tickets, log on to www.GatorZone.com/tickets. Follow Florida Volleyball on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorZoneVB and Coach Mary Wise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorMary.
REMINDER: FAN DAY – AUGUST 23
Florida volleyball will host its annual Fan Day and Orange & Blue Scrimmage on Sunday, Aug. 23 in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Gates open at 12:30 p.m. and autographs with players and student-athletes begin at 1 p.m. The intra-squad scrimmage will take place at approximately 2 p.m.
