Wahine No. 20 in AVCA preseason poll, practice, time management plan

Team opened with skill drills, got some jumping and hitting in for about the last 90 minutes. They’ll be back at 7 tonight.
Ma’afala has been working as the second setter. They’re taking a look at Koelsch on the outside.
Burns and Guinasso not cleared yet
Greeley missed about an hour because of doctor’s appointment. Still has a back issue
Okino missed early portion due to summer school class

From previous thread
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2016/11/02/ncaa-rules-student-athletes-time-academics/93164832/

UH is instituting the Time Management Plan” for each varsity team under which athletes would be provided “adequate notice” of all of the team’s athletically related activities; schedules for all team activities are developed through “a collaborative process” that includes input from athletes; and athletes would be provided “adequate notice” of changes to previously established schedules for team activities.
What UH is doing:
There is now a 24-hour rule to request a player for interview and on the mandated day off athletes cannot do interviews.

https://www.avca.org/polls/di-women/8-9-2017.html
sorry for late poll post

The Hawaii women’s volleyball team is ranked No. 20 in the AVCA Coaches Division I Preseason Top 25 today, the lowest ranking for a Rainbow Wahine team since 1993.


Hawaii has been ranked in the preseason poll every year since the inception in 1982. In 1993, the Wahine were at No. 22 following a 15-12 season where they missed the postseason tournament for the only time.


This marks just the second time Hawaii was ranked 20th or lower. The Wahine, the preseason pick to win the Big West Conference, finished ranked at No. 17 last year.

Texas (25 first-place votes) is ranked No. 1, followed by defending national champion Stanford (35 votes), Washington (2) and Minnesota (2).

COMMENTS

  1. Rabbit ears August 9, 2017 4:21 pm

    Thanks Mav for your input. I had just read the Rosen article. One of the NCAA rules was no football activities. Between 9p and 6a.


  2. Kahuna August 9, 2017 5:48 pm

    Hmmm…I wonder what prompted UH to devise a time management plan? Were coaches in the program making plenty of last minute changes that screwed up many student-athletes plans or this is a way to prohibit coaches from forcing teams to participate in unplanned practices after losses. This I will agree with. Coaches shouldn’t be punishing teams after losses. If you don’t reward players with a day off after win, you should not punish them after losses.

    Also should limit autograph sessions….some are too long. One hour should be max…..IMHO.


  3. Hot August 9, 2017 7:24 pm

    So Koelsch is back to being the backup opposite? I assume Castillo is the leading contender for the spot. What about Ross? Is she training as an opposite or as DS? If Lipscomb will move to the opposite or outside, that may mean both Howling and Williams will be in the mix, especially with Burns not being cleared yet. Gong will probably redshirt, with four others ahead of her. Five, if you count Ross.


  4. Bleachercoach August 9, 2017 10:28 pm

    Love an athlete like Kendra! Her attitude these past years has been superb! We need more players like her! I remembered the awesome job she did to help out the team 2 years ago taking over for Higgins when she went down with that bad ankle injury. To relinquish it back to Higgins then both of them being backups last season to Iosia which is the right call. I love Kendra’s energy on and off the court. She will play setter, OH, or even play the 2nd team (scout team) for the betterment of the TEAM! Thats an All-American in my book! I hope she surprises everyone and might become an impact player her final year. I wouldnt be surprised because great things happen to people who wait and stay humble! Thanks for your great attitude Kendra!


  5. ruffles August 10, 2017 6:19 am

    With all due respect to the coaching staff, who by the way, I love the selections of,
    the majority of the articles have been about the coach, how is it like playing for her, her background, etc., etc.. Coach Shoji always made it more about the players, and from what I know about Coach Ah Mow, she probably feels the same way. I personally want to know more about the players, like if Granato and Iosia’s training this off season made an inpact, and to me the x factor to this season is Castillo, who has the physical attributes to make a huge impact this year, also how has the loss of Emma Smith affected the team. She was really good, and also what about the newcomers? I know they say might take a couple of years for them to make an impact, but you never can tell if you have another Emily Hartong here now. I’m sure the media will get to these subject eventually, but I love following wahine volleyball and hope for the best.


  6. Ron August 10, 2017 7:54 am

    #4 I have all of the same questions you have and then some but there has not been enough practice time for anyone to answer these questions yet. Even the coaches don’t know exactly what they have and who will step up. Thats what makes this year so exciting. I do feel your pain but lets be as patient at least until the first match.


  7. Ron August 10, 2017 7:55 am

    Sorry, I meant #5.


  8. tako August 10, 2017 9:47 am

    Believe a lot can be said from observing just the first day of practice. Did the players look like they came prepared to practice, was there any player that impressed, of the returning players was there any noticable improvement, etc…? just saying and looking forward to the season….


  9. setaone August 10, 2017 1:04 pm

    Did anyone catch Kaleo Baxter on the Bobby Curran show this morning?


  10. Mike Hooper August 10, 2017 3:23 pm

    What happen to treyanna lee frietas, Arden mistake and trinity castaneda


  11. Cindy Luis August 10, 2017 6:00 pm

    2.
    what prompted UH, if you check the link above, is the NCAA rules
    coaches weren’t changing anything. It’s about athletes having a day off, not having media interviews every day, Has nothing to do with extra practices since the NCAA regulates how many practice hours teams can have and practice days

    3. Castillo is not the leading contender for the right. might be Ross, but a little undersized.
    Williams and Howling are MBs.
    Lipscomb is an OPP but hadn’t touched a ball in four months before this week due to injuries. so a little bit behind.

    5. can’t dictate what our columnists write. Reardon touched a lot on Iosida.
    My article Sunday was about Ah Mow-Santos, the one on Wednesday was about Kahakai. As for the
    I’m sure the media will get to these subject eventually
    This is Day 3 of practices.
    so Thank you 6. Ron. exactly.
    8. don’t think coaches were happy with the level of fitness of some of the players. but I did mention that about the “It’s on you to be in shape.”
    would disagree about the fist day of practice. They weren’t allowed to jump. so kind of hard to judge on improvement.


  12. Cindy Luis August 10, 2017 6:09 pm

    10. mentioned months ago Freitas had left the team to go home.
    Arden Misraje. who was walking on for both indoor and beach, has gone over to beach only
    Trinity castaneda is a 2018 commit


  13. Bleachercoach August 10, 2017 7:55 pm

    I really feel what the coaches (Robyn, Angelica, and staff) are doing is great! I can only visualize that this team and the future teams being better because they will come out with more intensity and by emphazing individual conditioning, feet movement, and passing skills can only translate to an overall better offensive team. I like what Coach Robyn said, ” if everyone can pass well then we will be able to get (more hitters) to become involved.” She was correct IMO. I rather have 4 really good hitters than 1 terminator….The new Hawaii may not become as predictable of who they are going to set always. I love the coaches emphasis of defense to create offense. I really have a good feeling that our team(s) will possess that ” Heart and Desire” that I (We) have not witnessed in a long time. Hope I am correct?
    Anyways, I am excited to see how things develop. Go Bows!!


  14. noblesol August 10, 2017 8:40 pm

    I’m not in the first day you can tell a lot camp. For the freshman it’s all new and they don’t know how to pace themselves. For the seniors its old tricks and they know it’s a long season, but it’s their last season so they are trying to make everything count. It takes a few practices, maybe a week of them to settle everyone into a good routine. Even then there will be good days and bad days, good practices and bad ones.


  15. Maverick August 10, 2017 9:20 pm

    Not to be cute, but when is a good hitter not a terminator? If a hitter can’t terminate, how good can she be?

    Regarding the attention that the press is paying to RAMS, it is the big story right now. UH hasn’t had a new head coach in decades, and there is a ton of fan curiosity about how she will run the team. It’s a good start for her to raise standards. Better conditioning, better skills, harder practices, etc. Can only lead to making good players great.


  16. kimo browner August 11, 2017 9:01 am

    Too bad about Freitas-she showed some gritty ball handling skills in the back row during the spring game…Coach Robin has piqued my curiosity with her intensity and early conditioning priorities. She pleasantly surprised with her martinet like command. Who would have guessed this stoically quiet introvert would be a beast! Gotta love it!


  17. kawika fan August 11, 2017 9:36 am

    16: Wow, great word, though have to admit I had to look it up: martinet
    btw, been a season ticked holder for over 40 years, so have seen a lot come and go. I saw the intensity that Robin had in the huddles during time outs. Exciting to look forward to what this season brings. My prediction is the wahine will be in the top 10 AVCA rankings by the 10th week of the season.


  18. H-Man August 11, 2017 7:55 pm

    Robyn will do a great job. I especially like her emphasis on passing and having the players move their feet (esp Kahakai). And approaching hitting as a team, rather than depending on a terminator. Implementing these changes, however, will take a year or two for the results to really take effect. Hoping for the best, but they need a couple of good years under Robyn’s coaching and recruiting to get back to the top 10. Minnesota really exposed the Wahine’s weaknesses in the spring scrimmage.


  19. warriorfan August 11, 2017 8:46 pm

    I still like the idea of Maglio playing opposite, UH needs a big gun like her to get a lot of sets to win the big west again IMO.


  20. Maverick August 11, 2017 8:48 pm

    I like Maglio’s blocking prowess to stop the opponents’ OHs.


  21. rabbit ears August 11, 2017 9:12 pm

    Kind of late to move Maglio. I do want her to play 6 rotations. As much as I would like to see Kendra on the court. Hard to picture her being successful as a OH.


  22. warriorfan August 11, 2017 9:49 pm

    Not really too late, as long as she’s got the feel of it by conference time, in October.
    I think Burns, Howling or Williams in the middle should do okay, nothing amazing but should do for now. I really want Mags to get the most sets every night, if the passing from the OH’s and L is off she might not get that many sets.


  23. noblesol August 12, 2017 1:14 am

    I’ve not seen Mags hit on the outside, or the pipe, or play six rotations. I think she could, but it might be a project and I think for the same investment in playing time you might get just a good a result or better from one of the other OHs. The first one I’d give a long at opposite is Casey. At 6′ 3″ with a nice high arm swing and snap, she has a lot of what Hawaii is used to seeing from opposite the past four years.

    Mags has a bent elbow, 3/4 arm swing that generates power but doesn’t make full use of her height and reach, and I don’t think that swing is well suited at opposite. She might make it work with her athleticism, smarts, and ability to adjust, but still, not a good swing to have from the right, especially for line shots or taking advantage of shorter outside blockers. Nikki with her height and reach could keep it in play swinging flat footed or pushing it over, if not somehow come up with the kill. So, that argues for height at opposite if that position is going to be your go to for out of system sets, and your block defense against tall high reach outsides, like Ruddins or Torrey Van Winden. As Mav points out, Mags in the middle greatly improves the defense with her block. She keeps the offense in system with it, and frequently she becomes the offense when she is scoring points off her block.

    As for Ross at opposite, she was good at improvisation last year, and we saw her do well with sets off the net, but anything up against the net or outside the pin would put her in the coffin closet. As a blocker she became a point of attack for teams with tall outsides and middles running slides. She was a great sub though because no one had game planned for her, she seemed to see the court and block well, adjusted her feet well, generated a lot of power with a compact swing, dug and passed well, and good things seemed to happen when she was playing. She was able to take advantage for stretches, forcing adjustments to her. They could adjust and take away her effectiveness, but that helped open up the middle and other pin. She was a little chaos maker for the other team to suddenly have to deal with.


  24. Cindy Luis August 12, 2017 10:30 am

    dang. had answered a bunch of the question but comuter crashed
    Will get to them after practice.

    http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=44421
    new thread up


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