Mitchem has arrived (updated)
She was in the arena checking in and then had a physical. There was also NCAA stuff to do.
She may not practice until tomorrow. Will know more when I get back to the arena.
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She was in the arena checking in and then had a physical. There was also NCAA stuff to do.
She may not practice until tomorrow. Will know more when I get back to the arena.
That’s good to know!
Cindy, heard you on Bobby’s show. It will be very competitive for playing time. I could see red shirting all of the freshmen unless Granado is a really great passer. The emergence of Huff is also a good problem. I would not mess with the middles and would play Annie outside either rt. or lt. This much power begs for a 6-2. Can hardly for it to begin.
welcome to Mitchem!
Hope Huff and Maglio can see more playing time this year.
Mitchem currently getting a physical then needs to go through the NCAA stuff.
2. Granato passes well but we’ll see if she gets in. Doubt very much that they’ll use a true 6-2 but for sure they’ll do the double-sub again. As for ‘messing with the middles’ Maglio didn’t start last year, it was Adolpho. Maglio does have the edge in experience over Mitchem but we’ll see what happens.
4. again, depends on where they use Mitchem. If she ends up in the middle, then Maglio could be the third middle. If they use Mitchem as an OH, then Maglio likely the second middle. Still think someone will redshirt.
Welcome Annie!
Yes it needs to be decided whether she plays OH or MB, but as the saying goes, “that’s a good problem to have.”
Any chance you can post pics or video of Mitchem if she practices this afternoon.
Ends up she might not practice this afternoon. If she does, I’ll get something
I think Annie looks about 6′ 3
Listed at 6-2. Shoji said 6-3. Perhaps when they finish with the physical the height will change.
Wow, what a big booster shot in the arm for what already appears to be a solid and improved returning team this year. Watching videos online of IVC last year, what a huge advantage to have a talented 6’2″ player that can play multi-positions so well. It was fun to watch as she was ridiculous. She will greatly add to the options that Dave can call upon when they face teams that pose match ups challenges. So happy for her – and the team. Welcome Annie Mitchem!
7. I do have a video interview with Mitchem that will not be on the blog but will be posted on HawaiiWarriorWorld.com when our video guy edits it.
Does anyone know if there will be any change in the online streaming of UH matches this season?
I hope we don’t put undue pressure on Mitchem to be as good as she was her first 2 years at IVC. Competition will be much stronger this year in the BW.
13. don’t think anything has changed with TV. OC16 streams available to subscribers.
Mitchem knows that this will be an entirely different level and that she has to up her game. Think others realize it’s not an easy transition.
Keep Mitchem in the middle!!! Hawaii needs a physical middle that can run all options and can put up a block. Hawaii has a great line up of outsides and needs the same for the middle to be competitive.
Thanks, Cindy.
Btw, more preseason photos here:
http://www.orgsites.com/hi/wahinevbbc/_pgg8.php3
AlexM, thanks!
When I said “don”t mess with the middles” I was basing it on your reports as to how well they played in Europe and how they impressed the coaches over there. I think that Maglio is the reincarnation of Brittney Hewett. I also think Mitchem could be the “terminator” every teams needs. Nothing motivates a player more than having a freshman/ transfer come in and try to take your place. 50 years later I can still remember that feeling of wanting to prove to the coach and the team that you deserve to start.
14. OC16 streams available to subscribers? In the past, the stream for SSC games was available to anyone on the BW site. Will that continue this season? Sure hope so as flying to Honolulu is getting real expensive these days.
thanks, Alex, for the link to the photos and videos.
in one of the videos, it looks like higgins is feeding the middles nice, high 1 sets. let’s see/hope that it translates to game time. 🙂
17. I’m agreeing with you on both counts. Maglio has shown great progress since the Texas scrimmage and we’ll see if Shoji gives Mitchem a shot at the leftside. Greeley and Manu-Olevao are lacking the terminator presence that Hartong had and Mitchem may be the One. Nikki is probably a notch higher than Kalei and Tai but the she perfectly fits the role on the right side, mainly for her blocks against the enemy’s leftside hitters.
Also to Mitchem, I’ve read where she has a good vertical above 10′, anyone in the know can add to this?
I’ll wait on Mitchem until she gets on the court. Big differenc from JC to D1.
Only time will tell.
19. they’ve been working on higher sets since last spring.
agree with the rest of you. much remains to be seen. Until she gets on the court, no way to tell. Shoji did say she was a middle but that they’d see where her skill set was and make a determination about moving her to what is already very crowded numbers on the outside.
#17 Well said. I think a lot of people are thinking the same thing. It will be fun to see. I think this is the year that the “Taylor-Made” dynamic dual have their ridiculous breakout year. The two seniors don’t need any more motivation as their body language says they will leave everything on the floor.
after official physicals you will notice that some of the heights have changed on the roster. Mitchem will be listed at 6-3, Burns 6-4, Maglio 6-3. Was told Maglio grew a little from last year.
Not that it matters much but I’m really surprised Burns is 6′ 4 she seems taller than that, especially taller than Nikki.
just passing along the info they gave me. Mitchem is 6-2 3/4 but they’re going with 6-3. Burns does seem taller but she also is thinner than Taylor.
But as you say, not that it matters.
Posted on VT “Hawaii 2015” blog, a photo of Maglio, Burns and Mitchem. Burns and Mitchem looks pretty close in height. Check out those guns on Mitchem, a heavy ball hitter I believe.
I watched the JC championship match Annie has a cannon and pretty good hops as well although that was mostly against small blocks.
29. In that photo Nata is clearly hunching though. I agree Annie is built like Heather Bown.
Wahine fans amazing. They find these photos from who knows where. Nice photo of the two Maple Leafs and Texan .
31. looked at the photo and agree with you about Burns
18. You beat me too it. Maglio definitely reminds me of a second coming of Brittany Hewitt, her progress thus far has been GREAT! I want to see her at Middle 2! This could be her BREAKOUT year and shes onky a Soph! The final piece is already here (Mitchem) it all depends on where she falls, im thinking LOH. Wherever she falls though who sits out? Olevau, Greeley or Maglio???
32. Photo from Nata’s twitter account 🙂
Really hope Shoji tries a 6-2 , Would love to see a frontcourt of Mitchem, Magill, Olevao and then Greeley, Maglio and Taylor. They could lead the nation in blocking.
#15 Final 2014 individual hitting percentage for OHs shows Nikki at .215, and Tai at .196, and finally Kalei G. at .216. Our Middles shows Olivia at .405 and Kalei A. at .334
It would appear that OH need help – a lot of help. I am sure all the girls worked really hard and have improved much. Just saying … it is pretty obvious. Mitchem took 50% of her swings from the OH position, and may be able to help along with the new hard hitting Huff as well as the two freshmen OHs.
And huff filling in for Olevao on Sundays. I would redshirt all three freshmen if possible, let all three have four years with Iosia.
I would keep all the players on the active roster just to push the starters. I don’t know how you can say that the “starters” are sure thing with those kind of hitting percentage. If Mitchem, Castillo and McKenna play the outside and hit for better percentage then I say they should start. You play the best players regardless of class. Dave owe it to the team to put the best 6 on the floor whether they are freshmen or not. Dave is not going to be there much longer so he is going to have to make it work NOW and not worry about four years from now.
Greeley and Huff were just freshmen last year. I expect them both to be much improved. Taylor is finally healthy , I expect her to be much improved as well, like her brother who became an all american his final two seasons.
I am just saying if possible I would redshirt the freshmen, they will be much better as fifth year seniors IMO.
But for those who dont know Mitchem pic is loaded on roster…
It is currently 601pm….so did Mitchem practice today?
Aloha all!
Sounds like everyone is excited about the upcoming season and can’t wait for it to start. I too feel the excitement and butterflies starting. I can’t remember the last time Dave had so many weapons at his disposal. He’s gonna have some tough decisions to make as who to play and what position. This team is deep at many positions. Can’t wait to see them in action!
Imua! Go Na Wahine! Geeev um!!
41. No, starting tomorrow morning.
Oh that’s too bad. Hope she can start practice already. She missed too much time and every practice helps. Oh well maybe she will show up tomorrow and wow Shoji with her game.
One things for sure Annie Mitchem has surely ignited the UH Fan Base!
Did not practice. Thought I mentioned that she’d be practicing Tuesday.
35. Yep, plenty of photos to dig up if you want to spend your day on FB and Twitter and other social media.
36. really do not want to get into that discussion about hitting percentage again. You can’t just look at the numbers. you’d have to chart ever sing play. Any attempt to play a ball is counted as an attack, doesn’t matter if it had any chance of going over.
and not sure where you got the ‘pretty obvious Mitchem took 50 percent her swings at OH. she does do a step out tho.
As for redshirting I would have thought so but asked Shoji today if he was going to and he said he hadn’t planned on it.
#45 Yeah, I got excited when I saw how fit and tone all the girls were on the first day. They must have worked their butts off. You can just tell that this group is very committed, determined, and mature. Together, they plan to rock the house! With the addition of Annie Mitchem, they just got another stud to help them.
I think its smart not to think about redshirting players so early. If someone can help the team win now…..that player should have the chance to play.
Attitude should be “win at all cost now and think about the future later”. You never know if one of the freshmen will catch fire and be a force ala Hartong/Danielson/Kahumoku. I only think you should redshirt if that player is not ready to contribute and is more of a project. I see all the newcomers being able to contribute right away in some form so I say play them.
36, 46. A couple of thoughts on the hitting percentage topic. Middles generally have higher hitting percentages than outsides. Over the last three years, that has been the case for the Wahine. So a simple comparison as Tongo suggests would be misleading and cause one to make erroneous conclusions. The real question is whether Mitchem is a better upgrade at middle vs outside, and that can only be answered during practices and the first few matches, not relying on last year’s statistics.
Second thought is that while Cindy is correct in stating that poor sets and passes can adversely impact hitting percentage, over the course of a season (i.e., over lots of reps/plays), those errors should be distributed across players (unless one player is designated to take all the poor sets/passes, which is not the case with UH). So you can make meaningful comparisons across players and positions without having to chart every play–one player shouldn’t have a disproportionate share of poor passes/sets if play follows a normal distribution. However, how you make those comparisons involves more analysis than Tongo has done. There are intangibles and other considerations: what offense will be run, who are the best passers, leadership and experience issues, and coaches’ trust.
#46 best effort recollection is that data point is attributed to Tom Pestolesi. It is also cited in VT site under Hawaii 2015 by another poster. Ask her yourself tomorrow. Watched the CA JC Championship game – IVC vs. Cabrillo online, and yes, she makes a major step out kill, as well as lots of kills as outside hitter.
#49 Totally agree with you. Hitting percentage is only part of the story. I cited the hitting percentage in reference to #15 only. I regret citing it as it is all moot now. Unfortunately, once cited, it becomes fair game. Ever watch fox news!
I like Annie on the right or left, because it means more sets coming her way. Last season the middles were not set that often.
Also I think Maglio is a better blocker and might lead the team in blocking and be among the best in the nation.
51. Got it. No worries. Keep on posting.
this year, it is very viable shoji can have na wahine penetrate deep into the ncaa, if not, take its title. he does not have ‘top heavy’ relying on one terminator (2013) or too many new recruits (last year). what he has are a couple of seniors (for limited edition leadership), plenty of experienced mainline juniors and sophomores, a supermajority being tall over 6 feet (in fact shojis latest and greatest tallest team yet), and a few monsters of a beast, any of them can be terminators or heavy hitters.
oh yeah, a 6-2 is pretty real, however, i wouldnt entirely rely on thinking that way.
Changing the subject a little, Joe Worsley is looking very impressive for the junior national team. I think if he decides to play libero he will give Kanetake a serious run for the starting position this season.
#55 For us old dogs who have been following Dave since we were young people at UH over 30+ years ago, I just want one big last go at it. The program will go on without Dave, but for many of us, it won’t be the same. I would be happy with sweet 16 and with lots of luck and pray – the final 8. In my wildest dream, it would be …
Thanks to all for contributing to the very interesting discussions.
I know I sometimes get a little grumpy about topics and that includes the hitting percentage. What I guess what I was getting at initially was in reaction to someone putting it all on the setters for the low hitting percentage. And that was the point about charting every set because sometimes the hitters had a wide open look and hit wide or into the net or, as we know, the linesmen call it out when it was clearly in.
53. We’ll see about Maglio. She is moving really well and people will see that if she is given a chance to start. Playing sand in the spring helped her overall game as well and she looked good in Europe when the middles had to play back row.
56. Worsley is doing well. Did do a brief about it for Tuesday’s paper and completely forgot about adding it here. It was a long day at the arena and between twitter, the blog and writing stories simply forgot where I posted things.
Something I did ask Shoji that didn’t make it into print was about the team maybe resenting Mitchem being so late getting here. He said the players knew about the situation and were fine with it. As some pictures from twitter and other social media have shown, players were already hanging out with Mitchem after she arrived Saturday night. I know she got taken to rainbow drive-in for lunch.
We’ll see where she best fits in, either middle or OH. More after practice.
http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/rainbow-wahine-volleyball/video-annie-mitchem-joins-wahine/
In case you didn’t see our HWW home page, above is the link to a short interview with Mitchem.
below is link for Tuesday’s thread
http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=32632