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Aug. 11, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois volleyball held its annual Media Day on Thursday at Huff Hall. The team took its team photo and answered questions about its expectations for the season and the start of practice among other things.
Here are some videos and highlighted quotes from the day:
Head Coach Kevin Hambly:
On this year's team compared to previous years...
"Take nothing away from the kids we had in the past, but this group is bigger, more physical and more athletic than we've been. Does that mean we're going to be a better volleyball team? Time will tell. But I like the potential of this group a lot. We see some things in practice that are happening that we weren't capable of doing last year.
"Last year we knew what we had. We felt comfortable. Coming into this year, we don't exactly what we have, but we sure like the potential of this group, not just because of the athleticism, but also the character of the people. They are very serious about being good. We had the best summer we've ever had."
On the freshman class (ranked number three nationally)...
"Jen Oldenberg said it best: they can play. They're athletic and they can play the game. How fast they can learn our system and get acclimated to college volleyball will determine whether or not they'll be on the floor. They all four came play all the way around."
On the addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten:
""It might be tougher to win the Big Ten than to make a run in the (NCAA) Tournament. It's tougher to be good for 20 matches than it is for six. The Big Ten was great already, now with Nebraska is just adds another great opponent. What they bring, though, is a whole other level of fan support. They and Hawaii have set a standard when it comes to volleyball. I'm hoping our fans see that and come out and support us that way. I know our fans will be excited when they come to our place next year."
Senior Colleen Ward
On the team's outlook for the season...
"We have four incoming freshmen, so it is a lot to teach everyone, but we are really looking forward to the season. We have a lot of good players coming back and a lot of good talent coming in, so we are just trying to get everyone to play every position. Some of our outsides have been playing left side and right side just to be more balanced of a team."
On the start of practice...
"It has been really positive. We are just focusing on working really hard and making sure we are paying attention to all of the details. It is a lot to learn especially if you are new. We have a defensive mentality to go after every single ball and work as hard as we can because it is the only way we will get better."
On what the team is capable of this year...
"We have a bright future ahead of us. I am really excited to see what we will do. The Big Ten is going to be really hard this year, and obviously the tournament. We have a tough preseason, but we have a lot of talent, so if we put it all together, it will be a great future."
On replacing the seniors lost from last year...
"We graduated a lot of great talent from last year. They were really strong leaders for us, so everyone will have to step up and take on a new role. Our senior class will have to step up in leadership and show the freshmen how things are done to lead the underclassmen. It is a huge role for us to fill, but we have enough talent coming in so we just need to continue training."
On the talent level of the incoming freshmen...
"It's crazy. Every one of them is a great player. We have had them play both on the left and on the right because they have talent on both sides. It is exciting to see what we will do with them."
Freshman Liz McMahon
On the transition to college volleyball...
"It's going really smoothly. I like it a lot. The girls are very welcoming, and it's been a smooth transition from high school. I am really excited and the energy is really great in the gym."
On the pressure of having a highly ranked recruiting class...
"We are not feeling [the pressure] too much. Our goals are more as a team collectively and not letting any class ego get in the way of the team. Everyone is using their skills to build a better team."
On joining a successful program...
"It helps a lot because these girls are teaching us about their experiences with winning. We are just adjusting to all of their customs here. The tradition here as a school and a volleyball program is excellent. I really liked the team culture and how well the girls got a long."
Senior Michelle Bartsch
On the team's expectations for the year...
"We are super excited. We have only been practicing for three days, so it's a short period of time but what we have seen so far may even be better than years past. We are working hard every day."
On replacing the seniors lost from last year...
"This group of girls has been working very, very hard all through the offseason and last spring. It will take a little bit to adjust, but we are getting a lot better even with the big gaps we have to fill."
On the talent level of the incoming freshmen...
"It's kind of scary how good all of them are. They are incredible and the shortest one out of the group is 6'1", so that makes me feel good."
On dealing with the expectations from others...
"We have started to expect to be highly ranked and be among the top teams, so it is something we have gotten used to."
On having Nebraska in the Big Ten this season...
"It kind of feels like they have been part of the conference because the last couple years we have played them there, but it is exciting and will be a good addition for the conference."
