In just two years as head coach, Dennis Hohenshelt has turned the Virginia volleyball program around; last season was the first time since 2008 the squad finished with a winning record.
During his first season, the team failed to win more games than the season before Hohenshelt arrived, winning only nine games in the 31-match schedule.
But with the addition of six freshmen, who were named the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation, the Cavaliers were able to record their most wins since 2007. They were fifth in the ACC with a conference record of 11-9 and an overall record of 18-14.
“I think part of the turnaround is the recruiting we picked up,” Hohenshelt said. “Better players always make it a little bit easier. Having those kids that could play and adding depth to the team makes practice better, which in turn made it better on Fridays and Saturdays when we played.”
Two freshmen, outside hitters Haley Kole and Jasmine Burton, played in all 32 matches and each earned ACC Volleyball Freshman of the Week twice during the 2013 season. Both were also named to the ACC All-Freshman team at the end of the season. Burton had 380 kills, 2.97 kills per set, a .250 hitting percentage, and 73 blocks on the season, which was third on the team for all four categories. For her efforts, she was named ACC Freshman of the Year. Kole was second on the team in kills (430) and kills per set (3.39).
The Cavaliers were also able to double their win total from the previous season with the help of some veteran players like senior outside hitter and co-captain Tori Janowski and junior setter Lauren Fuller.
“The culture changed,” Janowski said. “We learned how to win. A lot of volleyball components were there. We just didn’t know how to put them together and win, so I think that definitely clicked and we started rolling.”
At the end of the 2013 season, the American Volleyball Coaches Association gave All-East Coast Region Honorable Mentions to both Janowski and Fuller. Fuller transferred to Virginia from the University of Arizona and was named to the All-ACC Second team after dishing out 1,455 assists on the season — second in the ACC. They were both also given All-State honors. Janowski lead the team in kills (462), kills per set (3.61) and service aces (46) after returning to the outside hitter position after two years as the team’s setter.
“Two years ago, we switched Tori,” Hohenshelt said. “We understood we were taking our best hitter and making her our setter, but at that point we had to do that. We had no choice. Tori’s just a really good volleyball player, so whatever position she plays, she’s going to help us. To be able to train her consistently in one position instead of two makes it a lot easier for us.”
Janowski and Fuller are two of 14 returning players from the previous season. That experience will be vital this season against a tough schedule that features six teams that competed in the 2013 NCAA championships.
“Skill gets you so far, but there’s a lot to be said about experience,” senior middle hitter and co-captain Morgan Blair said.
Since the NCAA Women’s Volleyball tournament began in 1981, the Cavaliers have only made the tournament twice, in 1998 and 1999.
“I think as we get better, we have to upgrade our preseason schedule, and part of that is we got to get tougher competition, whether that results in wins or losses, ” Hohenshelt said. “It helps our RPI if we play better teams, which in the end is really how you get into the tournament.”
Hoping to learn from those experienced players are middle hitter Haley Fauntleroy and defensive specialist Haley Lind. Fauntleroy was No. 54 on prepvolleyball.com’s Senior Aces list. Lind was also on the top 150 list. In 2011, she was named a defensive “dandie” by the same website.
“I think they’re both going to be really good,” Hohenshelt said. “Haley Lind has made tremendous jumps in her game. She’s become really comfortable with the speed of it. Haley Fauntleroy is going to be really competitive. I expect both of them to contribute greatly by the end of the season and be significant helps to us.”
Players old and new came together to play the team’s annual Orange-Blue scrimmage game on August 16 in preparation for the upcoming season. This year, the scrimmage was played a week earlier than normal to avoid move-in day traffic and allow for more player evaluations.
The Cavaliers open up the regular season this weekend at the Thunder Invitational hosted by Marshall in Huntington, West Virginia. They will face Illinois-Chicago, Eastern Michigan, and host Marshall.
“It’s really important for us to get some wins on our back to roll into the season,” Blair said.
They will face Illinois-Chicago (9-21, 4-10 Horizon League) Friday at 7:30 p.m. Like the Cavaliers, the Flames return several key players from last year, including seven letter winners. They also added junior middle blocker Stephanee Yancey, a transfer from Western Michigan, where she was named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year.
Saturday, the Cavaliers will play a doubleheader against Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m. and host Marshall (16-16, 8-6 C-USA) at 7:30 p.m.
The Eastern Michigan Eagles’ head coach, Kim Berrington was inducted to the Hall of Fame at Concordia University in Michigan this past summer for her four years at the school, where she led the volleyball team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and national ranking. Her current team has posted less than stellar records the past few years, going 18-16 overall and 6-10 in the Mid-American Conference last year. The Eagles’ hope their freshmen, who received an honorable mention in prepvolleyball.com’s recruiting ranks, can improve their record.
Unlike Virginia, the Marshall Thundering Herd lost three seniors who started their entire careers, and now only have one senior on the team in setter Sammie Bane. Bane is fourth on the all-time assist list at Marshall and was named to All-Conference Second Team last season. She has started all four years and was named a co-captain halfway through her freshman year, helping her team turn around the 2011 season.
“We do enough things pretty well that we’re going to scare some people,” said Hohenshelt. “We’re at that point where the kids just want to play. I’m excited to see what they’re going to do.”
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