Having to direct a roster loaded with underclassmen would give some coaches a headache, but Houston volleyball head coach Bill Walton views this as an opportunity to build a foundation for future success.
The Cougars will start the season with 10 underclassmen, including six freshmen, and without any seniors. Although these numbers suggest that the Cougars should be in for some growing pains, Walton couldn’t be more pleased with his current situation.
"That means I have a team that I can train for two years, not one year and they’re gone," Walton, who enters his 22nd season at Houston with a career record of 626-314, said. "I’m especially excited about the chance of having the group for two years.
"Next year, we’ll add a couple of more girls, which will only make us better. For the most part, this team will stay intact."
Fortunately for Walton, the foundation has already been laid. The Cougars return six letterwinners, including dynamic junior outside hitter Justine Farmer, to a team that recorded a 19-17 mark and seventh-place regular season finish in Conference USA.
Farmer, an All C-USA first-team selection a season ago, has developed into the team’s most dominant attacker over the last two seasons. She led the Cougars with 645 kills and finished second with 511 digs last season.
Now as one of the most experienced veterans remaining on the team, Farmer is expected to step her game up a notch and take on the role of leader.
"It’s very important for me to (lead the team) in the game, as well as in practice," Farmer said. "In games, I just need to be really intense and play my game. Hopefully, everyone will follow along."
Sophomore Ashley Calhoun will line up at outside hitter opposite Farmer. Last season, Calhoun, who was recruited as an outside hitter out of Neenah (Wis.) High School, played extensively at libero because the former position was overstocked, and she couldn’t beat out any of the other players.
Calhoun performed admirably at libero, leading the team in digs with 523, but Walton believes Calhoun could perform even better as an outside hitter.
"She now gets to do the job she was recruited for," Walton said. "She is supposed to be one of our stud outside hitters, and she should be."
Farmer’s continued dominance and Calhoun’s development as an outside hitter will hinge largely on the play of junior setter Kelsey King, who returns healthy after enduring an injury-plagued 2006 campaign.
King started the Cougars’ first 11 matches last season before falling victim to a season-ending knee injury. She underwent surgery on her right knee in September, and later had surgery performed on her left knee in December.
King rehabbed intensely in the spring and summer and appears ready to direct the offense.
"It was weird trying to come back and be a leader on the court because Justine and I are the oldest (players)," King said. "It was hard the first couple of days (of practice), but I think I’m getting back into it like I used to be. Hopefully, (the other players) still see me as a leader and I can help them out as much as I was on track to last year."
Should King go down again this season, the offense will be in good hands with her backup, freshman Robin Fitzgerald, who has drawn rave reviews from coaches and teammates.
"She is a wonderful girl to coach," Walton said. "She’s six feet tall, and that helps. She gives us a great backup, and she gives us the flexibility if we want to put a big blocker in for Kelsey every now and then and let the other girl set."
The Cougars are loaded at middle blocker with sophomore Erin Rice, junior transfer Barbara Freitas and freshmen Malia Vavao and Lucy Charuk. Rice, a 2006 All C-USA freshman team selection, was the league’s second-leading blocker last season (1.29 blocks per game).
Freshman Amanda Carson will likely start the season as the team’s libero.
However, Walton didn’t rule out playing Carson at outside hitter, a position she played extensively in high school.
"If we get in trouble with injuries, she’s good enough to play outside hitter for us," Walton said. "She won’t block any balls, but Amanda can hit and do everything else."
The Cougars are confident they can compete for the C-USA title with their current line up, but others aren’t as believing. Houston was picked to finish fifth in C-USA in a vote by the league’s 12 head coaches.
Such predictions mean little to Farmer.
"It doesn’t matter what the (polls) say," she said. "It’s all about what you do on the court."
