Volleyball Preview Part 2: Butler

Aug. 10, 2005

Two words describe the 2005 season for Butler: opportunity and competition. Playing time at nearly every position on the court is up for grabs as the Bulldogs look to replace a group of graduates that posted some of the highest accomplishments in the program's history. However, instead of reminiscing about recent success, head coach Sharon Clark is confident her roster is talented enough to keep Butler among the Horizon League's elite.

The 2005 version of the Bulldogs has been patiently waiting in the wings, learning during practice and, in some cases, redshirt seasons. But most importantly, when Clark has called on them in the past, they have produced, helping the team to 38 wins over the past two seasons. The only difference is now Clark will be calling on them more and their individual expectations have increased.

"We are a young and inexperienced team; there's no denying that," said Clark. "But we are very talented individually. It's going to be important to gain experience early on in the season so that individual confidence becomes an overall team confidence."

The following is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2005 Butler Bulldogs.

LIBERO/DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
Senior captain Megan Knightly returns after earning 2004 Horizon League "Defensive Player of the Year" honors. Her 4.51 digs per game led the conference and proved to be the highest per game average in Butler single-season history, trouncing the previous record of 4.20 (Lori Adams, 1989). Knightly registered double-figure digs in every match last season, pushing her double-figure streak to 30 matches. She had 20+ digs nine times, including a career-high 30 Sept. 23 at Wright State. The 30 digs tied the fifth-best single-match total in Butler history."After the year Meg had in 2004, it's a luxury to have her back this season," said Clark. "We have a good amount of depth at the defensive specialist position so Meg will have a lot of help with ball control and passing."

What made Knightly's 2004 campaign so impressive was that it was her first season in the libero role. The 5-9 Chicago product arrived at Butler as an outside hitter and thrived at that position, starting all 32 matches in 2003 and earning conference "All-Newcomer Team" accolades in 2002. When rule changes in 2004 allowed the libero to serve, Clark knew Knightly's instincts and leadership were ideally suited for the specialty role.

Sophomore Mallory Sheets saw action in eight matches as a defensive specialist in 2004. Sheets, a 5-7 player from Frankfort, Ind., is expected to see more time in the role this season. Freshman Chloe' Blasingame arrives at Butler from Marian Catholic High School in South Holland, Ill. The team's MVP and an all-area selection as a senior, Blasingame also captained her club team to a fifth-place finish at the 2004 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championship in Orlando, Fla. Nina Inic will see action in 2005 at both the defensive specialist and outside hitter positions. The 5-9 player from Belgrade, Serbia was a spring signee.

"Mallory has learned the focus it takes to compete at this level," said Clark. "We expect more from her this season after having a year to settle in. Chloe' is an aggressive, fiery player, a freshman who is more savvy than a regular first-year player. Nina will play several positions for us and will see a lot of time on the court."

OUTSIDE HITTERS
"We're going to have a lot of competition on the outside," said Clark. "We have a variety of players with different games, which means we'll use a lot of offensive styles this season. Suz and Michelle have the nod because of court experience, but this whole group could see time."Sophomore Michelle DeGeeter had the best rookie campaign of Butler's newcomers in 2004. She got better as the season progressed, improving her numbers to 2.53 kills per game and .338 hitting over the team's final four matches. DeGeeter set career-highs with 15 kills at UW-Green Bay Nov. 6 and nine blocks against UIC Nov. 13. The league's coaches rewarded her efforts with "All-Newcomer Team" accolades following the season.Junior Susana Henri is yet another experienced player that Clark can call on in 2005. She started 19 matches for Butler last season, finishing seventh on the team in kills and blocks. Henri set a career-high with nine kills on three occasions, all against Horizon League opponents, and had a personal-best 19 digs against UW-Milwaukee Oct. 9.

Freshmen Alicia Coltrane and Andrea Gallegos will see the first action of their respective Butler careers in 2005, helping to fill the void left by All-Horizon League selection Kali Carter. Coltrane, a 6-1 player from El Paso, Texas, redshirted the 2004 campaign after a standout career at Eastwood High School. Gallegos comes to Butler from Robertson High in Las Vegas, N.M., where she led the team to third-place state finishes in both 2001 and 2004. An outstanding all-around athlete, Gallegos won the state championship in track's high jump and helped her basketball team to a third-place state finish in 2003.

"Alicia and Drea have unbelievable aggressiveness, something we are looking forward to seeing," said Clark. "Alicia is a complete player with an incredible knack for the game. She really benefited from her redshirt season because it gave us the opportunity to convert her from the middle to the outside. She's a powerful and complete hitter, something that is a key position for being competitive at the Top 100 level. She could have contributed last season for us, so we expect a lot from her in 2005."Inic, in her rookie campaign, will also see time on the outside.

MIDDLE BLOCKERS
"We return a solid, experienced group in the middle," said associate head coach Karen Weatherington, who mentors the middle blocker group. "We're looking for major contributions from this group. Our blocking system will be a major strength for us this season."Senior Candice Washington provides the Bulldogs with their most consistent blocking presence after stuffing 1.18 blocks per game last season. The 6-3 player had five or more blocks on eight occasions. On the offensive end, Washington hit .229 during the year and added 1.40 kills per game. Perhaps the most vocal Butler player when on the court, her leadership will be vital to the success of the 2005 squad.Junior Krystal Hendrix started all 28 matches last season, averaging nearly two kills and one block per game. The most efficient hitter on the Butler roster, Hendrix's .246 hitting percentage led the team last season and was the sixth-best mark in the Horizon League. She earned league "All-Newcomer Team" honors in 2003.

Sophomore Camille Jamerson, arguably the team's best pure athlete, will see increased minutes with AVCA All-American Areal Bienemy's departure. Jamerson appeared in only seven matches last season, but her athleticism will make it difficult for Clark to keep the 5-11 Texan off the court.DeGeeter, who Clark says can play anywhere on the court, will also see some time in the middle blocker position.

SETTERS
For the second year in a row, Butler must replace its primary setter. Last season, Sara Gallagher stepped right in after the graduation of Amanda Matthews and orchestrated the Butler offense magnificently. Now, with Gallagher transitioning to the coaching ranks, the duties are left to junior Laura White and newcomer Dana Daprile. White is no stranger to the court, seeing action in 26 of the team's 28 matches a year ago. However, the Wisconsin native has seen most of her action as a defensive specialist.

"It's going to be fun to watch the competition at setter during our preseason," said Clark, a setter during her collegiate playing days. "Laura has a rapport with the returning players having been on the court with them. Dana, with her height and being left-handed, allows us to be more deceptive. At six-feet, she can attack and block for us along the front line. The players have completely different games, but we will call on both of them this season."White, a former Wisconsin All-Star, has also shown a nose for the ball, highlighted by a career-high 17 digs against UW-Green Bay Oct. 8. Daprile comes to Butler from nearby Bargersville, Ind., and Center Grove High School. She polished off her career by receiving Indiana All-Star and ICGSA second-team All-State honors.

SCHEDULE
In-state opponents and unchartered territory highlight the 2005 Butler volleyball schedule. A home match against Purdue and a trip to Ball State are two of four in-state opponents on Butler's slate. The team will also travel to the Air Force Academy and Cornell University for invitational tournaments, as the young Bulldogs prepare for the Horizon League portion of the schedule."We are excited about our 2005 schedule," said Clark. "Our schedule is a good challenge for a young squad this fall. The preseason will be strong and our intent is to toughen up an inexperienced team before conference play."

Story Provided by John Dedman, Butler Sports Information