The countdown has begun. We are inside a month until the start of the NCAA women’s volleyball season. And this is a chance to empty the notebook and have some fun in doing so as we charge into August with an eye on the last weekend when the schedule is chock full.
BIG TEN LEADS THE WAY: Things get real Monday in Chicago with the first Olympic sport event of its kind, Big Ten volleyball media days.
Media days are a staple of Power 5 football and basketball, and many other conferences have football media days, but this is huge for our sport. The head coaches and two players from each program are headed to the Big Ten Network studios.
On Monday, in order of appearance:
Northwestern — Shane Davis, Temi Thomas-Ailara, Megan Miller
Michigan State — Leah Johnson, Rebecka Poljan, Nalani Iosia
Michigan — Mark Rosen, Jess Mruzik, Jess Robinson
Indiana — Steve Aird, Camryn Haworth, Paula Cerame
Nebraska — John Cook, Madi Kubik, Kenzie Knuckles
Ohio State — Jen Flynn Oldenburg, Kylie Murr, Mac Podraza
Purdue — Dave Shondell, Raven Colvin, Emma Ellis
And on Tuesday:
Rutgers — Caitlin Schweifhofer, Madyson Chitty, Rachel Tam
Maryland — Adam Hughes, Rainelle Jones, Sydney Dowler
Iowa — Jim Barnes, Amiya Jones, Toyosi Onabanjo
Illinois — Chris Tamas, Diana Brown, Kennedy Collins
Wisconsin — Kelly Sheffield, Anna Smrek, Sarah Franklin
Minnesota — Hugh McCutcheon, CC McGraw, Taylor Landfair
Penn State — Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Taylor Trammell, Anjelina Starck
That’s a lot of volleyball people to interview and a lot of stories to stockpile. We will be there and will have stories on Monday and Tuesday.
The Big Ten has won five of the last nine NCAA titles — with four teams finishing second in tht span — including Wisconsin beating Nebraska in the final to get its first championship last December.
Well worthy of volleyball media days. Note that the Big Ten Network will air recap shows from each day at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Will other conferences follow suit? At the least, in the arms race that is college sports, expect virtual volleyball media days from some of the other leagues next summer.
CAFFEY LEAVING HUSKERS: Speaking of the Big Ten and Nebraska, in last December’s NCAA title match, when Wisconsin beat Nebraska in five, middle Kayla Caffey had 15 kills, four blocks and a dig. For the season, she was third on the team in kills and led with 118 blocks, nine solo. And now the 6-foot VolleyballMag.com fourth-team All-American…
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