Chris Poole has seen a lot in 36 seasons as a head coach. But even a seasoned sideline boss such as him was taken aback by what Florida State went through this season.
The good news: Florida State is in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in the past 14 seasons as the Seminoles (19-10) travel to Minneapolis, where they will face Missouri Valley-champ Northern Iowa (26-7) on Friday. Host Minnesota (20-8), the No. 2 seed in the region, plays Southland-champion Southeastern Louisiana. The winners play Saturday.
The bad news: The Seminoles’ road to the tournament was fraught with potholes. Make that craters.
Because of a spate of injuries, Poole was forced to play 12 different starting lineups. He even used three different setter combinations: a 5-1 and a 6-2 using his Nos. 1 and 2 setters and No. 1 and 3 setters.
A third setter, Melanie Cuervo, who transferred from Division II Lynn University for her final collegiate season, wound up starting three matches between Oct. 2 and 7, all wins.
“She’s going to finish her career 3-0 as a Division I starter,” Poole said.
Poole could chuckle a bit about it now, but his season-long lineup alchemy was no laughing matter.
“That’s not normal for me,” Poole said about the constant — but necessary — lineup changes. “I’m not just one to jerk players in and out of a game. This team never quit. They were not the kind of team to sit on the sidelines and feel sorry for themselves. They kept fighting.”
It was only three weeks ago that every player in Poole’s regular rotation was deemed healthy enough to play without restrictions. Until now, FSU, understandably, had trouble finding a rhythm, but there have been signs. A sweep of Miami, another tournament team, on November 23 showed the Seminoles at their best.
“I think we’re actually feeling really confident right now,” said junior outside hitter Sydney Conley, who is one of the team’s longest-tenured players. “Our last game against Georgia Tech wasn’t the best, but the game before that (Miami) has us really confident in ourselves, and I think we’re just ready to make a good run in the tournament.”
Through it all, five players earned all-ACC honors: Emma Clothier (6-2, senior, MB, Carrollton, Texas), Audrey Koenig (6-3, sophomore, OH, Wesley Chapel, Florida), Khori Louis (6-3, sophomore, MB, Tallahassee) and Emily Ryan (6-4, grad transfer from UCLA, MB,…
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