John Brown University's volleyball team returns the bulk of its roster from last year's 22-11 campaign, but how well the Golden Eagles fill some key spots may determine what kind of season they will have in 2015.
The Golden Eagles reported back to campus on Aug. 9 for two-a-day practices and those workouts continued through today.
On Thursday, JBU will practice and then hop on the bus toward Fort Worth, Texas, where they'll play in the Sooner Athletic Conference/Red River Athletics Conference Clash being held Friday and Saturday at SAC-member school Texas Wesleyan.
John Brown welcomes seven new players to this year's team -- six freshmen and one junior college transfer -- to a team that returned several battle tested veterans.
"The core of our team in terms of offense and defense is back," said second-year head coach Ken Carver. "We had a good spring. We're pretty excited about having this group to work with. They've done a good job of helping the new players."
JBU lost five seniors from last year's team, including a starting libero and two right side players.
But two weeks before the start of fall practice, JBU learned it was not going to have the services of 2014 setter Shayna Daniels, who had to leave the school for a family situation back in Texas. Daniels led the team with 663 assists and 71 aces a year ago.
"Unfortunately, Shayna Daniels was not able to come back," Carver said. "That was a very hard decision for her to make."
With only one other setter on the roster in sophomore Alyssa Arnold (5-foot-9), Carver had to switch the team's offense back to a 5-1 format (one setter) instead of the 6-2 (two setters) the team used heading into the season.
Arnold was the team's second setter last season and played in every single match. She finished the season with 482 assists.
"I have complete confidence in (Arnold) that she'll be able to do it," Carver said. "(The 5-1) looks different, but I think we'll be just fine with Alyssa shouldering the load at the setter position."
With no other setter on the roster, Carver said the team is in the process of trying to develop another setter in case of emergency. Senior Melissa Bakke (5-11) of Bentonville could be a candidate as could junior Molli Pugh of Little Rock Christian.
At outside hitter, the Golden Eagles return senior Audrey Dearien (6-0), who was a first team All-Sooner Athletic Conference player and an honorable mention NAIA All-American.
Dearien, who hails from Frisco, Texas, led JBU with 416 kills and was second on the team with 370 digs.
"(Dearien) is definitely our most prolific and efficient scorer offensively and one of the team leaders on defense as well," Carver said. "She's definitely, from an offensive standpoint, one of our go-t0 players."
Bakke was the Golden Eagles' second outside hitter in 2014. She finished the season with 270 kills and was named all-conference honorable mention.
"Melissa is a very versatile player," Carver said. "She was recruited to come here as a middle. She brings a well-rounded game."
Two freshmen, Bayli Reagan (5-10) and Beth Bjornsen (5-9), could also see some playing time at outside hitter, Carver said.
"Both Melissa and Audrey are extremely talented and very good players," Carver said. "The freshmen will see some playing time, but most of the time at outside will be Melissa and Audrey for sure."
At middle blocker, the Golden Eagles have senior Libby Blasingame (6-0), a second-team all-conference performer a year ago with 176 kills and 84 total blocks.
Carver said Blasingame had a strong spring and improved her game.
"One of big things we worked on in spring was to speed up how quickly she comes in and approaches the net at different attack angles," Carver said. "She's a quicker, more dynamic offensive player. One of our goals is to be able to utilize our middles more so than we did last year."
Pugh had 186 kills and 62 total blocks a year ago at middle blocker.
"Molli is very solid," Carver said. "Molli brings versatility, and she could play all three front row positions and do them well. She has good ball control. We could leave her in there and play all six rotations."
Two freshmen could also make an impact at middle blocker. Kennedy Shelstead (6-1) is an "athletic force," Carver said.
"She's a caliber of player that demands a serious look in the middle and would be in the mix for 'freshman of the year' honors if she has a really good year," Carver said.
Freshman Brittany Ayers (5-10) also is an athletic player that could see time in the middle.
"We have four very athletic, very talented players," Carver said of the middle blockers. "Knowing that, that also allows us to consider Molli in a different role (at setter)."
On the right side, JBU loses Tiffany Hunnicutt and her 229 kills from a year ago. Hunnicutt graduated a year early.
In the spring, sophomore Bailei Brown (5-11) of Siloam Springs got all the reps after seeing limited playing time as a freshman in 2014.
"(Brown) improved a ton and played in a spring tournament at Arkansas Tech and was hitting the cover off the ball and blocking everything coming her way," Carver said. "I think she blossomed in the offseason and gained a lot of confidence. She has come into training camp hungry."
Brown has some big-time competition on the right side as well.
Junior college-transfer Karis Buff (6-1) joined the team from Northeast Oklahoma A&M.
"From an athletic standpoint, she is very comparable to what Tiffany did with more of an offensive presence and a very solid blocker," Carver said. "We're waiting to see how preseason competition works itself out (at right side)."
Defensively, sophomore Beth Brankle (5-4) of Siloam Springs is slated to take over the libero position for JBU.
Brankle got spot playing time last season behind graduated senior Becca Young, who had 487 digs.
"Very similar situation to Bailei, everybody playing in front of (Brankle) graduated," Carver said. "In offseason, she got all the reps. She took some tremendous steps forward and gained confidence."
Carver said Brankle, like most freshman, was quiet and reserved last season.
"It's like she's flipped a switch," he said. "She's the most talkative and a vocal leader."
In addition to Brankle, two other freshman -- Bethany Maddox (5-6) of Springdale and Bailey Sager (5-6) of Platte City, Mo., -- will play some defensive specialist.
Maddox is "pretty dynamic with an aggressive jump serve," Carver said.
"She's an Energizer Bunny on the court," he said. "She'll probably see some playing time, most likely at the right back position."
Sager could see some spot playing time in the back row as well, he said.
JBU was picked to finish fourth in the Sooner Athletic Conference in a poll voted on by the conference coaches.
"It's going to take a lot more work this year in conjunction with where our roster is at," Carver said. "We upped our game in terms of our overall schedule. The level of competition is going to be higher than what we saw last year."
Sports on 08/19/2015