Senior middle blocker Kelsey Kuipers, left, and freshman middle blocker Megan Tompkins, right, miss a block during the Green and White game, Aug. 24, 2013, at Jenison Field House. The White team won 2-1. Danyelle Morrow/The State News
With the Hokie Invitational looming for the MSU women’s volleyball team, head coach Cathy George has plans to put her talented recruiting class to the test.
This year’s class, ranked seventh in the nation, is as tall as they are talented. The shortest recruit, middle blocker Allyssah Fitterer, stands at 6-foot-2. Middle blocker Brooke Kranda is not only the tallest recruit, but the tallest athlete on the team with a height of 6-foot-6.
George said size is one of the factors she had in mind when she recruited her class. Volleyball powerhouses such as Texas and Penn State have put a premium on height in the past, and George wants to eliminate the size advantage that other teams in the NCAA have had.
“You can win with a lot of crafty play, but when you go up against Texas, which we did two years ago in the NCAA Tournament and they’re all 6-foot-4 across the board, and you play against Penn State who is 6-foot-4,” George said. “You want to be able to get to that top level, you need to be able to go toe to toe across the net.”
Outside hitter Chloe Reinig originally was slated to receive the nod as a starter and replace outside hitter Amy Dentlinger, who graduated at the end of last year.
However, an injury leaves Reinig day-to-day for the Hokie Invitational, which takes place Friday and Saturday.
“She’s questionable, we don’t know if she’s going to play or not,” George said. “We won’t start her in game one, just letting her get a little healthy as the weekend goes on.”
Middle blocker Megan Thompkins and Kranda will also push for minutes early. Although George said last Friday middle blocker Autumn Christenson and middle blocker Allyssah Fitterer are redshirt candidates, she confirmed Wednesday that she’s avoiding finalizing her rotation until after the Hokie Invitational.
“We’re leaving (the rotation) up as we go through practices and we’re taking a look at several of our players and they’re making a case,” George said. “Each player is making a case for why they shouldn’t redshirt on any given day.”
With this year’s class, whoever redshirts won’t do so because of lack of talent, but rather how they fit into the rotation.
Tompkins, who received praise from both George and teammates after her performance in the Green and White match last Saturday, looks forward to the Hokie Invitational this weekend.
“I want the team to do well and … I don’t know if I’m going to play or not, but I’ll be ready if I do,” she said.
Junior libero and co-captain Kori Moster noted the work ethic and effort of the class at last week’s media day.
“It’s exciting because our versatility and our skill level is so much higher than it has been in the past,” Moster said. “We’re capable of progressing at a faster rate, which is going to make us better in the long run.”
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