Season Preview: Middle Blockers
8/17/2010 12:35:13 PM | Volleyball
| Volleyball Position Previews | |
| Outside Hitters | |
| Setters - Coming Soon | |
| Defensive Specialists - Coming Soon |
With its new style of offense, the Orange will rely on a balanced attack across the front row, anchored by the middle blockers. While the outside hitters are dominated by veterans, the middle blockers will be one of the youngest position groups returning sophomore Samantha Hinz while adding freshman Lindsay McCabe.
Hinz earned valuable game experience during her freshman season, playing behind national blocking champion Sarah Morton. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native led the Orange and ranked tenth among BIG EAST hitters with a .315 attack percentage last season while notching 90 kills and 59 total blocks through 64 sets.
"Samantha showed significant improvement during her freshman season,” head coach Jing Pu said. “She now has experience and a better understanding of the game and collegiate competition. This season she will step up to build her success off of last year's base. I'm hoping that she becomes a dominating middle blocker for the team.”
The 6'1” McCabe joins the Orange out of Georgetown District High School in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada where she led the Rebels to the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association championship title last season. Having already displayed a 10'1” vertical jump during preseason practice, the Orange – who ranked eighth nationally last season with 2.86 blocks per set - will look to McCabe to bolster the blocking game.
"Lindsay is a strong middle,” Pu said. “As a freshman, her physical height and lateral movement speed make her ready to compete right away. I'm hoping to see that she adjusts to the college level quickly and starts to make meaningful contributions as soon as possible.”
Though Pu – entering his 15th season at SU – expects Hinz and McCabe to carry the majority of the work load in the middle, senior Hayley Todd and #junior Erin Little# also have the skill set to fill in. Todd played exclusively middle blocker for her first two seasons with the Orange, amassing 165 kills and 98 total blocks through 44 matches. Little played middle blocker in high school and has hit across the front row during her collegiate career.
Fans have their first chance to see the Orange in action on Saturday, August 21 at 4 p.m. in the Women's Building for the annual Alumni Match before the season opener against Fairfield at the Colgate Tournament in Hamilton, N.Y., beginning Friday, August 27 at 7 p.m.
Check back to SUAthletics.com throughout the month of August for position previews on the setters and defensive specialists. Keep up with the Orange during preseason camp via Preseason Central.
