Volleyball Season Preview

Aug. 20, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 22 Oklahoma volleyball team gets back to its normal routine Monday as it begins preparation for its home tournament this weekend (Aug. 24-25) at the Howard McCasland Field House. The Sooners closed out their preseason practices this past Saturday with their annual Red/White Scrimmage and started classes on Monday.

The Sooners will begin the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational at 7 p.m. Friday night against Denver. In addition to Denver and Oklahoma, the four-team field will also include Seton Hall and Alabama. Oklahoma will close out the tournament on Saturday with a 10 a.m. meeting against Seton Hall and a 7 p.m. match up against Alabama.

In preparation for the upcoming tournament, SoonerSports.com will be providing a season preview of each position for the next three days and Thursday will bring a preview of the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational.

Monday's installment will be an overall preview on the team while Tuesday's preview will focus on the outside hitters and middle blockers and Wednesday will feature the setters and defensive specialists. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Following a record-breaking season like 2006 where the Sooners finished 12th in the country, advanced to a Sweet 16 and recorded the best record in school history, head coach Santiago Restrepo plans to build on the momentum for a successful 2007 season.

Restrepo knows OU's instant success last season was a result of the leadership of the senior class and he believes this season will be no different. For the second straight year, Oklahoma will have a five-member senior class leading the way. Different from last year's veterans, this group benefits from being the first senior class under Restrepo to play all four years of their career under his system.

While the large senior class returns, only two starters return from last season's record-breaking squad. Outside hitter Sarah Weiland will be the lone senior with starting experience, but fellow seniors Julie Chester (setter), Mariana Blum (outside hitter), Anna Stadel (middle blocker) and Hannah Sharp (defensive specialist) saw significant time as subs last season and are expected to serve important roles in this year's lineup.

Joining Weiland as a returning starter is sophomore Bridget Laplante. Also an outside hitter, Laplante had an impressive rookie season where she was one of OU's top point producers during the Big 12 season averaging 3.24 kills per game.

Restrepo brought in eight newcomers who are expected to push the veterans day in and day out for playing time in 2007. Highlighting the newcomer list are defensive specialist Brittany Bullard, a high school All-American, as well as highly touted middle blocker Chrissy Disarro.

True freshman setter Samantha Arriaran is expected to battle against Chester for the starting position while 6-0 freshman Megan Bess will add depth at the outside hitter position. Freshman outside hitter Jasmine Powell, A Norman North graduate, provides a local Oklahoma flavor while Alabama native Sarah Machen, a middle blocker, will also add depth to the squad.

In addition to the six freshmen, two sophomore-transfers will join the newcomer class. Jackie Fotu, an outside hitter who transferred from the College of Southern Idaho, was a starter on one of the top junior college programs in the country last season. Taylor Harbster, a defensive specialist transfer from Southeast Missouri State, will round out the newcomer class.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors