Sooners Ready to Roll in 2014

The Scene

Following its program-record fifth straight NCAA appearance, the Oklahoma volleyball team takes the floor seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive trip to the postseason. The Sooners return five starters from last season's squad, including junior setter Julia Doyle and junior libero Taylor Migliazzo. Head coach Santiago Restrepo embarks on his second decade on the OU bench and enters with an overall record of 189-125 with the Sooners.

The Setters

After the graduation of four seniors at the 2013 team's core, Kaitlyn Drawe is the only senior on the 2014 squad. A setter by trade, the 5-foot-8 Drawe from Lee's Summit, Mo. saw increased action in the middle of last season on the backline as a defensive specialist.

“Drawe is our back-up setter and our only senior,” began Restrepo. “She is going to give us some valuable minutes because of her experience in the back row and she is also very capable of running this team, stepping up and playing the game. She is going to be a big contributor to our team success.”

Drawe played several sets as the Sooner setter during the non-conference portion of last year's slate and finished the year with a 1.95 assists per set average to go with a 1.81 digs per set average. She will continue to serve as the team's second string setter, but will provide valuable minutes in the back row, especially in middle back and right back defense.

Doyle earned the starting setter position as a freshman back in 2012 and has been constantly improving on her game. With a greater commitment to fitness, the 6-foot-2 Plymouth, Minn. native is expected to be a veteran leader on this season's team.

“I think Julia has been developing her skills and getting a lot better,” said Restrepo. “One thing I talked to her about was her fitness level. I think, since she got here, it is night and day from when she was a freshman. She is able to jump a lot higher, move quicker and has developed some much needed connections with our middles.”

Doyle averaged 9.49 assists and 2.02 digs per set as a sophomore. In the offseason, the earned a spot on the Team USA Collegiate National Team and helped her squad to a gold medal at the Junior National Championships in her home state. Entering 2014, Doyle was honored by the Big 12 coaches with a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team.

The Hitters

On the pins, junior Kierra Holst and redshirt-sophomore Madison Ward looked to move into leadership roles in their third season in Norman. The 6-foot-4 Holst, from Coppell, Texas, entered last season as a Big 12 preseason selection following a summer with the Team USA CNT and followed up with a 2.98 kills per set average, which ranked second on the team. Ward, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Lawton, Okla., is coming off an All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection in 2013 as she averaged 1.85 kills per set. This season, she is expected to see an increase in playing time due to an improvement in her defensive skills that make her a six-rotation asset.

Sophomore Kimmy Gardiner aims to step in immediately and provide significant time at outside hitter. A 6-foot-1 transfer from Grapevine, Texas, by way of Mississippi State, she earned All-America Honorable Mention with a team-leading 4.03 kills per set. Returning for her sophomore season, 6-foot-1 Jody Larson, from Wichita, Kan., posted a 1.60 kills per set average as a rookie with the majority of her playing time coming prior to conference play. She will also train with the second team in practice to gain reps at setter.

Sophomore Christina Stuehm, a 5-foot-11 native of Tulsa, Okla., looks for increased opportunities after appearing in two sets in 2013. Adding depth to OU's group of outside hitters are freshmen Harley Kelly and Melodi Ramirez. Kelly is a 6-foot-2 product of Friendswood, Texas, while the 6-foot-1 Ramirez arrives at Oklahoma from Austin, Texas.

The Blockers

The graduation of three-time All-American Sallie McLaurin has opened the door for a number of underclassmen to take on major roles at middle blocker this season. Sophomore Micaela Spann gained valuable experience, starting all but one match as a rookie in 2013. Standing at 6-foot-2 and hailing from Carrollton, Texas, she was second on the team with 0.89 blocks per set to go with 1.24 kills per set. Freshman Marion Hazelwood enrolled for the spring 2014 semester and has shown the ability to impact to Sooner lineup immediately. The 6-foot-3 native of Beach City, Texas, had the opportunity to gain familiarity with her teammates through spring practices and matches as well as the matches OU participated in during its two-week stretch abroad in the early summer.

Redshirt-sophomore Summer Cole and freshman Leslie Atherton will compete for playing time at middle blocker as well. After sitting out 2012, the 6-foot Cole, from DeSoto, Texas, appeared in four sets, including one start, in 2013. An in-state product from Tulsa, Okla., the 6-foot-2 Atherton was an All-State pick that helped Bishop Kelley to a 6A State Championship in 2012.

The Back Row

Migliazzo anchored a back row that featured two senior veterans a year ago and this season will look to lead the way for a younger crop of defensive specialists. A native of Kansas City, Mo. and standing at 5-foot-4, she earned the starting libero job for the sixth match of the season and never relinquished it. Migliazzo led the Sooners with 3.94 digs per set, including a program-record 40 digs in a five-set win over Tulsa early on in the season.

“I think Taylor has earned the right to be [the libero],” stated Restrepo. “She is another player that has impressed me with changing her technique. She works extremely hard and wants things badly.”

Sophomore Lauren English played in 72 sets last season, primarily as a back row substitute. A 5-foot-8 defensive specialist from Dallas, Texas, she saw most of her action entering matches to serve as she finished the year with a .955 serve percentage. Fellow sophomore Abbie Higgins and Mandy Dolph look to provide depth at defensive specialist. A 5-foot-8 native of Amarillo, Texas, Higgins appeared in two sets as a freshman, while the 5-foot-4 Dolph, from Edmond, Okla., continues to work toward her collegiate debut.

Joining the defensive specialist ranks are freshman Emma Kelly and Hayley Bosworth. Kelly, a 5-foot-8 product from Houston, Texas, is coming off an All-State selection as she led St. Agnes Academy to a state final four appearance. The 5-foot-6 Bosworth, hailing from Malibu, Calif., is also expected to compete for playing time on the back row after playing both libero and setter in high school.

The Slate

The season gets underway when Oklahoma takes on Idaho at the University of Florida Invitational on Friday, August 29. The Sooners first home contest arrives on Wednesday, September 10 when they host Cal State Northridge in the NIKE Invitational opener at McCasland Field House. The Big 12 portion of the schedule opens at home on September 27 when Kansas visits Norman. Overall, Oklahoma plays 13 matches at home this season.

The Scene

The Setters

The Hitters

The Blockers

The Back Row

The Slate

Players Mentioned

Leslie Atherton

Leslie Atherton

Hayley Bosworth

Hayley Bosworth

Summer Cole

Summer Cole

Mandy Dolph

Julia Doyle

Kaitlyn Drawe

Lauren English

Lauren English

Kimmy Gardiner

Kimmy Gardiner

Marion Hazelwood

Marion Hazelwood

Abbie Higgins

Abbie Higgins

Kierra Holst

Emma Kelly

Harley Kelly

Jody Larson

Jody Larson

Sallie McLaurin

Sallie McLaurin

Taylor Migliazzo

Melodi Ramirez

Micaela Spann

Micaela Spann

Christina Stuehm

Christina Stuehm

Madison Ward

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics