New Leaders Welcome New Season

August 24, 2016 | Volleyball

By: Athletics Communications

Roster Breakdown
MIDDLE BLOCKER marks one of the greatest strengths on this year's roster. Marion Hazelwood and Micaela Spann have proven to be one of the most dominant duos at the net in the Big 12. OUTSIDE HITTER features veterans Kimmy Gardiner and Madison Ward on the pins. The Sooners will look to sophomores Madison Drescher and Alyssa Enneking to take on a larger role in the OU offense this season. DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS make up the largest portion of the Oklahoma roster and are led by Rachel Manriquez, the frontrunner to start the season in the libero position. Several letterwinners return seeking a spot in the rotation, including a trifecta of seniors and junior Emma Kelly. SETTER is perhaps the most important position on the floor. Sophomore Audrey Alford is the incumbent after taking over the keys to the offense late in 2015. Freshman Ashley Brown also aims to factor into the mix for the Sooners.

Roster Breakdown

MIDDLE BLOCKER marks one of the greatest strengths on this year's roster. Marion Hazelwood and Micaela Spann have proven to be one of the most dominant duos at the net in the Big 12.
OUTSIDE HITTER features veterans Kimmy Gardiner and Madison Ward on the pins. The Sooners will look to sophomores Madison Drescher and Alyssa Enneking to take on a larger role in the OU offense this season.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS make up the largest portion of the Oklahoma roster and are led by Rachel Manriquez, the frontrunner to start the season in the libero position. Several letterwinners return seeking a spot in the rotation, including a trifecta of seniors and junior Emma Kelly.
SETTER is perhaps the most important position on the floor. Sophomore Audrey Alford is the incumbent after taking over the keys to the offense late in 2015. Freshman Ashley Brown also aims to factor into the mix for the Sooners.

Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team	2015 Big 12 W-L	Points
1. Texas (8)	15-1	64
2. Kansas (1)	14-2	57
3. Iowa State	11-5	47
4. TCU	9-7	41
5. Oklahoma	6-10	38
6. Kansas State	9-7	32
7. Baylor	5-11	21
8. Texas Tech	3-13	16
9. West Virginia	0-16	8

The final month of the 2015 season proved a promising one for the Oklahoma volleyball team. The Sooners began to find their stride and played their best team-volleyball down the stretch by winning four of their last five matches; all by way of the sweep.

Oklahoma looks to carry that momentum into a new season with a stronger chemistry and newly developed leaders under head coach Santiago Restrepo, who enters his 13^th season at the helm of the program. His Sooners went 12-16 overall a year ago and 6-10 in the Big 12; finishing sixth in the standings. OU enters the year fifth in the Big 12 Coaches' Poll with redshirt-senior outside hitter Madison Ward and junior middle blocker Marion Hazelwood, a unanimous selection, on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

Ward and Hazelwood are two of the team's captains along with seniors Kimmy Gardiner and Micaela Spann; who has started 90 out of a possible 91 matches in her career. A 6-foot-2 middle blocker, Spann has combined with a pair of All-Americans in the middle throughout her career beginning with Sallie McLaurin in 2013 and Hazelwood each of the past two seasons.

“To me, Micaela is a player that is relied a lot on,” stated Restrepo. “Kimmy and Micaela are the ones that came here in the preseason and worked their butts off. They got a lot better and worked extremely hard. They're players that are great leaders. More importantly, I think Micaela is a player that is going to be on in crunch time and that's what we expect.”

In her first three seasons at OU, Spann hit .264 and averaged 1.73 kills and 0.92 blocks per set. She posted career-bests in all three categories last season. Spann and Hazelwood combined to be the second most offensive duo of middle blockers in the Big 12 by averaging 4.68 kills per set and hitting a collective .332.

Hazelwood, a two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection as a sophomore. She hit a team-high .348, including a .387 mark in conference play, with 1.09 blocks per set.

“I think for our team to be successful, we've got to get her involved in the offense,” Restrepo said of Hazelwood. “Our players understand that we've got to concentrate on passing and setting our feet to set both of our middles.”

The veteran combination in the middle marks one of the biggest strengths of this year's Sooner squad. Beginning the year in a reserve role behind the two returning starters is redshirt-sophomore Leslie Atherton. She possesses a strong drive to get on the court and has proven to always be ready to step in at a moment's notice through her consistent improvement from year-to-year.

On the back row, Restrepo will look to redshirt-sophomore Rachel Manriquez to solidify the libero position. She split the duties with Taylor Migliazzo a season ago and went on to average 2.12 digs per set.

“She has definitely earned the position,” said Restrepo. “She is getting more comfortable at playing left back. She's starting to read the game a lot better. Rachel is also a good vocal leader in the back court that demands perfection out of everyone else.”

Competing for time on the back row with Manriquez are a trio of senior defensive specialists; Mandy Dolph, Lauren English and Abbie Higgins. Each is a proven competitor on the practice court that brings valuable game-experience from the last three seasons. Junior Emma Kelly and sophomore Valerie Woody also factor into the mix, defensively, and could see spot duty in service opportunities.

Starting at outside hitter in the majority of matches over the last two seasons, Ward and Gardiner have been two of the most consistent players for Oklahoma on both sides of the ball. Ward led the Sooners in kills and digs with 2.95 and 2.60 per set a season ago, while Gardiner was second at 2.48 and 2.48.

“I think Madison is capable of a big year,” continued Restrepo. “Nobody needs to worry about Madison Ward. If she gets her mind focused on what she needs to be focused on she will be excellent. She's a more positive player than she was four years ago. She knows that the game of volleyball is a game of mistakes. She stays calm and works toward winning the next point.”

Ward is the rare fifth-year senior in college volleyball after missing most of her freshman season due to injury in 2012. She worked her way back into the lineup in 2013 before a breakout year in 2014 in which she was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection with a 3.08 kills and 2.44 digs per set average.

Gardiner, who was an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention as a freshman at Mississippi State in 2013, has been in the lineup at outside hitter in each of OU's 59 matches over the last two seasons. Her offensive numbers have been nearly identical in the last two campaigns with a .238 hitting percentage each year. Gardiner's value to the team increased tremendously as her versatility shown through last season with increased defensive production.

“Kimmy is extremely valuable to our team,” said Restrepo. “She is very consistent with every aspect of her game. She is still developing and getting a lot better with her blocking and decision making. She can continue to make great strides and be a great leader for our team.”

As Ward and Gardiner return to the lineup, Restrepo looks to a youthful bench in order to replace Kierra Holst. Sophomores Madison Drescher and Alyssa Enneking seek an increased role in the Sooner attack this season. Drescher saw regular time in the rotation with 78 sets played as a freshman and averaged 1.04 kills per set. Enneking played just 19 sets, but averaged 2.42 kills and 1.42 digs per set.

Sophomore Cathryn Cheek and freshmen Manuela Conte, Erin Dibble and Morgan Turner will also compete for a spot on the floor. Cheek, who appeared in just one set as a freshman, has made great progress physically over the last year and possesses a powerful swing when called upon. Through their first preseason, Dibble and Turner have each impressed with their jumping and blocking ability at the net. A pair of dynamically athletic freshmen, each could work their way on to the floor at some point this season. Conte, a product of Bologna, Italy, arrived on campus just ahead of preseason camp. She carries a wide arsenal of shots and will focus on her strength development to earn a spot on the floor.

Bringing everything together, most notably the offense, are the setters. Sophomore Audrey Alford emerged as the starter late in her freshman season and totaled 77 sets played. Much of her season was played splitting time with Julia Doyle in a 6-2 offense before Alford got the opportunity to run the offense on her own for the last few matches. She averaged 6.65 assists and 1.21 digs per set. Competing with Alford for the starting job is freshman Ashley Brown. A talented setter with great hands, Brown brings an offensive skillset as an attacker to the table that has the ability to change the pace for an offense.

The Sooners will take the floor for the first time at its home Oklahoma Invitational, August 26-27. OU faces intrastate rival Oral Roberts in its season opener. Oklahoma will host a second tournament, the NIKE Invitational, September 8-10. The final non-conference action of the season will pit the Sooners against a pair of top-10 programs at the Pac-12 Challenge against USC and Washington. The Big 12 portion of the schedule starts September 21 against Kansas in front of a national television audience on ESPNU. The Sooners then host Texas on ESPNU for their Big 12 home opener on September 28. The 16-game Big 12 slate concludes with a road contest at Iowa State on November 26 ahead of the NCAA Tournament.