Wednesday check-in: Wahine practice, etc.
Top Picture is of a setting drill with Koelsch to the left and Higgins on the right.
2nd picture is from afternoon sand practice They were taking a team photo.
Taylor can only practice 20 hours a week so she was at indoor this morning, didn’t practice with sand this afternoon.
Dropped into indoor practice this morning. Normal school day routine where they go 6:30-8:30 a.m. in Gym 1.
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Shoji said he is happy with the progress after 2-plus weeks. This the midway point of the five weeks they can go.
He said that Huff came back in great shape but a little rusty. She said it was great to be back (first day was Monday).
There was some talk during a water break about the number of transfers taking place. Sounds like Larson from Nebraska is headed to Minnesota or Missouri.
Buried on the previous thread was info on tickets for Men’s MPSF playoff April 25. Tickets on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. April 14. season ticket holders get first crack and are being sent an order form.
As for Stanford tickets, lower bowl going fast with a couple of sections sold out already. remaining lower bowl at ‘low’ availability.
Upper bowl sections available for Saturday. At the moment, it hasn’t been opened for Friday’s match.
That is available for viewing at etickethawaii.com.
Thanks for the update.
Interesting to hear Larson is interested in Missouri. Can see her going there with Ethridge since she is from Missouri. They’re both best friends so good luck to them.
Also nice to know Huff is still playing volleyball for now. With no sand matches this week all the players can practice both and relax a little.
Huff is scheduled to play both again next year, volleyball in fall, basketball later in fall. she’ll be on basketball scholarship, which is why there was one scholarship available late for 2015.
Shoji said Huff is a strong athlete and is in the mix (for playing time in fall).
don’t know how much relaxing the players can do. Sand still practicing this week after have the past two days off. Indoor practicing in the mornings.
And, of course, there is school.
#2: Being on a BB scholarship, and given what Coach Beeman has said, does this mean that Huff will stop playing VB in Nov. when basketball practices start up – even when VB begins post-season play. Depending on how the team shapes up, may make sense to red-shirt Huff in VB, so she has one full year — as a senior, for VB.
After watching Megan Huff play her very first Division I basketball game in December, I predicted that she would be a All-American (albeit an honorable mention one) by the time she is a senior. Just a few minutes watching her, one could tell she will be a great basketball player for the Wahine. She is tough, intense, athletic with a nice soft shooting touch, and has pretty moves around the basket. She is a good rebounder and shot blocker, so she is an all-around player. I also said that she should be a full-time player and withdraw from volleyball, committing to volleyball only in her fifth year as a red-shirt senior or graduate. Frankly I was not impressed with her volleyball this past season because of her lack of hitting power. But then I could be wrong, she may improve her hitting as a sophomore since she is obviously very strong and athletic. By the way, Shawna-Lei Kuehu made a similar type prediction as I did, saying Huff would be a candidate for Big West Player of the Year when she is a junior or senior. Coach Beeman also predicts big things for her.
3. as I’ve written before about Huff, Beeman wants her to spend time in the fall with the basketball team. But athletes are limited to how much practice time they have a week (20 hours). Beeman and Shoji will have the discussion and make the decision with Huff.
4. A little harsh don’t you think considering she’s still learning the sport? She didn’t get a lot of playing time. She was being converted from her true middle position to an OH because of Taylor’s injury and uncertainty when Taylor would return. She’s only been playing volleyball a few years as compared to a lifetime of basketball.
That’s quite some observation about Huff in her first game since she played 7 minuets and went 0-for-2 from the floor, 2 turnovers, 1 rebound. But you could see the athleticism and the comfort she had on the basketball court even from her first day a practice. It was something she didn’t have early in volleyball practice, that comfort.
Believe some of the things you are quoting from Kuehu and Beeman are from the stories I wrote on Wahine basketball. Beeman said early that Huff had a good chance at being BWC Freshman of the Year. Didn’t happen but she earned Sixth Woman of the Year.
Bottom line, it’s Huff’s decision. She came here for volleyball. She wants to see how good she can become in that sport and see which sport might take her to the next level. She does have a really good all-around game, is very quick down the court, nice moves and a good touch from 3. She had the green light to shoot 3s but you only saw her take 1 at home, in the last regular season game of the year.
Cindy. You are right. I sort of exaggerated by saying the first game. I should have stated the first few games. I’m not THAT good an observer. In regard to my impression of Huff in volleyball…I guess I based it on the old saw that you cannot teach height and power. You either hit hard or you can’t; this shows up when one is a freshman. The all-time power hitters that I observed over the years, Keri Walsh (before she hurt her shoulder), Kim Willoughby, and Stacey Gordon showed their considerable hitting prowess as freshmen. As I stated above, nothing is set in concrete. Huff’s strength and athleticism so obvious in basketball may show up next season in volleyball. If that is so, I will be very happy because she shows the personal qualities of a winner, a real toughness, intensity, and aggressiveness on the court.
4. I see what are you talking about. ‘Coz yes Huff may not field the stat sheet on her first D1 basketball game but you can see that she’s doing good while in the court. She’s setting screens for her teamates and altered some shots.
As a volleyball player i fine her like Goodman not much power but doing positive things. So yeah! I think it will go down on a tough decision on fall
Huff has power as a volleyball hitter. think the issue was her having to change a number of things when moving from MB to OH. as well as adjusting to the college game and speed of sets.
If she decides to continue volleyball while also playing basketball maybe will see her full potential
8: Perhaps Huff will move back to MB with Granato & Castillo coming in?
ive always thought huff was a MH not MB? whether there really is any difference between the two. i know the roles can essentially reverse like last seasons adolpho and magill. adolpho as MH was known to block more while magill as MB known to attack more.
Why isn’t Koelsch playing sand volleyball? I thought that was one of the reasons she joined Hawaii.
Why isnt Kahakai playing sand too??
13.
Maybe because she doesn’t want to. They do have lives outside of volleyball. Playing two collegiate sports is tough
it’s interesting to hear the dynamics behind shoji’s contract extension. i would have thought the 3 year commitment was firm, since it’s a departure from what he’s been saying publicly these last few years — that he takes things year to year. but he really is just year-to-year still …
volleyman — i think it was previously reported that koelsch wanted to focus on indoors.
that said, i do hope she gets some playing time as setter in some scrimmages. she was only subbed in as a hitter during the texas scrimmage. hopefully the europe trip will get her some critical reps at setter.
SandBows will play Long Beach State and Boise State in their two dual matches at the USAV Collegiate Challenge next week.
17. Is there a chance they will play USC or Pepperdine again?
16: This may indicate that Koelsch will be a back-up setter next year, but eventually compete as an OH (and continue as a back-up setter), assuming Norene Iosia does sign in Nov. for 2016 (when Higgins will be a senior and Koelsch a jr.).
Wahine VB season ticket renewals online at UH Athletics. Renewal deadline is April 27.
Posted previously that koelsch decided to concentratate on indoors and school She may go back to sand next year
20 Thank you
I am headed to the mainland so not going to be back on line until Friday
Until then …