Bernell DorroughWashington University volleyball coach Rich Luenemann has won over 700 matches in his career, and has taken his team deep into the NCAA National Championships in each of the last four seasons.
One would think that Luenemann has achieved enough to be able to put on a little swagger. However, as the coach will tell you himself, he and his squad see the upcoming season as business as usual.
Today the Bears travel to Elmhurst, IL to compete in the Elmhurst College Invitational, an eight-team competition that will pit the team against some of the region’s top teams.
In the first game, the team will face Hope College, which posted a 17-14 record for the 2002 season. Later the same day the Bears will be up against a tougher opponent, the 15th-ranked Knights of Wartburg College. Last season the Bears snapped Wartburg’s 30-game winning streak, so the Knights will undoubtedly be looking for revenge.
“We’ll face some strong teams this weekend,” said Luenemann. “Wartburg remains one of the top teams in the central region. Elmhurst isÿvery good, rated in the top 20 in the pre-season poll.ÿTheyÿhave a reputation of springing upsets early in the season.ÿThey’re very tough at home.ÿSimpson, Oshkosh, Illinois Wesleyan and Stevens Point are all also regarded as premier NCAA III squads.”
If the Bears can get around Wartburg, which is probably the best team they will face, they should be in good shape to take home first-place honors.
Perhaps the most interesting storyline for the Bears as they prepare for their first games of the season is how they will cope with the loss of the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s reigning player of the year, Rebecca Rotello.
Luckily, the Bears have their other five starters returning, including senior co-captain Amy Brand, who led the Bears in both kills and blocks last season. Junior Colleen Winter, last year’s team leader in digs, is also expected to carry much of the load.
“We’re blessed to have 5 starters returning,” said Luenemann. “Their leadership skills and familiarity with our systems of playÿare incredibly important to our success.”
This weekend’s tournament will also be the first chance for the team’s four new freshman players to make an impression on Luenemann. In particular, newcomer setter Megan Delcourt will be thrust into an important role as the team tries to fill the gap left by Rotello’s departure. However, the depth of the Bears’ squad will keep the freshmen from getting in over their heads.
“With our experience we’re fortunate we don’t have to throw freshmen into toÿthe starting lineup,” said Luenemann. “Our systems of play are quite complex, and it’s tough for freshmen to assimilate to the nuances of the systems and then have to execute effectively. Yet, we hope we play well enough this weekend to allow everyone to see significant court time.”
Although the Bears have so many players returning, the team has undergone a number of changes, particularly on offense.
“We’ve tweaked the offense a bit from last season and added some new twists that are designed to free up our hitters in particular situations,” said Luenemann. “Our defensive system remains the same. We’ll experience a marked improvement in that phase of the game, as we become more comfortable with the system we run.ÿThat’s one area where our seniors will shine; they’re familiar with our concepts and how they flow together.”
After the tournament in Elmhurst this weekend, the Bears will enjoy a month-long stretch of matches at home as they host a series of invitationals, hoping to help Luenemann add another UAA and NCAA title to his list of accomplishments.