Hawaii No. 5 in final poll
December 20th, 2011
By Cindy Luis
By Cindy Luis
sorry, sister-in-law with a broken ankle needed some help this morning with Christmas shopping
Anyway, very, very interesting. I think the coaches have sent a message, which will fall on deaf ears but still. they didn’t follow convention which would have put the final four teams among the top 4. good for them. for what it’s worth, which is very little.
1. UCLA. 2. Illinois. 3. USC. 4. Texas. 5. Hawaii. 6. Pepperdine. 7. Florida State. 8. Iowa State. 9. Penn State. 10. Purdue.
the rest of the poll at
http://www.avca.org/divisions/division-one-women/poll-12-20-11/
Volleyshots
Good to see Pepperdine getting some respect. I thought they were pretty underrated for most of the season
I had Hawaii-Pepperdine 5-6 in my volleyball mag poll.
Pepperdine is was a LEGIT team all year-glad they got the respect they deserve.
Cindy has there been any word of any other potential opponents for next season?
I’d like to know this as well. I am looking forward to stanford and cal! Also who the transfers are and the possible swedish recruit?
Shoji still working on next season. one problem that will occur is with football going to the MWC, that conference won’t be concerned about conflicts with football and volleyball, something the WAC had to be. everything hinges on football. I know that Shoji is interested in having New Mexico State come back. you have Stanford (sorry, had SC at first), UCLA and Cal as the headliners for the first three tournament. The BWC will be at 10 next season, so that are four conference matches to schedule than what Hawaii had this year.
i think it’s funny that I joked about Sweden and now someone is asking about the Swedish player coming
Transfers … the ones that have been mentioned are Fonoimoana and Amaro, a LosAl teammate of Hartong and Croson. Fonoimoana is here, just finished finals, and if eligible will play sand. We haven’t confirmed Amaro’s transfer from Arizona.
Cindy SC is coming down again? I thought I heard Stanford earlier.
Either way I will be excited for that Match, FF against her old team, or going up against Stanford’s blockbuster recruiting class, lets show Inky Ajanaku how gloomy hawaii really is!!!!!
Thanks but bummed no swedish recruit. Rumor i heard on the “not by reason” blog
Yes, it is Stanford and not SC. sorry.
The coaches got it right. They know.
Someone posted on the VT forum that the 11/28 poll (the one that mysteriously was never released) was available earlier today on the AVCA’s RSS feed. Perhaps it was made available “accidentally.”
But it showed that USC was #1 and Hawaii #2. (I can see now why the AVCA was reluctant to release it. What a shame…)
But the poster on VT posted part of the list. It appears that it has since been expunged from the site. Here’s a portion of the 11/28 AVCA coaches poll.
1. Southern California
2. Hawai’i
3. Texas
4. Nebraska
5. UCLA
6. California
7. Illinois
8. Stanford
9. Purdue
10. Penn State
thanks Warrior, that is pretty funny since we knew there was a poll. and that they refused to release it for whatever reason. probably since it is so off from the seeds.
so
Poll Seed
1. USC 7
2. Hawaii 10
3. Texas 1
4. Nebraska 2
5. UCLA 9
6. Cal unseeded
7. Illinois 3
8. Stanford 11
9. Purdue 5
10 Penn St 8
wouldn’t matter much but it would have been nice to take a screen shot of that page or to convert that page into a PDF file before it got shredded.
The poll is still on the RSS feed.See “2011 AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll – 11/28/2011″ it’s just that the link to the AVCA site has been removed.
It has a long URL so I did a tiny.
tinyurl.com/86ff59e
thanks!
Speaking of awards the Big West has something called The Big West Sportsmanship Award.
The Sportsmanship Award is voted upon by the respective student-athletes in each of the Big West’s 16 championship sports for the programs who exemplify the best of ideals of conduct in competition.
Just looked on volleytalk and noticed pictures of the UCLA girls at the airport. I don’t know if there was a crowd there but surely if it was Hawaii, there wouldn’t be a picture without some fan in the picture. Unless the UCLA pictures were staged so only the girls were shown but if it was UH who had won the NC, there probably wouldn’t be any space at the airport where you could get a shot of only the girls. BTW the UCLA girls were standing by baggage claim. It’s too bad that UCLA being such a prominent school does not have the fan base to appreciate their win.
I do remember how crazy the flight and airport were in 96 when the men’s team finished second to UCLA. who knows how the post 9-11 security would affect fans at the airport these days but I would think baggage claim would be mobbed. although if Hawaii had won, most of the mainland girls wouldn’t have come back. Shoji has let them stay on the mainland if they were done with finals after the last match.
not to belittle the Bruins’ victory, but it’s just another NCAA title for the athletic department. No. 108. (sadly, they discount all the titles the women won in the AIAW).
Yes. The locals girls would sure love the fans surrounding them. It would still be crazy. You are right in that the Bruins victory is just another title. Too bad.
BTW I thought UH ending up at No. 5 is better than I thought they would.
You really have to respect the coaches, who are in the trenches almost daily, for their smack down of the NCAA Selection Committee, whose decision to dump USC, Hawai’i, and Nebraska in the same region remains INDEFENSIBLE.
Anyone who doesn’t think Hawaii was a top 5 team doesn’t know volleyball.
So USC, Cal, and UCLA headline the three tournaments next year? I had assumed Stanford was in one of the three tourneys-but glad to hear USC will be back (Especially if Fonoimoana will be suiting up for the Indoor team). As far as NMSU Id rather not see them for a couple of years…plus doesnt the RPI factor in the oponnents opponents record too? I cant see that helping Hawaii since NMSU is in the WAC and playing teams in the 200′s of the RPI. Other than Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC I would love to see Hawaii schedule Pepperdine, UNI, Iowa St, CSU, or Illinois.
Has anyone seen Amaro play? I heard she had to fill the shoes of Croson when she got suspended from the team.
It’s worth a lot for recruiting purposes that Hawaii maintains a high ranking in the coaches poll. It helps to offset the obvious effort by the NCAA and its east coast BCS members to “grow” the sport to the exclusion of Hawaii and other west coast schools. Go Wahine!
Cal,Stanford and UCLA are a good start for the schedule. I also would like to see Iowa State and UNI added . Other teams that I wouldn’t mind having here are Kentucky,Baylor,Florida State and Purdue.
I listen to what fans say and many of the UH fans DO NOT want to see a WAC team here any time soon in all sports and that message will be sent to Shoji.This is a conference that we have never fully accepted being in and for years our desire was to get out.Now that it is a reality like a bad marriage that ended in a nasty divorce we need to break off our relationship with their programs until they do something that benefits us in RPI and not one VB program in the WAC has ever benefited us.
I would not want to play another wac team, but NMST might actually help the rpi a bit, especially since they will probably win the wac now. And I bet Coach Jordan wouldn’t turn down an invitation to come play at the SSC.
If I was him I would stay out of Hawai`i .
I can see why NMSU would be scheduled. Their RPI was not bad. I wouldn’t mind seeing them. They are probably the only WAC team I would not mind having on the schedule again.
His RPI runs between 70 and 60 and that isn’t good .
Final RPI was 60 which isn’t bad. It’s a heck of a lot better than a lot of BW teams. It’s not like Shoji can bring in any team he wants, sometimes he will have to fill in slots with the best teams available.
not true that Shoji can bring in any team he wants. sort of like recruiting. he may want you, you may not want to come. some schools only allow so many days of missed school, such as Penn State, one of the reasons they aren’t out here for the Outrigger men’s tourney this year. and it costs money to get out here. UH helps with some expenses but some of the smaller schools over the years have spent 2 years fund raising to make the trip, like Fairfield did a few years ago.
Who said Shoji can bring in any team he wants? I’m the only one who said anything close to that wording and I specifically stated that he can NOT bring in any team he wants.
my bad spike, misread your post. sorry.
OT-Big West
Jennifer Keddy Jr. MB at Cal Poly was the top dog in the BW in 2011 . Honorable Mention All American,Big West Player of the Year and named Player of the Week three times.
Cal Poly has yet to name permanent head coach. Caroline Walters the interim head coach played at Santa Clara and has been an assistant for three years.She’s kind of young and I’m curious to see if they promote her to head coach.
Shoji and Jordan discussed them returning when they were here last. I’m sure it will happen in the next few years.
I agree.
Purdue or Penn State and Iowa State would be good to have in one of the tourneys with UCLA.
Agreed that playing UNI will help the rpi, rpi loves them.
Way to go coaches! Glad that Hawaii ended up #5. Also, glad for Pepperdine being #6. IIRC, didn’t they beat 2 final four teams (UCLA & Fla St) in reg season?
Thanks Warrior15 for posting the “lost” poll. Wow, some shame. It’s no wonder it got “lost”. There were #1, #2, #4, #6 seeds placed in the same bracket. And, according to the final poll, #1, #3, #5, #6 in the same bracket. Hmmph! :p
@surfboy – why was Croson suspended?
Old story. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time and paid a price because of the actions of others. It was case of punishing the whole group.
maybe not so old.
hopefully she won’t need to do that again, appears Jane likes to have fun- twitter post
janecroson jane croson
living young, wild, and freeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
14 Dec
interesting pics too
LOL you must be old, that’s The name of a popular rap song!
Dude, get a life!
Yes, old news. school has a zero tolerance against fights. it happened in the preseason and she was suspended for the season, along with others involved. I’m not saying that she was in a fight. but the whole group was penalized.
A little off topic, but was impressed with Adolpho’s play in volleyball
Her rebounding is great but needs to work on her free throws. She probably would have been better at them had she had been practicing longer.
The whole team needs to work on their free throws along with their turnovers.
The real reason UH women’s basketball lost – Jim Leahey said before the game that the women can win their first tournament, something they haven’t done for a long time (or words to that effect) which put the whole bachi on them. I knew right after he said it, they were bound to lose. It was like one year when the women’s volleyball were going to the final four and Jim Leahey said I don’t care who they play, I think they can beat anyone. And then right after that UH lost to Nebraska. Bachi Bachi Bachi – you can think it, not say it out loud.
Whoops, meant to say basketball…
Really. A double-double in her second game.
Perhaps Hawaii can exemplify what that looks like, by example.
amaro has so much potential.
I think amaro is a better middle than hartong but they are both so similar – quick, hits a hard ball and soooo versatile.
IF amaro does transfer to hawaii, then hawaii would be solid in the middle for another 4 years guarantee!
I don’t get it. Amaro didn’t play at all at Arizona…was she not good enough to start (or even play) there or did she redshirt? Or was there a problem? I’m just not ready to get excited about this possible transfer without knowing more.
I guess what I’m saying is if she wasn’t impressive at Arizona, why would she be impressive at Hawaii (which is a better program)?
Amaro appeared in one set, red-shirted. don’t know if her choice or the coach’s. doesn’t mean she isn’t good enough to start.
Arizona started freshmen at both MB and OH positions. It seems likely that if Amaro was impressive and good enough (and not injured), she could have started. Hence, my concern that she was not good enough to start at Arizona or there was some other problem.
i’ve heard a couple of other transfers aside from FF and amaro who are interested in hawaii…
Well go ahead and spill the beans
unless u are just wishful thinking.
Gonna pay attention when the second semester begins. I really found out it odd that Coach Shoji mentioned they only had one scholarship left to give but there’s really 3 with Cascioppo and Waber leaving. Makes me think maybe they have two saved for new players.
as I’ve said before. I don’t really pay attention to who is on scholarship and who isn’t. Stauber gets a scholarship next year, at least that was the plan. I’m assuming Olevao is getting one. Thought Shoji said he had 1 to give, likely would be Fonoimoana. If Hewitt leaves, then that would be another scholarship.
I don’t know names i’m just saying I heard…
Figures wishful thinking and hope its true lol
If Amaro does transfer to Hawaii, will she be listed as a freshman or sophomore?
One thing that is interesting is that another freshmen Rachel Rhoades beat out Amaro for a starting spot. But I wasnt really impressed with Rhoades against the wahine.
Well the whole Arizona team didn’t seem to do well because Hawaii was impressive that night. Rhoades had 1 kill in 2 attempts. But I feel Amaro could have had a better outcome too.
I believe she red shirted at arizona so she’d be a frosh
That’s good if Hawaii gets her so she can add to the small recruiting class Hawaii has. But too bad she didn’t go to Hawaii before so she could red-shirt here and learn from Shoji then.
Amaro still may be Arizona.Some schools don’t list their redshirts.
No she was on there before for sure, Seems like her name disappeared from their roster just before the NCAA tourney
http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/amaro_halli00.html
They have her listed as a sophomore. Maybe she didn’t redshirt.
Or pretty sure it’s a mistake.
If you read their media guide online, you’ll see she is a freshman.
if she didn’t have any stats in that one set, she might not have played. You all know how scorekeepers can sometimes put in the wrong uniform number and forget to erase it.
but you’re right, if she played in one set, she’d be a sophomore next year unless there was a medical hardship .. which she cannot apply for until after what would have been her senior year.
The Arizona vb website 2011 stats lists her as playing in one set, with no performance info. Looked through the early 2011 matches, she is not listed. If she did go in for that one set and not applying for a medical, she will be a sophomore in 2012.
She seems pretty under sized for a middle blocker. Has anyone ever seen her play? Can she play right side?
It’s all good, Cindy. Thanks.
actually I remember the set she played in. it was in hawaii, I believe, but if my memory serves me right she was only in in a couple of rotations. don’t know if she got injured at some point in this season which prevented her from playing more. I will say this, she’s good…
Po’o, Amaro is not in any of the three boxes from their matches in Hawaii.
I looked at the stats after. I guess I got her mistaken with someone else.
It was someone else. I sat thru all 6 matches in the Chevron Inv and was looking for Amaro.
very interesting.
All of the Arizona players are listed in the student directory with the exception Amaro so she’s MIA until she pops up somewhere.
Amaro played in Hawaii @ the Ann Kang Invitational @ Iolani last year. Saw Jane and Kalei in 2010 at that tournament, never paid attention to Amaro since she was at the time going to Arizona. Never watched Ginger, since I was concentrating mostly on Kalei and Jane. About half the current team played @ the Ann Kang Invitational.
Very excited about Hartong and Croson next year. Hope Uiato and Hewitt connect better. Very interested in how Maeda improves. Can’t wait to see everyone back, along with the new faces. Hoping to see consistency from everyone. Croson, Hewitt and Maeda struggled with that this year.
Is it absolutely certain that Hewitt isn’t returning nexr year? That would be a shame and a significant loss.
no, it is not certain. that’s why i put in IF. it’s a possibility, as Shoji has said. it’s a shame for the team and the fans, and her for missing her senior night. but it’s also her decision. she graduates in May and may be ready to move on with her life. As I’ve mentioned before, she and Danielson have been close friends (correction that I had said earlier the were the only freshmen that fall. Maeda and Prather were the walk-ons). Hewitt redshirted so ended up a year behind I don’t know if that is playing into her decision. She also is the only one who knows how painful her back problems are
Cindy, wasn’t it mentioned before that Hewitt plans on returning? I don’t know if we should be too worried. Wasn’t Kari Gregory in the same situation? She had already graduated before her fifth year senior season and went on to play as a post grad student walk-on (not sure about the walk-on part). Yes, the fact that she’s graduating opens the possibility of her not returning, but unless she even gives a slight indication that she’s ready to move on, I don’t think we should be too quick on the speculations. Also, there were four true freshmen in 2008: Kanani, Hewitt, Emily Maeda and Sarah Prather.
Hot, as of the day after the Wahine lost to SC, Shoji said that Hewitt may or may not return, that she would need to make the commitment in spring.
Hewitt told us a couple of months ago that she’d be back but things change.
And you’re right about Maeda and Prather. What was stuck in my mind was the photo we did of Danielson and Hewitt for our preview magazine. That was a takeoff on TV Guide called VB Guide. Those two were The Young and the Restless.
Amaro should be a great addition, especially if po’o says she is better than hartong,wow!
If it happens, I have a dvd of the 2009 match between Los Al and Newport Harbor, when Amaro and Croson were jrs and Hartong a senior. Amaro is very similar to Hartong, quick, jumps well, has a live arm, good blocker, hits the slide real well. She appears to be taller than Hartong.
Maybe we should wait until we see her play. Hard to say she’s better than Hartong at this point. Hartong is an All-American this year, could have been All-American last year if she stayed in the middle. Could have been first team this year if she stayed in the middle.