Written By: Sam Wasson and Jordan Bostic
COACH AND PROGRAM
Mike Jordan is entering his 12th season as head coach at New Mexico State. Jordan has compiled a 247-106 record at NMSU and an impressive 147-29 (.835) record with three conference championships and three second place finishes in the last six seasons. He also won the conference Coach of the Year from 2003-2005 and 2008. The team has made the NCAA tournament five of the past six seasons, including the last three consecutive seasons.
The Aggies are coming off of a 26-9 season in which they earned the program's first victory in the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 3-1 victory over St. Mary's. The Aggies eventually fell 3-1 to eventual Elite Eight participant Cal on Cal's home court in the second round.
N.M. State earned a co-regular season championship by virtue of a 15-1 record in conference play, highlighted by a 3-0 sweep of Hawaii in the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 12. Their lone loss in conference came against the Wahine just two weeks earlier, and by sweeping third place finisher Idaho 3-0 in both meetings, the Aggies earned the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament.
First year assistant coach Don Flora replaces longtime assistant Ashley Hardee, who left to take over the North Dakota program, and Stevi Adams-Maytubby returns for her third season as an assistant. "Don's got a great energy, and any time you can get somebody with that kind of experience as a head coach, I think he's going to add a lot to our program and we're excited to have him here," Jordan said. Flora comes to NMSU after 11 seasons as the head coach of Division III La Verne. He coached his team to a 2001 Division III National Championship and a runner-up finish in 2008. He's also earned AVCA National Coach of the Year honors in 2001 and was named AVCA West Regional Coach of the year in 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2008.
Adams-Maytubby enters her third season as an assistant coach for Coach Jordan after a very successful playing career as an Aggie that saw her set the Aggie career record for kills (1,559). Adams works with the outside hitters and has also seen increased duties as an assistant over the past season.
Tricia Wright returns for her second season as the Aggies' Director of Volleyball Operations.
SCHEDULE
After playing the toughest schedule in program history in 2008, the Aggies' 2009 schedule is loaded once again. NMSU will face three AVCA Preseason Top 25 teams and another who is receiving votes. "The schedule is challenging. We don't play as many great teams as we did last year but we play a lot of very good teams," said Jordan. The Aggies open the season with a trip to Denton, Texas to take on Southern Methodist, Northern Colorado and North Texas. "SMU and North Texas and Northern Colorado are all solid programs. We're going to have to play well to win." The Aggies then return to Las Cruces and open the home schedule with matches against Florida State and Illinois in their home tournament. "Florida State should contend in the ACC, they're going to be tough. Illinois returns almost everyone from their starting lineup that went to the Sweet 16 last year." The Aggies also face the Italian National Team in an exhibition match that same weekend. Also on the Aggies' slate in the 2009 season are matches against Notre Dame and perennial Big 10 power Wisconsin at the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind. The Aggies also play rivals UTEP and UNM. Both rival programs are improving and will push the Aggies to maintain Rio Grande supremacy.
The Aggies will be looking to repeat as WAC champions, and with just the top six teams earning a bid to the conference tournament in Las Vegas, the tournament will also see a change in format. The top two teams in the regular season will each earn a bye and an automatic spot in the tournament semifinals, placing an even higher premium on winning regular season matches.
The team will close out the regular season as they did last year with a post WAC tournament non-conference match. The Aggies will head to Fort Collins to take on Colorado State. The Rams are ranked 24th in the AVCA Preseason Top 25. "It gets you ready for tournament play but also enhances your chances of getting in the tournament if you're on the bubble. It's good to have those matches at the end of the year where you've got a shot to play your way in," said Coach Jordan.
THE SYSTEM
For the majority of the past two seasons, the Aggies have run the 6-2 offense with great success. A 6-2 offense involves having two setters rotate in and out for each other (always staying in the back row) instead of having one setter play the entire match as in a 5-1 offense. Both offensive systems have strengths and weaknesses, and the coach has to make a decision to which system best fits his personnel.
Most NCAA volleyball teams run a 5-1 system where there is one setter who plays all the way around, both front row and back row. One of the major considerations in deciding which system to run is the height of the setter. A setter with good height (like former Aggie Jackie Choi) can be effective in a 5-1 because they are tall enough to put up a good block and are also able to be offensive. Jackie Choi and Morgan Reader were both great at getting kills on the second ball by pretending like they were jump setting and simply attacking the ball instead.
In the 6-2 offense, there is never a setter playing in the front row. Therefore, there are always three attackers in the front, which is an advantage and presents challenges for other teams when deciding who to block. A 6-2 team usually has more offensive weapons and better blocking than a team that runs a 5-1. The 6-2 system is also ideal for teams with smaller setters who don’t necessarily have the height to block some of the taller outside hitters they will be facing. (That’s not to say that a shorter setter can’t be effective in the 5-1. There are some small setters who are great blockers because of their athleticism and instinct.)
The weakness of the 6-2 is that it uses a lot of subs. When a setter is about to rotate to the front row, a right side attacker is subbed in. At the same time, a new setter is subbed in for the current right side attacker who is about to rotate to the back row. That’s two subs used each time. During close matches, it is very easy to run out of subs. Having fewer subs available equates to being limited in your ability to bring in fresh players. It’s important for setters running a 6-2 to be strong defensively because they are always one of three defenders in the back row and the amount of subs being used in the system usually prevents coaches from substituting hitters with defensive specialists like one would when running a 5-1.
If the Aggies decide to run the 6-2 again this year, they will be counting on their setters to be excellent defenders, and they will need their right side players to be great blockers that are also strong offensive options.
SETTER
The setter is the quarterback of the volleyball team, and they run the show. With a 6-2 offense, the team has two starting quarterbacks that switch on and off, which can be an interesting situation. To be successful in the 6-2, the setters must be good defenders because they are always in the back row. Since running a 6-2 eliminates the ability to use defensive specialists, the setters have to be able to pick up the slack in this department. Setters also need to be able to execute sets to all three front row attackers with ease, especially back sets to the right side hitters. One of the advantages of running a 6-2 is always having a right side attacker, but if the setters are unable to back set accurately this advantage isn’t utilized.
Sophomore Jennah DeVries is the Aggies lone returning setter this season. DeVries who made the WAC All-Freshman team last season will be relied upon heavily due to her experience in the system. DeVries split time between two other setters last season but still finished in the Top 10 in assists per game in conference play (5.2 assists/game). DeVries has worked hard in the offseason with her set location and speed, and with a year in the system under her belt Coach Jordan and his staff are expecting big things from the sophomore. "I think Jennah has improved quite a bit over her freshman year. She spent a lot of time in the offseason working on her location and I think is setting pretty much everything we set with good solid location all the time," said Jordan when talking about DeVries. Jordan was also complimentary of her play defensively. "She's a tremendous defender and plays with a lot of confidence. She's fast becoming what we envisioned when we signed her, which is a premiere player at the Division I level."
Joining the team this year are a pair of freshmen setters, Lilly Wolfe and Sierra Whitaker. Both will be looking to fill the other setter spot should the Aggies continue to play the 6-2 offense this year. Lilly Wolfe, a freshman from Santa Rosa, Calif. helped guide her team to four consecutive league championship appearances, winning the title three consecutive years. Wolfe could prove to be this year's Jennah DeVries as Coach Jordan has high hopes for his freshman setter. "Lilly's pretty polished for a freshman. She played for a really good club program. She's a good athlete and she's got good size. She's capable of playing right away in a 6-2. She's shown so far that she's a little bit of a risk taker which we like a lot. I think she's going to see considerable time this year as a freshman."
Also figuring into the mix is Sierra Whitaker, a 5'8" freshman from Houston, TX. Whitaker does not have the same level of experience at setter as the either DeVries or Wolfe but what she lacks in experience she makes up for in athleticism. "Sierra is really gifted athletically," said Coach Jordan. "She's got the ability to hit and set and we're going to bring her along in both. I envision a scenario where she stays on the floor in a 6-2 system at some point, probably not this year but next year, and can attack and set. She's so athletic and has such a good arm and good hops, she could be an outside hitter for us as well."
OUTSIDE HITTER
Outside hitters are very important to any volleyball team. They will take the most swings of any of the attackers and have to be able to make good shots when balls are set poorly. In a 6-2 offense, both outside hitters (L-1 and L-2) need to be able to play both the front row and the back row. As a result, outside hitters are usually the most well-rounded players on the team. They have to be able to terminate a perfect set, better a not-so-perfect set, block, serve, play defense and pass serve receive. It’s a big job, and any offense will struggle without solid outside hitters.
Once again the left side is loaded for the Aggies. Returning senior Krista Altermatt leads a talented group on the left side. Altermatt finished third on the team last season in kills (283) and was in the Top 10 in the WAC in service aces per game (0.31 aces/game). As one of the three seniors, she'll be relied upon to get kills when the team needs them and Altermatt looks forward to filling that role of a go-to player. "I want to be that person you know is going to get the job done when it comes down to crunch time." Coach Jordan has no qualms about putting the game in Altermatt's hands either. "We feel very comfortable setting Krista when we need a kill and very comfortable that she can hit bad sets too. Out of system she attacks smarter. She's definitely going to get the call a lot." Coach Jordan feels that while Altermatt may not be the most gifted athletically, she is one of, if not the best, all around player on the squad. "Krista's a tremendous all around player. She ball handles exceptionally well, she passes great, she's a good defender and she's our toughest server and a very good attacker. She's very smart and hits the ball hard. She's not super high up in the air but she hits it hard and can hit it on a dime where she wants. Players like that are very valuable."
Jordan also added that while she possesses all those abilities, it's her confidence that sets her apart. "She's confident and she's okay with failing," said Coach Jordan. "I think to really be a go-to player, you've got to be willing to fail. You let it roll of your back when it happens. If it doesn't work out for you, you make a mistake, you get blocked, you make an error and you don't get a kill. You gave it your best effort and next time you want the ball again. That sets her apart from a lot of players, that confidence level."
Along with Altermatt, the Aggies have added another weapon on the left in the form of Kayleigh Giddens. Giddens, a 6'0" junior transfer from Frank Phillips Junior College who is expected to step in and contribute at a high level immediately. "Kayleigh is a physical specimen. She should be one of the better lefts in the conference immediately," said Jordan. "She could play for a lot of teams at a very high level. She's tall, she jumps great. She's got the best arm on the team along with Kelsey Brennan. She's a good passer and a good solid defender. She's going to be a go-to player on the left for sure."
Freshman Stephanie Ziegler also looks to make an impact for the Aggies on the left side. Ziegler hails from Tucson, Ariz. and was named the 2007 Sonoran Region 4A Player of the Year. Last year she was named to a 2008 4A Honorable Mention by the Arizona Republic and Second Team Volleyball All-Stars by the Tucson Citizen. "Steph is really athletic. I think she can see playing time this year for sure. I'm sure she will. She can play either the left or the right. Exceptional back row attacker." Jordan added, "She's only 5'9, but she skies and she's got a good arm. She's a good all around volleyball player for a freshman. She's super athletic and we're excited about her."
Also joining the team on the left side are freshmen Jessi Roberts and Ellen Miks. Miks is recovering from a torn rotator cuff suffered her senior year but could see some time as a defensive specialist for the Aggies. "She's a great serve receiver and I think one of the better all around volleyball players we've recruited here since maybe Krista." Roberts, a 6'0" athlete, hails from Lyden, Wash. where she holds the records for career aces, career kills, blocks in a single match and kills in a single match. "Jessie is a high flier. She gets way up in the air and she challenges [Whitney] Woods for biggest jump. She's got a lot of skill work that she needs to improve on but she's got a tremendous upside." Jordan added, "She is a really gifted athlete and very competitive too. I think eventually she's going to turn out to be a pretty good player."
RIGHT-SIDE ATTACKER
Right-side attackers are big elements in a 6-2 offense. The 6-2 uses two right-side attackers throughout the match as opposed to only one right side used in a 5-1. Right-side attackers are matched up against the opposing team’s best attacker and need to be great blockers. After blocking, a right side attacker also has a quick transition to attacking, much like a middle blocker. A right-handed player hitting on the right side has to have great coordination because it is more challenging to hit a set coming across your body. This is the reason why many coaches look for left-handed players to play right side (it eliminates the ball crossing their body before they hit).
The Aggies return both players who contributed on the right side last season in senior Kelli Goodan and junior Whitney Woods.
Goodan returns for her senior season after a strong 2008 campaign which saw her finish in the Top 5 in hitting percentage in conference matches (.306) and Top 10 in blocks per game in conference matches (1.00 blocks/game). "Kelli is one of our best competitors. She's got a really good arm. She hits the ball really hard, really heavy," said Jordan of his senior. "I think she has become a very good blocker and is more versatile than she was a year ago." He added, "She's someone we're comfortable with setting pretty much anything on the left or right antenna. She can hit different tempo sets, she can play the left or the right and she's just so competitive. She wants the ball in crunch time. It's nice to have people like that."
Whitney Woods begins the year fully healthy for the first time since becoming an Aggie, and bigger things are expected of her this season. "Whitney is one of the best athletes in the conference. It's tough to envision there being too many better athletes out there. She is so fast and jumps so well. She's got good arm speed." Woods has shown flashes of being unstoppable. Against Utah State in Las Cruces she hit .889 earning kills on eight of nine attacks. Due to her shoulder not being 100 percent healthy, she was also a bit error prone which is something the coaching staff has worked with her in the offseason to correct. "She's making better contact with the ball than she was a year ago. I think she can be a real go-to player for us. She's versatile, too. She could play anywhere in the front row if we needed her to."
MIDDLE HITTER/BLOCKER
Many volleyball teams look to their middle blockers as defensive weapons. Their job is to always be on time blocking the other team’s attackers, and they are a critical point of any volleyball defensive scheme. NMSU is one of the schools that employ their middles as powerful offensive threats as well as defensive stoppers. Middle blockers must be very quick because every skill they perform is in fast-forward speed. They are constantly chasing down attackers to block and then must transition off the net into attacking in the blink of an eye. It takes an exceptional athlete to be good at both blocking and attacking as a middle blocker, and the Aggies have a history of producing great players at this position.
Just as they did in 2008, the Aggies face the tough task of replacing a dominant force in the middle. The graduation of standout Amber Simpson leaves a hole that will look to be filled by a pair of returning middles. Senior Erin Birmingham, who transferred to NMSU from Georgia Tech before the start of last season, looks to have an increased role as she enters her second season with the Aggies. Birmingham started off slowly as she acclimated herself to the Aggies' system but charged onto the scene at the start of conference play. She finished fourth in the conference in blocks per game (1.20 blocks/game) and was a major force in the Aggies' sweep of Hawai'i in Honolulu. She finished that match with a .714 hitting percentage and four block assists and a solo block. Birmingham hopes to contribute even more on offense this season, and Coach Jordan expects her to have a big year. "Erin's the best all around middle we have. She's a very good blocker. She's a good solid attacker. There isn't really anything that she can't do. She doesn't have a weakness. I think she's going to have a great year."
Joining Birmingham in the rotation at the middle blocker spot will be sophomore Kelsey Brennan. Brennan has one of the strongest arms on the team. "Kelsey's really physical. She's big and strong and hits the ball very hard," said Jordan. Brennan's been working on her offense this past offseason and looks to improve as a middle hitter. "A year ago as a freshman she was pretty good attacking behind the setter but not very good in front, and she's improved a lot in the offseason attacking the ball in front. I think she can hit for a big percentage." Jordan added, "She's still got a lot of room for improvement but she's definitely physically the type of middle we want."
The Aggies also return junior Angel Tirado. "Angel is such a workhorse. She's not the most athletic kid but she gets out there every day and works her tail off for us," said Jordan. "She's a great teammate. She challenges everybody to be better in the weight room, loves to compete and play. It's great having people like that on your roster."
Joining the Aggies in the middle is 5'11" freshman Shavonda Haynes. "Shavonda is a really good athlete. She jumps well and has a fast arm. She's just limited experience-wise." Haynes will likely redshirt this year. Despite limited experience, Coach Jordan was complimentary of her defensive ability. "She's got the ability to play 'D' and ball handle. Surprisingly it's pretty good for such little experience. That's a testament to just how athletic she is."
LIBERO
The libero is the unsung hero of many volleyball teams. Receiving serve is one of the most difficult things to do in volleyball, and this is the libero’s primary job. Without a good pass to start with, an offense cannot be executed. The libero is on the floor nearly the entire match and is only allowed to play in the back row. A great libero is expected to get nearly perfect passes to the setter every time (which is a very hard thing to do). The libero is also expected to be the best defensive player and usually possesses a hustling, never-say-die attitude about defending.
Undoubtedly the biggest hole to fill on the team is at the libero position. The Aggies graduated All-American and All-WAC libero Krystal Torres and will turn to a pair of players who hope to fill the massive void. Kelsi Phillips, a transfer from the University of New Mexico, and returning sophomore Bryanna Brown are both competing for the starting role. Phillips transferred to the program last season and redshirted the 2008 season. "Kelsi had the benefit of redshirting last year. I think it was good for her to be able to just train, learn a lot from Krystal. She's improved a lot," said Jordan. "I think she was a good defender last year but not a great serve receiver. I think she's great at both now."
Bryanna Brown saw limited playing time last season behind Torres, playing in 14 games and recording two digs. "Bry's improved a lot. She's a fantastic serve receiver and a relentless defender. She really chases balls down and does a fantastic job of digging driven balls," said Jordan. "She takes care of the easy play more often. I think she's going to see more playing time. She's definitely going to challenge for that libero spot as well."
DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST
Defensive specialists are used in the same function as the libero. Defensive specialists play only in the back row and must be counted on to pass great serve receive and make plays on defense. A defensive specialist’s only offensive weapon is their serve, so they are usually depended upon to have a consistently tough serve that causes problems for opposing teams. In a 6-2 offense, defensive specialists see their playing time decrease because there aren’t enough subs to go around. They are still used in special situations, however, so they must be ready to go in at all times.
The Aggies are a little light on experience in the defensive specialist position with senior transfer Amber Murphy and a pair of freshmen, Bianca Enriquez and Saasha Jacobsen, at the DS spot. Murphy comes to the Aggies after stops at Hawai'i-Hilo (2008) and San Jacinto Junior College (2006-2007). "Murph is a ball of energy and a great competitor. She's coming off a knee injury and isn't moving around 100% percent. She hits a really tough serve," said Coach Jordan. "When she gets healthy she's definitely going to play a role, whether that be as a DS/libero or a serving specialist."
Both Jacobsen and Enriquez will likely be redshirted this season. "Saasha is a really good athlete. The confidence level needs to improve but she's shown flashes of being a pretty good defender," said Jordan. "Bianca is a solid player. I think she's got a lot to learn which is great. She's got a high ceiling, a lot of room for improvement. She's a good athlete and I think with a year redshirting she'll turn out to be a pretty good player."
OUTLOOK
The key to the Aggies' success, particularly early in the season, will be their defense. Mike Jordan-coached teams are famous for their defensive effort. Last season the Aggies routinely held opponents at least 100 to 150 points below their season hitting average. For the season the Aggies held their opponents to a .134 hitting percentage and only allowed WAC teams to hit a paltry .084. "It's something we take a lot of pride in. We believe beating teams comes from knowing how to stop them," said Jordan. "We ask a lot out of our players. We change our system a lot, we want our players to be versatile and able to follow directions." Despite the overwhelming amount of youth on the team, Jordan is pleased with what he's seen defensively early on in fall practice. "I've really been very happy with what I've seen so far. We've made it a priority for them that they understand what we're doing. They're good at following directions and they've embraced that." He added, "I think we can definitely be an even better defensive team than we were last year. Until we find a groove offensively I think that's going to be really important."
Offensively the Aggies must replace the production of departed seniors Lindsey Yon and Amber Simpson. The duo provided nearly 50 percent of the team's kills with Yon leading the way with 453 kills and Simpson with 322 kills. Seniors Krista Altermatt, Kelli Goodan and Erin Birmingham, along with junior Whitney Woods and junior college transfer Kayleigh Giddens, will figure prominently into the offensive attack.
Every season the Aggies lose seemingly irreplaceable players, but every season head coach Mike Jordan finds a way to replace that lost production. This season will be no different and despite the youth movement, the Aggies' goals remain just as lofty. Coach Jordan feels that this is one of the most athletic teams he's had. "We're athletic but our skill level has a long way to go. We've got a lot of young players and so there's a lot to learn," said Jordan. "It's going to be a lot of work. But we are very athletic. I think we've got a shot to be very good."
The Aggies will turn to the senior trio of Krista Altermatt, Erin Birmingham and Kelli Goodan for leadership as the Aggies have one of their youngest teams in recent memory. The three are ready to step in and provide that leadership role. Birmingham hopes that this year's group of seniors can provide the support and consistency that last year's group gave to them. "I knew that we could always lean on our seniors, and they were going to perform for us. I hope that we can be that for this team," said Birmingham. "Always be positive, always be good mentally and physically on the court." Just as relationships on the court are important, Altermatt believes that their relationship with last year's seniors off the court was just as important and helped contribute to the team's success. "They were also very good friends off the court as well, and I definitely think that helps on the court when you have a good vibe with someone and you get along with them," said Altermatt. "Hopefully we can get to know our new teammates and be able to be there for them on and off the court." Goodan hopes that she can help bring the focus to the team that their seniors last season gave them. "They were always really focused and I think that really contributed to how far we went," said Goodan. "We focused on one thing at a time and made our goals and challenged each other to make it there, and I think we can carry that on."
As for those goals set forth by the senior class? They're lofty, but you would expect nothing less out of a group that has seen the program go to three consecutive NCAA tournaments, win a share of the regular season title as well as the program's first NCAA tournament win. "We want to win the WAC and advance to the Sweet 16."
