2010 Player Profile: Laurel Kuepker

Time to continue previewing each of the veterans as they squeeze whatever free time they have left out of their summer before reporting date hits in just a few weeks. Today's "interview" is birthday girl Laurel Kuepker. I know I've written this here before, but the first memory I have of Laurel was when she came for her recruiting visit. Both Debbie Humphreys and the assistant coaches pointed her out to me before a match and my first thought was "Is she even a teenager?" She looked so young. To be honest - and despite the birthday - Lo still looks really young to me. She's been legal for a year now, but I bet she gets carded for decades.

Since that recruiting visit, she's made a few digs on the court where I could have sworn she was actually flying. I mean, she has this ability to spring after balls and seemingly stay inches off the ground for a really long time before popping the ball up just milliseconds before hitting the hardwood - usually right to the setter, I might add. Maybe some of my apprehension about a transition to setter last year was out of selfish motivation to continue to watch her as a libero. Her 2008 season at that position was a treasure.

Through the years, Lo will admit she's had bouts with longing for home and struggles with nagging injuries. However, despite being far from home and spending too much time hurt, I, for one, have always found her humorous and good natured about it all As a professor, I'd be remiss if I didn't print that she is an incredible student.

Laurel was gracious enough to respond to my long-winded questions and a transcription of our interview follows:

SFAVolleyBlog.net: First off, everyone calls you “Lo”. Set us straight on when and how the nickname began?

Laurel: My nickname came from one of my old teammates from club when I was 12. We had another girl on the team named Lorna, and we could never understand who Rick (our coach) was talking to between the two of us. She started calling me Lo, and she stayed with Lorna. I don't even think she would remember that she started it. Turns out, Rick never called me that anyway, but pretty much any teammate I have ever had calls me Lo now.

SFAVolleyBlog.net: Last year, you shifted from libero to setter. For you personally, which position, libero or setter, presents more of a challenge?

Laurel: Both positions are challenging, and that's why I like them. Both positions come with the responsibility of providing extra leadership. Setters and liberos touch the ball more than any other players on the court, so there's the added risk of having the opportunity to make more mistakes. Being a libero is more mentally challenging for me because honestly, I would rather never serve receive a ball again. It's my least favorite part, but I do it and then after that one pass I get to play defense, which is my favorite part. I like being a setter, too, because you get to outsmart the other team. I love making the other teams' middles look bad when they completely miss a blocking assignment. There's a signature word every middle says when they get tricked by a setter, and I love to hear it, but it's a little too R-rated for print.

SFAVolleyBlog.net: When you came to SFA as a freshman, there was an adjustment period to being far from Indiana and certainly a culture shock of moving to East Texas. Who do you remember as the most instrumental people in making you feel more comfortable living and playing here?

Laurel: When I first came to SFA, all I wanted to do was transfer out. I thought I made a huge mistake and just wished I could go back closer to home. The people who where there for me most were my teammates. They helped me get through my homesickness and trying to deal with a long-distance relationship at the time. Coach B [ed: Brian Yale] and assistant coach Erin [McClanahan] also helped. I talked to them to try to get a better perspective on everything. Actually Erin and I went to Chili's one day, and she told me to just give it a full year. She said it changes a little in the off season, and I needed to experience everything before making a decision. It was still hard for me, but every semester got easier, and I'm so glad I stayed. I've met some amazing people down here that I would have missed had I moved back North.

SFAVolleyBlog.net: I've had the pleasure of talking with your Dad at or before several matches last year. He comes a long way to see a decent fraction of your matches. It that a source of pride for you, personally? Have your parents always been a big part of your volleyball career?

Laurel: I've very lucky my Dad has the opportunity to come to so many matches. It's nice to have someone in the stands who thinks you did awesome (or at least says you did) even when you know your play wasn't that great. My Dad has been on board for a while with me playing volleyball. My other number one fan, my Mom, doesn't have the opportunities to get down here, but she's always at the northern tournaments and will be here for Senior Night. She started me in volleyball when I was 10 and went to every club match I ever played, so they've taken turns in seeing me play at different levels.

SFAVolleyBlog.net: Coach Humphreys has used the phrase “player who is like an assistant coach” when describing part of your role. Do you embrace the “senior/leader” label or is that something that comes less naturally than actually setting and digging balls?

Laurel: I absolutely embrace the leadership role, and it comes more naturally to me than the skill set needed for volleyball. Coach tells me that I need to be the coach on the floor. She knows I have already accumulated a background in coaching and can use that experience to help other players on the court. I always tell Coach B that I think we're similar in coaching styles. We're both analytical and try to find the best ways to outsmart the other team. I've really become a student of the game, trying to learn as much as I can, not only for my last season of competition but for my future as a coach.

SFAVolleyBlog.net: Fans have also been able to read your own blog entries over the last few years. You chronicle a lot of the time the club spends on the road. When you and your teammates are all together, are there certain characters that emerge on the team - such as team prankster, team bookworm, Ms. Mischievous, shopper extraordinaire, etc..?

Laurel: If you think this interview is long-winded, you should see the pre-edited blogs I write about our travels. If I could write about every funny thing that happened, my blogs would become novels. There are pranksters for sure...namely Ari. One time she and a few others barricaded the door with cups and the water cooler at McNeese so the coaches couldn't get in. Mel and Sabrina are probably the most studious on the bus. MC is definitely the shopper. Plus, MC sits in front of me on the bus, so we have our own inside jokes that entertain us. Yes, we have our own seats on the bus that we always sit in. Coach doesn't assign them but seniors sit in the back, freshmen in the front. That's just how it is. When Ari and I first meet people, we're really shy, but once you get to know us, we can be the loudest ones. MC hates public speaking, but somehow always gets picked for on-camera interviews. She always does it, of course, but it's not her favorite thing. It's fun to see the different personalities emerge and mesh.

SFAVolleyBlog.net: Finally, in your bio on the team roster page, I notice an accolade of “All-Duneland” conference for three years of high school. Excuse my poor geography, but are we talking dunes in the desert sense here? Does Indiana really have sand dunes?

Laurel: Yes, Indiana does have sand dunes. That's why I played in the Duneland Athletic Conference in high school, and why my club team was called Dunes Volleyball Club. I live at the very northern part of Indiana along Lake Michigan. We have beaches that erode and build from the wind off the lake. I would liken it to snow drifts in the winter, but considering the audience, I'm not sure if that helps. There's actually an Indiana Dunes State Park.

Laurel even provides a pic for proof!! :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A huge birthday shout out and many thanks to Lo for her time in answering my questions. In a few days, I'll introduce you to the new coaches around the Southland Conference. We are almost down to just one month before the first serve of 2o1o.

Next Player Profile: Melissa Miksch

3 UP, 3 DOWN

After nine games the 'Jacks stand at a respectable 5-4. This weekend they invade Tulsa, OK to repay a favor by playing in the Raddison Tulsa Airport Invitational Tournament. See, two years ago, Tulsa came to Nacogdoches to play in our tourney, so this is the return trip. Along with the Hurricane - oh excuse me - Golden Hurricane (I still don't get that), SFA will face Debbie Humphreys' alum Texas Tech and West Coast Conference member Gonzaga.

Next week at this time we hope you all will have cleared some weekend space to join us in Johnson Coliseum for the Ladyjack Invitational Tournament. The 'Jacks will get in two games next Friday (2:30 and 7:00) and two more next Saturday (12:30 and 7:00). Keep the 18th and 19th reserved for supporting the girls.

Its only been eight days, but it already seems like forever that the club played at home. I really, really dislike these long spells on the road. This one is a 17-day span away from our home court and unfortunately, we've got another 17 day span in October on the road too. I know schedules are made under all sorts of considerations, but that doesn't stop me from thinking that a weekday match stuck in the middle of those road swings would aid in overall support from fans. Ugh, I digress.

What we're gonna do here today is look at the first nine matches and play "3 Up, 3 Down". I've read through box scores a few times and looked over game stories and had a conversation here and there with folks, and here are my takes for three of the more positive signs early in the season - followed by three things that we'll want to change going forward.

I'll take the approach of saving the best for last.... so not to accent the negative, but in the spirit of ending on a high note.. we begin with:

3 DOWN:

1. Team Attack Percentage: .189
You might remember from a previous post that the conference as a whole hit .192 last year. Simply put, I don't think this club is going to play deep in the postseason if they are an average attacking club. Now, Owens getting hurt didn't help things, but the team has got to get balls to the floor at a better rate. The team hit .237 last year. We are a quarter of the way through the season (that feels weird to even type) and the club will have to hit approximately .253 the rest of the way to match last years' percentage. Balls have to be knocked down at a bit more consistent clip to wind up with a high seed in the SLC Conference Tournament in November. Our leading attacker in terms of total kills and attacks is hitting .120. If whoever leads the team in attacks at the END of the year hits .120 then we will be an average team in terms of the standings. To put things a different way, the leading attacker on this team WON'T hit .120. You just won't give that many swings to a person hitting that low. Need proof?...The lowest hitting percentage over the last decade for a Ladyjack leading her team in attacks for the year is .183.

2. Too Many Service Errors
Yes, its true that we have 13 more aces than our opponents (40-27). However, that advantage is nullified when we look at the free points we are giving opponents. SFA has committed 64 service errors as opposed to 45 by our opponents. There's some simple math here. That's 'Plus 13' on aces and 'Minus 19' on service errors. Bottom line here is that the serving isn't helping us win matches at this point. By way of comparison, last year the team had substantially more aces than opponents while simultaneously having LESS service errors than the competition.

3. Matches like UC-Davis Can't Happen
Look, I know UC-Davis is a good club. But the truth is, we played better against Missouri State and Missouri State beat UC-Davis earlier in the tourney completed last week. Granted... Missouri State was on their own floor, but still, you get my point. Say what you will, but getting beat 25-14, 25-14, 25-13 is getting spanked. We were down 8-15 in each set - never really in any of them obviously. UC-Davis only committed six errors on 88 total attacks for the entire match. If you take the starting middle blockers out of the equation, SFA hit a ridiculous -.121 in the match. Without Bottles and Bailey we had only 10 kills coupled with 17 errors. To be an elite team in our conference, poor outings like that have to be kept to a minimum. That match took 66 minutes which is all you really need to know about it.

3 UP:

1. Back Row Defense Appears Solid
Ok, listen. Go back and read my previous posts on the Kuepker switch and the trust in Hanlan at libero. If I'm gonna shoot straight on the things above, then I have to be truthful down here too. I have been pleasantly surprised at Maddie Hanlan's adaptation to the college-level libero spot. I know, I know.. all the coaches are thinking "Nanny nanny boo-boo - we told you". It's not that I didn't trust what I was being told, but hey - Libero is the chief of the back row. Trust it to a freshman when you had one of the best liberos in the conference already? Just count me skeptical. Until now. Hanlan's averaging an even 4.00 digs per set and throw in Melissa Miksch at 3.54 dps and things look mighty secure on away-from-net defense. Hanlan's the #1 reason I am itching to see the team get back home. I want to see all this for myself - and I want the fans to see it too. The one game we've had at home both Hanlan and Miksch had 18 digs in just three sets. Getting that one exposure to that kind of production has left me antsy to see the back row play again. Hanlan and Miksch right now have me at the top of their fan clubs. And yes, I can hear the "What took ya so long?" comments from the coaches about now as well.

2. Daron hitting .268 - leading the team
When I did Ari's preview capsule back on August 14, I wrote "how scary are the middles on this team if Daron contributes significantly?" Well, Daron deserves every bit of playing time she is getting now and the middles on this team are really, really scary good. Daron's career hitting percentage coming into this year was .067, so I don't have to elaborate on just how much of an improvement we are witnessing here. She's already racked up more kills and attacks in the first nine games than she did in either of her previous seasons. We are watching a breakout and the benefits are going to be felt deep into the conference schedule. The thing is: This club does have the cast of characters to knock down balls. We've just got to find out who to set the ball to and in what frequency. Daron has stuck her hand up as if to say 'I can handle a heavier role'. I say we continue to give it to her. Daron's (along with Miksch's) improvement is a big reason we should be optimistic going into conference play in a couple weeks - along with getting KO back.

3. The two-headed setting attack is working
Many matches so far have seen the assist totals be evenly split between Kuepker and Buckner. I think this is evidence for the twin approach. Kuepker setting while the spot is in a back row rotation and Buckner setting when the spot jumps forward appears to be a good call from Debbie Humphreys so far. I've got a lot of questions about the setting position that I want to ask in weeks to come. I'll do an entry just on the setters at some point with the answers I get, but for now... this dual approach appears stable. One other tidbit from being in practice: More than a couple of times, I have watched assistant coach Erin McClanahan work with the setters. She often turns to one of Buckner and/or Lo and complements them on their decision making and distribution of balls. I am learning that the "smarts" of distributing balls to attackers in the proper way is underrated. Both of our setters seem to understand how to do this really well. They don't appear to just do things in a cold, formulaic way. They appear to do a good job of "taking what the defense gives" and optimizing the distribution of the attacks per teammate. The more I think about that job, the more difficult I realize it is. Buckner and Kuepker appear savvy in that regard.

Next week, I will begin previewing teams for conference play and soon I will try and have another set of interviews with both coaches and players. As always, if you have an idea - let me know. Recently, I have rekindled old conversations with former Ladyjack players. I am planning on taking a look at some of SFA's history and re-introducing you to some of the players that used to grace the court while wearing purple. At some point next week I will try and pass along an update on Kelsey. I am planning on talking with her directly when the team returns from Tulsa.

Finally, and I meant to do this weeks ago, thank you to those of you that spoke to me after the ULL match with kind words about this blog. Several fans and parents were complementary of the effort being made here. I truly appreciate that support. I also want to say this to any prep player that might just happen to be scanning sites like this: we are unique in how much coverage we give our team. Go check how much effort is being put out at other Southland schools to cover their squad. Read the game wraps and you'll see that Ben does a way better job than his competition when it comes to writing up stories at sfajacks.com. Then, go ask yourself if other schools we compete against have a forum such as this for their team. The answers you find should tell you something about SFA Volleyball.

2009 Veteran Previews: Juniors

This is the second of what will be three posts which profile the veterans returning to the court for SFA Volleyball this season. The senior previews are below these and the sophomores get their turn in the spotlight next week. We certainly won't forget the fab five: the freshmen on Debbie Humphreys squad will get showcased in a different way than this. More on that next week. But without further delay lets look a little closer at the third-year players.

3 Laurel Kuepker 5-6 Setter

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right
direction." - Winston Churchill

Back in 2006 when All-American Stephanie Figgers was on her way to 756,215 digs or whatever I would often lament about how we were going to replace her when she finished her four year stint at SFA. One day before a match one of the coaches took me aside and told me to look over in the front row of the stands. "That girl right there....there's our replacement for Figgers over there" - I was told. "That girl" was sitting with her father taking everything in during a recruiting visit and I swear she looked all of 14 years old. "That girl" was Laurel Kuepker.

Kuepker wore the libero jersey in her first ever collegiate game and collected 22 digs in a tournament win against Montana State. That was then...this is now: Newsflash - Setter from '08 bolts for cheeseland and Lo's gonna set instead of play libero.

Fine. I trust Humphreys when she says that Kuepker can handle it. Hey, assistant coach Brian Yale ran an offense while at Bowling Green. Assistant Coach Erin McClanahan has a couple thousand assists in her past as a player. They know. These people know. Couple that with Lo's intelligence and the fact that setting is in her past as a prep player and I am totally a believer.

However, I'm a numbers guy and the numbers say this will be quite a task. Kuepker eventually gave way to veteran Jami Hill at the libero spot in '07. The team benefited - Lo benefited. It took some pressure off and ultimately paved the way for Kuepker to excel last year.

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Let's just get this out of the way right now: Kuepker got robbed. I mean, held up at gunpoint and robbed. Kuepker gets "Honorable Mention" SLC? I nearly flipped out. Seriously? She leads the conference in digs per game, accounts for three of the five times ANYONE in the conference goes for 3o digs, earns defensive player of the week more than ANYONE in the conference and friggin' Kelsey Jewasko of UTSA gets libero of the year? Oh, yeah.. and after the conference crowns Jewasko what does she do in her one tournament game: 12 digs (4/game). Kuepker? 33 digs (6.6/game). Have I made my case? Nothing against Ms. Jewakso, but that voting was a joke. Plain and simple.

So, Kuepker is leaving a spot on the floor where arguably she was the best in the conference. That's guts. That's coaching guts. Hey, consider this: Kuepker averaged 3.75 digs per game as a freshman and a translated 5.34 digs per game as a sophomore (recall, we gotta adjust for playing to 25 now). Figgers averaged 4.1 digs per game as a fish and 5.39 per game as a sophomore. Now, I am not saying Lo would have been the second coming of the libero deity that is Stephanie Figgers. I am simply saying Kuepker's record at libero isn't drastically different than Figgers at this point in her career.

So, is it Schott leaving or Hanlan coming that is the principle component here? Both? Or, is it neither - maybe Lo would move to setter if Schott stays and Hanlan goes elsewhere. Only three people know the answer to that and I'm not going to make a habit of second guessing those three.

Facts are facts: Kuepker led the conference in digs per game and could (should, gosh doggit) have won Libero of the Year. Schott was second in the SLC in assists per game. Replacing all that isn't like flipping a light switch. Then again, consider these words:

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past
or present are certain to miss the future. - John F. Kennedy"

In Lo we trust. Kuepker is the future. Fearless prediction: It wouldn't surprise me one bit if someone as smart and savvy as "that girl" thumbs her nose at the '08 voters and brings down the house in '09. And if she does? Her place in SFA volleyball history is pretty much "set".

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10 Kelsey Owens 5-10 Outside Hitter

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To me, KO is the key.

Middles? Dominant. Should be good to go.

Setters? We've covered that. Kuepker and Buckner give every sign they can shoulder that load. Also, my ears hear and eyes see newbie Gideon getting praise. Check.

Hitters? Someone...maybe TWO someones... have got to step up. Big Time.

Back row will be and has been discussed elsewhere. Its got question marks too but this team needs its hitters to take giant leaps forward if its going to hover atop the SLC standings.

I will tell you right now where my eyes will go in the boxscores during the first few games of the season before I can witness things first hand in Johnson Coliseum: Row: Owens. Column: Hitting Percentage.

Owens' career hitting percentage is .160. She hit .190 last year. The conference as a whole hit .192 last year.

If someone asked me to make a list of what this club has to do to make sure it goes farther than one game in the SLC Tourney, then the first thing on my list is "Owens has to bring it. Night in. Night out." If Owens breaks out and starts throwing down on people, then look out - this team is going to be good. Really good. If KO hits .190 again? Meh.

If you've been halfway paying attention, then you know this team has no senior OH's. So, here's your default leader at outside hitter. Will Owens lead this team in attacks? If you had to guess right now, she'd be your choice, right? It's not unreasonable for a leading attacker on a club at this level to swing 1000+ times. Owens' had 559 attacks last year. It looks as though she's in for a lot more ice on that shoulder after matches.

The Kuepker switch can go fine. Hanlan can pull a Jewakso. Bottles and Bailey will see your attack and raise you a solo block and still, if Owens is so-so it ain't gonna matter much. She's going to have to lead.

I know we are focused on 2009, but since I believe Owens is the #1 key, consider this: Suppose Owens (and Williams-Roberts) really step up this year. Suppose Kuepker is honky-dorry at setter and Hanlan is really a wonderkid. Imagine 2010. Despite losing Bailey wouldn't this team be really set up for 2010? Bottles. Owens. Kuepker. Williams-Roberts. Hanlan. If that's most of the core now and they are good, then doesn't it stand to reason that they'd be great in 2010? That's without even mentioning Daron/Miksch and the fact that one or more of the other freshman from this class may contribute in a meaningful way. I know I am getting the cart ahead of the horse, but my point is: However good we are in 2009 - and we could be really good - I think we'll be even better in 2010.

I like KO. I really do. She's the one player I've got my fingers crossed tightest on. I really, really want to see her become one of the top outside hitters in the conference. Start the count to 1000 now. Let's find out.

4 Arielle Daron 5-10 Middle Blocker

You see that picture over there? That's Kasey McBrearty of A&M Corpus Christi in 'fail' mode. Return to sender with love from Ari and Bay.

I really hope one of my most common phrases from the mic this year is "Blocked by Daron and Whomever" I won't actually say "Whomever", I'll say whomever actually got the block assist.. oh, you get it...

Depth is good. This team needs players like Daron. If she's your third best MB, then you are really, really deep in the middle. I know its early in the practice season, but I've watched a couple of afternoon sessions in the past week and Daron is one of the players that most impresses me. She's Middle Blocker gravy. I think we all know Bailey and Bottles are the main dish.

Man, how scary are the middles on this team if Daron contributes significantly? In a couple of drills in practice last week, Humphreys had Daron and freshman Sabrina Burns working with the outsides taking four-sets against one blocker. Daron's really athletic and if she becomes versatile, then obviously that gives the coaching staff more options on how to integrate her into schemes. I am really curious to see how she gets used this year and she's one of the players I am most anxious to ask Humphreys about. Like Sophomore Melissa Miksch, she may not go into the year asked to shoulder a major load, but if those two push the players ahead of them on the depth chart a little, then that's all the better.

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Once during practice, I heard Humphreys yell out "If you can find that one thing you do really well, then do it over and over and make it your way to contribute." It may have been just coincidence, but she was facing directly toward Daron and Miksch standing side-by-side in line. It was almost as if Humphreys was affirming the importance of role players - and who knows what might happen in the course of a season - roles change.

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Despite getting in just 42 sets last year, Daron virtually tied Shelly Swendig for third on the team in blocks per set. That's a good sign - when she was in there, generally speaking, she was blocking well. All signs point to improvement. Depth is good.