Aug. 21, 2006

By Lara Boyko

Special to CSTV.com

In poker, the odds of getting four-of-a-kind in one hand are 1 in 3,914.

While the likelihood of recruiting four state players of the year in the game of recruiting for a women's college volleyball program are also long, Penn State coach Russ Rose has beaten the odds. With four incoming freshmen who were players of the year in their respective states -- including the Gatorade National Player of the Year -- Rose is entering the 2006 season with the odds in his favor after finishing 2005 with records of 31-3 overall and 20-0 in the Big Ten.

"The outsider's perception is that the expectation is high because of the past performances of the program and the recruiting class we have coming in," Rose said, who is in his 28th season at State College.

"The insider's perception is that I'm working with a new staff after losing two staff members (assistant coach Mike Schall and Director of Operations Julie Backstrom left during the offseason) and have four incoming freshman after losing what I feel are the most important positions (libero and setter) who were All-Americans and never missed a match in four years. Expectations are always high in a number of programs and ours is one of them."

Expectations are high due to Rose's No. 1 ranked recruiting class, the members of which look to see playing time right away. These fantastic freshmen includes 6'3" outside hitter Megan Hodge (2006 Gatorade National and North Carolina Player of the Year, a finalist for the 2006 Gatorade National Female High School Athlete of the Year Award and a silver medalist in the 12-14 year old age group at the 2002 World Championships in Belgium as a member of the USA Jump Rope Team), 6'4" middle hitter Blair Brown (2004 and 2005 Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year), 6'0" setter Alisha Glass (2006 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year) and 6'0" setter Jessica Yanz (2006 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year). Yet no matter how good this incoming class looks on paper, Rose is not naïve about predicting its success on the court.

"Every year everyone is trying to recruit the best talent for your institution, but I think there have been a lot of great recruiting classes that have not produced, so I don't get all excited because we have the top recruiting class," Rose said.

"My job is the same whether the recruiting class is the top or the 10th-best in the country. You still have to find a way to make the team as competitive as possible. Some of the opportunities and options we have are enhanced because of the players coming in, but there are no guarantees of results."

While there is much hype surrounding their incoming class, Penn State's real story to the success of the season could lie in the return of 6'2" sophomore middle hitter Christa Harmotto. As one of the team captains, Harmotto, who used to be a meteorology major and only watches the Weather Channel, is returning after suffering a knee injury on November 19, which sidelined her for the last five matches of the 2005 season and required her to have surgery last December.

"I haven't had many players that have the impact on other players that Christa has, so I am real enthusiastic and eager to see her not only in her role as one of the captains as a sophomore, but also to see her back on the floor as the competitive athlete she is," Rose said.

Along with the anticipated return of Harmotto, other returning starters who will be key in helping Penn State to claim their fourth consecutive Big Ten title are 6'4" sophomore outside hitter Nicole Fawcett, 6'3" junior middle hitter Melissa Walbridge and 6'5" senior opposite side/middle hitter Cassy Salyer.

"Fawcett is a terrific offensive force and hasn't found a set that she doesn't want to hit as hard as she can, which is a very unique trait that a lot of people don't have," Rose described.

"Walbridge and Salyer are two we need to be reliable, dependable, steady and hold their positions at a high level. The question is still, who is going to be setting and running the back row, but that's why you have a preseason."

Rose's back row is in question after losing Kaleena Walters, the 2005 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, to graduation.

"We are looking at a committee of players to fill the libero position with the first two candidates being (5-8 sophomore libero) Roberta Holehouse and (6-2 junior outside hitter) Kate Price," Rose said.

"Price was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year as a hitter, so if you can take someone with those talents and still keep them involved, I think you are going to make some great inroads. I think the libero position is the most important first step for us. Then knowing whichever player is not the libero, will be instrumental in our backcourt defense. We've got a couple of young players who we hope can step up defensively, but that is yet to be determined.

"[5'6" Senior libero] Kris Brown is a back row player and [5'11" senior outside hitter/defensive specialist] Ashley Fidler hasn't played a lot, but I think that we can take advantage of her strengths in the back row. I may have more frequent back row substitutes than most teams because I don't have that pure great defensive player that we have had in the past."

The first chance for Rose to integrate so many variables on the 2006 team comes on August 25, as the Nittany Lions head to Baton Rouge, La., for the LSU Classic.

"I'm not naive enough to recognize that we are not going to lose matches along the way because we are going to be trying new players and checking out new systems," Rose said.

"This will result in some disarray and we may lose some games and matches."

The Nittany Lions are hoping to keep the odds in their favor as the season progresses, but even Rose knows that it will take more than luck to make it to Omaha, Neb., in December.

"My job is to keep setting the bar high and the question is in how kids react to it," said Rose. "There is only one team that wins the National Championship after an incredibly long season. You've got to be resilient to a lot of ups and downs that are going to happen naturally."