PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – They broke attendance numbers with another 30-win season and are beginning to capture the average Pittsburgh sports fan. Following the loss of a first, second and third team All-American, Pitt women’s volleyball is back in the Final Four.
How do they do it?
Hitting on transfers
· Courtney Buzzerio (Iowa)-448 kills, 109 digs, 33 aces, .329% hit, 82 blocks-named First Team All-American
· Julianna Dalton (Washington State)-234 kills, 16 aces, 184 digs
· Cam Ennis (Texas A&M)-242 assists, 90 digs
Stepping up in bigger roles
· Valeria Vazquez-Gomez-351 kills, 279 digs, 38 blocks, 23 aces, named Second Team All-American
· Rachel Fairbanks-see below, named Third Team All-American
· Emmy Klika-52 assists, 151 digs
Returners continuing big roles
· Serena Gray-238 kills, .404% hit, 24 aces, 127 blocks, 77 digs, named First Team All-American
· Chimaka Nwokolo (co-captain)-158 kills, .372% hit, 114 blocks
· Lexis Akeo (battled injury all year)-84 digs, 263 assists
· Ashley Browske (co-captain)-313 digs, 84 assists
Developing roles
· Cat Flood-16 aces, 20 digs
· Sabrina Starks-84 kills, 44 blocks
· Rachel Jepsen and Dillyn Griffin
It’s as deep a team as they’ve had, Pitt Head Coach Dan Fisher said they’ve had intense practices and tough lineup decisions. It’s also made for a complete team that trusts each other and despite expectations and wearing a bullseye, got back to the Final Four.
“This team its quite easy to be a setter because every single option is a good option,” Fairbanks said. “I feel comfortable setting every single one of them. I’m never stuck in a rotation. I can count on any hitter on our team.”
Culture Club
What makes Pitt volleyball special is the collective. It’s the culture that’s been installed by Fisher, assistants Lindsay Bohonick and Kellen Petrone and all-time great Kamalani Akeo directing the team’s operations. They identified the right kind of player, then those players take over.
“We always talk about our culture,” Nwokolo said. “Our culture means a lot to us. Every year we are working on it, how to improve it. What we need to get rid of? What we need to add? We all buy into culture here. I think that is what gets us through the hard matches, hard days. Our culture is amazing.”
“The culture is every changing, it’s ever growing,” Buzzerio said. “It’s amazing. We got to change, we got to make it better. We got to keep progressing. The coaches constantly trying to make us better.”
“Coming in as a fifth year, I think I’ve gotten so much better in such a short period of time. In six months, my game as elevated in a crazy way. I’m a completely different player than I was a year ago. To be in this position is mindboggling to me.”
Do It All
There is something special about having a player who can do it all. Few in the nation do it better than Fairbanks. The sophomore officially listed as a setter, but she can play anywhere. The stats show it (team rankings):
· 136 kills (6th) and she was limited in attacks for the first part of the season due to a knee injury
· 851 assists (1st) nearly 600 more than any other teammate in a two-setter system
· 39 services aces (1st)
· 313 digs (2nd)
· 48 blocks (5th)
Fisher said he was watching videos they submit to the NCAA for All-American balloting. They have to find two consecutive sets and as they were combing through even the head coach was amazed at how many ball touches she has and her overall involvement.
“I just enjoy having an impact in every way I can,” Fairbanks said. “I think that obviously our team helps with that. I think each one of us is an all-around player. I think that’s how coach wants us to play.”
Now the program that before Fisher never experienced the NCAA tournament is again two wins from a first Pitt national championship.