USA Women's NT 2023

    Quote from jt1267

    NT season is not really for developing a player but mainly for gathering a group of capable players and finding the right fit.

    You can develop yourself in the gym and during club season to show potential..


    I mean I'd probably start with Kelsey (Queen to backup) and an offensive OH.

    There are players who are good in club but not in NT or vice-versa. And this is not also all about larson being good of what she can do. She already had her time 3 olympic cycle with medals. it's not bad if she just give it to other players who are dreaming to be on that position.

    Quote from Steven12453

    Her defense alone is worth it when you want to win Germany and Argentina.

    When you want to face up solid teams with elite opposites who can destroy you alone with just a little help , Larson's poor attacking performances is a BIG, BIG problem.

    Serbia easily destroy USA even when Robinson made a good attacking match. Think what will happen if Larson will play in her place.

    With other words USA needs the good Robinson and strong attack if they want to win the big teams and to be a solid team. Not a second libero.

    Btw Thompson plays fantastic this last period. If she continues like this she will probably become an elite OPP

    this is more appropriate for this thread.


    destroy = being two points away from forcing a fifth set? with an hampered setter (Poulter), middle (Washington), and libero (JWO) and an injured-absent opposite (Thompson)? okay.


    They won gold with Barstch hitting worse than Jordan or Kelsey is currently doing. They won by passing well and playing good defense. Jordan excels at both of those and Jordan is a better attacker than Kelsey.


    there's not a single OH that can provide what Jordan can either as a bench player or as a starter (over Kelsey)


    USA's problems in 2022 stemmed from poor ball control (Frantti/Bajema/Plummer/SWP/whoever)... None of those have been solidified in 2023.


    There's only one player that can maybe fix that (Lanier). And she'd still be playing with Kelsey or Jordan. I'd take Jordan's leadership over Kelsey's. USA doesn't have a leader. Look at Kelsey today... tipping and not attacking when the game got tough... and still did that even after Santarelli yelled at her.


    Kelsey and Jordan can both have roles on the team. Its not a one or other.


    if it means leaving one of Frantti/Bajema/Plummer off the roster... then im 100% fine with that. None of them have showed the ability to take the pressure of JT/Drews over the past season.

    Quote from Kostlich

    lanier is also unstable passer what are you talking about lol. I dont actually see her different with other offensive OHs.

    Lanier is better than the other two (Frantti/Plummer)


    and that's why I said might. Because she's not been with the senior team before.


    She is better offensively than both of them. And for sure defensively than Plummer.

    If there is one compelling reason for Larson to go back, that's probably the leadership part. I didn't feel that in Kelsey last year. I don't know. Maybe the personality, the age or reputation but Larson does command that kind of authority.

    but my opinion still stands that the gap left my Larson's absence can be filled. USA is not lacking a stream of players to choose from.

    Also the fact that it is not enough against teams with elite OPP.

    Have they even watched how USA won over Serbia playing amazing block & defense on Boskovic or how Larson defense on Egonu forced that 4 sets in the VB - Milano match?

    Btw I'm pretty disappointed at Kelsey's volleyball development.


    She has been pretty much the same player since 10 years ago, style wise or skill wise.

    Of course she polished what she is good at, but I don't think she developed much in other areas.


    How can someone play with Larson for 10 years and still has such limited variation on the attack?

    Who would have thought MBH, instead of Kelsey, turned out to be more Larson-like:lol:

    Come on. First of all Bartch was not worst attacker in the Olympics from Larson and Robinson now. This is distortion of th truth. USA do not win the gold because of the reception and defense. They won it because they play ALL AROUND. In Olympics Larson and Bartch ( bartch not her best but still good) had good attack and specially Larson maybe made her best tournament with USA in attack. Also then USA beat teams with worst attack . Serbia, Brazil , China Italy , all of them HAD worst attack from USA then. Specially Serbia had ZERO ATTACK FROM OH position . Also you overlook that your opponents are much stronger and solid right now .

    Also Kelsey was and still she is much better attacker than Larson. She saw it to us the last summer and generally she is better from her time in Vakifbank. This is objective. Her performnces are telling the truth. And when she play with an other setter she will find her rhythm. With Wolosz she just ca not. Larson will not find her rhythm in this age.

    Also USA problem in 2022 was not the passing. For god sake . When your opposite barely scores specially with strong teams the passing will not fix anything.

    Also the passing will not become better with Larson because she will not play along with Kelsey. She will play with one of the "bad" receivers and she will not fix anything.

    About Lanier I can not tell something. It is completely different to play in one of the worst teams in Italy an d other to try to win the gold medal with NT . We will se if she can. They other player are more experience than her in high level.

    And FOR GOD SAKE who does not invest in young high level players who has lots of room for development and instead of them he choose a veterane who playing like a second libero???:what::what::what::what::what::what:

    I know that you like her , she is a superstar but her good days are over and she worst from others who has a lot of road infroad of them.

    IF ONLY IF LARSON BECAME WHO SHE WAS ONLY THEN I CAN SHE THAT PROBABLY DESERVES A PLACE IN THE MAIN ROSTER. ONLY THEN.

    But what surprised me how good Robinson played during middle season She was around 44-55% in attack and She had fantastic WCCH tournament. But from March her attacking is not exciting….


    But at least her reception is stable as floor defence.


    On another hand Plummer has unstable reception, bad floor defence and her attacking is below 40%. I still can’t believe She is going to play 3rd season with such a big club as Conegliano with such a bad stats…

    Quote from Steven12453

    And FOR GOD SAKE who does not invest in young high level players who has lots of room for development and instead of them he choose a veterane who playing like a second libero???:what::what::what::what::what::what:

    that's also why I disagree with her retutrn. this is the time to start with the younger ones since Larson will surely not stay long term. I really think that she can coach. maybe help USA in that capacity. or like KYK would in SoKor (consultant or something).

    also, people tend to gravitate towards a player's worst stats. Kelsey isn't a hopeless case.

    IMO it's more of a question of can any of the young players do what Larson does? Developing your talent is important and there's a time and place for that, but it's not the Olympics. The Olympics are about the now, and the teams should take the best they've got regardless of age.


    Replacing a better, more experienced player with a younger prospect could cost a team a medal. No one improves during the Olympics, the players that are there have to be able to deliver at the very moment, not in four years. And even if you are thinking about the long-term (i.e. we might not win Paris but we'll be stronger for LA), you can't ever be 100% sure that a prospect is going to reach her full potential, so you shouldn't trade what's certain for a hope of something better.

    Quote from clara

    IMO it's more of a question of can any of the young players do what Larson does? Developing your talent is important and there's a time and place for that, but it's not the Olympics. The Olympics are about the now, and the teams should take the best they've got regardless of age.


    Replacing a better, more experienced player with a younger prospect could cost a team a medal. No one improves during the Olympics, the players that are there have to be able to deliver at the very moment, not in four years. And even if you are thinking about the long-term (i.e. we might not win Paris but we'll be stronger for LA), you can't ever be 100% sure that a prospect is going to reach her full potential, so you shouldn't trade what's certain for a hope of something better.

    You mean karch would rather go with veteran over someone young and can be develop. Lol this will probably his last olympic and he will choose someone he already worked with rather than developing a young players who he could be utilize in the next 2-3 NT and olympic cycle. I also can't believe larson decided to go back when her plans were not going well. You can still be involved in volleyball like coaching or training instead of stealing the spot you left.

    this whole post is just silly.


    Barstch in the Olympics was 79-43-227 (35% attack, 16% efficiency). That is not good. They won in Tokyo from their defense (on the floor and at the net) and passing. I don't see how that is debatable at all.


    "Also USA problem in 2022 was not the passing. For god sake . When your opposite barely scores specially with strong teams the passing will not fix anything."..... i mean Annie was literally their only option in the WCHs and she's not a barn burner OOS.... thats why passing is important. There is no one in the USA gym that's going to take big swings when passing is messy.... Every other team itw has someone (For the most part) that can...


    if someone wants Jordan's spot... they should simply be better. If they want her spot, pass better than she can, defend better than she can, be the leader of the team. There's not a single player in the frantti/bajema/plummer group that can do that.


    I just find it ironic that this entire forum is "frantti/bajema/plummer bad" (Which is fair 95% of the time) but now wants their spots to be saved? lol

    Quote from Kostlich

    You mean karch would rather go with veteran over someone young and can be develop. Lol this will probably his last olympic and he will choose someone he already worked with rather than developing a young players who he could be utilize in the next 2-3 NT and olympic cycle. I also can't believe larson decided to go back when her plans were not going well. You can still be involved in volleyball like coaching or training instead of stealing the spot you left.

    there’s 1.5 NT summers until Paris.


    giving one young outside hitter less reps is not going to change their trajectory in regards to the next cycle.


    they’ll get their time with the B team and work their way up… like they’ve always done

    The return of Larson just makes the 4 OHs going to Paris changing from Kelsey + 3 of Frantti/Bajema/Plummer/Lanier to Jordan & Kelsey + 2 of the young guns.
    Honestly I don’t think that it makes any difference on having 2 or 3 of the younger group to Paris. They are all at similar level and won’t be on court at the same time anyway (at least under Karch’s system). But having Larson back is a great addition to the the team, she can offer what Kelsey can’t.

    U19 team for the Pan Am Cup

    S: Starck (185cm - Penn State), Parks (180)
    Opp: Babcock (196 - Pitt)
    OH: Vander Wal (191), Bayless (188 - Pitt), Blyashov (191 - Stanford), Demaria (193), Sigler (188)
    MB: Minatee (183- Minnesota), Andrew (196), Auguste (188)
    L: Falduto (170 - Penn State)



    U21 Training Roster (This team won't compete at the WCHs)

    S: Fairbanks (183 - Pitt), Stucky (188 - Florida), Swindle (188 - Texas)

    Opp: Kahahawai (193 - Texas), Martin (198 - Florida), Sczech (193 - Baylor)

    OH: Sis (188 - Creighton), Colyer (191 - Oregon), Chicoine (178 - Purdue), Bien (183 - Kansas), Hudson (185 - Purdue), Wucherer (185 - Minnesota)

    MB: Colvin (185 - Purdue), Kelley (193 - TBA), Essix (191 - Florida), Singletary (193 - Texas)

    L: Briseno (Baylor), Klika (Pitt)

    The U19 team won their first two Pan Am matches without any challenge (against US Virgin Islands and Costa Rica)


    Zoe Fleck is in the gym until the rest of the liberos report.


    They're gonna be in a crunch for outside hitters in week one... with all but three currently still playing club.

    Quote from avid

    The U19 team won their first two Pan Am matches without any challenge (against US Virgin Islands and Costa Rica)


    Zoe Fleck is in the gym until the rest of the liberos report.


    They're gonna be in a crunch for outside hitters in week one... with all but three currently still playing club.

    So its Lanier, Skinner and who?