Our Favorite Subject - VBall Recruiting rumors

Have to keep in mind that lists of recruits can be misleading because you don't know who is getting a scholarship or partial. At PSU (and a lot of other programs) most of the DSs are not on scholarship, though they may be competing for one. PSU had a very large (and excellent) class in 2014, but that didn't leave a large number of scholarships for 2015 and 16. 

Perhaps the mentality of loading up on the DS's is this -- you have to open a lot of oysters before you find the pearl.

I have NO idea what you are talking about.

Women's Basketball in DI gets 15 Full Scholarships.   VB 12.  That is alot and I doubt they care many walkons at all , especially since 5 play at a time, compared to 7/8 starters for volleyball.

www.scholarshipstats.com/ncaalimits.html

AH!   It is related to title IX - some of it for some programs is to help the overall Athletic program and balance - ie. the men's side /women's side .   Not sure if this is the case with PSU.  Maybe Russ just likes having lots of defensive bodies.

www.athleticbusiness.com/college/roster-management-takes-pain-out-of-title-ix-compliance.html

.........
"We believe roster management doesn't hurt anybody here," says Cheryl Marra, who supervises all sports programs except football as the University of Wisconsin's associate athletic director and senior women's administrator. "Last year, we implemented roster management, and our men's teams were very successful. It's just a new way of looking at things."

Because it deals with raw numbers, proportionality is the least subjective of three compliance avenues monitored by the Office for Civil Rights, which investigates Title IX complaints. The other two involve a school having to prove it has a history of creating new opportunities in athletics for women (by adding sports teams) or that it has met the interests and abilities of women on campus (by responding to club teams' requests for varsity status). A school must meet one of the three compliance criteria.

Failing to meet the latter two, Wisconsin, which has been under the OCR's microscope since a Title IX complaint was filed against the school a decade ago, turned to roster management as the most politically and economically feasible way to reach proportionality.

Last year, coaches in each sport were presented with target roster numbers, which were then reviewed and adjusted this summer. "Back when this ongoing situation with the OCR began, the student body was at about 50-50," a ratio the athletic department surpassed with slightly more women athletes (50.3 percent) than men last year, Marra says. "Now enrollment is about 53-47, and our incoming freshman class for this year is 55 percent women. It's a moving target."

As it is, negotiating roster numbers among coaches can require as much politicking as a budget process. Men's coaches often feel as though they're being restricted; for the first time, they have to cut players or turn away interested walk-on athletes. Women's coaches, meanwhile, face having to convince more players to fill roster spots, and the additions may not possess the talent or desire of their teammates.

A key to making it all work is an understanding of both the spirit and law of Title IX, according to Elaine Driedame, a former University of Dayton athletics administrator who has spoken on roster management at the past three NCAA Title IX seminars. "A lot of times, you're really not that far off-if you're even counting correctly," she says. When determining proportionality, the OCR looks at the roster number for a given team from the date that team starts facing outside competition through the conclusion of the season.

I really wish that Salima and Russ look at the international pool of young players. I think The US market is saturated with coaches recruiting tweenies. It's getting more and more difficult to assess talent in that age group. Most good high school players are verbally committing by their freshman and sophomore years. I've been seriously thinking about going after international talent all season long. Picking up Novakovic was a start. Look for a good setter and another libero (the Japanese play excellent defensive VB).

As far as hitters go, I was watching the 2015 Pan Am Games in Canada over the summer. The one player that really stood out to me was a 16 year old 6'4" OH named Melissa Vargas from Cuba. She was carrying the Cuban team. Wow could she pound the heck out of the ball. The only down side is that I'm sure many other schools and pro teams noticed her as well. She'll probably get a pro contract and make a lot of money, she's that good. Unless, of course, she has dreams of visiting the good 'ol US of America and playing for the legend.

I think that's a great point.   I'm glad it hasn't seemed to be an issue in D1 women's volleyball,  because the spectre of coaches calling 15-year olds to try to get them to renege on promises is very unappealing to me (I'm sure it happens, and what constitutes a promise may be subject to interpretation).  I guess the difference is that once the player is actually in school, they have the ability to assess whether the school is all it was cracked up to be in the recruiting process, whereas before they arrive, it's all hopes and dreams.  I do hope D1 women's volleyball never gets like D1 football,  where a verbal commitment often has all the moral binding weight of "let's talk again soon."

There is in smaller sports. Not in basketball and football.


They language they use to coerce kids to come to their school or not go to another school is heavy. Especially for a 17 year old boy.

This topic was being discussed today about the Texas A&M quarterbacks and how many of them transfer out and how the other school use this fact against them.

However , in women vb, I would think it safe to assume some assistant coaches out their have brought up the "are you sure Coach Rose will be there " line when recruiting against PSU.

I know psu missed on a few in the 15,16 and 17 so far, but with the increase use of social media certainly has been a game changer too.