News & Thoughts about PSU Recruiting, Transfer Portal, etc.

I just don't buy this.


Markley welcomed her "to the fam[ily]" on instagram, so I'm not sold on that take, plus Markley is a JR, so bringing in a FR should be welcomed.
w.r.t. Burke and recruiting another MB, she should welcome a 3rd MB if they aren't moving Willow over.

Pulling in a RS freshman given the lull in recruiting due to Rose/KSC transition is a super easy explanation to a HS kid, especially the 8th-10th graders KSC is actually recruiting right now.


Also, these girls' frame of reference is club ball where every team is trying every year to pull in top talent and everyone is fighting for their spot all the time, so I don't think they all become softies when they get to college.

Just a line to say thanks to all who post on here. My knowledge of US college volleyball increases with every one of your posts. An hour ago, I had no idea what redshirting was!!! Jurevicius looks like a very good signing. To steal the song from the 'Tommy' album by the Who.....'Got a feeling '24 is gonna be a good year'

The portal has changed everything in BOTH directions, PSU has just been on the receiving end of the game and everyone here thinks it’s great, but if we don’t think we can lose talented young players to it as well I think that’s misguided. The portal has made it just as easy for talented and highly recruited young players to leave if they don’t get the opportunity to develop and play because transfers are brought in at the same position as it has for players someone else developed to transfer in. That’s likely the reason why we were able to get the transfer we did today. Nebraska signed a highly recruited high school player and then brought in an all-American with 2 years of eligibility at the same position and the red-shirt freshman hit the portal. It’s great for us, this time…. but let’s say we do the same thing to Izzy Starck we’ve done to our young pins by bringing in a 5th year setter and red-shirting her (like we did Katie Hurta…who knew when she transferred out that we’d be bringing in another transfer setter). Would Izzy stay? What if her red-shirt freshman year we brought in another transfer setter with 2 years of eligibility? Would she leave then? What advice would the next highly ranked setter we recruited hear from her club coaches and what would she decide when another school said PSU did their young players dirty in the portal…come here instead?

Slippery slope.

If the team was playing extremely well, and we knew for certain that good players were riding the bench, then your argument would be justified.
But the reality is that PSU struggled this past season against the top 12 teams. Our best players were starting and even they struggled at times.

Markley was had plenty of opportunities this season to show her stuff. I think she played well at times and then struggled at times.
By mid-season, Alexa was starting regularly over Zoe, but Zoe ended coming back strong at the end of the season.
Sometimes that's how things work out.

Willow is only a freshman, she will get her opportunities, there is still plenty of time.
Izzy should be starting from day one. I'd be really surprised if she's not, but we definitely need a good backup setter.

I think the slippery slope argument can be made for teams that are highly competitive.
I don't think we are there yet, but who knows, by next season we might be.

It makes sense. Too much competition at every position on Wisconsin and Nebraska.
I think PSU suffered the same fate. Didn't some star players leave after the 2010 natty?

This year, PSU is a fairly competitive team in the B1G, and Caroline has a real opportunity to make the team much better.
Also, I think the history of PSU's championships and those banners hanging in the rafters still have their allure.

I think you can still ride the bench and be developed to become an extremely talented international volleyball player.... Nia Reed. She did not get the accolades she deserved but stuck with PSU volleyball. She was able to shine at the end and has had a marvelous career. Competition is a good thing. My fear is players do not buy into the process and just want to be a starter right out of the gates. Very hard to do at the top schools. I have been very impressed with Markley and feel she has a legitimate chance to be a starter. She reminds me so much of Megan Courtney, especially her blocking. I look forward to the 2024 season.