Aug. 27, 2015 Northwest Challenge Tournament Central SPOKANE, Wash.--The Gonzaga University volleyball team will in fact start a new season this weekend, but after a quick glance at the 2015 roster, that fact could easily be missed.
Twelve of 2014's 15 letterwinners are back, along with all seven starters when including libero Morgan Douglass. Not only have the Zags kept a consistent roster, but they're also a team that has spent considerable time in the program training together as 11 upperclassmen fill out the GU ranks.
"We're going on multiple cycles with much of our team, and the cumulative effect of that many days in our gym has helped the internal chemistry of our team both from a dynamics, technical, and tactical perspective," he said. "This core group has grown together since they walked in here, and they've always been challenged with high expectations. I'm really proud of the fact we have a number of returning players with the necessary work ethic and experience; they embody the fact that we're going to keep doing what we've done all along."
One thing the Bulldogs did all along last season was win points, and they look primed to do that again. The Zag attack was one of the best in the nation last year, finishing among the top 20 in kills per set and top 10 in assists per set while featuring Savannah Blinn, whose 566 kills were 11th-most in the nation and earned her All-America Honorable Mention. Though Blinn returns for her redshirt senior season, Gantt doesn't see a need for the opposite hitter to shoulder so much of the workload this go-around.
"We have the ability to stay where we were offensively, but with the bonus of spreading the swings out and keeping people a little healthier," he said. "Everyone thinks we're a one-person show, but it'll be evident that we're much improved all around."
Fellow seniors Lauren Joseph and Jordan Gasser figure to be key parts of that offense and will look to build off career years last season. Joseph's 1,101 assists were good for third in the West Coast Conference while Gasser set personal bests with 364 kills and a .229 hitting percentage. McKayla Ferris, Imani Wimbush, and Kaylie Loewen also played big roles in the attack last season and have one more year of experience under their belts, and the Zags received even more depth with the arrivals of junior transfer Emmy Allen and freshman Tiyana Hallums.
Defensively, the Zags return a lot of talent too as Douglass returns after digging up 419 balls last season, fifth-most in program history. Junior Macee Utecht will patrol the backline as a defensive specialist, while at the net Paige Folger comes back for her junior season and fourth overall year with Gonzaga volleyball. She led the squad with 119 total blocks last year. Blinn, Gasser, and Loewen also played a large role in the blocking game with over 70 blocks each.
There'll also be plenty of depth available off the bench. Sophomore setter Nikki Leonard saw considerable playing time as a freshman, spelling Joseph and boosting the Zags' defensive capabilities, and Gantt added another setter in freshman Faith Smith. Redshirt junior middle blocker Sarah Bradley can pitch in at the net when called upon -- she averaged 0.81 blocks per set last year -- and freshman opposite hitter Hailey Dunn is available to support the attack if need be.
No matter who's on the court, Gantt is confident of his team's preparation and growth over the last few years. He believes the Zags to be battle-hardened and mentally strong enough to take control of each match this season.
"I really like the idea that this team seems to settle in and move onto the next play," he said. "We know that we don't have to be perfect; our average level of play is already pretty high. If we don't make a play, we'll be a bit less reactive and on our heels. Instead, we'll be more ready to move forward with the right solution quickly."
The depth and experience all throughout the roster leaves many with high aspirations and expectations of Gonzaga in 2015. The Bulldogs were selected to finish fourth by the WCC and were just one point out of third place, but attaining that finish will certainly not be easy with the Zags' tough opposition week-in and week-out. They face eight teams who made the NCAA tournament last season and will square off against either a Pac-12 or Big 10 opponent during each weekend of the non-conference season. The matches will be tough, but they'll prepare the squad well for the always-difficult WCC slate and any potential postseason play.
"We have a non-conference schedule that is the most challenging of any year since I've been here," Gantt said. "It's an opportunity, and that's what I hope the team will embrace. We're playing teams from bigger conferences every non-conference weekend with the task of preparing ourselves for WCC competition as well as developing a resume for the postseason. With a team that labors like this team has, takes care of some details, gets a little bit of momentum, we should be able to take on a bigger load."
That non-conference slate begins Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 29 with the Northwest Challenge, an annual tournament between Gonzaga, Boise State, Portland State, and Washington. With a season-opening match against No. 10 Washington on Friday at 4:00 p.m., the Bulldogs will have an immediate idea of where they stand.
"It's always fun to play these three schools early because we end up with a really good measure of what we need to work on next," said Gantt of the regional tournament. "I like matching up with Washington right out of the chute; they're in the top 25, let's test our mettle early and see where we may need to direct our work."
The opening weekend of the 2015 season will wrap up with matches on Saturday against Portland State (10:00 a.m.) and Boise State (6:00 p.m.). All matches will take place at the Martin Centre on Gonzaga's campus. Single day tickets are available for $5 a person, and season tickets for the entire 2015 GU volleyball season are on sale on www.gozags.com/tickets.
