Short-handed 'U' volleyball team opens practice

Interim head coach Laura Bush got her volleyball players together for their first practice on Tuesday.

Bush is filling in for Hugh McCutcheon, busy with the U.S. women's volleyball team until the 2012 London Olympics end next summer.

Bush was an assistant for three years under former coach Mike Hebert, who retired after last season. She has been a head coach at Auburn and Marquette.

"it's been fine. I get to make decisions," said Bush, asked about her new job in a radio interview last week.

Her specialty has been recruiting, she said. The Gophers had the No. 1 rated recruiting class in 2009. Bush said many of the top players commit by the end of their sophomore year, some as early as eighth grade.

Her new assistants are Alfee Reft and Chris Tamas, who were on the men's national team when McCutcheon coached it. Bush said they know McCutcheon's system, so that will help her bridge the gap until McCutcheon arrives.

The Gophers finished 26-9 last season and were No. 10 in the final coaches' ratings. They were 14-6 in Big Ten play, good enough for a tie for second place behind NCAA champion Penn State. The Gophers' season ended with a loss in the regional semifinals to Cal, the eventual national runner-up.

Setter Stephanie Nucci decided not to come back. She had one year of eligibility left but was an unusual case. Nucci transferred from UCLA last season with a degree in sociology. Nucci was a grad student in sports management.

But realistically, Nucci probably would have had trouble getting much court time because the Gophers have junior Mia Tabberson back and super freshman Kellie McNeil of Lakeville North. McNeil graduated high school early and joined the Gophers for their spring practices and tournaments.

McNeil and 5-4 defensive specialist Caitlin Roberts of Woodbury -- a late addition to the team in June -- give the Gophers only 12 healthy, eligibile players. "We have a limited roster, not much depth," Bush said. She said the team has to stay healthy to be successful.

"I needed to learn not to overtrain players," Bush said, referring to her time with Hebert,

There are two other freshmen on the roster, but the NCAA has ruled 6-2 Juliane Graff Daugaard a partial qualifier, meaning she can practice but not compete this season. She is from Middelfart, Denmark.

Bush said the 2011 Gophers won't be as physical as last year's team but hope to manage things better on their side of the net.

Among the key return players are senior libero Jessica Granquist, and redshirt senior and outside hitter Hailey Cowles, who suffered a torn ACL in preseason practices last year and sat out all season. Both should provide leadership.

Front-line players Ashley Wittman and Tori Dixon both made the Big Ten all-conference rookie team last season and should only improve. Dixon, in the team's postseason banquet, was named the Gophers most inspirational player. She played all three front-line spots at various times and became just the third freshmen to get 300 kills and 100 blocks.

The others to reach those milestone were Lauren Gibbemeyer and Andrea Gonzalez. Gibbemeyer was an all-american middle hitter last season who could take over a match. But she graduated and is the team's biggest loss.

Plug Tabberson or McNeil in at setter and that's five starters. Other returning players are junior middle blocker Brianna Haugen, junior outside hitter Katherine Harms, sophomore liebero Steffi Sooter and senior middle blocker Ariana Filho.

The Gophers are in the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Showcase on Aug. 26-27 at Penn State. In the first match they play Southern Cal, rated No. 3 in the final poll last season, in the second Oregon, another strong team.

The next weekend, Texas, which was No. 4 in the final polls, will be in the Gophers' Diet Coke Classic on Sept. 2-3.