Bush entrusted with keeping ball rolling

Laura Bush knows what she has to do: Be a good caretaker.

She is the interim head volleyball coach for the Gophers -- in other words, the one-year bridge between the successful Mike Hebert and Olympic coach Hugh McCutcheon.

It's an unexpected twist. When Hebert decided to retire at the end of last season, his second assistant planned to start her own business: Bush wanted to become a volleyball instructor and a club coach.

But the hiring of McCutcheon changed that timetable. The coach of the U.S. men's volleyball team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics wanted the Gophers' job, but McCutcheon was committed to coaching the U.S. women's team in the 2012 London Olympics. He needed someone to run the Gophers program this fall and discussed interim candidates with Bush before picking her. She was a head coach at Marquette and Auburn before joining Hebert's staff in 2008.

"I am only the second interim head coach in a [Division I] program like this ever," Bush said. "I do feel everyone else feels awkward, but I don't. Maybe that is me being dim."

Actually, Bush seems to have a pretty clear idea of her duties: "I have a huge responsibility in carrying on what Hebert started and left, and also in preparing this team for when Hugh gets here. I don't want to drop the ball."

The Gophers advanced to 14 NCAA tournaments in Hebert's 15 seasons at Minnesota and reached three Final Fours, most recently in 2009. Last season, after struggling early, the Gophers finished 12-2, losing to national runner-up California in a region semifinal.

"The team has really high expectations, and they should," Bush said. "I don't want to diminish that. Let them dream big."

No talking allowed

McCutcheon e-mails Bush occasionally, but otherwise they seldom communicate.

"There is a lot of NCAA rules about it," Bush said. "He is not involved in recruiting. He cannot talk to the players unless he had a previous relationship with them. We can't send him scout film."

Big picture conversations about volleyball concepts and philosophy are permitted, Bush said, as well as scheduling talk.

"Alfee is our lead trainer in the gym," Bush said. "You can't have three generals in the gym. [Chris] is in charge of a lot of our video."

Bush oversees everything like a normal head coach would: budgets, meetings, recruiting.

"Laura has been awesome," redshirt senior Hailey Cowles said. "She hasn't changed much since she was our assistant coach. She is going to expect the most from you."

Athletic director Joel Maturi calls Bush, Reft and Tamas a perfect transition team, Bush because of her connection to Hebert, her assistants because of their ties to McCutcheon.

"They are putting in his system to a great extent," Maturi said, "and for us to hire the Olympic volleyball coach is not too bad."

Two different skills in the Gophers' repertoire this season will be swing blocking and jump serving. To swing block, players run to a spot, jump and swing their arms.

"It looks a lot more aggressive, a lot more athletic," Bush said. "And our serving is going to be a lot tougher."

The coaches also are cross-training some players at several positions because of a limited roster. Tabi Love, a 6-6 junior, transferred to UCLA. A freshman middle blocker from Denmark was ruled ineligible by the NCAA clearinghouse. And a freshman outside hitter is recovering from knee surgery.

With Love leaving and All-America middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer graduating, the Gophers lost a third of their scoring.

But McCutcheon isn't far away worrying. He has trust.