Overview
The 2005 season got off to a slow 2-5 start, but the Buccaneers finally put together the missing pieces of the puzzle and won 15 of their final 20 matches to make their 12th consecutive appearance in the NCAA National Tournament.
“Last season, we were one-dimensional,” head coach Dave Nichols said. “We were missing several elements. But this year we have added several aspects to the team that will make us harder to defend.”
Six new faces will be added to the mix of six returning players from last year’s squad. Among the newcomers are Maria Romanowski, an NCAA Division I transfer and junior college transfer Lorine Durski. Both are expected to make immediate contributions along with freshmen Julie Priester, Caitlin Shawver and Samara Ferreira.
“With these additions, I expect to see a lot more one-on-one match-ups which will open up opportunies all over the floor,” Nichols said.
The combination of the new ingredients combined with the returning leadership of seniors Nicole Castera and Jentry Redinger has the fresh aroma of success flowing through the air.
“I think we are going to be a really good team this year and a threat to get to the Elite Eight,” Nichols said. “We have more depth and experience this season, which has everyone excited, including me.”
Setters
Last season, the Buccaneers were faced with having only one full-time setter. However, despite the departure of two-time AVCA All-American Michele Rosamiglia, Nichols has three who will be capable of filling the vacancy.
Romanowski, a Division I transfer from Lousiana Tech, is expected to slot into the starting job. At 5-9, she is a great athlete and a physical presence at the net. She has the skills to run the Buccaneer offense and sets a great ball. While at Louisiana Tech, she played in a two-setter system dishing out 672 assists in 21 matches for a 10.34 per game average. She also helped lead the Lady Techsters to a 15-18 overall record against tough NCAA Division I competition.
Priester joins the Bucs’ for her first season of collegiate volleyball. She is an extremely intelligent player and will push for playing time at setter. She also has superb passing skills and will see immediate time in backcourt defense.
Beyza Kutlu joined the team in the spring and proved to be a hard worker with a great attitude. She has a great serve and will see court time in the serve position. Kutlu will be primarily a backup setter, while gaining valuable experience at the collegiate level.
Hitters
The Bucs only two seniors return this season to anchor the outside hitter positions. Both Castera and Redinger are expected to provide excellent leadership and tenacity at the net.
Last season, Castera collected a career-best 346 kills, which was second on the team and posted a match-high 21 kills against Eckerd on Sept. 18. She is an extremely explosive hitter and has continued to improve her passing and defense. Castera also provides instinctive blocking skills and has the potential to perform at a high level.
Redinger is coming off her best season with the Buccaneer program. Last year, she was second on the team with 864 total attack attempts and recorded a career-high 281 kills with a match-high 20 kills against Metro State at the Colorado Premier Classic. She also possesses exceptional ball control and passing skills finishing second on the squad with 308 digs. Nichols characterizes Redinger as having the potential of being one of the best defensive outside hitters in the country. She is an extremely intelligent athlete and will be a valuable asset to the team.
Joining the core of outside hitters will be Seward CC transfer Lorine Durski. While with the Saints, she helped lead the team to a 24-15 overall record and was an All-KJCCC Honorable Mention selection. She led the Saints with 119 blocks, was second with a .300 attack percentage, and collected 260 digs. She is a strong athlete and an explosive hitter. Durski will be extremely valuable off the back row attack and will be expected anchor the right side.
Caitlin Shawver will be the only freshman hitter on the squad but is expected to challenge early for playing time. She is an explosive jumper who is dynamic and fearless. She will be joined by junior opposite Shannon O’Shea who is returning after an injury in the spring. O’Shea came to Barry last season as a walk-on and brings great work ethic and attitude to the team.
Middles
Nichols will have a wealth of experience returning in the middle headed by First-Team All-SSC pick Samara de Freitas. Last season, the AVCA Honorable Mention All-American led the Buccaneer squad with a .370 attack percentage and 379 kills. Her hitting percentage ranked second in the Sunshine State Conference, which earned her the Bucs’ “Best Spiker” award. She is a physically dominant player at the net and extremely powerful on the attack. She collected a career-high 23 kills against Saint Leo last season and was also named to the All-Tournament team at the Colorado Premier Classic.
Romina Powers is a lightning quick, though undersized, middle who is expected to see quite a bit more playing time this season. She has unlimited potential with a great vertical jump and blocking ability. Last season, she was the team leader with 0.81 blocks per game in limited time.
Samara Ferreira will join the Bucs this fall as a late addition. She is an all-around solid athlete with polished back row skills. She will need to work on her strength, but is very good off one foot.
Specialists
The Buccaneers lost their leading defensive passer from last season, Spencer Rigg, but Lauren Evans is expected to fill the spot without missing a beat. Last season, Evans recorded 158 digs as a defensive replacement and is expected to be the Bucs’ primary libero for the upcoming year. She has quick reaction off the attack that provides solid defense and plays well under pressure.
Evans will be joined by walk-on Stefanie Prstac who joined the team in the spring as a junior. She is a hard worker who picks up schemes quickly and Nichols anticipates her providing excellent backcourt defense.
Schedule
As always, the Nichols has the Buccaneers facing another rigourous schedule in preparation for the post season. The Bucs will begin the season facing preseason ranked Corcordia-St. Paul and Truman State at the Shark Classic in Davie, Fla., on Aug. 25-26. Following the Shark Classic, Barry will head off to Pheonix, Ariz., for the Cactus Classic for three matches including a rematch with Western Washington.
The Bucs will open up home match play against St. Thomas on Sept. 9 at the Health & Sports Center before opening Sunshine State Conference play at Rollins on Sept. 15. This year, the season will wrap up two weeks earlier than before in preparation for the NCAA Division II Fall Championships Festival in Pensacola, Fla., hosted by the University of West Florida and the Pensacola Sports Association Nov. 16-18.