Troy University Athletics
Josh Lauer Previews Outside Hitters
8/23/2023 11:40:00 AM | Volleyball
TROY, Ala. – Head coach Josh Lauer wraps up his assessment of the Trojan volleyball team in preparation for nonconference play.
The outside hitter position has multiple returns, with the addition of Emma Blaine to add to the depth of the position. The group is led by Tori Hester, who had a standout season during the 2022 campaign.
In the final part of a three-part series, Lauer gives his thoughts on each position group, finishing with the outside hitters.
How has Tori influenced her position group coming off her big season last year?
"One of Tori's best qualities is that she's humble. She is a team first player and values being with her teammates and connecting with her teammates. She's been a chameleon fitting in with a lot of different classes, whether it's the class above or whether it's the class below; she's one of the best connectors on the team. Even though she's a little quiet at times, her voice matters. She's earned a lot of respect. After last season, everybody on the team knows that when Tori's encouraging or challenging the team, everybody needs to dial in and listen up because they know her heart is in the right place. They know that she cares about them and the success of the team. She's doing a great job mentoring and leading our team that way."
What are you looking for out of your hitters this upcoming season?
"We're continuing to challenge them to be aggressive and smart. This is a group that's physically gifted and has some good volleyball IQ amongst them. We're constantly pushing this group to find that delicate balance between the aggressiveness needed to score points from their position and the consistency needed to keep our team stable. Because they touch a lot of balls and are involved in a lot of plays. They're handling that responsibility well. As we go through the season, they will continue to handle that responsibility and grow in that understanding of how they can impact the game, both with their offensive aggressiveness and their consistency, which will be important to our long-term growth and success as a team.
How does this group impact the team atmosphere, and what strengths do they bring to the program
"This group sets the tone. They have to be mindful of setting a good execution standard in the gym. They have to be mindful of not getting into cruise control and not drifting through practice. They've done a good job of that. When they're plugged in and working hard and being mindful about what they're doing, it positively affects the whole team. Amiah is a passionate, emotional, competitive player. She's embraced how her competitive composure impacts the team. She's taking that a lot more to heart and taking ownership of that responsibility. Sophie understands that her energy and her being vocal with the team is important. Just encouraging them to have a voice to be leaders in being vocal in the gym and communicating at a high level."
The outside hitter position has multiple returns, with the addition of Emma Blaine to add to the depth of the position. The group is led by Tori Hester, who had a standout season during the 2022 campaign.
In the final part of a three-part series, Lauer gives his thoughts on each position group, finishing with the outside hitters.
How has Tori influenced her position group coming off her big season last year?
"One of Tori's best qualities is that she's humble. She is a team first player and values being with her teammates and connecting with her teammates. She's been a chameleon fitting in with a lot of different classes, whether it's the class above or whether it's the class below; she's one of the best connectors on the team. Even though she's a little quiet at times, her voice matters. She's earned a lot of respect. After last season, everybody on the team knows that when Tori's encouraging or challenging the team, everybody needs to dial in and listen up because they know her heart is in the right place. They know that she cares about them and the success of the team. She's doing a great job mentoring and leading our team that way."
What are you looking for out of your hitters this upcoming season?
"We're continuing to challenge them to be aggressive and smart. This is a group that's physically gifted and has some good volleyball IQ amongst them. We're constantly pushing this group to find that delicate balance between the aggressiveness needed to score points from their position and the consistency needed to keep our team stable. Because they touch a lot of balls and are involved in a lot of plays. They're handling that responsibility well. As we go through the season, they will continue to handle that responsibility and grow in that understanding of how they can impact the game, both with their offensive aggressiveness and their consistency, which will be important to our long-term growth and success as a team.
How does this group impact the team atmosphere, and what strengths do they bring to the program
"This group sets the tone. They have to be mindful of setting a good execution standard in the gym. They have to be mindful of not getting into cruise control and not drifting through practice. They've done a good job of that. When they're plugged in and working hard and being mindful about what they're doing, it positively affects the whole team. Amiah is a passionate, emotional, competitive player. She's embraced how her competitive composure impacts the team. She's taking that a lot more to heart and taking ownership of that responsibility. Sophie understands that her energy and her being vocal with the team is important. Just encouraging them to have a voice to be leaders in being vocal in the gym and communicating at a high level."
Players Mentioned
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
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