loyalundfan

Defense was the problem? Looked at stats today, and thought that may be the case. Wish they wouldn’t have played Sunday morning, lots of us fans go to church.

Haven’t heard much besides them announcing who’s signed for the fall. I believe they just started practice this week. Returning starters are McCormick, Perugini, Washington and Barber, so there will be lots of new faces! It’s nice to have both outsides back, but setters will be key, especially if they are going to run a 6-2. The one from MTSU has experience but was playing DS at the end of last year for them. She came in this spring but didn’t play (eligibility????) So don’t know what to expect. Lost both RS’s and best middle who were the 3 best offensive threats, so hopefully they’ve replaced them! As always, It’ll all come down to passing and if we can get anyone out of system. It’d be nice if they could slow some teams down this year defensively.

And Cala cooper from last year just announced she’s going to Utah State.

Vanessa Imoh in the transfer portal.

Anyone seen them the last few weekends? Curious to see what the new kids look like!

Good point but if you do look into it the Tupacs haven’t retained a staff member year to year since they have been hired. (Last years DOVO was promoted to assistant coach, and he will be the first if he makes it to the fall). Sounds like there is a bunch of new faces which is great. A few freshmen that graduated early and a few transfers that are here already. Likely will have some more freshmen and transfers by fall season, but hopefully this is encouraging and raises level of play in the gym!

New DOVO just quit after less than a month.

Some are announced on instagram. College volleyball transfers or their personal page. can’t wait for some ball control in the gym! doesn’t matter how good of attackers you have if you can’t 3 pass! They’ve got to do something different going in to the final year of their contract…. making conference tournament is a MUST!

We’ll see I guess. She was the top setter recruit from mn in her class, but maybe she wasn’t progressing. Who knows unless you’re in the meetings…

Well Norris is done, and rumors are Timperly was let go, so a setter or two we’ll need!

Any transfer portal activity? It’d be nice to gobble up a middle or a setter.

This is the way of mid major programs. Get a good hire, they recruit well, have success and usually move on (normally to bigger programs, but not in our case….). Then new coaches, program slumps for a while until either they build it back up or another good coach is hired. Move their way to the top then move on again, repeat. look at the Dakota schools over the last 15-20 years. SDSU top of the summit 2005-2007, then NDSU 2009-2011, while UND and USD were transitioning. Then UND and USD get good coaches and the other two coaches leave. Then UND USD good 2013-2017 while the other two slump. Now it’s reversed again with SDSU on top. Tupacs will figure it out or not but at some point the pendulum swings back our way (hopefully sooner rather than later)

Plus you have to add wife’s salary: from open payroll: University of North Dakota (UND) records show Kristen Hahn Tupac held one job between 2023 and 2024. One of the most recent records in 2024 lists a job of Asst Coach - Volleyball and a pay of $45,260.

From the Herald: The contract for new UND volleyball coach Jesse Tupac, who the school named as head coach Dec. 21, is a four-year deal starting at a base salary of $93,635. The base salary grows annually, eventually reaching $102,500 in the fourth season. The Tupac contract has 16 different incentives, including $1,000 for conference regular season championship and $2,000 for conference tournament championship. A conference coach of the year honor would also net $2,000. The contract also has academic bonuses included, such as $2,000 for a semester cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better, as well as $2,000 for a team single-year Academic Progress Rate of 985 or better.

As of right now we are one spot away from conference tournament (St. Thomas still ineligible with move to D1). We are one game back from Kansas City. With our earlier loss to UMKC, we would need to beat them Thursday in 3, or a win and then win one more game to make it in (probably at NDSU). UMKC would also probably have to lose out. Still possible, it helps we are at home! flashes of goodness, just not sustainable. Passing is an issue, slowing down outsides is also a struggle. Serving is hit and miss. Need to make some strides next year to keep fans interested and keep the good players in the program!