volleyball joke!

[CougarHater1993]

I've been meaning to post this and maybe because it's volleyball know one cares. But UND losing twice to Minnesota-Crookston this year? That is simply not acceptable! full rides, facilities, compared to UMC?

get it going coach!

[The Sicatoka]

Two seniors.

No juniors.

14 sophomores and freshmen.

That's UND's volleyball roster this season.

You'll understand why, personally, I cut them some slack on the record this year.

[jsmith]

why would you cut them slack???

you realize they just got swept by Bemidji State on tuesday- 3-0

Mankato St. has beaten us and they have 3 seniors, no juniors, 2 sophomores and 9 freshman.

The deal with were young doesnt cut it!!!

you can only be young for so long, by the end of the season their not freshman anymore!!

Furthermore, as a program that is fully funded, then figure out you will have young players and make the adjustments.

FULLY FUNDED

[UND92,96]

While I'll be the first to admit that I'm not much of a volleyball fan, I too am discouraged by what has transpired this year. I know Maria did get the team to the post-season the past couple of years, so she's clearly not a terrible coach. But the team this year went from winning several matches early, to losing something like 12 of the last 13. Hopefully this is a one-year aberration instead of volleyball unseating softball as the worst women's sport at UND. Another year like this one might call for a change in leadership, although that may be unrealistic considering the fact that her husband is an assistant a.d.

[jsmith]

the players arent happy, they want a change that is for sure!

As well as the parents!!

[UND92,96]

I just looked at the schedule, and after a respectable 7-4 start, they have since gone 1-12.

[The Sicatoka]

I remember another UND coach not that many years ago

- having come off NCAA appearances

- with max allowed scholarships

- with a young freshman line-up

- having a losing season.

I cut him some slack for that year. His name was Dean Blais. If I'll be patient for one growing year there I believe every other coach deserves that same chance.

One season does not a trend make.

A year from now could be a whole other story.

[jsmith]

did they lose to UMC,BSU?? or in comparing it to hockey, 10-0 would be about the equivilant of that score.

[UND92,96]

On the one hand, Bruggeman is far more successful than any of the past UND volleyball coaches, with a career record of almost exactly .500. The bad news is that a career record of just .500 is far better than any past UND volleyball coach. I don't know enough about the situation to say whether there are issues here besides wins and losses, i.e. a lot of unhappy players. I have met Maria a few times and she seems very nice, but I don't pretend to know much about her coaching abilities one way or the other.

[jsmith]

her record may be .500 but conference wise UND has been in 2001 7-12

2002 8-8 2003 9-6 2004 8-6 one playoff win in those years, made it to the playoffs twice. Fully funded for 5 years?

Better than in the past? Yes

Is that acceptable? No

All the players on UMC, BSU, Moorhead St. are Minnesota players. Why isnt UND getting these players if their good enough to beat UND?

[Nucleus]

Sicatoka,

I cannot believe that you or anyone else would ever put the UND hockey team and Dean Blais in the same vicinity as UND Volleyball team and Maria Bruggeman. Have you seen the players out of the court? The want to be there as much as they want cancer. Sure we can argue that the past few years that we had Tuve and Hanson and Glassman, but what's done is done. Recruiting should reload, but apparently 16 girls on 8 full rides can't get it done???

As far as patting Maria on the back, why do you think that Glassman and Heltemes didn't play this year? It wasn't because they couldn't. UND Volleyball is an absolute debacle right now, and we cannot blame in on being young. As someone said earlier, Mankato had 1 sophmore and 9 freshman. 9 FRESHMAN! Coaching is what makes a young team good.

If one were to look inside the volleyball media for this year, you will find a word association with Maria Bruggeman. There were 3 responses that I found rather interesting.

1. Last years team- Fun, successful (those aren't the exact words, but thats what it said)

2. This years team- Young, inexperience, should be a challenge

3. Jason Holt- Looking for love (laughs) a good guy that knows what he wants

What the hell are those all about?

True, last years team was fun and successful, but what about this year? Did she know going in that they were brutal?

And about Holt....looking for love??? What about his knowledge of volleyball and coaching abilities? It all seems too interesting

[The Sicatoka]

Don't put words in my mouth. Maria ain't Blaiser.

However, I'll give a coach with past success in their record a ("a", as in singular) season with a young team as a time to struggle. It's called consistency by a fan and alumnus like me. Some day if or when you're a head coach in a struggling season you'll appreciate fans and alumni like that.

If there's off-court stuff that's inappropriate, that changes the conversation. There's been nothing to show anything like that to my knowledge.

[legend334]

If there's off-court stuff that's inappropriate, that changes the conversation. There's been nothing to show anything like that to my knowledge.

Well if its not known to you, then it must not be happening!!!

[The Sicatoka]

Well if its not known to you, then it must not be happening!!!

I define off-court as personal life. I stay out of those unless the coach makes it an issue by their own actions.

Back to the point:

Shouldn't every coach that has some record of success be given some margin for one season?

[CougarHater1993]

True, but I don't think UND volleyball should ever been down THIS much with the resources. But your right, there is always going to be bad years. Look at men's basketball. That isn't right either. But we won't start there

[Nucleus]

How am I putting words in your mouth when you clearly compared Maria to Blais??

Anyway about Maria being a successful coach, her record at this time is 110-107 (.506) and even worse is her NCC record 37-73 (.336). That's atrocious. Anyone can get wins in volleyball if they schedule the paraplegics.

Some may call this a down year, but it is the end of the year and anyone who has ever coached knows that this is where teams are supposed to come together and play well. Freshmen aren't really freshmen anymore, they have basically a year under their belt. UND volleyball is 1-12 in their past 13, that isn't pulling it together, that's a lost cause. Fully Funded and still can't do squat. Seems to me that the logical thing for the athletic department to do would be to reevaluate this situation. Take some of these scholarships and move them somewhere to a sport that is somewhat successful. Yeah sure there will be a drop off then, but seriously how much worse can it get? You don't have to have the most money to win (obviously). Even if you get players that are less talented, coaching should make up for that. Teach the right things and you become successful, ask the Twins.

8-15 overall (0-8 in the conference) That's repulsive.

[The Sicatoka]

One poor season with a young roster shouldn't be time to panic.

I didn't with Dean.

I won't (right now) with Maria.

I'll be in the same position next season when Hakstol loses all of this season's seniors (plus probably a couple underclassmen) and his team is very young.

[jsmith]

when is the time to panic then Sicatoka? Is being .500 in the conference a great year??

Even if the NCC has been a great conference, .500 is not cutting it, bottom line!!

[The Sicatoka]

when is the time to panic then Sicatoka? Is being .500 in the conference a great year?? 

Even if the NCC has been a great conference, .500 is not cutting it, bottom line!!

Let's recap:

One season does not a trend make.

A year from now could be a whole other story.

Using the ".500 is not cutting it" criteria should Lennon have been cut loose after 2002? How about Blais after 2001-2002? Both followed NCAA appearance seasons with below 0.500 (conference and overall) seasons with young teams.

The toughest coaching is during and after the down season. Lennon and Blais and came back strong. What'll this one do? We'll find out together.

Again, I hope you're never a coach some day in this type of situation facing this type of scrutiny.

PS - Never panic. Panic is a sign of disorganization and weakness. Don't let things surprise you. Know the possibilities. Think. Plan ahead. Take a measured, logical, orderly approach that will put you on a path to success and implement it. (And that's not sports advice, that's life advice.)

[jsmith]

isnt accountability part of the job, and in coaching scrutiny goes with the territory.

Winning is a requirement, not a option. And the team hasnt been .500 for one year, they were under .500 for the first two, above the next two and now this, is that successfull??

Thanks for your philosphy on life, it was appreciated and fitting to the discussion??

Coach Lennon had one .500 season, not consecutively either!

[The Sicatoka]

I did not say "not accountable". I did not say "no scrutiny".

I said make sure actions are for real trends and not bumps along the building path.

The record (as counted from FightingSioux.com, and I may have miscounted along the way but should be pretty close):

Sioux Volleyball under Bruggeman:

2005: ??-?? <-- Answer.

2004: 8-16 (season on-going) <-- Bump or Problem?

2003: 19-12 NCAA 2nd round

2002: 24-11

2001: 20-13

2000: 16-16 (incomplete record)

1999: 16-16

For comparison, Mr. Lennon and Sioux Football:

2004: 7-1 (season on-going)

2003: 12-2 <-- Answer.

2002: 5-6 <-- Bump or Problem?

2001: 14-1

2000: 8-3

1999: 9-2

[jsmith]

wasnt that already posted???

the point was look at the conference record .500 in conference never higher than fourth place that was the point, but thanks for making my point clearer.

[The Sicatoka]

I see coaches with winning seasons coming off NCAA appearances having a young team and a down year getting the next season to reprove themselves. (Lennon, Blais)

You see what you choose to see for the reasons you choose to see it that way.

I can only speak to my perspective and view. My motivation is consistency in handling coaches.

What perspective and view are you seeing from? What are your motivations? I don't know.

[jsmith]

none other than wanting UND volleyball to win. To be better than Avg.

Again is .500 in the conference with similar teams, with similar scholarships acceptable every year?

[lawkota]

C'mon Sicatoka, the situations aren't even remotely comparable. In 2001-02 Blais had a freshmen laden team that had a disappointing season. Yet, they still managed an 11-15-2 conference record. Plus, Blais had been coming off back to back national title game appearances. To say he had earned a little slack is an understatement.

Bruggeman also has a very young team that from past statements from her I assume has a fair amount of talent. They are 0 for the conference. Despite the 2 NCAA regional appearances, her past teams have been average at best, judging by conference results. You can give her a pass for this year, and maybe she deserves it. But don't insult Blais by implying that because he got one for 2001-02, she gets one for this year.