University of Houston Athletics
Coach Walton Chat Wrap
9/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 26, 2001
Moderator: Thank you again for waiting. Coach Walton has just walked in so we will now get underway.
SouthpawSpiker: Hey coach, what has the switch to rally scoring done for college volleyball?
Bill Walton: Number one, it has made the outcome more unpredictable. Teams can't start a match with a low level of enthusiasm and then expect to come back like they have. It has made it more dramatic for the fans. Points are being score all the time and that makes it more fan friendly. A team in the past who felt overconfident could afford to start low and fall behind 9-1 and then slowly inch their way in. In rally scoring, every time the other team sides out, the other team gets a point. When you're behind you could serve more aggressively. Now you have to serve conservatively and there's a penalty for missing. You can't afford to start slow.
It's the same scoring. The difference between a team winning and losing is still based on the points a team scores when serving. As teams get more and more comfortable with this scoring system, you will see more and more two-point games.
If the good team had enough time, they could dominate. In this new scoring, if a team gets hot, they can win the game. And you never run out of subs, so you constantly have your best team on the floor.
The old system allowed the flexibility that you did not feel the stress of getting on your team to perform early. I think that both scoring systems are different. In the old system, I liked that you only scored when serving.
This new system makes everything that you do more interesting. Pretty soon, you will see coaches talking about how many points a player scores for her team.
It,s really an easier way to see the scoring.
We don't worry so much about blocking matchups now. We're more worried that our best hitters are in the front row. Now you receive first because that's how you score first. We don't run out of subs. You used to have to figure out the worst team to leave out on the floor. We never worry about leaving someone on the floor to do something that they are not good at. That makes for better volleyball.
CougarFan: Coach, will we see the Cougars at the Final 4 in San Diego this year?
Bill Walton: You'll have to talk to the training room. We have key players with a nagging number of itises, things that become more painful the more they play. We spend a lot of time getting players healthy between matches. If we were fully healthy, we have the kills per game to challenge for the Final Four. Without rest, we may not have the defense to get to the Final Four. Our training room will be key to the success of our team. All of our injuries are left over from High school or last season. Rob (Houston): Coach, how do you see the Conference USA race shaking out this season
Bill Walton: That's interesting. We've played TUlane and Memphis and they are much better than last season. East Carolina and TCU put a nice twist in the schedule. Louisville and DePaul have almost their entire starting lineup back. I see a six-team race but with some big upsets throughout the season. Look for Louisville to lead the pack because of their age and experience. As we and South Florida get healthier, look for those three schools and an expected title contender. Sam (Atlanta, GA): Are you excited to host the Conference-USA Tournament?
Bill Walton: We love hosting the Conference Tournament. It,s another chance to showcase out excellent facilities and allows our fans to see us in an important qualifying tournament for the NCAAs. UH Alum: Coach, do you think volleyball is overshadowed by other sports at Houston?
Bill Walton: I think a lot of sports are overshadowed. Most of the Olympic sports are overshadowed. We are just dealing with the sports public. When someone says why don't you get more coverage, I understand when the writer says not many people are interest. However, high school volleyball is publicized heavily during the week. I would like to see the Chronicle include the college volleyball when they publish their high school material. There are a lot of Houston players playing at Texas college and Univiersities. Crazy Cougar: Coach, it was great to see Jennifer Wittenberg earn player of the week honors. What does she bring to the floor for your team?
Bill Walton: Jennifer brings a dominating presence at the outside attacking position. The ball velocity she brings causes our opponents some anqugish about how they are going to handle her. That makes it a little easier for everyone else to score. With older players, the maturity she brings to the court is an asset to the team. Sara (Charlotte, NC): How hard was it to get Jennifer Wittenburg her sixth year of eligibility? They don't grant a sixth year very often do they?
Bill Walton: There is a fairly substantial number of sixth0year grants in all sports. Its just now well known. If you have a medical condition beyound your control for a number of years, it's not unusual to get a sixth year. For female athletes, if you miss a year due to pregnancy, you automatically get a sixth year. However, that was not Jennifer's case. She missed her first three falls. She was granted the sixth year because she missed the first three years. She only played in eight matches during her first three collegiate years. Phil (Katy): I looked at your roster and see a mix of international students and people from around the area. What direction are you going to take in the future to replace Wittenburg who seems to be the goto player now?
Bill Walton: We have some players on the roster who will become go to players as Jennifer leaves the program. Because of NCAA rules, I can't say the names of the people we would like to recruit. There are a number of athletes we are actively recruiting. Jennifer is a Cy Falls graduate and we would like another local player to replace her. Volleyball Nut: Besides Houston, who's the team to beat in C-USA?
Bill Walton: The three teams that will be the biggest challenge are Louisville, South Florida and DePaul with Cincinnati being my sneak-up team. Moderator: Are there any more questions for Coach Walton?
Bill Walton: The best home court advantage is South Florida. They play in a place called the Corral and it seats 400. The fans are right on top of you. They have a Brazilian community there in the area, and with a number of Brazilian players on the team, it can get pretty noisy. Moderator: Coach Walton, we certainly thank you for your time and we thank all of the Houston Cougar fans who participated in today's discussion.
Moderator: Coach Walton will particpate in another on-line discussion during the week of Nov. 19 as the Cougars hopefully make preparations for the NCAA Tournament. One last reminder, the Cougars return home to Hofheinz Pavilion on Oct. 3 when they play host to Hawaii in a 7:30 p.m. match. That match will be the start of a three-match homestand for the Cougars. Thanks again to everyone who participated today.
HIGHLIGHTS: Houston 3, Texas Tech 1
Sunday, September 28
Houston at Big 12 Media Days
Thursday, August 07
Cougars All-Access: Barakat Rahmon (VB)
Tuesday, November 19
Cougars All-Access: Kate Georgiades (VB)
Wednesday, October 02