Regarding the setter position, this is what I don’t get. Both SKT and Gabriel are done next season. And then Swindle is coming in, but she’s the only one on the ‘23 roster as of now. Jerritt should have kept Cabello and SKT for next season…and given Jhenna the boot or at least told her she’s going back to the DS position she originally was recruited for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely thankful to have had Jhenna here, especially after Shook couldn’t locate a set to save her life…but now Jerritt’s going to have to go back into the portal when he could have had Cabello on the roster who knows the system and would have competed with Swindle. Because the thing with freshman setters, it’s hard for them to immediately adjust to collegiate volleyball and run a new system with new hitters. Swindle’s going to be in the same position as Shook, coming in with the same accolades and technical training…but who knows how she really is going to perform? At least with Cabello, he could have had a setter with program experience on the roster…and have to have a minimum of 2 setters, especially if one goes down with an injury.
As for Fields, I don’t think there is going to be anyone in the Transfer Portal that will match her firepower…I think Jerritt needs to go with maybe a smaller hitter with good ball control skills to spell Melanie if she starts having in-match breakdowns. Right now, her only replacement would be Kenna Miller, but she doesn’t even play back row for HS or club.
Devin’s most likely going to be OPP with Singletary backing her up and the middles if either are injured. The team depth isn’t looking good right now.
But It really likes look the offense is going to need to be sped up, like when Amy Neal and Paulina Prieto-Cerame were the OHs, for Texas to be successful next season. The high-ball outside set doesn’t complement Parra’s game, but both she and Eggleston can terminate a faster set.
But that means the team is going to have to have good ball control….maybe it will happen?