Mizzou volleyball roundtable: Discussing the 2025 season and what lays ahead

Earlier this period I sat down pinch chap Rock M volleyball enthusiasts Colin Simmons and Matthew Gustafson on pinch KCOU Service to Seven big Jeffrey Calhoun to talk nan 2025 Mizzou volleyball season. The squad fell conscionable short of nan NCAA Tournament owed to respective cardinal losses successful nan last period of nan season. With nan transportation portal successful afloat plaything and a Dawn Sullivan hold announced, location was overmuch to discuss. This was primitively produced successful podcast form, but has been transcribed and abbreviated for nan main site:

Jeffrey Calhoun: I mean location were a batch of things that conscionable didn’t consciousness for illustration they were successful afloat swing. It felt for illustration astir of nan play nan squad was conscionable moving astatine astir 80% speed. Janet deMarrais was injured each passim nan year. Tyrah Arial, evidently playing pinch a brace nan full year. Regan Haith going successful and retired pinch a batch of injuries. Sickness plagued nan locker room a fewer times. So astatine immoderate points you did spot that.

But astatine nan different extremity of things, immoderate of nan the nan life, nan electricity, nan swagger that this squad has had successful nan past pinch nan likes of Colleen Finney, pinch Jordan Iliff, pinch Michael Vernon, while they were replaced and reloaded. From a purely positional standpoint it didn’t consciousness astatine times they were nan same. You look astatine immoderate of these games, it felt for illustration astatine times [they] went a small spot 1 dimensional. Last twelvemonth pinch that 1-2 punch of Finney and Haith, you saw nan middles tally nan discourtesy rather a bit. Obviously, you person 1 of nan champion other hitters successful nan conference, pinch Jordan Iliff. But this year, it conscionable didn’t consciousness for illustration it was there. It took immoderate clip to fig retired who that other hitter was going to be. About halfway done nan twelvemonth it ended up being sealed arsenic Maca Lobaglio, which I deliberation is nan correct pick. But anytime you person a existent freshman travel into a domiciled for illustration that, it’s difficult. It didn’t consciousness for illustration nan the middles were utilized arsenic much. You boil it down to accomplishment level, I deliberation it was beautiful even, and nan discourtesy conscionable wasn’t tally done them. It felt for illustration it was conscionable a elemental tally done Calen Alexander astir of nan time. And erstwhile it worked, it worked, but erstwhile it didn’t, it didn’t. Teams were capable to publication that really, really well. They sewage publication 11 times, and that’s why they missed nan tournament.

Matthew Gustafson: This was a squad that fell acold short of its potential. You look astatine nan talent they had entering this year, this was arguably nan astir talented squad and nan deepest squad of nan Dawn Sullivan era. You look astatine it, you were returning Maya Sands who I judge is going to triumph nationalist Libero of nan twelvemonth (she did not, which was somewhat of a surprise). You return an All-SEC setter successful Marina Crownover. You brought successful Tyrah Arial from USC. You brought successful an honorable mention All-American, and past year’s nationalist leader and kills, Caylen Alexander. The talent was perfectly there, but you didn’t spot it enough. You didn’t spot it very often put together connected nan level for Mizzou. Obviously, you had those respective upsets that were conscionable slayer for their tourney hopes down nan stretch. I deliberation that wide nan SEC was astir apt undervalued by nan committee this year, fixed that it had 2 teams successful nan Final Four, had 3 teams successful nan Elite Eight, considering that nan SEC had only 5 teams successful nan full NCAA Tournament. So I deliberation that nan conference’s spot was undervalued, and different conferences whitethorn beryllium a small spot overvalued. That being said, nan number of bad losses nan squad had made it a very, difficult task to get into nan NCAA tournament. And again, it was a matter of not surviving up to that team’s imaginable excessively galore times successful bid to make it.

JC: I deliberation my biggest mobility is, who is going to measurement up arsenic that lead vocal leader? Because astatine nan opening of nan Dawn Sullivan era it very overmuch felt for illustration Jordan Iliff was that number 1 option. And past past year, you really saw Colleen Finney coming to her own. Then past twelvemonth really was Maya sands and Janet deMarrais. Matthew, Aaron [Segal] and I talked astir this connected Service to Seven 5 minutes earlier Marina Crownover announced her transferring. It felt for illustration nan only 1 of those benignant of leader halfway players near was Crownover, and now she’s gone.

You look astatine you look astatine who is presently listed connected nan roster. The only seniors are Kimani Johnson and Kaylen Rush. Neither of those players person gotten a batch of important playing time. Sierra Dudley is simply a redshirt inferior but arsenic awesome of a leader arsenic she has been…she hasn’t played successful a twelvemonth and a half. Even if they bring successful a superior leader successful nan portal, becoming nan sound of that locker room successful twelvemonth 1 pinch a squad is incredibly difficult, and you don’t spot that each that each that often successful immoderate sport. This squad correct now from a number standpoint is small. You postgraduate 5 seniors, you sewage 4 players hop successful nan portal. There’s 4 caller players and truthful now you’re astatine 14 players, and there’s a batch of holes that request to beryllium filled. Dawn Sullivan has done awesome things connected nan portal, truthful I tin almost guarantee that there’s going to beryllium much players. You’re gonna request much than 2 important transfers to really thief this squad adjacent year.

MG: You person aggregate areas that you’re going to request to return from nan transportation portal. I deliberation that you’re apt bully astatine setter. Obviously Crownover is simply a large loss, she was 1 of nan champion setters successful nan SEC. That being said, you brought successful a subordinate past twelvemonth pinch world experience, Nina Mandovic, who sewage playing clip this year. You besides person Sierra Dudley, who, though she hasn’t started nan past 2 years pinch a starter connected a tourney squad backmost successful 2023 and was portion of nan SEC All-Freshman team. So I would beryllium a small spot amazed to spot them bring successful a setter, particularly considering that you’re adding 1 successful nan incoming freshman class.

What you’re going to request is astatine slightest 1 mediate because you person your 2 starters graduating, Trinity Luckett, who I deliberation a batch of america expected to return that adjacent measurement into that starting domiciled adjacent year, is besides transferring out. So nan mostly of your middles correct now are either sophomores aliases juniors who person not had overmuch playing clip astatine nan position. Kamani Johnson is an option, though she’s chiefly played correct broadside during her collegiate career, and you person 2 existent freshmen mediate blockers who are going to travel in. You don’t person anybody who you cognize for judge tin commencement astatine an SEC level. [On the] correct broadside you’re good. You person Maca Lobaglio returning. You’re going to request astatine slightest 1 hitter. There are a batch of talented hitters connected this team, but they’re besides very young, very inexperienced, and haven’t had occurrence successful nan SEC yet. I deliberation that if you’re looking to get backmost to nan NCAA tournament, you astir apt don’t want to person much than 1 hitter spot filled by personification who has not had starting experience.

JC: I’m really excited to spot Sierra Dudley this year. I deliberation that we’re going to spot a overmuch bigger domiciled from her, because, you know, Dawn Sullivan herself admitted successful a number of interviews that nan logic that she would bring successful Mandovic was to slow down nan gait of nan game, which was basal astatine definite points. I deliberation that while Sierra Dudley and Marina Crownover play very different, I deliberation that they are utilized for akin situations. I deliberation that Sierra Dudley helps pinch that faster pace. I deliberation that Sierra Dudley will beryllium slotted into wherever Marina Crownover was these past mates years, and we cognize really bully Sierra Dudley has been. She’s fantastic, and I really deliberation she’ll jump backmost in.

I’m really excited to spot what Kaylen Rush does. I honestly deliberation Kaylen Rush is simply a dog. She’s nan girl of Kareem Rush. Genetics already proves really talented she is. The problem, and this is simply a bully problem to person of Missouri fans, is that libero room has been perfectly loaded. I mean, you had Maya sands, walked into nan convention and bargain beautiful overmuch each grant she could. So that’s conscionable pushed Kalen Rush further down nan depths chart, but she came successful astatine a fewer points this twelvemonth and played solid. I deliberation that Rush is really going to measurement up.

MG: Jeffrey touched connected it pinch Sierra Dudley. She is an SEC starting level setter, we’ve seen that before. She was a starting level setter arsenic a freshman, and truthful you would person to ideate pinch aggregate years of development, that she has only improved since that point.

I’m going to constituent retired 2 different people, hitters who impressed me, who stood retired to me, for their arms. They person cannons for arms astatine nan extracurricular and correct broadside hitter positions respectively. Maca Lobaglio evidently already locked down that starting domiciled this twelvemonth astatine correct side. Somebody who came successful pinch world acquisition from Argentina, played connected nan nationalist squad there, and really her main plus this twelvemonth was defense. I deliberation that she added a batch to nan teams blocking up beforehand and was comparatively businesslike connected offense. Is nan twelvemonth went on, but didn’t really person a soaring role. I’d expect to spot her domiciled successful nan discourtesy summation adjacent year, and connected nan different side, you saw much of Paige Felder this twelvemonth pinch nan players presently connected nan roster. I would beryllium beautiful amazed if Paige Felder is not a starter for that squad adjacent season.

JC: That’s really difficult to reply successful my opinion, because I deliberation there’s a batch of unanswered questions. It’s still going to beryllium astir a twelvemonth earlier that play starts, but there’s a batch of assortment successful nan needs and nan holes for this team. For me, it’s astir nan aforesaid arsenic it ended this year. I deliberation that adjacent year, this squad is going to beryllium a bubble team, I dislike to opportunity it, particularly pinch really precocious expectations were for this team. If I’m going to beryllium honest, I deliberation that this is simply a squad that travel Selection Sunday adjacent year, they’re going to beryllium holding their breath.

MG: This is apt to beryllium a modulation year. I deliberation that we haven’t really seen nether Dawn Sullivan nan modulation from a batch of coaches from nan first mates years, wherever you person a batch of transfers starting to your homegrown talent, nan players that you brought successful arsenic recruits forming nan halfway of your roster. So adjacent twelvemonth you’re apt to spot astatine slightest 3 sophomores starting for this team. And pinch that location travel much mobility marks, because you’re not going to person arsenic galore players who person SEC starting experience. I deliberation that you don’t want to return a measurement backmost from this year. Ideally, you return a measurement guardant if you’re nan program. But really nan cardinal for adjacent twelvemonth is going to beryllium making that modulation wherever you person nan halfway of your roster, your champion players beryllium players that you brought successful during precocious school, recruiting and truthful individual development, processing those homegrown players is going to beryllium nan astir important point this offseason and adjacent twelvemonth for Mizzou.

While he was incapable to subordinate america for nan podcast, Colin graciously sent successful a video to stock his thoughts connected nan play and what is adjacent for Mizzou volleyball, which has been added here:

Colin Simmons: Obviously, this play didn’t meet expectations, but I wouldn’t telephone it a failure. The reality is that this squad didn’t person nan aforesaid violative firepower arsenic it did compared to past season. It’s really difficult to comparison this, to not comparison this squad and nan players to past play squad, because we saw really they were capable to make a heavy run. Caitlin Alexander was a cleanable replacement for Michael Vernon’s production, but location wasn’t an capable replacement for Jordan Iliff, and that proved to beryllium nan difference.

Once again Sullivan and nan coaching unit will person to switch that extracurricular hitting production, astir apt by hitting nan portal aliases relying connected soul development. I deliberation rising sophomores for illustration Paige Felder and Maca Lobaglio should travel backmost moreover stronger adjacent season, but you’re decidedly going to request to person a mates of large clip commitments successful nan portal for this squad to scope wherever it wants to be, backmost successful nan tournament, and I deliberation moreover location for illustration rising inferior Claire Morrissey could play a factor. This will beryllium nan biggest trial of Sullivan’s tenure pinch Mizzou. She’s trying to switch truthful overmuch roster talent, and has to switch talent and her coaching unit arsenic well, and truthful it’s intelligibly going to beryllium an uphill battle, but gaining a fewer large clip names successful nan portal and having that young extent measurement up could put this squad backmost connected nan representation successful 2026.

You tin travel each nan news surrounding Mizzou volleyball connected Rock M Nation. We will beryllium posting a transportation locator wrong nan adjacent week, support an oculus retired for each nan updated news.