WSU notes: Strength of MVC raises Lamb’s 2015 volleyball team to top of his list

Wichita State’s volleyball team won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles and a first-round NCAA Tournament match. That is just the beginning of the resume for a team that coach Chris Lamb considers one of his best.

The 2015 Shockers didn’t win 30 matches as the 2008 team or go unbeaten in MVC play as the 2005 and 2008 teams did. It didn’t advance to the Sweet 16 as the 2012 Shockers did.

To make the case for 2015, Lamb evaluates the non-conference schedule and strength of the MVC and can’t find a better total package of performance from August to December. In his 16 years, he’s won six titles, three tournaments and seven NCAA matches. WSU (27-9) ended its season last weekend with a 3-0 loss at No. 5 Nebraska after defeating Kansas State 3-1 in NCAA play.

“I think this team accomplished the most of any team we’ve ever had,” he said. “It doesn’t have a Sweet 16, but, honestly, I think this team got as far as our schedule would allow. We had a better non-con. We had a brutal conference. These guys fought for everything.”

The Shockers played four teams ranked in the current AVCA top 25 in non-conference play, defeating No. 22 Kentucky. They played a total of nine NCAA Tournament teams (three from the MVC), four of which won at least one match.

It is the strength of the MVC, in Lamb’s mind, that provides the strongest evidence for this team.

WSU entered NCAA play No. 28 in the NCAA’s RPI ranking. Missouri State (No. 35), Southern Illinois (40) and Northern Iowa (45) followed, with Illinois State at No. 69. Loyola is No. 113 and Lamb points out the Ramblers lost five MVC matches 3-2, including two against the Shockers. Teams such as Evansville (262) and Bradley (275) provided easier wins, but the Valley’s three at-large bids demonstrated the NCAA selection committee judged the conference deep.

“No question, hands down,” Lamb said, ranking the 2015 Valley as the toughest its been in his 16 seasons at WSU. “I’ve got physical stats to prove it. I’ve strength of schedule to prove it. I’ve got RPI and results to prove it.”

The other contenders for best MVC seasons?

The MVC also put four teams in the 2007 and 2010 NCAA. In 2012, WSU advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Arkansas and Kansas and Creighton (Marquette) and Northern Iowa (Kansas State) also won first-round matches.

Spring isn’t far away — Lamb is already plotting for his spring practices and WSU will return much of this season’s firepower.

All-MVC selections setter Emily Hiebert, middle Abbie Lehman and libero Dani Mostrom are back, as are second-team pick Mikaela Raudsepp and All-Freshman pick Shimen Fayad.

“We’re torn between trying to get to a lineup and prepare that for next August, vs. the type of spring where we try to grow everybody’s skill set,” he said. “We’re either going to try to nail down a lineup and really get good at it … or let’s take this time to step away from that and have people do things that they don’t do as often or as well.”

Setter Regan Peare, who played in three matches, and left Alex Koon, who redshirted, figure prominently into the spring lineup experimenting. Lamb, who played some 6-2 in 2015, will again evaluate it as a system for 2016.

“I think Regan Peare’s coming out party is a month-and-a-half away,” Lamb said. “I like the way she finished down the stretch. I think she’s coming into her own now as a setter, and I always thought she could attack.”

With Raudsepp and Fayad back on the left, Koon’s development will give the Shockers another athlete capable of playing six rotations.

“Alex can pass, Alex can dig, Alex can serve,” Lamb said. “Of the redshirt freshmen, Alex, certainly, raised eyebrows.”

Lehman will enter her junior season with two AVCA All-Midwest Region honors and two All-MVC selections. Lamb, naturally, is ready for her to expand her game from quick sets in front of Hiebert to more variety.

“Let’s cut her loose,” Lamb said. “Let’s grow her away from the setter, both front and back. Let’s see what she can do out of the back row.”

Lamb on the list — Volleyball Magazine recently surveyed “nearly 40” coaches to rank NCAA Division I coaches.

Lamb ranked No. 6 among women’s coaches, in response to the question “Which men’s and women’s head coaches impress you the most with their coaching abilities and how they run their programs?”

Penn State’s Russ Rose led the list, followed by Stanford’s John Dunning, Illinois’ Kevin Hambly, Colorado State’s Tom Hilbert and Nebraska’s John Cook. No. 8 Travis Hudson of Western Kentucky and Lamb are the only coaches in the top 10 from schools not in the nation’s Power 5 conferences.

Beach in Kansas — Last week, WSU president John Bardo announced he will take a thorough look at Shockers athletics, including sports offered and conference affiliation.

Lamb wants beach volleyball, adopted as a championship sport by the NCAA in June, to get a good look. When adopted, 50 schools offered the sport and Lamb expects that number to grow. He sees a time not far away when beach volleyball is a deciding factor for recruits.

“It’s grown like crazy,” he said. “We’re starting to get asked now by recruits. Some of them don’t ask … it’s like an expectation. Kids are having fun with it.”

Beach volleyball matches are played, similar to tennis, with five teams of two facing off. The school that wins three or more of the best-of-3 (to 21) matches wins. Because there are so few teams, most matches take place in tournaments.

Athletes who are on a beach scholarship can’t play indoor. Athletes on an indoor scholarship (schools are allowed 12) can play beach.

This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 1:59 PM with the headline "WSU notes: Strength of MVC raises Lamb’s 2015 volleyball team to top of his list."