WSU notes: Newcomer Tabitha Brown learns Lamb’s lingo to swing big at Wichita State

There’s “Bekka” and “Runaway Bride” and a drill that uses colors on a rope and calls such as “watermelon” and “candy cane.”

Playing volleyball for Wichita State coach Chris Lamb requires a studious approach and an open mind.

“Lot of new terms,” Tabitha Brown said. “He’s got ‘Bekka’ … I think that means that the middle gets to choose what they want to do and the outsides are staying on the antennas. Correct me if I’m wrong. Obviously, I’m still getting used to it.”

Even with the language barrier, the adjustment to her new team is a success. Brown, younger sister of Shockers basketball player Zach Brown, transferred from Alabama and practiced with WSU this spring. She will be a sophomore and play for the Shockers in 2016. WSU ended its spring practices with a tournament in Tulsa on Saturday.

Brown, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, gives Lamb another option on the pins and is a possible six-rotation player. When the Shockers gather in August, she will join returners Shimen Fayad, Jody Larson, Jenny Whitledge and Mikaela Raudsepp in an experienced group of scoring threats.

“She can do anything she wants on a volleyball court,” Lamb said. “She could be considered in any number of spots doing any number of roles.”

Brown spent a Friday afternooon in Lamb’s office to study up on the WSU’s lingo and plays. As she masters that part of the adjustment, her play improves.

“I was really frustrated with it at the beginning of the spring season,” she said. “Thankfully, I came early enough so that I can get it by the time fall rolls around. After that discussion we had, it was a little bit easier for me to adjust.”

At Alabama, she played in 15 matches, starting 12. Brown, from Spring, Texas, hit .172 for Alabama with 161 kills and 19 aces. She had a season-high 19 kills against Northern Illinois. In spring practice, her attack selection and defensive abilities made a good impression.

“She can score and she keeps her errors down,” Whitledge said. “She’s blocking awesome, better than probably anyone in our gym right now. She has great spots that she picks.”

Brown reminds Lamb of former Shocker MaryAshton Floyd for her ability to take powerful swings.

“She’s comfortable getting her body and soul to the ball and when she’s there she takes big swings,” Lamb said. “There are a lot of bad approaches out there in volleyball. She gets herself in a position where she can hit with range and hit it where she wants to hit it.”

Across the front — Whitledge spent much of the spring working on the right side for the first time. The results are good, in part because she feels balanced and uses more core strength when swinging from the right.

“It’s a different view,” she said. “I think I see the block a little bit better on the right side. (Lamb’s) idea of what we want to do is passing rights. That’s the position I want to fill as a six-rotation player. I just had to learn a lot.”

Playing all the way around fits with Whitledge’s superior range on defense and her passing skills. Playing on the right, in Lamb’s view, removes some of the hesitancy he saw from her swinging from the left.

“She’s put in another gear,” Lamb said. “On the right, I think she either sees it better or feels better under the ball, but she’s taking gigantic strides over there.”

Don’t look far — Lamb is thrilled to see former assistant Matt Hoffman land the top job at NCAA Division II San Francisco State.

Hoffman, who grew up in Cupertino, Calif., and attended San Jose State, spent three seasons at WSU.

“That makes me feel very good about the program, just like the success of the players,” Lamb said. “I could see Matt having that job for 25 years. Matt Hoffman is a good example of working hard, being loyal, keeping your nose clean and good things can come.”

Lamb didn’t need a search committee to find a replacement. He hired Donnie Wallace, who spent the past two seasons as WSU’s volunteer assistant.

“He’s not just shown up for practices,” Lamb said. “He’s been in our offices with us morning until night. He’s assisted us in everything that we do. Donnie’s been there for everything from camps to the fund-raising stuff that we do to coaching all positions.”

Wallace spent three seasons as coach at Southwestern College. In 2009, he coached Collegiate to the Class 3A title. He played basketball at Goddard, Kansas State and Nebraska-Kearney.

On the schedule — Lamb is close to finalizing his non-conference schedule.

WSU will hold a home tournament with Marquette, IUPUI and Cincinnati coming to Koch Arena. The other three tournament weekends, he said, are waiting on contracts to be considered final.

Tennis continues record pace — WSU’s women’s tennis team is 5-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference and can win its eighth consecutive regular-season title next weekend with home matches against Evansville (Saturday) and Southern Illinois (Sunday).

The MVC’s longest streak of regular-season titles is 14, owned by WSU baseball from 1987-2000. Kansas won eight men’s basketball titles from 1908-15. WSU women’s tennis and Tulsa baseball (1971-77) are tied for third.

On Friday, WSU (22-3) swept Bradley and Illinois State 7-0 to win its 12 straight match, four off the school record set in 1992. Giulia Guidetti, playing No. 4 singles, improved to 34-5. She is tied with Sandy Sadler, who went 34-11 in 1983-84, for WSU’s single-season wins mark.

This story was originally published April 16, 2016 at 4:11 PM with the headline "WSU notes: Newcomer Tabitha Brown learns Lamb’s lingo to swing big at Wichita State."