WEBVTT - Going Pro with Coach Suzie Fritz 0:00:02.240 --> 0:00:05.160 Hi, I'm Tifny Oshinsky, and this is Serving Pancakes with 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:08.680 League one Volleyball, with the inaugural Love season just around 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:11.039 the corner. Over the next few weeks, we'll be following 0:00:11.039 --> 0:00:14.080 some of the biggest women's college volleyball games featuring schools 0:00:14.120 --> 0:00:17.200 that our players attended. In today's episode, I'll be going 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:20.400 over the thrilling five set victory for number two Nebraska 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:23.280 over number ten per Due with Big ten Networks Emily Emon, 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:27.040 and then Love Omaha's head coach Susie Fritz will join 0:00:27.080 --> 0:00:29.920 me to talk about the inaugural season, her career, and 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:34.320 so much more so. First, let's talk to Nebraska Purdue. 0:00:34.479 --> 0:00:37.879 Emily Even, welcome back to Serving Pancakes. So happy you're here. 0:00:38.159 --> 0:00:41.560 So happy to be here. Always down to chats men'saavolleyball. 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.040 It's been a crazy season so. 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:49.040 Far, absolutely insane, and this match was equally insane, with Nebraska, 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:51.959 who was number two, coming back from being down two 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:55.000 to one to beat Purdue twenty five, twenty two, twenty 0:00:55.040 --> 0:00:58.200 two to twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, twenty five, 0:00:58.280 --> 0:01:02.080 twenty two, and then the insane it's set seventeen fifteen. 0:01:02.440 --> 0:01:05.960 So let's talk big picture. First, Emily, what stood at 0:01:06.000 --> 0:01:07.120 to you the most in this match? 0:01:07.520 --> 0:01:10.040 To be honest, the biggest thing to me was watching 0:01:10.040 --> 0:01:13.679 this match. It didn't feel like Nebraska won. It felt 0:01:13.720 --> 0:01:16.800 like Purdue lost it. You know, they were up two 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:19.240 to one in one of the toughest places to play 0:01:19.280 --> 0:01:21.800 in the entire country at the Devani Center. They're up 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:24.000 ten to eight and set five and then kind of 0:01:24.040 --> 0:01:26.640 let it slip away. The biggest thing to me was 0:01:27.000 --> 0:01:29.240 produce service errors. You know, they had four in that 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:32.040 fifth set alone, four in a period of the first 0:01:32.040 --> 0:01:34.880 seven points, So they were just handing Nebraska, you know, 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:36.920 part of that fifth set. And when you look at 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.520 the numbers, Purdue pretty much outplayed them. I mean in 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:42.160 terms of blocks fifteen to five and a half, they 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:45.720 out blocked Nebraska. They out hit them three eleven to 0:01:45.800 --> 0:01:48.680 two forty two. And that's a really good Nebraska defense. 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:50.240 And if you're going to be able to hit above 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:52.320 three hundred against them, to me, you have to be 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:55.200 able to capitalize on that. Eva Hudson and kloeesha Coin 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:58.360 produce outsides are just absolutely insane. One of the best 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:02.000 duos in the country combined for nearly fifty kills the difference. Though, 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:04.960 again those service errors for Purdue, they had nineteen of 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:08.160 them in the entire match. If you have the opportunity 0:02:08.240 --> 0:02:10.639 to take down the number two team in the country 0:02:10.840 --> 0:02:13.919 and you're kind of out playing them in almost every capacity. 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:16.280 In the fifth set, you're up ten to eight, you 0:02:16.400 --> 0:02:18.240 have to find a way to close it. So it's 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:20.400 kind of, you know, for the Boilers, letting it slip away. 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:23.680 But I mean, what a fun volleyball match. The defense 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:26.960 was outstanding. It's so fun when you see players like 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:29.360 Hudson and Shaquoigne go off, and then you're playing in 0:02:29.360 --> 0:02:31.400 one of the best atmospheres in college volleyball. I mean, 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:33.600 it doesn't get much better than that in a seventeen 0:02:33.639 --> 0:02:34.720 to fifteen fifth set. 0:02:34.840 --> 0:02:36.640 There's so many things I want to touch on that 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:38.880 you just mentioned. I want to break things down first. 0:02:38.919 --> 0:02:41.000 Let's start with the most recent thing that you just said, 0:02:41.040 --> 0:02:43.560 playing at the Davanny Center. You've been there. You know 0:02:43.720 --> 0:02:47.120 you can feel the electricity coming from your screen while 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:50.639 watching games in Nebraska, but can you just explain what 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:54.000 it is like to actually be there, especially when you 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:55.880 have such a wild match like this was. 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:59.079 Yeah, the Davanni Center is second to none. To me, 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:01.280 it's the most intimidating place to play in all of 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:05.040 college volleyball. I mean, the bells and whistles there are incredible. 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:08.440 It's an incredibly nice facility. It seats about eighty five 0:03:08.520 --> 0:03:11.440 hundred or nine thousand with standing room only, and they 0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:14.120 sell out every single night. They're closing in on three 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:18.160 hundred and fifty consecutive sellouts, which is a Division One 0:03:18.200 --> 0:03:20.640 Athletics women's record, not just for volleyball but all of 0:03:20.680 --> 0:03:24.960 women's athletics. It is crazy. Those fans know volleyball so 0:03:24.960 --> 0:03:27.680 so well. They're so knowledgeable about the game. You know, 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:29.320 they know in a chair, and then if the other 0:03:29.360 --> 0:03:31.360 team's doing well, like it's real quiet in there, but 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:34.119 it is. It's crazy. I mean, when you have nine 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:37.440 thousand fans screaming at you in that kind of environment, 0:03:37.600 --> 0:03:40.000 it is so so tough to play in and that 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:42.720 really becomes a difference maker when you enter a fifth set, 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:45.120 when things are close, when you can get that crowd 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:47.640 momentum behind you. That's one of the reasons why it's 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:50.040 one of the best home court advantages in all of sports. 0:03:50.480 --> 0:03:54.000 I mean, they've won thirty five straight there, so you know, 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:57.200 watching this game and hearing this crowd, I can completely 0:03:57.480 --> 0:04:01.680 understand how much of a home field Advanta is now 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:05.680 one of the heroes for Nebraska. Merrit Pison. She had 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:09.360 a season high twenty two kills in this game. We've 0:04:09.400 --> 0:04:12.000 seen how good she is. We know how good she is, 0:04:12.040 --> 0:04:15.000 but can you explain why teams struggle to stop her? 0:04:15.280 --> 0:04:17.120 Mayor Beson's a gamer. I mean, she is one of 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:20.200 the most difficult attackers to stop in the country. She's 0:04:20.400 --> 0:04:23.600 very rangey, meaning she can vary up her attack well. 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:26.679 She hits deep corners, she can barrel things down the line. 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:28.680 Whatever set is given to her, she does a really 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:31.280 nice job of adjusting to that. She also has really 0:04:31.320 --> 0:04:33.919 great court vision, so it doesn't matter the defense in 0:04:33.960 --> 0:04:35.839 the block you put in front of her. She's able 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:38.400 to see the block really well. If there's a small seam, 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:40.359 she'll hit right through it. Does a nice job at 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:43.080 targeting fingertips. She's always just got a heavy arm. I mean, 0:04:43.120 --> 0:04:44.760 if you give her a received to rip through, she's 0:04:44.800 --> 0:04:47.039 put in the putt in a hole in the floor. 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:50.320 She is just absolutely incredible. One thing that I think 0:04:50.800 --> 0:04:54.400 Nebraska hasn't necessarily utilized enough but they started to during 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:56.200 that match against Purdue is getting her going in the 0:04:56.200 --> 0:04:58.640 back court. They've been rotating her out with a DS 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:01.200 in the back row, which last year she was so 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:03.400 effective back there. She was one of the best backcourt 0:05:03.400 --> 0:05:06.200 attackers in the country. And now this year they've been 0:05:06.240 --> 0:05:08.120 using a DS because they have a plethora of just 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:11.200 incredible littles on that team. But Beson really got it 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:13.520 going in the back row, especially when it mattered most 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:16.320 when those sets are really tight, especially in that fifth set, 0:05:16.320 --> 0:05:18.240 they left her back there, and I mean she was 0:05:18.320 --> 0:05:21.679 just going off. But I mean, she's a gamer, she's rangy, 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:24.400 she's athletic, she can just fly jump out of the gym. 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:26.160 She's so much fun to watch. 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:30.240 And talk about Andy Jackson because she's also been absolutely unstoppable. 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:30.920 Oh my god. 0:05:31.440 --> 0:05:34.120 I mean she's like nearly unstoppable. There's one point in 0:05:34.120 --> 0:05:35.680 that match I think I want to say it was 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:38.080 a third set she was hitting like nine hundred. I mean, 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:40.040 Andy Jackson right now is in a league of her 0:05:40.080 --> 0:05:42.680 own in terms of middles. Her slide attack is the 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:44.520 best that I've seen in the country. I mean, the 0:05:44.560 --> 0:05:47.479 way that she's able to fly up there and even 0:05:47.520 --> 0:05:50.400 if it's not the perfect set, manages to find something 0:05:50.440 --> 0:05:52.479 to do with. But she added three inches to her 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:55.760 vertical in the offseason. She now touches ten ten, which 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:58.080 is crazy for an attacker that's only six ' three. 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:01.080 She can jump out of the gym. She's really rangy. 0:06:01.160 --> 0:06:04.920 She's very explosive, strong arm, and her connection with rossettter 0:06:04.960 --> 0:06:07.440 Berg and Riley is incredible. You know, they had time 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:09.359 to practice it over the summer playing in the USA 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:12.159 gym obviously a lot of you know, time just in 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:15.440 the Nebraska gym as well. But Andy Jackson's incredible. Her 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:19.120 offense has taken just massive strides in the last year, 0:06:19.120 --> 0:06:21.000 and her blocking too has gotten a lot better. 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:24.000 You mentioned Eva Hudson and kloe Cha Coin on Perdue. 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:27.440 They both had double doubles in that match. They also 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:29.760 looked unstoppable. I mean, if I didn't know the score, 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:32.159 I would have thought that Perdue had it just based 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:35.600 on how they were hitting. Even though they lost this match. 0:06:36.120 --> 0:06:38.279 How dangerous is this Perdue team with them? 0:06:39.120 --> 0:06:42.279 They're so dangerous. I mean, the key to stopping Perdue 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:44.640 is to slow down Eva Hudson and kloes Ha Coin, 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:48.359 which teams can't do. You know, it's so incredible because 0:06:48.480 --> 0:06:50.560 if you look at Chloe Hacoin, she's an attacker that's 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:52.280 about five to nine, and I would say that's like 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:54.440 a generous five nine. She's more like a five eight, 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:57.680 but she jumps through the gym. It doesn't matter that 0:06:57.760 --> 0:06:59.839 you know that the ball is going to either of 0:06:59.880 --> 0:07:02.800 them in the outside or the backcourt, you still can't 0:07:02.800 --> 0:07:04.960 find a way to stop them. Which is what makes 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:07.400 this Purdude teams so fun is you know where the 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:10.400 ball is going. They set a vast majority of their 0:07:10.440 --> 0:07:12.800 sets to the outside, to one of the two, and 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:14.600 they just find ways to put it down in a 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.160 fifth set, in the beginning of the first set, it 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:19.400 doesn't matter. They're gonna get a ton of swings. They're 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:22.680 just ballersm You know, I always think about who would 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:24.400 I not ever want to play against, and those are 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:26.600 two players that I just would never want to face 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:28.720 on the other side because you know they're getting the ball, 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:30.960 they're still going to put it down. They also just 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:32.840 have that look in the rye that you know they're 0:07:32.840 --> 0:07:34.640 going to take their game to the next level. And 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.200 as an opponent, I would be completely terrified. 0:07:38.560 --> 0:07:41.240 I mean, Shaquinn being five, eight, five nine or whatever is. 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:43.080 I think it says she's five to ten on on 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:45.760 the roster, but I also know as someone who's five 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:47.640 to three, who was once put in a book as 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:49.400 five to six. I know people like to be a 0:07:49.400 --> 0:07:52.840 little generous, but I mean she's going up against Mary 0:07:52.880 --> 0:07:56.400 Beeson who's six three I believe, and Andy Jackson six floor. Like. 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:58.800 I mean, the fact that she can get those hits 0:07:58.880 --> 0:08:01.760 down and have that many in a match against girls 0:08:01.760 --> 0:08:04.040 who are that tall is insane. 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.320 It's crazy, And to be honest, for both of those 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:08.600 players too, it's not only just their front court play, 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:10.880 but it's like having two liberos in the back court 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:13.600 as well. They are so good defensively, they fly around 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:15.920 the back court. I mean, Chaquhanna is making saves in 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:19.000 that fit set that you could have got prdue the win. 0:08:19.040 --> 0:08:21.360 Obviously didn't, but I mean she is incredible in the 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:24.120 back court as well. Both of them are, for sure. 0:08:24.240 --> 0:08:26.480 And then their middle hitter, Raven Colvin. She didn't have 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:29.880 the best night hitting, but she did lead with eleven blocks. 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:32.960 So again same question when it comes to Raven, how 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:34.520 dangerous is she on this team? 0:08:35.160 --> 0:08:38.280 Raven Colvin's incredible I mean, she's a very undersized middle 0:08:38.320 --> 0:08:40.760 She's just about six feet tall, maybe five to eleven, 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:44.080 but she plays so much bigger than she is because 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:46.200 she's a little bit shorter. She really has to make 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:48.840 sure to be very disciplined. That's what she's really good at. 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:52.800 Blocking wise, she makes really explosive movements. She doesn't move 0:08:52.880 --> 0:08:55.160 until she knows where the ball is going, and that's 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:57.720 led to just stuff after stuff. I mean right now, 0:08:57.760 --> 0:09:00.840 she's second in the NCAA and blocks percont at about 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:04.480 one point seven, which is just absolutely unheard of. Again, 0:09:04.559 --> 0:09:06.400 second in the country, that's first in the Big Ten. 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.360 She is incredible, and also when they can get her 0:09:09.360 --> 0:09:12.480 going offensively, it really changes the game for Purdue. She's 0:09:12.520 --> 0:09:15.240 good enough to where the ball doesn't have to be perfect. 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:18.040 Purdue oftentimes talks about just getting it in a window 0:09:18.080 --> 0:09:20.520 for her to hit, because she's so athletic and dynamic 0:09:20.800 --> 0:09:22.559 that if you can just get the ball to her, 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:24.240 she'll figure out something to do. 0:09:24.200 --> 0:09:28.120 With for sure. Now, Perdue was dominant in the second 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:31.920 and third set, beating Nebraska in those two, But what 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:35.640 happened in the final two, especially in that fifth set 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:38.839 where they were up fifteen fourteen one point a way 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:41.280 to seal the game. What went wrong with the Boilers. 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:44.360 To be honest, Nebraska started making plays, and it took 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:47.920 them up until that point to really do it. They 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:50.600 were kept in that set because of produe service errors. 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:53.120 You know, up until about the seven point mark, Purdue 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:55.520 had handed Nebraska for service airs, so they were already 0:09:55.559 --> 0:09:57.199 kind of in the set, and then all of a 0:09:57.200 --> 0:09:59.199 sudden at ten to eight, they found a way to 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:02.120 turn it on. Their front row really started making plays, 0:10:02.480 --> 0:10:04.600 and it was a really balanced effort. It's not like 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:07.199 one person really ended up just going off at the 0:10:07.360 --> 0:10:08.640 end to get it done. 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:09.120 You know. 0:10:09.160 --> 0:10:11.600 Mayor Beeson had those last two kills for Nebraska, But 0:10:11.920 --> 0:10:15.319 up until that point they just found ways with other people. 0:10:15.320 --> 0:10:17.840 Whether that was Andy Jackson getting it killed, you know 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:21.160 twice late in that set, Harper Marie showed up big. 0:10:21.800 --> 0:10:25.120 The biggest thing for Nebraska is when it's tight, they 0:10:25.200 --> 0:10:27.520 turn it on, and sometimes they struggle with that starting 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:30.240 off matches a little bit slow. But again, also if 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:32.360 you're playing in a fifth set at the Devani Center 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.120 and it's that close and you've got the crowds momentum 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:37.440 behind you, that definitely helps your team turn it on 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:37.920 a little bit. 0:10:37.920 --> 0:10:41.640 All right, Well, time for the serving pancakes. Pancake counter 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:44.880 and in this match, I only counted one pancake. It 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:48.240 was in the fourth set by Landychboy. Nebraska was up 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:50.840 nine to five when Chilboy came out of nowhere to 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:53.199 just get that pancake and dig the ball up. Unfortunately, 0:10:53.240 --> 0:10:56.000 Nebraska did not get the point on that effort, but 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:58.600 it was a valiant effort by her, and I went 0:10:58.720 --> 0:11:01.559 to comment her on that. But talking about defense in general, 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:03.520 I know we talked about Hudson and shit Coin, but 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.240 what did you see in the defense from both teams? 0:11:06.240 --> 0:11:07.319 What really stood out to you? 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:10.480 Yeah, I mean you know Nebraska's defense always stands out. 0:11:10.520 --> 0:11:13.839 You mentioned a player like Landy CHOBOI just absolutely incredible. 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:17.199 I think they did a really nice job in the backcourt, 0:11:17.280 --> 0:11:20.120 which they always do, just racking up dig after dig. 0:11:20.559 --> 0:11:23.280 Lexi Rodriguez to me, she's hands down the best libarro 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:25.800 in the country. I thought Perdue was doing a good 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:28.000 job keeping the ball in Bergen Riley in the back court. 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:30.760 Her dig numbers were really high, trying to get Nebraska 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:33.360 out of system. But really what stood out the most 0:11:33.440 --> 0:11:36.560 was the blocking from Perdue. I mean, they did an 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:39.080 incredible job really from start to finish, and that's what 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:41.840 this Purdue team is known for. They just put up 0:11:41.920 --> 0:11:44.959 block after block. They ended with fifteen of them against 0:11:45.040 --> 0:11:47.280 Nebraska is about five and a half, so that really 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:50.840 stood out. You know, Raven Colvin again just a phenomenal blocker. 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:54.080 She really led that charge for Perdue and was just 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:56.600 absolutely lead up front. She wrecked up nine stuff. So 0:11:56.960 --> 0:11:59.400 you know, it's a backcourt defense for Nebraska the front 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.440 court defense for Purdue that really stuck out. 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:05.240 Lastly, Emily, there has been so much parody in women's 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:09.240 college volleyball this season, so many upsets in your opinion, 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:11.960 Why is that and what does it mean for the 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:14.000 rest of the regular season going into the tournament. 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:16.480 Well, parody means that it's going to be really fun 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:18.960 as we head into the rest of the season. But 0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:21.439 it's been really cool to see because over the last 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.120 three or four years, we're seeing upsets like we've never 0:12:24.160 --> 0:12:27.160 seen before and so much more parody top to bottom. 0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:29.280 You know, a lot of conferences, take take the ACC 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:32.200 for example, used to be a very top heavy conference. 0:12:32.240 --> 0:12:34.760 You had Pitt, you had Louisville, and then Georgia Tech, 0:12:34.840 --> 0:12:36.920 you know, is always kind of in the mix, but 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:40.040 now there's so many conferences and teams where it's anyone's game. 0:12:40.240 --> 0:12:42.800 You can't take a night off because top to bottom, 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:45.880 these conferences are getting so much stronger, and not only 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:48.320 are the top teams getting better, but the middle teams 0:12:48.320 --> 0:12:50.079 are now pushing the top teams, and the teams that 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:52.520 are normally at the bottom of conferences are pushing those 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:55.400 middle teams taking sets off of the top teams across 0:12:55.400 --> 0:12:57.559 the board. Right now, you can't take a night off 0:12:57.600 --> 0:13:00.720 because we've seen upset after upset time and time again, 0:13:01.120 --> 0:13:03.400 which for us as fans, I mean, it makes it 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:07.200 so exciting. It's you know, every night we're seeing massive upsets, 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:09.120 which is going to you know, pay dividends for a 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.160 lot of teams down the line in the tournament too, 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:14.920 and probably some pretty big upsets once once postseason play starts. 0:13:15.040 --> 0:13:17.360 Very excited to say that that tournament is going to 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:20.120 be a lot of fun to watch. Well, thank you 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:22.679 so much, Emily, appreciate you taking the time to speak 0:13:22.720 --> 0:13:25.080 with me and talk some women's collin volleyball. 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:27.480 Yeah, I love it. Happy back Anto time. Thanks for 0:13:27.520 --> 0:13:27.920 having me. 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:45.840 Great analysis by the extremely knowledgeable Emily Emon. Now let's 0:13:45.840 --> 0:13:50.400 talk about professional women's volleyball in Nebraska. Love Omaha head 0:13:50.440 --> 0:13:54.240 coach Susie Fritz is here. Coach Fritz has the resume 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:58.160 and experience you want in a head coach. Born and 0:13:58.240 --> 0:14:00.760 raised in Kansas, coach Fritz began her coaching career in 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:03.720 nineteen ninety four at Florida Atlantic. She eventually found her 0:14:03.760 --> 0:14:06.360 way back home, becoming the assistant coach of Kansas State 0:14:06.400 --> 0:14:09.120 in nineteen ninety seven, then took over the program in 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:12.840 two thousand and one. After twenty five seasons with the Wildcast, 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:16.040 she became an assistant coach at Arkansas. During her tenures, 0:14:16.040 --> 0:14:19.760 she led nationally ranked teams to eighteen NCAA tournament appearances 0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:23.840 with her players, including sixteen All American selections, twenty six 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:28.520 All Region selections, and fifty six All Big twelve selections. 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:32.440 And now League One Volleyball is lucky to have her lead. 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:36.800 Love Omaha Coach Fritz. Welcome to Serving Pancakes. Thanks so 0:14:36.840 --> 0:14:37.520 much for me here. 0:14:37.920 --> 0:14:41.000 Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. Tiffany, 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:41.920 thank you for having me. 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:45.360 Now, thank you so much, coach. I have to start 0:14:45.480 --> 0:14:49.920 by asking, after such a storied career in college ball, 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:53.239 why did you decide to go to the pros, specifically 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:54.360 with League one Volleyball? 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.840 Oh my gosh, so many, so many things, you know, 0:14:59.160 --> 0:15:02.880 the one just the people involved in League One where 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:06.320 I think as I as I kind of started to 0:15:06.440 --> 0:15:10.480 get more into it and meeting. My first initial meeting 0:15:10.560 --> 0:15:15.360 actually was with Danielle Scott, who you know, five time Olympian, 0:15:15.480 --> 0:15:20.720 phenomenal human being, and just her excitement for how League 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:25.120 one was building, and Tom Hogan and his team. They're 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:28.760 just phenomenal people, and I think that's where it started. 0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:32.000 I knew volleyball. Volleyball is in my heart, it's what 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:36.120 I love. Coaching is the family business, right But the 0:15:36.520 --> 0:15:40.160 college landscape is changing, and I think this was the 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:43.760 next logical step for me that made a lot of 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:45.960 sense to do what I love, but have it look 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:47.480 a little different if I'm being honest. 0:15:48.040 --> 0:15:50.200 So what are you expecting to be the biggest difference 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:52.240 between college and pro Yeah? 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:55.880 I think what I noticed right away and in conversations 0:15:55.920 --> 0:15:58.600 with the with the women on the team is just 0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:03.040 this desire for collaborative work, right is you know these 0:16:03.040 --> 0:16:06.120 guys are professionals. They've played all over the world. They 0:16:06.160 --> 0:16:10.120 have far more international plane experience than I have. I 0:16:10.120 --> 0:16:13.560 have a lot of volleyball experience, But I think the 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:17.200 collaborative piece of it is, and you take away the 0:16:17.240 --> 0:16:19.320 academic piece, which is a big part of the student 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:24.880 athlete experience, right, So I think the collaborative just where 0:16:24.920 --> 0:16:27.560 you these guys know what they want, they know what 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:31.720 they need, they communicate it openly and honestly, and I 0:16:31.920 --> 0:16:37.280 love just the direct model and the really clear vision 0:16:37.480 --> 0:16:39.720 of where they want to go. So I think those 0:16:39.720 --> 0:16:41.080 are the big pieces right now. 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:45.000 This is the inaugural season of League one. So what 0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:48.600 have been some of the challenges you've faced planning for 0:16:48.800 --> 0:16:51.400 a first time team in a first time league. 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:54.240 Yeah, you know, I heard someone say you're building the 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:57.160 plane as you fly it, right, there's a little bit 0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:01.360 of that where because you're I do feel to be honest, 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:06.119 really comfortable with just the all the pieces in the parts, 0:17:06.160 --> 0:17:08.320 you know. I think when I became a head coach, 0:17:08.600 --> 0:17:11.120 I tell people often that it took me probably five 0:17:11.160 --> 0:17:14.479 to seven years to get my arms wrapped around all 0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:19.360 of the entities there are involved in an athletic program, 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:22.760 whether it be collegiate internationally, and you start thinking about 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.480 the marketing and promotions and the ticketing and the events 0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:28.480 and the strength and conditioning, athletic training, right, and the 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.560 list goes on and on and on, and really, I 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:33.800 think as a head coach you want to have at 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:38.760 least some minimal knowledge of these things. So everybody's doing 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:42.120 that for the first time in all of these different areas, 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:46.160 and the communication and the collaboration that's required to do 0:17:46.240 --> 0:17:49.200 that is what I noticed right off the bat, right, 0:17:49.400 --> 0:17:53.359 is that we're all but the intention within the organization 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:57.720 is phenomenal and everybody's in it together trying to problem 0:17:57.760 --> 0:18:01.360 solve quickly as things arise, and that part of it, 0:18:01.400 --> 0:18:05.760 I think is pretty huge for the organization period to 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:06.480 be successful. 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:10.320 Well, we're only a few weeks out from preseasons starting, 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:13.000 So what are you doing to prep for this first. 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:16.800 Preseason planning practice? You know, I mean, I'm trying to 0:18:16.800 --> 0:18:19.479 stay focused on the volleyball things. There's a lot of 0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:22.399 things to be focused upon, but I'm trying to really 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:25.560 just stay focused on the volleyball things. And you know 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:28.720 what the structure of practice is going to look like, 0:18:28.880 --> 0:18:30.919 Starting to set a schedule for the women on the 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:35.199 team and working with League One in terms of what 0:18:35.359 --> 0:18:38.000 their requirements of the athletes are going to be. There's 0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:40.600 and I'm sure you're familiar with it, but there's a 0:18:40.640 --> 0:18:44.919 tremendous amount of just resources and opportunity that these women 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:50.200 have access through League One and some of the programming 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:52.919 that they have done just from the pro level all 0:18:52.960 --> 0:18:55.800 the way down to the club level is phenomenal. So 0:18:56.000 --> 0:18:58.639 just getting organized, I think more than anything, is the 0:18:58.680 --> 0:18:59.399 simple answer. 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:02.000 Do you sort of have like a mentality of what 0:19:02.040 --> 0:19:03.680 you want to build in this first year? 0:19:04.920 --> 0:19:07.919 Yeah, I do. You know, I want to be really 0:19:07.960 --> 0:19:11.800 competitive and I want you know, there's a there's a 0:19:11.880 --> 0:19:15.240 desire in me in some ways right to represent women 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:19.679 in sports and desire to you know, I know a 0:19:19.680 --> 0:19:23.520 lot of the women on my team are so excited 0:19:23.560 --> 0:19:29.440 to represent something where young players can look to and say, hey, 0:19:29.480 --> 0:19:31.800 I can do that someday. And I think there's still 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:33.560