Volleyball team improving
Feb. 3, 2009 - Regina Leader-Post
By Tim Switzer
Greg Barthel knows he can look at the University of Regina Cougars men's volleyball season in two ways.
It could be that it was just another 2-16 season in the continuing struggle for the Cougars. He chooses to go with the other option.
"You can look at it as development of a program that's getting better and better and better," Barthel said Saturday after his team's season came to an end with a straight-sets loss to the No. 1-ranked Alberta Golden Bears. "We've shown Canada West that we're hard workers and we've given some good teams -- which every team in the conference is -- a run for their money."
The Cougars' two wins were one more than they recorded in the 2007-08 season, Barthel's first with the team, but the head coach is quick to point there were other improvements. Regina won 15 sets this season compared to 11 last year and even took two Top 10 teams -- the Trinity Western Spartans and Winnipeg Wesmen -- to five sets before losing.
"I think it's more important that our guys know they're competing than it is for anybody else," said Barthel.
The team also saw its youth emerge -- particularly second-year outside hitter Jamie Wilkins.
The LeBoldus grad started 11 matches this season and recorded 1.98 kills per game (third on the team) and had a 21-kill match in a win over the Manitoba Bisons on Jan. 16.
"Jamie really stepped up the past few weeks and (libero) Lindsey (Isaak) played great this weekend," said Barthel. "Then there's guys like Taylor Anderson, who's new to the program and got better as the year went on, and Drew Smith, who we moved to middle just after Christmas and has improved leaps and bounds in the last four weeks."
On the other side of the coin, however, Regina will lose four starters before next season. Setter Ryan DeCosse, outside hitter Chris Knoop and middle Blake Wheler have exhausted their CIS eligibility. The Cougars' other starting middle, Tyson Volk, has two more seasons of eligibility, but will graduate in the spring and plans to move on. Knoop was the Cougars' second-leading hitter (2.65 kills per game) this season while DeCosse was fourth in Canada West with 10.47 assists per game.
With only one other setter -- rookie Brodie Flis -- left on Regina's roster, Barthel will be on the lookout for another on the recruiting trail. He may also need to find (or convert) another middle blocker as Volk and Wheler were the only ones officially listed as playing that position.
Looking ahead, however, the Cougars have plenty of time to develop. Only one player -- outside hitter Mathew Brooks -- is entering his fifth and final year and two others -- Isaak and left side Remington Lenton-Young -- are entering Year 4.
"It was our older group that led the younger ones this year," said Barthel, "and we'll take that forward as we develop these younger guys."