In an effort to officially wrap up the 2011 Ball State women's volleyball season, here's a complete review of every player on the roster this season and what their individual opportunities will look like next season. I'll go on a scale of 1-4 stars to grade each player's season. Players that had limited playing time or didn't even play at all will earn an incomplete grade, but there will still be some analysis.
I'll go through each player position-by-position, with this second part focusing on the team's setters.
Setters
Starting setter – senior Brittany McGinnis
Grade: 2 ½ stars
Analysis: McGinnis had the most puzzling season of any player on the team. At the outset of the season, it looked like she was in prime form for her senior campaign. Ball State's offense was smooth and efficient in its nine straight wins to open the year due to McGinnis' guidance. But things changed around the beginning of October. Sophomore Jacqui Seidel earned a few starts at setter over McGinnis, a four-year starter, and began to earn more and more playing time. Around the later half of October, I was sure Seidel had pushed past her on the depth chart. Strangely enough, Seidel tore her ACL on Nov. 2 in practice and McGinnis was back to being the primary setter for the rest of the season. Now in late December, I'm still perplexed by the progression of the events surrounding these two. Nevertheless, when it comes down to how McGinnis played this season, I came away underwhelmed. For the majority of the season, the offense was more controlled and balanced under Seidel and at some points it didn't look like hitters were in sync with McGinnis. Poor results followed. I'm saying this though with the expectations I had for McGinnis in the first place. She didn't quite come through for me, but she played decently enough to help Ball State reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. I don't think any Ball State fans are going to complain about that. For that, she earns 2 ½ stars in her final season.
Back-up setter – sophomore Jacqui Seidel
Grade: 3 ½ stars
Analysis: Refer to McGinnis' analysis for the summary on the competition between her and Seidel for most of the season. Now, as much as Seidel probably wishes I would shut up about her injury already, that wish can't be granted. It's a huge story now and it's going to be a huge story at the beginning of the 2012 season. Before I get into it, I want to commend Seidel for her play prior to her injury. She stepped up her game as the season went along and eventually won a starting spot in the lineup a year before she was expected to earn it. That's why it was so crushing to see her go down for the season with an ACL tear. It noticeably affected the team's mentality as they lost three straight matches afterwards and looked a little ‘off' in terms of the toughness and focus they had established this season, even when they won. That's why Seidel's recovery and re-insertion into the lineup will be one of the most significant storylines to monitor next season. She's an even bigger part of the team on the court with McGinnis now departing and her leadership greatly impacts the team as well. ACL tears usually require about 7 to 9 months to fully recover from, meaning Seidel's target date for a return should be around July or August. That depends on how well rehab goes for her. For Ball State to have a chance at bettering its results in 2011, Seidel's return is vital.
UPDATE: After I tweeted this article, Seidel tweeted back at me to let me know that April is her target date to be fully recovered. She also said doctors told her 4-6 months was the timetable for her recovery. That puts an early end to any speculation and means Seidel should be completely ready for the start of the 2012 season.
Third-string setter – freshman Jaclyn Fullove
Grade: Incomplete
Analysis: Fullove's season was comparable to Maria Dorsten's, meaning I don't really know what to say about it besides she barely played. I did get to see her play three sets and earn three digs in a loss to Eastern Michigan on Nov. 10, and for the most part, she looked the part in that match. I can't recall many noticeable errors on her part. Coach Steve Shondell didn't feel the same way though. Even with Seidel out for the season, Fullove didn't receive any playing time after that point, leading me to believe that if there is any time she sees the court for the rest of her career, it'll be out of an emergency situation. It sounds harsh, but that's the life of a walk-on player sometimes.
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