LAZARO, JOINS LOUISVILLE VOLLEYBALL FROM USC
It is the time of the year when we start hearing about transfers in and out of NCAA Volleyball programs. It's pretty rare to get two from a same team, and rarer still to see that they play the same position. But, our VolleyCards are getting one confirmed and maybe one additonal setters from USC, in Raquel Lazaro and Elle Glock.
We'll start with Lazaro. She's confirmed. The senior played in 88 sets for the 15-15 Women of Troy and was the main setter, with 458 set assists. As a freshman in 2018, she was named Pac 12 Freshman of the Year and named to the Volleyball Magazine All Freshman team. She played in all 125 sets and had 1402 assists. In 2019, as a sophomore, she was named to the Pac 12 All Conference as an honorable mention and had 1402. That success continued as a junior in 2020, appearing in 13 matches and recording 522 assists.
She's from Malaga, Spain and is a seven-year member of the Spanish National Team.
We're also hearing rumors that Elle Glock could join here at Louisville after red-shirting her freshman year at USC. She led her Wahoo, Nebraska high school squad to the Nebraska State Championship three times. She was also a two-time All-State choice.
The Cards, of course, lose Tori Dilfer to graduation. Paige Morningstar remains the only setter on the roster from this season that just ended, and she was redshirted. Other setters -- Rachel DeMarcus is graduating and has chosen not to use her Covid year of eligibility and word is Jamie Vasilou is doing the same. Elena Scott came into to Louisville as a setter, but was converted to DS/Libero and that worked out pretty well for the Cards.
Dilfer's skills will be hard to replace, but Dani Busboom-Kelly and the Cardinals staff is being pro-active and getting some experience and multiple options at the spot next year. The setter is basically your squad's quarterback or point-guard of a team's offense and the goal is to get them the second touch, so they can "set up" an attacking hitter.
Will there be more transfers coming in? Probably not, but you never know who you'll find in the portal. Stay tuned...
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONGS
Yep, it's prime time for those right now. Does it seem like they start a little earlier each year? It does to me. With so many varieties, musical styles and genres available, i know, it's hard to come up with a favorite or even a top 3 list. .
As far as traditional ones go, I'll go with Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and O Come All Ye Faithful. Moving to pop/rock, my choices are' Please Come Home For Christmas" (the Eagles version), Bruce Springsteen's take on "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and the excellent Vince Guaraldi jam in A Charlie Brown Christmas...aka "The Charlie Brown Christmas Dance" :
(link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1LUXQWzCno
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| Jeff dancing to Charlie Brown Christmas Dance music or doing his John Travolta imitation? You decide... |
And I had to leave off "Run, Run Rudolph" (Chuck Berry) and "He's The Man With All The Toys" (The Beach Boys) off my list. I know you have a few, too.
Share them with us, but you get boos and hisses if you list "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" And Elvis stuff gets an extra thumbs-up from me...
paulie
Good to have that depth at setter. DeMarcus leaving is a surprise wasn't she the girl who left another school over sequel and abuse allegations? I hope it works out for her.
ReplyDeleteChristmas music. I love Handel's Messiah, O Holy Night and O Come All Ye Faithful.
Nick O
DeMarcus came to us from what seems to have been a really awful situation at South Alabama, yes. (Google for "South Alabama Volleyball" and hit the news tab and you'll get the scoop...tl;dr it was bad). She was at USA for 2yrs and with us for 2. As an undersized setter (and my guess is not on scholarship) she got a good education and a great two years here in Louisville. I suspect she is ready to move on with her life.
DeleteHaving an undefeated regular season and making the final four is recruiting gold.
ReplyDeleteI'm not very religious but some of my favorite carols are religious. Detest the "silly" songs.
ReplyDeleteGood to have an experienced setter but wondering if the second setter transfers where that leaves Morningstar.
Yeah Vivian that was what I wondered also in regard to Morningstar
ReplyDeletepaulie
I read up on DeMarcus. That sounded like a hot mess. Glad she could finish her college on a high note. Sounds like some competition for setter.
ReplyDeleteAnything Chuck Berry, Temps, Tops, Aretha or Gladys for XMAS jams. I always liked Little Drummer Boy and Have yourself A Merry Little Christmas.
Curtis " Be Kind" Franklin
Watched South Carolina get a bit of a scare from Stanford last. I don't know who can beat Dawn Staley's squad. No one in the SEC from what I have seen. I like the traditional Christmas music but I agree that they start it way too early each year.
ReplyDeleteBlue Lou