CHICAGO — Pedro Mendes was teaching Hylte/Halmstad VBK in Sweden two years in the past.
On Tuesday, the brand new Northwestern assistant coach was sitting in a convention room within the Large Ten Community workplace constructing as the general public face for the volleyball program and answering questions on a lawsuit alleging hazing in the course of the 2020-21 season.
Mendes was filling in for head coach Shane Davis on the second annual Large Ten Convention volleyball media days after the faculty issued an announcement at 5:30 p.m. on Monday saying he wouldn’t attend the occasion.
Mendes, who was employed as a full-time assistant coach in February after serving as a volunteer coach for a yr, couldn’t get into many particulars concerning the allegations since he wasn’t on the faculty when the alleged incidents occurred. Nevertheless, he stated that he hasn’t seen something unfavorable throughout his time with the Wildcats.
“I don’t suppose since I joined the crew I’ve ever skilled or heard or seen any kind of scenario the place I’d take into account myself or the gamers round me as hazing,” he stated.
“The best way we coach, not less than, once more, from my time right here, it’s been rather a lot about respect, and we attempt to hold the requirements fairly excessive, however we’re at all times making an attempt to guarantee that the athletes are feeling revered and heard. That’s how we do it, and we’re going to maintain doing it the identical approach.”
Sophomore defensive specialist Ellee Stinson additionally addressed the subject, saying that she has felt nothing however love throughout her time at Northwestern. She stated they attempt to be trustworthy with one another, to not be imply, however as a result of they look after each other.
“One among our program values is definitely relationships with each other,” she stated. “From the time that I’ve been right here, I can solely say optimistic issues concerning the teaching employees and feeling welcomed and supported by my teammates.”
Through the first session of media day, a number of groups talked concerning the significance of constructing optimistic crew tradition even with the rise of transfers.
Ohio State is rebuilding its tradition after dropping 5 fifth-year gamers to the portal. The Buckeyes established new bonds and priorities in the course of the low season, aided by a visit to Italy and Greece. Senior center blocker Rylee Rader stated she’s by no means seen a crew bond as quick as they did.
“I believe the most important a part of our tradition that’s serving to this crew is the truth that everyone seems to be so purchased into what we’re reaching for,” OSU proper facet Emily Londot stated. “I believe all of our targets, everybody desires it simply the identical.”
A number of gamers talked about summer season’s significance in constructing a powerful tradition. As a result of coaches can’t work with gamers, they must take possession of the expectations and work ethic and display management to get buy-in from the gamers.
After probably the most profitable seasons lately, Indiana is making an attempt to springboard that into higher outcomes this fall.
Senior exterior hitter Grae Gosnell stated it begins with recruiting the proper kind of gamers who wish to put the work in and lead by instance.
“There’s been a variety of emphasis on constructing a tradition and making one thing of a program that it wasn’t earlier than,” she stated. “However I don’t suppose it was one thing that was compelled. I believe it was one thing that was anticipated. It was one thing that was required.”
Second-year Michigan State coach Leah Johnson stated simply because gamers or coaches are leaving a program doesn’t imply the tradition is unfavorable. The Spartans employed two new assistants in the course of the offseason, including Zheng Xiang and Maddie Beal.
“Athletics is probably going the highest-turnover business there may be,” Johnson stated. “So turnover isn’t at all times a unfavorable factor. Change may be optimistic. Change provides new concepts. It provides new vitality, new pleasure.”
Large Ten pronounces TV schedule
The league revealed its tv schedule Tuesday morning, which features a file 55 video games proven on the Large Ten Community this season.
As well as, the Large Ten introduced that volleyball matches can be proven on FOX. On Sunday, Oct. 29, two matches can be proven on the published community. Fox has a single-game window that day and can package deal these video games with
Markets with an NFL sport beginning at 1 p.m. can be proven Wisconsin and Minnesota. (The Minnesota Vikings and Inexperienced Bay Packers play within the early kickoff window). Michigan State and Ohio State play within the afternoon and lead into the late NFL video games, which is when the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns play. Each matches can even be proven on FS2.
The BTN slate is headlined by Nebraska’s match towards Omaha on Aug. 30, when the 2 groups are scheduled to play in entrance of greater than 90,000 followers in Memorial Stadium.
Click on right here for the full Large Ten information launch and schedule.
Tuesday, coaches and gamers from seven colleges met with the media. The opposite seven are right here Wednesday. Right here’s a take a look at what they needed to say Tuesday:
Northwestern
2022 file, end: 18-14, 7-13, tied for tenth place
Coach Shane Davis (335-187 profession file, 70-99 at Northwestern), junior setter Alexa Rousseau, sophomore libero Ellee Stinson
What they stated:
“I really feel like three coaches are usually not sufficient to care for a season. There’s rather a lot happening with recruiting, after which throughout a season, there’s rather a lot happening on the school stage, and it’s simply necessary that we’re including that piece.”
— Mendes on including a 3rd assistant coach.
“I believe Wisconsin is extraordinarily fortunate to be getting a participant like Temi (Thomas-Ailara) on the court docket but in addition off the court docket as simply being such an awesome and candy human being. I couldn’t be happier for her.” –
-Rousseau on her former teammate who transferred to play for the Badgers.
Michigan State
2022 file, end: 13-18, 4-16, tied for twelfth place
Coach Leah Johnson Smith (117-71, 13-18), junior setter Julia Bishop, junior exterior hitter Aliyah Moore
What they stated:
“Rosalind was the most effective shock I’ve ever had. She snuck in there to be child three, and now she’s my finest recruiting software. She is crushing it within the visits. She solely smiles. I believe the child has solely cried 3 times. I’m actually fortunate. However sure, she is their favourite. I’m now, I believe, fourth within the pecking order of favorites within the teaching ranks — OK, fifth most likely, and out recruiting, she is loving it.”
— Johnson on her new child, who was born in January.
“I used to be within the chess membership for six years of my life, so it’s a little bit brag… They had been educating us the best way to play, and I used to be like, is that this how you progress it? And once we began taking part in, I used to be like, ‘Checkmate.’ ”
— Bishop on being the most effective participant on the crew after they began a chess membership this offseason.
Purdue
2022 file, end: 21-11, 11-9, sixth place
Coach Dave Shondell (425-217, 425-217), sophomore exterior hitter Eva Hudson, Graduate defensive specialist Maddie Schermerhorn
What they stated:
“Properly, I’m taking rather a lot tougher courses this summer season. Undoubtedly, freshman yr I sort of had blow-off courses, and that’s an enormous a part of the busy schedule. However I’d simply say the management now. I’m getting used to that function now that I’m a yr older and changing into extra vocal as a result of I really feel like final yr it was extra motion pushed. Simply engaged on my voice has undoubtedly been a troublesome however good problem for this summer season.”
— Hudson on what’s completely different this yr.
“Chloe Chicoine is a distinction maker. I believe even these two proper right here would acknowledge when she got here into our fitness center, our tradition improved, identical to it did when these guys got here within the fitness center. However she’s a workhorse and he or she’s obtained a cannon of an arm, and it’s going to take a variety of stress of individuals like Eva Hudson and Raven Colvin to have one other participant on the market that may create her personal factors for us. So she’s good to have.”
— Shondell on freshman exterior Chloe Chicoine
Nebraska
2022 file, end: 26-6, 16-4, second place
Coach John Cook dinner (817-171, 656-98), junior libero Lexi Rodriguez, junior reverse Merritt Beason
What they stated:
“It’s a extremely exhausting factor to understand that that many individuals are going to be there watching us, however on the finish of the day we’re very grateful that Husker Nation is as robust as it’s and that we even have the flexibility to play within the soccer stadium. I believe that’s actually cool. Like Lexi stated, it’s big for volleyball however girls’s sports activities generally, so for us to be part of it’s actually particular. It’ll be historical past within the making, and for us to be part of it and to play in it’s actually cool. Not many individuals get to say that they did.”
— Beason on taking part in in entrance of 90,000 followers at Memorial Stadium.
“She jogs my memory of Bud Crawford. She’s obtained the look. She’s an murderer.”
— Cook dinner on freshman setter Bergen Reilly, evaluating her to the undefeated and undisputed welterweight boxer.
Ohio State
2022 file, end: 22-10, 15-5, tied for third place
Coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg (65-20, 65-20), senior reverse Emily Londot, senior center blocker Rylee Rader
What they stated:
“It was undoubtedly completely different than being on the appropriate, however I’m simply right here to do no matter my crew wants, and wherever Coach decides to place me, I’ll do my finest. The tip aim is to win video games, and if profitable video games comes with me being on the left pin, I believe that’s what we’ll do.”
— Londot on taking part in some at exterior hitter this spring.
“It’s bizarre. Let’s be trustworthy. Name it what it’s. The COVID factor actually modified the world, and within the scheme of athletics, it makes it a little bit bit completely different and a little bit bit bizarre. On the finish of the day, you need to exit and compete no matter who’s on the opposite facet of the web, and we’re actually going to deal with who’s on our facet of the web.”
— Olberding on seeing former OSU gamers throughout the web taking part in for different groups.
Michigan
2022 file, end: 17-13, 7-13, ninth place
Coach Erin Advantage (0-0, 0-0), senior libero Hannah Grant, senior exterior hitter Allison Jacobs
What they stated:
“I believe it’s a extremely particular factor that solely we will communicate to, strolling into an workplace and seeking to your left and seeing a gold medal on the wall. That’s not one thing that nobody else within the Large Ten or in NCAA volleyball, aside from one faculty now, can say.”
— Jacobs on how invaluable Advantage’s expertise with the US nationwide crew has been.
“I’d by no means wish to be employed for a job as a result of I’m a feminine. I hope Michigan didn’t rent me as a result of I’m a feminine they usually need a feminine as their head coach. I’ve labored actually exhausting to construct up a profession, to hopefully do an awesome job for Michigan, and I’d be actually proud to try this. You’re proper, we see tons of male counterparts, and I’ve a lot respect for those who coach the sport at a excessive stage regardless.
Internationally that’s even worse. I believe on the Olympic Video games of twelve groups, I believe whole there have been three girls of each employees on any bench. So it’s internationally. I believe the USA is main in girls leaders on this sport, which is thrilling, and we nonetheless have a reasonably skewed quantity. Not that that’s dangerous or good, however we’re rising. What I’ll inform you is simply on the earth, I believe this can be a place the place the USA can lead of simply having girls leaders in volleyball. It does make me proud to have the ability to hopefully present our girls on our crew in the event that they do wish to carve a path in teaching that it may be finished at whichever stage that they need.”
— Advantage on the importance of being considered one of 5 feminine coaches within the Large Ten.
Indiana
2022 file, end: 16-16, Sept. 11 eighth place
Coach Steve Aird Smith (116-161, 61-87), senior exterior hitter Grae Gosnell, junior setter Camryn Haworth
What they stated:
“As we had been saying at dinner and within the automobile, none of us have actually celebrated being eighth at something in our life. It’s actually not the Tremendous Bowl. It’s about making an attempt to maintain getting higher and hold bettering and having a ton of respect for the convention.”
— Aird on constructing on final yr’s convention end.
“We’ve gotten to the purpose with our program the place we solely assist one another. Your success is my success. Like your exhausting work is our exhausting work, and it simply feeds. I believe the reciprocated vitality of simply that unconditional assist of any person getting again there to the tip line and simply letting it rip, there’s nothing higher than the sensation of — whether or not you’re serving or it’s your teammate serving and getting the ace or no matter it’s, it’s simply unmatched.”
— Gosnell on Indiana’s success from the service line.
On faucet Wednesday:
Illinois — Coach Chris Tamas, Brooke Mosher, Raina Terry
Iowa — Coach Jim Barnes, Delaney McSweeney, Bailey Ortega
Maryland — Coach Adam Hughes, Sydney Dowler, Sam Csire
Minnesota — Coach Keegan Cook dinner, Taylor Landfair, Melani Shaffmaster
Penn State — Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Allie Holland, Zoe Weatherington
Rutgers — Coach Caitlin Schweihofer, Taylor Humphrey, Alissa Kinkela
Wisconsin — Coach Kelly Sheffield, Izzy Ashburn, MJ Hammill