I'm wondering how we did in volleyball recruiting? They haven't announced the class.

Middle blocker Ellie Hamm of Merced High signed last Friday, but is a preferred walk-on, so we won't know until spring unless Crosson allows her to come early to fill the void left by Anderson's transfer. No word about their two other commits in libero Sarah Schrag and opposite Ava Mehrten, but I expect to hear from them soon. Expect the team to sign one or two more recruits in addition to those three
https://www.mercedsunstar.com/sports/high-school/article247182481.html

calbears4ever said:

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Middle blocker Ellie Hamm of Merced High signed last Friday, but is a preferred walk-on, so we won't know until spring unless Crosson allows her to come early to fill the void left by Anderson's transfer. No word about their two other commits in libero Sarah Schrag and opposite Ava Mehrten, but I expect to hear from them soon. Expect the team to sign one or two more recruits in addition to those three
https://www.mercedsunstar.com/sports/high-school/article247182481.html

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Thanks! I don't believe PWO sign a letter of intent. The other two would have signed a letter last week and Coach Crosson could issue a press release like other sports have done.

NLI signees can sign anytime starting on the 11th, so who knows

looks like not very many highly rated players coming to CAL. hopefully can turn things around.

Hamm and Mehrten are good players and I have confidence in them. Both are powerful forces at the net, and I believe that Mehrten will be a better backup to Lilomaiava than Taumoepeau (she's a lefty like Lilo, and Taumoepeau is right-handed).

If Mehrten is a walk-on, she does not sign a letter of intent! It's hard to believe, if she was going to be a bonafide contributor, why wouldn't she get a scholarship?! Of course, she would!!!

Yeah I know, and there was no mentioning of whether she is a walk-on or not, so it's hard to know the real deal. Just because someone is a walk-on doesn't mean they're bad, think Houghton. If Mehrten is a walk-on and does well, she could eventually earn a scholarship after Potter and Mirkovic leave

it will probably take 2 more cycles of recruiting to get the proper players. I hope Sam is up to the task.

still disappointed about last season not going to the party.

Again, if Crosson didn't want them, he would've let them go. Let's just wait until the season starts. Sometimes the overhype can be the downfall of the recruit, you never know

We're also getting a setter from Switzerland: Annalea Maeder. Guess that's a telltale sign that Potter is not coming back

Just an FYI, but I know a young woman who was a walkon at UW and was a 4 year starter at middle for them. This was intended as a response to senorbeta

Which player? Grote's sister Marin?

Melanie Wade

She was apparently a very acclaimed player who was nominated for the Tom Hansen award. I can see that happening to Grote

CalBear84 said:

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Just an FYI, but I know a young woman who was a walkon at UW and was a 4 year starter at middle for them. This was intended as a response to senorbeta

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So, you think recruited walk-in's are a reliable way to build a championship program? I can name walk ons in many sports that made a difference to the success of a program, but is that the point?

I don't think DeSa came on scholarship right away, but she is solid at the libero position this season and I think she is the one to take over. Definitely reminds me a lot of Emma Smith, our previous libero who is now an alum of the program. I don't think Grote came on scholarship either, but she has an absolute hammer of an arm and is one of the bright spots in an otherwise depleted roster

calbears4ever said:

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I don't think Grote came on scholarship either, but she has an absolute hammer of an arm and is one of the bright spots in an otherwise depleted roster

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They came on scholarship!

That's interesting, because Crosson announced their signing in late April and that's why I thought the opposite. Pantovic, Taumoepeau, and Jensen were announced in November and they all are scholie players

CalBear84 said:

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Just an FYI, but I know a young woman who was a walkon at UW and was a 4 year starter at middle for them. This was intended as a response to senorbeta

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So, is your point, as well, to build a top volleyball program through walk-ons? My point, all along, is the need to recruit top players domestically and internationally through scholarship is the way to build a top program! Walk-ons are walk-ons for a reason.

For 2022, they have recruited 3 players all on scholarship (Peyton DeJardin, Sophie Scott, and Makayla Hayden). I think Maeder might be a late signee scholie player for 2021 but I'm not sure

We need our pipeline to the old Yugoslavia to reopen. We got some great players from those countries!

Jerkov, Cutura, and Vukasovic (all Croatian) were the most recent players from that region who played for our program. That is, if you don't count Mirkovic, who is Serbian-born but spent most of her life in Irvine (read the 2018 Daily Cal article to learn more). I believe Pantovic, despite being from Vancouver, is of Eastern European descent as well

My prediction is correct: Hamm, Maeder, Schrag, and Mehrten are the four new players for fall 2021

https://calbears.com/news/2021/5/4/volleyball-berkeley-bound.aspx