Update: Returning Talent (Part 1): 2016 Attack Stats compared with 2012/2013 Attack Stats

Think back to 2013. Penn State had come oh-so-close to making the NCAA finals in 2012, losing to Oregon, 3-1 in a tough match in which sophomore setter Micha Hancock was injured in the second set, limiting her effectiveness for the rest of the match.

In 2013, the Nittany Lions returned almost everyone from that 2012 squad — including Jr. setter Hancock, Sr. OH Deja McClendon, So. OH Megan Courtney, Sr. RS/Opp Ariel Scott, Sr. MH Katie Slay, and Jr. MH Nia Grant. That 2013 team built on their experience from the 2012 season to capture the NCAA Title in Seattle, taking down the home town Washington Huskies in a dominating sweep in the Semifinals, and holding off a tenacious and talented Wisconsin team 3-1 in the Finals.

Penn State has pretty much everyone back in 2017, too.  We’re not predicting an NCAA title for Penn State in 2017, and the point here really isn’t to compare the 2012/2013 players to the 2016 players — although to some extent that’s an inevitable conclusion some will make, given the comparison of their statistics.

Of greater interest to us was to see how the statistics from 2012 weren’t necessarily all that different from the statistics in 2016.  And, equally (or more) important — how many of the players improved, statistically, from 2012 to 2013.  Although there’s no guarantee, it’s not unrealistic to anticipate improvement from 2016 to 2017 — without even taking into account the three new front row players: RS Kat Cather, MH Cami May, and OH Michaela Putnicki.

Below is the first of a series of tables that makes those comparisons — this one for attack statistics. We’re going to leave the commentary to the DigNittanyVolleyball Forum. Have at it.

Returning Talent: Comparing Attack Stats from 2016 and 2012/2013

YearName Pos.Cl.SPMPKK/SETA%
2016Lee,
Simone
OH3/Jr.12134
5034.161741245.264
2013McClendon,
Deja
OH4/Sr.126363783.00117953.274
2012McClendon,
Deja
OH3/Jr.124364033.251311106.246
2016Frantti,
Ali
OH3/Jr.121342952.4499861.228
2013Courtney,
Megan
OH2/So.120352972.4796704.272
2012Courtney,
Megan
OH1/Fr. 120362402.0088632.241
2016Washington,
Haleigh
MH3/Jr.12134
2912.4052556.430
2013Slay,
Katie
MH4/Sr.127362742.16 54531.414
2012Slay,
Katie
MH3/Jr.122352792.2958537.412
2016Gorrell,
Tori
MH1/RS
Fr.
121342011.6665378.360
2013Grant,
Nia
MH3/Jr.118352081.7664411.350
2012Grant,
Nia
MH2/So.124362051.6552407.376
2016Thelen,
Heidi
RS3/Jr.118342051.7467518.266
2013Scott,
Ariel
RS4/Sr.115353833.33103971.288
2012Scott,
Ariel
RS3/Jr.125364693.751271110.308
2016Detering,
Abby
S3/Jr.10933950.8719229.332
2013Hancock,
Micha
S3/Jr.127361291.0236281.331
2012Hancock,
Micha
S2/So.125361251.0032260.368
2016Teamn/an/a12134162613.444933893.291
2013Teamn/an/a12736181414.285234231.305
2012Teamn/an/a12536178814.305144222.302
2016Opp.n/an/a12134139411.527173969.171
2013Opp.n/an/a12736136710.767764270.138
2012Opp.n/an/a12536134610.778004242.129

 

 

 

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