Penn State women’s volleyball held its second media availability of the 2021 season Tuesday afternoon before practice at Rec Hall.

Head coach Russ Rose, senior setter Gabby Blossom, and senior libero Jenna Hampton fielded questions ahead of the Penn State Classic this weekend. The Nittany Lions, who checked in at No. 17 in the most recent AVCA rankings, face Iowa State in their home opener Friday at 8 p.m. and will honor Olympic gold medalists Haleigh Washington and Micha Hancock during the match.

Rose, Blossom, and Hampton discussed the team’s performance last weekend at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Florida, how Penn State’s freshmen are coming along, and the excitement of soon having fans back at Rec Hall, among other topics.

After sweeping UCF in the tournament finale Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd, the Nittany Lions (2-1) stayed the night and flew back the next day. However, their flight from Washington, D.C., to State College was significantly delayed, so the team opted to bus home the rest of the way instead.

Russ Rose

What are your thoughts on opening weekend?

“I know more about the new players. I know more about the team than I did before we played. There were some questions that I think were clarified. I thought we got better in each match. I didn’t think we were ready for how well Georgia Tech played, then we played better against St. John’s, and I thought we played our best match against the home team with a big crowd. I thought that was probably more reflective of how we are than how we started, but that’s just part of a learning curve when you have new people in the program. I was disappointed with some things, but again, I thought Georgia Tech played really well. Their two outside hitters, [Mariana Brambilla and Julia Bergmann], played way better than our defense. Those two players kind of carried the match.”

How does it feel to be able to come back and play on your home court?

“Well, it’s certainly nice to be back. We only have one of the four [non-conference] weekends at home this year, so it’s even more important for us to get comfortable playing in Rec Hall, because we are on the road for the next two weekends again. I think the players always appreciate the opportunity to play at home and to have fans and family members come out and watch, so I think that’s a real positive thing. It should make the players a little more relaxed. I thought a couple kids were tight, how they played. Hopefully that’s just getting their first-match jitters out of the way and that’s not in their DNA.”

What’s it been like seeing Arielle Wilson transition from a player to a coach?

“It’s fantastic. I’m incredibly fond of Arielle for just the person she is. She worked so hard to graduate from Penn State. I mean, she was a great player and led the nation in hitting and won four national championships, but she also had to work really hard academically to get through. She dabbled in playing professionally and with the national team and coaching. I had a great conversation with her. And I had always been in touch with her, so it’s not like I haven’t seen her for a while. We keep in touch quite a bit. It’s great. Ari’s enjoying what she’s doing, and that’s what you hope people are going to do when they get into a profession.”

How do you keep the momentum coming off of back-to-back wins?

“I don’t look at that as momentum, actually. I just think it’s three new teams that are all really good programs that have been in the NCAA tournament and have great players and coaches. Each opponent will pose different challenges for our team. We had momentum a number of years ago when we won a lot of matches in a row. I guess that’s momentum. I don’t look at two matches as anything other than the first weekend is done and we know a little bit more. Now, we have to try and get better at some of the things that were identified over the weekend.”

How exciting is it for the Williams family to have Erika’s sister, Alia, and LSU coming here?

“I’m sure it will be exciting for them to see their daughters, and certainly we hope the LSU players don’t have any family members affected by the most recent storm down there. I’m sure that they’ll enjoy some family time.”

What’s one thing that you saw from last weekend that needs to be improved upon for the rest of the season?

“I thought we made way too many service errors, especially in the Georgia Tech match. Some people, their serving should be more tactical than velocity-driven, so I think it’s players getting a little more comfortable. That’s key for us to get in the gym and just get comfortable serving there and passing there, because those two skills are so highly correlated with success.”

What are your thoughts on Cassie Kuerschen’s debut weekend?

“I thought she had a good impact in the Central Florida match. I thought she came in and served an ace and did a nice job. She plays really hard and has a good IQ, so it was good. I got her in to serve and I got Maddy [Bilinovic] in to pass. Those two might kind of have more specific roles along those lines. If the outside hitters struggle, then we can bring these two in for them in the back row, and either have them or some others go in the front row if we’re not getting good production.”

How important are these non-conference matches to get you prepared for Big Ten play down the line?

“The preseason provides a number of things. One thing is it gives you an opportunity to see your team if you’re implementing new players. If you have a returning roster and you’re playing the same unit, then I think you would be more performance-driven to maintain the momentum that you’ve had previously. In our case, part of it is to have a chance to see those players. Another part of it is it’s involved in the assessment later in the year for at-large bids if you’re not able to successfully win your conference. I think our conference is going to be really, really hard to win, so for us, it’s important because these will be like teams that we’ll be on the board with when it comes to analyzing things. I look at it as we’re responsible for the preseason schedule, the Big Ten is responsible for the Big Ten schedule, and the NCAA is responsible for the NCAA tournament. Two of the three, you have no bearing on, so we’re in a cycle where we’re playing LSU and Iowa State and in a similar cycle that we’re still playing Stanford and Oregon. I think it’s good to play good teams. You learn more about your team playing good teams. You, of course, increase the risk of losing, but you lose a match, you don’t lose the important part of understanding what you need to work on, and the players get a little more of a dose of how they have to compete against other teams at a high level.”

What are your thoughts on Iowa State’s Candelaria Herrera, who played in the Olympics for Argentina?

“We played them two years ago and she was terrific. I watched every Olympic match I could see. She’s improving as she gets older. They have a new setter, [Jaden Newsome], so they’ve got some new players since we saw them two years ago, because we didn’t play last year. I think she’s certainly one of the top middles in the country. There are not a lot of Olympians who are in college in our sport. She was the only one [in Tokyo]. She’s a great offensive player and blocks really well. She has a good serve. Argentina plays hard and is passionate about their sports. I’m sure that we’ll notice her improvement for the players who were on the team two years ago.”

How different do you think the intensity will be this week than it was last week?

“Playing at home, you hope the energy is really high, but everybody gets better from the first week to the second week. I don’t look at it as an intensity thing, although I think it’s good to play with passion and awareness of what your responsibilities are. It’s the second week of the season. It’s not the biggest week of the season, it’s the next week of the season. I’ll probably still be tweaking the lineup a little bit trying to find the best scenario and matchup of players, because the Big Ten is very, very strong.”

What are your early thoughts on Adanna Rollins and Erika Pritchard and how they’re adjusting?

“I just think it’s a big adjustment. They were both very successful at their previous programs and both of the coaches there are really good. Obviously, Hugh [McCutcheon] won a gold medal, so check that box. Hugh worked in our program, and when he worked in our program, I thought he was a very, very good coach, and had a really good handle on the game. I think both of them are good players. They’re just playing with new people and different expectations. It’s just different. It’s like probably major league sports when you get traded, you go to a new team. You know how to play, but it’s a whole new dynamic. The coaching is different. The personnel you’re playing with are different. I think part of our performance last weekend was the learning curve of implementing those individuals. They’ll get better. We have other people as well, so it’s not like they have to carry the team. They’re here to enhance the team.”

Allie Holland is one of the younger players on the team. How have you seen her progress from last year to this year so far?

“She’s a better hitter this year. She’s always been a very strong blocker and I think her hitting is much improved. She works really hard, so all the success that is going to happen her way is because she works hard and takes her role seriously. She’s the serving middle right now. She hits the ball hard. With that, you get more errors probably than I might want, but I thought she was one of our better servers last weekend.”

What are your thoughts on how Emily Oerther is coming along in her third year with the program?

“Emily’s doing fine. In the Georgia Tech match, she was in setting a little bit. I’ve got confidence that if she needs to go in and set, she can do that. Part of the challenge is just the rotations. If I’m having to sub out the outside hitters, then I don’t have as much flexibility to double sub at the setter position. I think Emily’s game is good. She’s got a wonderful personality and I think she’s making good progress. I’m sure she might want to play more. I think a lot of the players always want to play more. That’s the big challenge these days is keeping people happy, so we’ll see.”

Jonni Parker is one of the veterans on the team. How do you see her lead on the floor?

“Jonni does it by carrying a heavy load offensively and interacting well with her teammates. She played really well against Central Florida. I thought that was one of her best matches that she’s played here at Penn State. She competes hard. We have to monitor her a little bit, because we have to keep an eye on her physically. She’s a great teammate and a great leader. So much of our success is linked to how Jonni performs and does the things she does.”

How pleased are you to have Haleigh Washington and Micha Hancock coming back to Rec Hall?

“I’m thrilled that Haleigh and Micha are coming back and that our fans will have a chance to recognize two individuals who gave a great deal to our program before moving on and helping USA win a gold medal. It’s great to have any of the alumnae talk to the players, but certainly these two can elaborate on different things because of their experiences collegiately, professionally, and internationally. I communicate with them already, so it’s not like we’ve been estranged. I’m happy that they’ll have an opportunity to come back, albeit a quick visit. I really appreciate them taking the time to come back before they have to go to their pro contract in Italy.”

Is there any sigh of relief now that you have the first loss out of the way so early?

“No. People who say there are benefits from losing aren’t in coaching. They’re doing something else. We earned the loss, though. Georgia Tech was better than we were.”

Gabby Blossom

What are your thoughts on how last weekend went?

“I don’t think it was necessarily the outcome we wanted all three games, but I think we got better as the weekend went on. I think after the first match, things could have gone bad and we could have not bounced back. I thought we bounced back pretty well. We’re old and experienced, but young in playing together. I think as we get more games and we get to play together more and gel and mesh in an actual game setting, things will get better. For a first weekend, I’m excited for where we can be. It was exciting traveling with everyone again and all the new people. It’s just a fun experience getting on the road for the first time.”

What were some ways you were able to kill time when you had a bit of a break on Saturday?

“I think the day is always just a little busy with team meals and film and scouting and there are other games going on. I mean, it’s free time, but it’s not necessarily free time in Florida like people might think it is.”

Do you have any pre-match superstitions or things you like to do like listen to music or read?

“I listen to music, but I don’t have any superstitions. Honestly, it depends on the mood. Anything that can kind of get you pumped up and in the right mindset. We normally play music on a speaker in the locker room and everyone just sings and we have dance parties and stuff, which is fun.”

How have you seen Emily Oerther grow as a setter?

“I love Emily. She’s one of my best friends. We get along so well, so just getting to train and do stuff together is really fun. I think she’s really good. She’s really physical at the net. She’s a good blocker. She runs a great offense. I’m just really glad we get to train and do stuff together.”

What are some of your early thoughts on Rachel Muisenga?

“We do all the setting stuff together. She makes us laugh. She keeps it fun. Having new young people in the gym just keeps everything exciting. I’m really excited for her career here. She’s going to be really good. I’m just glad I get to be a part of it.”

What’s it like to have Haleigh and Micha back this weekend to meet with the team?

“That’s going to be exciting. We never got to play with them, obviously, but we hear so many stories about them and coach always talks about them and how great they were. It’s definitely going to be exciting. I’m excited to be in Rec Hall again with all the fans. Obviously, all the fans love them, so it will just be a great experience.”

What’s your relationship like with Purdue libero Jena Otec?

“Jena has been one of my best friends forever. We’ve played together since we were 11 and played [for the Rockwood Thunder] until we were 18. Our families are best friends. She’s a sister to me. I love her to death. I’m so grateful volleyball brought her into my life.”

How have your parents influenced you as a coach and former player?

“They are amazing. They’re the greatest support system ever. When I say I would not still be here if it was not for them, I’m serious. They are the people I call in the good and the bad. They come to all the matches just about any time they can, but more than anything, they’re just the greatest support system I could have asked for. It’s fun I get to be on the journey with them and they get to experience it with me. It just makes it more special.”

What’s it going to be like to have all the fans back in Rec Hall this weekend?

“Oh, my gosh, we are so excited. We’ve been talking about it for two years now since our last match pre-COVID. We talk about it all the time. We have the best fans in the country. We love them, we get to know them, they become part of our experience at Penn State, and we’re just so pumped. We keep telling all the new people how exciting it is, but until you’re there and you see the band and all the fans and everything, nothing compares to it. It makes Penn State so special.”

What’s it been like playing with Erika Pritchard and Adanna Rollins?

“It’s been awesome. I’ve actually known Adanna for so long. We met at a Penn State camp when we were 14 or 15 and we stayed great friends throughout. Ending our careers together is just bittersweet. It’s cool. She’s so funny. She makes me laugh. We have such a good time together. Erika, I obviously haven’t known her as long, but she’s one of my roommates and I love her to death. We are so lucky they both came and wanted to be a part of our program. We love them. I couldn’t imagine our team without them now.”

Coach Rose said last week that Jenna Hampton is playing at her highest level right now. How have you seen that manifest?

“People are like, ‘If there’s a Jenna, there’s a Gabby.’ We’re always together. I’m just so happy for her. She’s so good at volleyball, but she’s so much more than a good volleyball player. She’s a great leader. Everyone loves her. She’s one of those people who you want to do so well, because everyone loves her. I’m so excited for her. It’s cool when your best friends are doing amazing things. I’m just glad I get to watch and be a part of it.”

What are your early thoughts on NIL and how that’s going for the team so far?

“I honestly don’t really know much about it. I’m not a huge social media person myself, so I don’t know tons. Obviously, our school has done a great job of helping in any way they can help. I think it’s kind of as much as you want to do is cool. Some of my teammates have done stuff and that’s super exciting for them. Obviously, it’s going to evolve so much. It’s definitely a cool opportunity and people have done really cool things with it, so it will be exciting to see how that progresses.”

What are some ways that you’re a little different as a setter now versus when you were a freshman?

“I feel like one of coach’s main things was I had to be better at defense. I’m short. I’m not going to change. I’m not going to grow, so I spent a lot of time working on defense, trying to be a better defender. I feel like I probably talk more. I’ve always kind of been a talker, but the older you get, the more responsibility there is to talk and know what’s going on. I think every year there’s just a new challenge and a new understanding of what the team needs. Obviously, the older you get, the more the team needs you to do different roles. It’s definitely just learning and growing with the team you have and making differences where you need to for certain personnel.”

Jenna Hampton

What was it like having some family and friends there to watch you last weekend?

“It was awesome. I had a lot of old friends come who I hadn’t seen in a really long time, so that was cool. It was good to be back in Florida for a little bit. I wish the turnout was a little better, but it was still a good time. It’s always good to see family.”

What are some of your early thoughts on Cassie Kuerschen and how she’s adjusting to the program?

“I think Cassie, right off the bat, fit in pretty well. She’s a super aggressive player. She’s everything that you want in a defensive player and I’m really excited for her this season.”

What about Lexi Skripek and Quinn Menger? How have you taken them under your wing?

“They’ve also been fitting in pretty well. I think all the freshmen have been super good and they both came in with a really nice serve and are really talkative. They’re not shy and they’re not afraid to get in those drills and be aggressive, so it’s been really fun with them.”

What’s it like being one of the seniors and having some extra leadership this year?

“It’s weird saying I’m a senior, but I take a lot of pride in the leadership that I’ve learned throughout all these years. Gabby and Jonni have also been super helpful this year, so I’m just excited to get going in the Big Ten.”

What are some things you’ve learned from the coaching staff over the years that has really stuck with you?

“I’ve learned so much from them, but I think I’ve just grown more as a leader. I came in here not being the most vocal and I think now I talk a lot during plays. I’ve just learned to be a leader and get out of my comfort zone a little bit more in the back row.”

You and Erika Pritchard went to Japan together on the 2019 Big Ten foreign tour. What’s it like being her teammate again?

“Oh, it’s awesome. I mean, she’s done so many great things for us so far and I’m excited to see how [much] more she’s going to progress. It’s weird how it came full circle, because we were actually roommates in Japan, so it was super cool. She’s a great girl. I’m really excited to work with her this season. As soon as I heard she was in the portal, I reached out to her, because that’s someone who we were super interested in. It was really good connecting back with her. We got to talk a lot. I swayed her to come I think. No, I’m kidding. Yeah, I’m excited for her to be here.”

What’s your relationship like with Gabby? I know you two are really close. You’ve both been on the court a lot and have played together a ton over the years.

“We’re hand in hand. We’re always together. When she’s not with me, everyone’s asking where she is. She’s one of my best friends and I think she’s grown so much as a player and a person here and is a really good leader.”

How much is the team looking forward to having Haleigh and Micha back this weekend?

“Oh, it’s going to be the coolest thing ever. I’m like nervous to see them. I’m so excited. They’re like superstars to me. I think it’s awesome how they carried us to the Olympics and I’m really excited to see them.”

Are you looking forward to having the crowd and the band and all your parents back in Rec Hall?

“Oh, yeah. I’m so ready for that. That’s something we missed a lot. UCF gave us a little bit of what an atmosphere can look like, but I’m excited to have everyone in Rec Hall and see everyone again.”

What are some things that you think the team did well last weekend and what are some things you can work on to improve?

“Yeah, I think because everyone is kind of new and we’re playing next to new people, we’re still adjusting with communication, but I think our team chemistry is just going to keep growing throughout the games as we learn from our mistakes. We’re ready to get back at it this weekend.”

How have you seen Allie Holland grow as a player in year two?

“I think she’s grown tremendously. I think she’s doing such a good job. She’s working really hard and it’s showing on the court. Something she’s been really improving on is her serve as well. She comes in and just bullets. I think that’s something that’s really important for a middle. A lot of middles don’t really, not necessarily do well, but that’s a skill she’s super good at and I think that’s super effective for her.”

What are some of your thoughts on Anjelina Starck?

“Anjelina is a key passer for us. She can do it all. Sometimes, we’ll have her setting, hitting, passing. I think that’s something super important to be a versatile player and that’s something she brings to the team, which is really good.”