Heller likes team's unselfishness, willingess to work as a unit

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 8, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- Admittedly, fourth-year University of Mount Olive men's volleyball coach David Heller emerged almost speechless after a recent team meeting that involved discussing goals for the 2016 season.

Not a single player mentioned anything he'd like to achieve individually.

Instead, the team discussed unity, supporting each other from the bench and even possibly becoming a YouTube sensation to help give one of the nation's smallest Division II schools some notoriety on social media.

It's an unorthodox outlook.

But Heller can visualize his players' aspirations.

"The potential that we have this year is, I think, something special that we really haven't seen in the four years that I've been here," Heller said. "Across the board, this is the closest race I've had for starting groups since I've been here. Our talent is a lot more deep in a lot of positions, and there are some really strong freshmen and sophomores that are looking to not just do well in conference, but I think on the national scene as well."

In other words, Heller and assistant coach Colby Miller could experience a constant windmill of devising a starting seven based on the opponent on the other side of the net.

Five of the Trojans' top six offensive performers return.

Bret Rutledge returns to the opposite side along with 6-foot-8 sophomore Robert Poole, who has fully recovered from a midseason injury. Poole played for his junior national team last summer and represented the UK on the beach volleyball scene.

The two left-handers are joined by Kellan Hollingsworth, who had offseason surgery and freshman Fabian Ramen from Sweden. Ironically, Ramen is the lone right-handed hitter among the group.

"I think we've got size over there that's going to make us a strong blocking team," said Heller, whose team 247 blocks, average of 2.9 per match in 2015.

There are no upperclassmen pin hitters on the outside.

Returning sophomores Peyton Schirman and Kian Hollevoet, are expected to provide leadership on that set of the net. Schirman endured an injury that affected the team's chemistry during the critical part of the season.

They're joined by Ivan Trifunovic, who played for the Serbian junior national team and has phenomenal passing skills; freshman Brad Monaghan from the Netherlands; and 6-foot-4 Joel Roberts, a former teammate of Poole in the UK.

"He comes with a full cannon," Heller said of Roberts. "When he unleashes, you definitely don't want to be on the receiving end when he takes a swing because he puts all of his body into it. Hitting errors are going to be the biggest challenge for the freshmen."

Sydow, Alex Palmatier and Mike Mann were the mainstays in the Trojans' middle attack last season. The trio combined for 300-plus kills -- nearly 25 percent of the team's total kill output a year ago.

The talent level in the gym has risen since last season and no one is safe at any of the starting positions. The daily competition among the players should prove beneficial throughout the season and Heller expects to use the team's height as a weapon.

UMO's average height across the net is 6-5 -- the tallest team that Heller has ever put on the court. Palmatier and Poole are each 6-8, while sophomore middle Gustavo Bregaglio and sophomore middle Nate Saska are each 6-7.

The Trojans played solid defense during the fall portion of their schedule and Heller doesn't expect that to change. UMO recorded 988 digs as a team last season.

The work level has to remain at a high rate for Mount Olive, which plays six nationally-ranked teams on its 24-game schedule. The Trojans tip off the season at home tonight against St. Francis (Pa.). First serve is 7 p.m.