Program turnaround seeks next level

Photo by: Taylor Hansen

8/23/2022 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball, Paul Coro

With 94% of scoring back, GCU chases WAC title after 3 runner-up seasons

By: Paul Coro

The Grand Canyon women's volleyball program has flipped like a snow globe, going from being a quiet program on the build over three years to one with wins pouring down for the past three years.

The Lopes went from 25-56 with 8-36 WAC and 11-21 home records to 54-17 in the past three seasons with 33-11 WAC and 29-4 home records.

That includes three consecutive runner-up conference finishes, including a WAC Tournament championship loss last year that has the Lopes looking to take the program to a full flip into a NCAA tournament team this season.

GCU begins that quest this week with its seven top scorers returning for a season-opening tournament Friday and Saturday at Montana State before a Sept. 2-4 home event.

"The returners and leadership group has made it a point that we've got some debts to pay," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "That starts in the practice gym, but it's going to carry over into conference. This whole nonconference run is simply getting us ready for the conference run. That unfinished business is very clear in the locker room."

The Lopes are loaded with returnees, including four Preseason All-WAC picks when no other conference team had more than two. But six newcomers refreshed the look and stocked the Lopes at the pins.

That bunch of outside hitters returns sophomore McKenzie Wise, GCU's scoring leader and the only freshman to rank in the conference's top for kills per set (3.65) last season.

"I've liked our arms and our velocity," said Nollan, who returns 94% of last season's scoring. "We have more depth than we've had in a long, long time at the outside hitter position, both the left and right. We have a lot of girls who can score and they're all a little different, which is great because it presents a ton of matchup problems. They all can be very terminal. We can ball-handle. We can serve. But we can certainly score."

Wise returns with juniors Hope Hanak-Harper, Ashley Lifgren and Georgia Turri, but Nollan and his staff created package options by adding two graduate transfers (Preseason All-WAC pick Melanie Brecka from Kansas City and Megan Taflinger from Wichita State) and two freshmen (Tatum Parrott from Phoenix Greenway and Anaelena Ramirez from El Paso).

Ashley Lifgren

"The gym is already super-competitive, which will help in the matches," said Lifgren, who strengthened this summer after improving from 1.87 kills per set as a freshman to 2.88 last season. "With everything we've worked on in the past two years, I'm more confident. Hitting high hands. Hitting with more velocity."

Senior setter Klaire Mitchell, backed by junior Ava Mason and sophomore Megan Liu, is charged with diversifying the attack after winning WAC Setter of the Year twice. She is well suited, ranking 18th nationally with a career average of 10.3 assists per set.

"It's really easy to teach someone the timing when you have someone who can put the ball on the spot over and over and over again," Nollan said. "Klaire's been a leader for us and a good mentor for kids. She's been the cornerstone for our program for a hot minute now and we're looking to keep her for a bit longer."

Middle blockers Hannah Eskes, Annabelle Kubinski, Sydney Reed and Alissa Uhlenhop keep the recent strength of the club fortified. They are helping to guide young hitters after Eskes and Kubinski were each full-time starters last season, pushing Kubinski's career start total to 75 matches.

"It being my last year, I've felt it building all these years and I've felt this program going in the right direction and getting so close," said Kubinski, who ranked second in the WAC for hitting percentage (.349) last season. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make this the year that we finally get it and I know the team is on the same page.

"I feel my game's at the best it's ever been."

The Lopes' largest loss was longtime libero Teagan DeFalco, who ranked nationally for aces (18th) and digs (38th) last season, but Katherine Schmitt and Castan Sturm return with strong service and receiving skills and the veterans rave about freshman Tatum Thomas setting the tone by relentlessly beating balls to the floor.

"Tatum Thomas is a ball of energy," Kubinski said of the Chandler Hamilton graduate. "She's amazing to play with."

Part of what helped GCU reach the upper quadrant of Division I in NCAA Ratings Percentage Index is a tremendous home-court advantage. The Lopes are 18-1 at GCU Arena over the past two seasons and ranked 25th nationally with 1,424 fans per game.

"They do such a great job of making it an event, not just a game they go to," Nollan said of the Havocs' effect as a student section. "Our record shows it. They impact the game by showing up and being loud and having fun. What a great feeling that is for the student body to know they can contribute and be part of it by having a great time. Our athletes certainly notice it. The country notices it. We're in the top 25 for attendance. I'd love to get in the top 15."

The GCU brand of tenacious defense and aggressive serving is adding a more powerful counterattack to increase its following and deepen its postseason run.

"The past few years, every team has been so close," Lifgren said. "I think this is our year. We all want it that bad. We want to be the ones to finally finish it and get that ring."

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 20: GCU Women's Volleyball hosts UTEP on August 20, 2022 at GCU Arena for an exhibition matchup (Photo by Taylor Hansen/GCU).