Volleyball Preview: Setters
Coach Cook's Thoughts On The 2020-21 Dawgs
1/18/2021
Ella May Powell
Junior
2019 Key Stats: 10.49 assists/set | 0.32 aces/set | 2.31 digs/set | .295 Att %
"It’s strange to think that more of Ella May’s career is in front of her than behind her. Her drive to improve grows each year and pushes me to rethink our offense each offseason. This fall she had a meniscus repair in her knee, which is a longer recovery than just a meniscus clean-up or removal, so she didn’t take a shortcut on that recovery, she wanted to make long-term progress. It felt like something was amiss through our fall training not having her there. She was doing a lot of lonely work. She spent most of her break at home doing rehab. The timetable for her return is pretty tight, so we’re trying to work her back into it now.
“Like a lot of great players, she’s perpetually dissatisfied. No matter where she’s at or how well she’s playing there’s a sense of ‘yeah, I’ve got to get better.’ That comes from her, not from me. We’ve got to make sure she’s fully healthy and then pick up where we left off, which was obviously a great sophomore campaign. Strange to think we’ll get three more opportunities to see her doing her thing. Excited to have her back playing in the gym.”
Olivia Mikkelsen
Redshirt Freshman
"One year ago, Olivia Mikkelson couldn’t walk due to a hip fracture. Fast forward to today and she’s the best she’s ever been. No player heard my voice more in the fall season. Everyone’s development this fall depended on her. Every rep of offense came from her. She had no choice but to grow quickly and we are all lucky for her athleticism and durability.
“It will go down as one of the toughest training blocks I’ve ever put a player through and Olivia grew in so many ways. That has got her to a place where she’s now playing at a much better level that we need. Certainly I feel a lot more confident now to have her setting within a 6-2 if needed.”
