• Roster
• |
• Schedule/Results
• |
• Stats
• |
• News
• |
• Archives

Aug. 25, 2008

SETTERS
The 2008 Longhorns boast a pair of talented setters in junior Ashley Engle and incoming freshman Michelle Kocher. Engle has spent her first two seasons on the Forty Acres as an opposite hitter, twice earning All-Big 12 honors and garnering All-America accolades as a freshman. The junior southpaw worked hard in the spring to develop her setting, thus giving Elliott two viable setting options.

“Ashley had a phenomenal spring setting the ball and I think that she has developed into one of the best setters in the country,” Elliott noted. “The question is where she fits best in our puzzle to make this team the best. As a setter she is able to do things that not many people in the country can do with her dumping, size and strength. Ashley gives us the opportunity to look at a 6-2 option, but that will all be played out in the preseason to see where we want to head.”

Kocher comes to UT as a heralded prep player, helming perennial Illinois state power St. Francis’ attack as a four-year starter. The 5-10 freshman led St. Francis to a 2A State Championship in 2006, a 1A State Championship in 2004 and a 3A State Runner-up finish in 2007. She also led her Sports Performance club team to a USA U18 Junior Olympics championship in 2007 and was named to the Junior Olympic All-Tournament team in 2006.

“Michelle is a very experienced setter who comes from a good background of training at Sports Performance,” Elliott said. “She doesn’t bring the same size as Engle, but she’s a very calm, confident setter that is very cerebral in her thought process and set selection. She’s one of the few freshmen who is capable of coming in and playing right away, and that’s going to be one of the things we have to figure out as the first part of the season unfolds.”