Sydney Anderson, Utah's starting setter as a freshman last season, will continue her college career at Nebraska.
TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, November 9, 2007 6:00 pm
When Sydney Anderson opted to leave Utah last spring, she figured it would be for a spot on one of the top West Coast teams.
“I really always wanted to go to California because I love the beach and I want to play beach volleyball,” Anderson said.
The sands of change, however, have steered Anderson to Nebraska.
Anderson, Utah’s starting setter as a freshman last season, said last week that she will continue her college career at Nebraska.
Last year’s NCAA West Region freshman of the year will join the Huskers next year with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
“The team chemistry, that was huge for me,” said Anderson, who made a recruiting visit the weekend that NU faced Kansas and Hawaii last month.
“I watched them playing, and I was like, ‘Wow, I want to be a part of that,’” she added. “I loved it there.”
That’s especially important for Anderson, the Salt Lake City native who stunningly left Utah after directing the Utes to a school-record 28 wins and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She completed spring drills with the team, and traveled to Europe on the Utes’ training visit.
Her decision to leave the program, she said, was made independent of the same decision made later by Airial Salvo, a second-team All-American who transferred to Washington.
“I loved the girls and it was hard to leave them, but me and the coach (Beth Launiere) didn’t get along,” Anderson said on Friday. “Promises were made and weren’t kept, and it just hit me that I needed to move on.”
When asked about the player defections last April, Launiere told The Daily Utah Chronicle that “if they felt like this team wasn’t good enough, then I don’t think we would have reached our goals anyways.”
She added, “It takes a team to win, not individuals.”
Anderson said she was shocked to be contacted by Nebraska head coach John Cook, who she said also recruited Salvo.
The junior outside hitter is sitting out as a redshirt this season with the Huskies.
Knowing that she, too, would have to sit out a year — Utah refused to release either player from her scholarship — the 6-foot Anderson elected to spend this season training with the U.S. National Team.
At the same time, she’s working to complete her associates degree at Pikes Peak Community College. She must complete that course work before becoming eligible at Nebraska.
Once she joins the Huskers, she’ll add depth to the setter position.
All-American Rachel Holloway will be a junior next season with the Huskers, who lose senior back-up Maggie Griffin after this year.
Griffin, a transfer from Michigan State following her freshman season, started on NU’s 2005 team that reached the national championship match.
Holloway and Griffin competed for the starting spot prior to last season. This year, Cook has utilized a two-setter system on an extremely limited basis.
“Everybody knows Rachel Holloway and she’s a great setter and a great player all-around,” Anderson said. “But to be the best, you’ve got to compete with the best.
“I think we can make each other better.”
Briefly
Three high school seniors — outside hitters Jordan Haverly and Kaitlynn James and middle blocker Allison McNeal — are expected to sign letters of intent with the Huskers this week.
Setter Brigette Root of Grand Island has said she will walk-on at Nebraska.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.