The season couldn’t have started off much better for the Utes. They wanted a winning record going into conference play and they got it, as they hold a record of 11-1. Now comes the Pac-12 portion of the schedule, which begins tonight against Colorado at the Huntsman Center.
While the Utes achieved their goal of getting out of nonconference action with a winning record, it’s not as though they are alone. Every team in the Pac-12 is above .500.
“Every team is good,” said head coach Beth Launiere. “There is not any team in the Pac-12 that is not very, very good. There may be teams with a little more talent, but there is no team with less talent.”
Half of the teams in the conference are ranked in the Top 25, with two in the top five. The Pac-12 is also rich in tradition, with 14 national championships and 15 runner-up finishes since 1981. With that kind of history, Utah felt out of place early in its affiliation with the conference, but things are different now.
“The first year in the Pac-12 Conference was really weird,” Launiere said. “We didn’t know the players, the coaches, the schemes. But now [in the third year], it makes it fun and you are better prepared and it makes things more interesting.”
Senior middle blocker Erin Redd-Brandon feels similarly.
“Before we were kind of new, but now we are no longer the new kids,” she said. “I think we are starting to be recognized by all teams throughout the nation as a Pac-12 team.”
Redd-Brandon leads the Utes in blocks with 74. As a team, Utah is seventh in the country in blocks per set. Redd-Brandon and the rest of the Ute middle blockers have already made plans in preparation for tonight’s match against the Buffaloes.
“What we want to strive for is three blocks per set,” said junior Bailey Bateman. “Usually when we get three blocks per set, we win.”
Utah will need to do that tonight against a Colorado squad that has not lost a match since its season opener versus St. Mary’s. The Buffaloes are led by sophomore outside hitter Alexis Austin and junior outside hitter Taylor Simpson, who both have 80 kills each. Simpson is also second on the team with 60 digs. Colorado takes most of its shots from the back of the court, which is something the Utes aren’t used to seeing.
“They run a different offense than what we have seen in the preseason,” Launiere said. “They have a lot of offensive options to choose from.”
One other player Utah needs to be aware of is sophomore setter Nicole Edelman, who was named the MVP of the Baylor Invitational. Edelman attacks a lot for a setter and has a .615 hitting percentage with 24 kills, 55 digs and 14 blocks.