Mary Wise just wants it to be 2009 again.
Florida’s volleyball coach longs for the days when she could look out on the court and see Elyse Cusack at defensive specialist. Her departure has left a gap the Gators have yet to fill.
“We were not a great backcourt defensive team by any stretch of the imagination a year ago,” Wise said. “We’re not exactly great right now. We’re working hard to get better, but that was one of the key areas. We just didn’t dig enough balls.”
Last year’s major problem at the libero position was the absence of freshman Taylor Unroe. While she may not have completely filled the void left by Cusack, who left UF as the Southeastern Conference’s all-time leader in digs, Unroe would have at least been comfortable as a defensive specialist.
But she entered the season with a broken bone in her ankle and was forced to redshirt.
“Obviously it was unexpected, and it was pretty sad for me at first,” Unroe said. “But with the help of Mary and teammates, it helped me for this year because I knew what I was coming into and I got to see from the outside in.”
Her injury pushed then-senior Erin Fleming into the libero role, a position she had never regularly played. The result was a team that was strong up front but questionable along the back line.
Florida led the SEC in service aces and blocks but ranked above only a 14-17 Arkansas squad in digs. Unroe’s teammates realize the important role she could play on the team in 2011 and said she’s someone to look out for this season.
“She’s somebody we really value this year,” junior right-side hitter Tangerine Wiggs said. “She’s got a lot of experience passing and playing defense. She’s been doing it ever since she was in kindergarten.”
The task of sparking a defensive turnaround for the Gators won’t belong to Unroe alone as Florida’s roster features four liberos. However, only Elissa Hausmann has seen action in a collegiate match.
The senior has played in just 17 matches in her UF career, and her only dig came against Albany last September.
Florida’s other two options at defensive specialist are both true freshmen.
So while players might say filling in at libero is a group effort, Wise seems fairly set on who will be cementing the backcourt for the foreseeable future.
“Now we have Taylor for four years,” she said. “We will be a better serve-receive team right now today because of how great of a passer Taylor is. We will be a better defensive team as well.”
For Unroe, the idea of finally starting her college career is exciting.
At this time last year, the focus was getting better. But now, she can focus on contributing.
Describing herself as a blue-collar worker, Unroe, the daughter of a former triathlete and motorcycle racer, is ready for the Gators’ season opener Friday night against Boston College.
“Definitely some nerves,” she said. “It’s my first college game — well, real game. In the spring, I got a lot of experience. But playing in the O’Dome, it’s going to be nerve-wracking. ... I can’t wait.”
UF volleyball coach Mary Wise said redshirt freshman libero Taylor Unroe will help anchor the team’s back line.
