New commit for 2011: Lara Dykstra

[Husker Runner]

Lara Dykstra (5-11) from Hermosa Beach, California (Redondo Union HS) has committed to Nebraska for the 2011 class. Prepvolleyball lists her as an OH, libero, and setter but I am guessing she will be coming to the Huskers as a libero. Her finalists were Washington, Penn State, and Nebraska. Lara's older sister Devon plays for UCLA and they are an outstanding beach volleyball pair.

 

She is an excellent backrow player and will be a highly ranked player in the 2011 class.

 

 

Good to see Nebraska get Lara and Taylor Simpson because Texas has recently gotten commits from some amazing players (including Katherine Bell and Haley Eckerman who are both probably top 3 in 2011). It really hurt to lose Eckerman to the Longhorns, she was Nebraska's top target and I thought she would be a Husker. Texas will be our conference nemesis for a long time to come.

[knapplc]

I agree that Eckerman was a tough loss. I'm still pretty bummed about that.

 

BUT, you have to be excited about players like Taylor Sampson and Lara Dykstra. These are solid players with big-game experience walking in the door. Todd Henrichs says Dykstra has played on the AVP tour already. Pretty impressive.

 

Our main advantage over Texas is John Cook. I have all the respect in the world for Jerritt Elliott, but I wouldn't trade Cook for Elliott and Eckerman. I wouldn't trade Cook for Elliott and Destiny Hooker, for that matter.

 

We're having a bad season this year. We've had more losses this year than in the past three years combined, and despite all that, we're still ranked in the top ten and our foes fear us. We have a good chance of beating ISU and Texas and going, once again, to the Final Four. And this is a rebuilding year.

 

I'm liking where we're at.

[Husker Runner]

knapplc, I completely agree on Coach Cook, Jerritt Elliott is a good coach and a great recruiter but I think Cook is more savvy with strategy and talent development. Texas will keep the heat on for the next several years though. It's good for the conference and college volleyball in general, just want to keep the Longhorns in their place as #2 in the Big 12. :-)

 

Losing Haley Eckerman was bad enough, losing her to a conference rival was the worst possible scenario. Eckerman and Morgan Broekhuis (who I am very excited about) would have been one killer duo. However, I have heard rumors of another highly-ranked recruit for 2011 that would be very nice addition to the class. No telling when (or if) that will be official.

 

Dykstra has really been a standout on the AVP Tour and I imagine she'll also play sand volleyball for Nebraska once it's up and running. I have only seen her on video but people who have seen her play in person came away very impressed. She has the kind of versatility that Cook likes and maybe she'd even get a look at setter depending on how the battle for libero shakes out between her and Megan Pendergast (assuming Lara is indeed coming in as a libero/DS) and how Kristen Kelsay develops. Dykstra might be on the short side to be a premier OH at this level but I have no doubt that Coach Cook will find the best way to utilize her talent. As with so many Husker players, it will be fun to watch her develop as a college player.

 

Broekhuis also ran a 6-2 offense in HS so she has seen time at setter. I think there will be a movement towards taller setters (a la Ashley Engle this season) and it wouldn't surprise me to see Nebraska experiment with a 6-2 with Broekhuis setting out of the back row. Even playing her at setter in a 5-1 could be interesting although that would be unlikely because we will need her at OPP in the front row. There will be all sorts of possibilities with the talent coming in.