Wichita State’s Morgan Stout and Sophia Rohling stop by to chat about a big weekend in Illinois, the stellar play of the back row and how setter Izzi Strand is boosting the offense. We discuss “Smoothie Queen,” and “Mama Bear” and how those nicknames relate to Shocker volleyball. Also, what’s a protagonist? The Shockers play Kansas and Colorado this week at Koch Arena.
Wichita State volleyball coach Chris Lamb updates fans on spring practices, how his newcomers are fitting in, Morgan Stout’s busy spring in the middle and why he compares scheduling to baking an apple pie with the proper ingredients.
Wichita State center fielder Lauren Lucas and catcher Lainee Brown talk about last weekend’s series win at UCF and the elements that make that rivalry matter. We discuss the upside of national rankings, who they text after a big game and which Shockers give positive energy. We also break down Brown’s offensive surge, how Lucas deals with catches at the wall and the potential for a 2023 “Give me your best impression of Coach E” video.
Libero Lara Uyar, a native of Turkey, discusses the current crisis in her country caused by an earthquake near the border with Syria. We learn how she is handling the emotions of being far away from family and friends during the difficult time and how her teammates offer support. We also talk about sports in Turkey, her adjustment to the United States and spring volleyball practices at Wichita State.
Wichita State volleyball assistant coach Brian Hosfeld talks about the how the Shockers are translating practice habits to matches in recent weeks, Morgan Weber’s volleyball IQ and Natalie Foster’s scoring in the middle. We also discuss his lifelong journey in coaching, the Japanese influence on his coaching style and his handy-man skills.
Episode description: In this episode of Wichita State University’s “Forward Together” podcast, President Rick Muma talks with Kevin Saal, who was hired as director of athletics at Wichita State University in June. Kevin is leading Shocker athletics during a time of significant change – name, image and likeness, the transfer portal and conference realignment top the list.
The “Forward Together” podcast celebrates the vision and mission of Wichita State University. In each episode, President Rick Muma will talk with guests from throughout Shocker Nation to highlight the people and priorities that guide WSU on its road to becoming an essential educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and the greater good.
Former Shocker All-American Katie (Reilly) Zimmerman is back at Wichita State as a volleyball assistant coach. She joins the podcast to discuss her journey into coaching, what she learned playing under Chris Lamb and what she learned at other stops. We discuss highlights from her playing career, including the 2012 Sweet 16, her recruiting philosophy and why experimenting at positions as a Shocker helped her coaching. We wrap up by getting into the importance of high fives and review the first Top Gun movie (spoiler alert) as preparation for seeing the current version.
Coach Chris Lamb joins the podcast to wrap up spring practices. He discusses what the Shockers learned from scrimmages against schools such as Kansas, Colorado State, Kansas State and Oklahoma. He talks about experimenting with middle Natalie Foster, Sophie Childs’ progress and Brylee Kelly’s growth in the back row. We wrap up by talking about the hungry attitude he wants to see from the Shockers in the fall.
The topic is spring volleyball, in which the Shockers are doing their typical experimenting and polishing. Associate head coach Sean Carter updates the goal of growing into the best defensive team in the American Athletic Conference, Brylee Kelly’s work as a six-rotation player and Natalie Foster’s changing roles. We talk about the chemistry that helped last season’s success and the mindset that coaches want to see from the Shockers in the fall. On Aprll 9, the Shockers play at Koch Arena with Air Force, Missouri State, Oklahoma and Tulsa scheduled to participate.
Vlad Bondarchuk (Bonder-chook) is in his second year as student manager for the Wichita State volleyball team. He grew up in Smila, a Ukranian city of around 66,000 in the Central region of the country. Vlad joins the podcast to talk about the Russian invasion, how he is handling this difficult time with friends and family in peril and how people can help refugees. You can donate by contacting Vlad at vlad.bon21@gmail.com.
Tag: Wichita State volleyball 
