Oregon volleyball is clearly in a rebuilding mode. With a core group of players returning and several promising recruits coming to Eugene, it will take time to see whether the changes translate to wins on the court.
The next measuring stick is Lauren Westendorf, who played four years at Oregon.
Westendorf’s opinion carries the weight of someone who witnessed Oregon’s coaching change from Carl Ferreira to Jim Moore and who had a choice of top colleges out high school, yet chose to come to Eugene.
Westendorf’s college career was cut short by injury, but she recovered and played professionally in Salzburg, Austria (“Spiking a point in Europe,” ODE, May 9). Oregon started 8-2 in Westendorf’s senior year in fall 2004, only to close 2-17 following her season ending-injury – a torn right anterior cruciate ligament.
Her absence did have an effect, but she felt it wasn’t enough to decide the season and Ferreira’s decision to leave the program.
“One player can maybe help a little bit, but is not going to drastically change the finish in the Pac-10,” Westendorf said.
Ferreira focused on technique, while Moore wants his players to get the job done, whether it is passing or setting, Westendorf said. Moore and his staff are currently using spring practices to focus on individual improvement.
“(The remaining former teammates) loved practice because they were able to just go out there and play and get their job done without having to think about every individual ball,” Westendorf said.
Moore made it known this spring there are consequences for failure when he let go several players from the 2005 team. Westendorf experienced a similar situation following her sophomore year when three players graduated and six chose to transfer.
“It’s his professional responsibility to turn that program around, and he has to do what he has to do in order to make that happen,” Westendorf said. “Unfortunately, a lot of times it’s going to be getting the right core of players in there.”
Within the past year, Moore has been able to attract multiple elite recruits to Eugene, including two in Neticia Enesi and Sonja Newcombe, who drew praise from Arizona coach Dave Rubio.
When Westendorf was recruited out of high school, she initially didn’t consider Oregon until she visited the campus and met with athletic director Bill Moos and senior associate athletic director Renee Baumgartner.
“Yes, the volleyball is struggling. Yes, they are going to turn it around,” Westendorf said. “But I think that as a top athlete looking for elite facilities, elite training, elite academics, a full elite package – Oregon definitely offers that.”
Westendorf sat down with Moore prior to graduating and gave him an overview of the team and chemistry between players.
“His ideas were innovative and creative,” said Westendorf, who followed the team online from Austria. “I like the way that he moved the girls around this season and was willing to try new things.”