Last November, Oregon volleyball head coach Jim Moore announced the five newest recruits to his program. The class, ranked fourth in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, consists of all front row players: one setter, two middles and two outside hitters. With each player six feet or taller, the group adds some height and blocking ability to Oregon’s front row.
Sumeet Gill – Middle blocker (MB)
Past: The 6-foot-3 middle blocker out of Elk Grove, CA had a .279 hitting percentage and recorded 172 solo blocks her senior year of high school, according to MaxPreps.com. Gill also made two appearances at the junior girls’ National championships.
Present: Gill scored three kills in her first match for the Ducks and has remained consistent since. She notched three kills in Oregon’s match against OSU and four against No. 14 Arizona, and contributed 11 points in the two matches combined. On Saturday, Gill put up seven block assists and five kills in Oregon’s 3-2 win over Utah.
Gill has made strides at the MB position even though she wasn’t the original selection for the spot. After the win over Utah, Moore said, “Sumeet had two big kills in the fifth, and we need that. Right now she’s stepping in for Lauren [Page],” who is out with an injury.
Hayley McLaren – Outside hitter (OH)
Past: Out of Aurora, CO, McLaren appeared in VolleyballMag.com’s “30 Underclassmen to Watch” in February of 2014. McLaren finished her senior year as the No. 8 ranked player in Colorado and a two-time All-State honoree. In 91 sets, she brought 222 kills and 152 digs for her team, showing her aptitude for both offense and defense.
Present: McLaren scored six points in each the Ducks’ second and third matches of the season. She tied fellow freshman Lindsey Vander Weide in kills in a set against Navy, and posted four blocks in the match against St. John’s.
Lauren Page – Middle blocker (MB)
Past: Page is also a middle blocker and California native. The 6-foot middle was named 1st Team All-League for her 2013- 2014 season, and selected as King volleyball’s “Player of the Match” 14 times between September 2013 and October 2014.
Present: Page showed her prowess in the match against George Washington, in which she scored nine kills and 11 total points for the Ducks. She went on to dominate the match against No. 4 Nebraska with a .667 attack percentage and ten kills.
Page has missed most of the season with an injury. When asked if fans will see Page later in the season, Moore laughed, “Well, we better.” Then, on a serious note, he added, “She’ll be back, she’s just not ready to come back yet.”
Lindsey Vander Weide – Outsider hitter (OH)
Past: In just 120 sets of varsity play, Vender Weide recorded 506 kills for her Turlock, California high school with a .405 hitting percentage. She earned No. 13 position on PrepVolleyball.com’s “Senior Aces” countdown, and was named Under Armour Third Team All-American.
Present: Vander Weide has shined in her first few months as a Duck. She was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week at the end of September after scoring 25 kills and 16 digs in just four sets against Oregon State. She also began the season with a bang in the match against George Washington, leading the team with 15 kills and 17 total points for the Ducks. On Friday in Oregon’s match against Colorado, Vander Weide continued to demonstrate her power on the outside, and leading the Ducks with 19 kills.
Vander Weide helped Oregon win its first home match against Utah on Saturday. “We should have won yesterday, but I’m really happy we won,” she said with a smile. “It’s a great feeling with the whole crowd just cheering for you, going crazy on that game point.”
August Raskin – Setter (S)
Past: The three-sport athlete out of Colorado Springs was named First Team All-State her senior year after she totaled 1390 assists in just 244 sets. The 6-foot setter also provided 634 digs, according to MaxPreps.com.
Present: While Raskie hasn’t seen the court quite as much as the rest of the group, she did put up two and a half points for the Ducks in her first collegiate appearance. Oregon’s current setter Maggie Scott has a stronghold on the position after being named an honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team last year.
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