After back-to-back Elite Eight appearances for the first time in program history , the Oregon volleyball team will undergo a new sort of history in 2024 when it competes in the Big Ten Conference for its inaugural season this fall.
The Ducks graduated seven seniors – all who moved on to play professionally – from an Elite Eight squad a year ago and will debut a new-look roster in the Big Ten.
So far, coach Matt Ulmer likes what he sees from his group.
“We’re just trying to find some answers with where people are going to go so we can plug up some of the holes,” Ulmer said after a preseason scrimmage Saturday.
Stepping in to fill the void left by seniors like Hannah Pukis, Karson Bacon and Morgan Lewis is a young group that saw what it took to reach back-to-back Elite Eights from the bench and is itching to carve out their own roles on the floor this season.
Among the early leaders for the Ducks are junior Mimi Colyer, a former national freshman of the year, and Onye Ofoegbu, who transferred from UC Irvine before last season but redshirted in 2023.
After patiently waiting her turn from the bench, Ofoegbu could be in for a huge season for Oregon in 2024.
“I thought it was going to be really difficult because I had never in my career sat on the bench, but it was honestly really easy,” Ofoegbu said of last season. “The team we had last year was so encouraging and inspirational to watch them play. I learned about being poised and staying calm during those big games … it can be tough, but we can handle it.”
It also helps to have experienced transfers like seniors Michelle Ohwobete (UC Santa Barbara) and Mackenzie Morris (Kansas State) and junior Roberta Purashaj (Florida Southwestern).
Along with debuting a new group, the Ducks are excited about competing in the premier volleyball conference in the NCAA. Since 2000, 11 Big Ten teams have won a national championship, not including the new teams added to the league (Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA).
That prestige, along with the crowds that show up for women’s volleyball events in the Big Ten, have filled Oregon with renewed energy before the season.
“I’m so excited,” Colyer said. “The Big Ten is so awesome and we’re so excited to be a part of that just because of the importance they put on women’s volleyball. I’m really excited to go to those new places, they pack it out. The Big Ten is so excited about women’s volleyball and they’re really starting to learn about it and I’m excited to be included in that.”
The Ducks open up their season unofficially next Saturday in an exhibition match against Oregon State in Corvallis before their official season debut against Pittsburgh – likely a preseason top-10 opponent – Aug. 30 at Matthew Knight Arena.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz .
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon volleyball excited for challenge ahead in inaugural Big Ten season
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