Dec. 13, 2001

Head volleyball coach Brian Hosfeld dialed in Thursday afternoon from the Final Four in San Diego to chat with fans online. The following is a transcript of the chat session.

For archived transcripts of earlier chats, click here.

Brian Hosfeld: Hello Bear Fans - Welcome to the chat. It's good to be here, even though I'm in San Diego at the Final Four.

Pete (Frost, Texas): How did Colorado State compare to the top teams in the Big 12?

Brian Hosfeld: Colorado State would be in the top half, for sure. They could compete for the title year in and year out, just because of the physical talent they have.

Bambi (Waco): Congratulations on your NCAA bid! Can you discuss the NCAA selection committee's obvious changes in determining the 64 tournament teams and how that affected your draw versus #9 Colorado State?

Brian Hosfeld: Good question, Bambi. With where we finished in the conference, our first round draw didn't surprise me. We have to finish in the top three in the Big 12 in order to not see a team like that in the first round.

Jon (Spokane): Because you had a large number of seniors this year, how will you sustain NCAA tournament-caliber play next season?

Brian Hosfeld: We will continue to recruit some of the top athletes in the nation. We feel that we have done that with our incoming class and our younger players.

Tank (Tulsa): What was the difference between your team and Colorado State in your first-round NCAA match-up? What will it take for us to knock-off a seeded team like that next season?

Brian Hosfeld: The seniors at CSU were very determined to come out and push through in that match. We need to execute our offense at a higher level in order to beat a team of that caliber.

Pat (Orlando): Now that your season is over, can you comment on the 30-point rally score again and tell me if you think it's here to stay for next season? What about the libero position? Do you think we'll see that in the college game next season?

Brian Hosfeld: The 30-point rally score is here to stay. There are not going to be any changes for next season. Personally, I enjoyed coaching in the side-out format more because of strategy. The libero is a passing specialist that only plays back row. That player wears a different color jersey and is only on the floor for defensive purposes. There is a chance we could see it next season, but that will be determined in upcoming meetings.

Randall (Waco): Was the NCAA selection this year the biggest surprise you've had as head coach? If not, what was?

Brian Hosfeld: It was great to see this team have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament again. I don't know if you could call it a surprise, but we were definitely excited to make it into the tournament, considering how many close matches we had lost.

Wendy - Dallas, Texas: Do you expect to be much improved next season? How do you see current players or next yr's freshmen replacing the graduating seniors?

Brian Hosfeld: We should see much improved play. We will have Lisa Smith coming back from her ACL injury. With the offense of Stevie Nicholas and Tisha Schwartz, we should be in good shape offensively. Plus, with Jillian Mazzarella returning after having the spring to move into the setting position and Daniela Lloreda returning as a solid defensive player, there should be a good base for the incoming freshmen.

Jane - Waco: Do athletes who are not tall have a chance of playing collegiate volleyball?

Brian Hosfeld: Definitely. As long as the athlete has a competitive spirit and a desire to be good, they can contribute in a lot of different ways.

Jim - Austin: Which position is the most important in volleyball?

Brian Hosfeld: They are all important, especially with the rally score. However, having two really good outside hitters can make a big difference, as seen with Stanford's ability to reach the Final Four.

John (Waco): What do you feel it will take to break out of the middle of the pack and go from being an average team ranked in the middle of the Big Twelve, to the head of the pack?

Brian Hosfeld: We need our returners to continue to improve and some quality play from a few freshmen. I think the chances of that happening are good. If you look at how many close matches we lost this year, we were just points away from doing that this season.

John (Los Angeles): What is Baylor going to do after the loss of setter Dana Chuha? Who are you looking at to step up and take that leadership role?

Brian Hosfeld: Jillian Mazzarella will be our returning setter. She will see plenty of time in the spring and have a chance to become more comfortable setting on the collegiate level. We also have Emily Huston coming in as a freshman. At 6-1, she will offer us a bigger presence at the net and give us a more physical player at the setter position. As for the team leadership role, we have several players on the team who can step into that role, including Stevie Nicholas. Plus we have some pretty strong freshmen coming in who coming in, are determined to see the program rise to the top.

Bruce (Waco): Who do you think will win the Final Four?

Brian Hosfeld: I'm going to have to go with my alma mater, Long Beach State. The 49ers have the potential player of the year in Cheryl Weaver, that's probably too much for anybody to overcome.

Brian Hosfeld: Thank you for your time. Keep an eye on our webpage for updates on the spring season and any other developments during the offseason. We appreciate everyone's support. Sic 'em Bears!