Bama’s Green ‘feels good’ about talent level

TUSCALOOSA | This is the team Judy Green has been waiting for.

Green, the University of Alabama’s head volleyball coach, enters her 12th season at the helm of the Crimson Tide program with a roster full of talent back from last year’s team, which made it to the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row.

“I know the one thing all of us as coaches and players right now feel is we feel good about this group of kids,” Green said. “They are confident, they are conditioned and they are more prepared than any group I’ve been around.

“I think we have the potential to do something special. All the pieces are there. I think we can be a team of destiny.”

Alabama opens the 2007 season Friday against Seton Hall at the Oklahoma Tournament in Norman. Okla. The Tide will host the Academy Sports Bama Bash tournament starting Friday, Aug. 31, at the CAVE in Coleman Coliseum to open its home schedule, with UAB, Sacramento State and Illinois State rounding out the field.

The Tide’s starting roster from last season returns basically intact, with five regulars from the starting lineup and the libero returning. Also back are five other letterwinners to add depth, along with three talented newcomers.

The Tide’s destiny will be decided in large part by a quartet of accomplished upperclassmen. Senior middle blocker Crystal Hudson made All-America last season and is among Alabama’s all-time leaders in kills. Senior outside hitter Bridget Fuentez is a two-time All-Southeastern Conference performer who led the Tide in attacks the last two seasons. Senior setter Brigitte Slack is 182 assists short of the school record, a milestone well within her reach considering she dished out 1,331 assists last season. And junior libero Amy Pauly is a defensive specialist who set a school record for digs with 39 in a match last season, a mark made more impressive because it came in a first-round NCAA Tournament game.

Green said she hasn’t felt as confident and comfortable with a team going into a season since 2000, when her first class of recruits at Alabama reached their senior seasons.

“This is certainly a year we knew was coming,” she said. “I would say it’s certainly the best leadership group we’ve ever had.”

Green isn’t the only one excited about the Tide’s prospects of bettering last year’s accomplishments by not only making it to the postseason for a third straight year, but by advancing beyond the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“I would say I’m always excited to start every season,” Slack said, “but this year even moreso because of what we’ve accomplished the last couple of years.”

The team’s goals include continuing its success at home, being more competitive on the road – especially in SEC play -- and claiming a championship banner.

“A successful season includes winning on the road and another NCAA Tournament appearance,” Hudson said. “The SEC championship would be unbelievable, and it’s not out of our reach.

“We’ve always had expectations. Now we know what to expect. We only lost two players. People are ready to play and compete.”

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224