Best of 5 Ep 1: Upsets! 
Claire: [00:00:00] Greetings all and welcome to the best of five podcast. I'm one of your hosts, Claire Crytzer. All righty, where should we start? 
I think we should start with Purdue, Indiana, because that happened two weeks ago, 
and it has literally just sent off a wave of upsets. 
Grace: Yeah, it was incredible. 
Claire: One thing that I noticed 
Grace: from Purdue, Is that, like, any time they play a scrappy team, 
Claire: they, like, struggle.
Oh, interesting. But, 
Grace: Indiana, wasn't, they're not, technically perfect, you know? Right, right. They make a lot of heads up plays, [00:01:00] which is not a bad thing. It's just a different 
Claire: style. Exactly. 
Grace: But Purdue, struggles with that. 
Claire: They do, because I think they have, they're used to the, being the ones that are scrappy.
Cause I mean, , Yes. Their libero,
Maddie Skimmerhorn. It's a, it's, it's a, it's a tough last name, but she's an amazing defender. That's like the story of the big time.
No, why? Why can I never pronounce them? And they're like, 'cause they're like 
Grace: Midwest. 
Claire: They're so Midwest. Oh my gosh.
Grace: I know. And it's like, my last name's hard too, but like, 
Claire: right, almost everyone's last name is not. Enjoyable. Right. It's just so Big Ten.
I love Purdue's outside hitters. I think, Shaquoin, the Freshmen, and Eva Hudson. They're [00:02:00] just, like, so dynamic, but I think once you stop their outsides, like, You can get a handle on the rest of the team.
Grace: Which is a little predictable for Purdue. Like, they've always had good middles, but they their, to wear their,
Claire: a weapon. I agree. The distribution rate is just, so heavily focused on the outsides that, like, if they got their middles involved, they could be unstoppable. 
Grace: Well, even a few years ago, their middles were so good.
So good. Like Taylor Trammell. Trammell! Oh, 
Claire: she's my favorite. 
Grace: Yeah, she's awesome. I also loved their setter, like a long time ago. I can't really picture her name, but if anyone listening knows what I'm talking 
Claire: about. Yeah, [00:03:00] 
Grace: and she was just like, so scrappy, but , this is Purdue , wasn't at the top of Big Ten, like anywhere near the top of Big Ten.
Right. Not that they are now, necessarily, but I'm just saying she may have been on the wrong 
Claire: team. Yeah, yeah I think it would be fun to play for Purdue, because their atmosphere is the student section, looks really cool, like, the environment is really fun, Boilermakers are, diehard.
Yeah, and they're, 
Grace: and they're knowledgeable, which I love. 
Claire: Yes, no, definitely. I find it interesting that with that, fanbase and with that culture, like, they're not on top more. 
Grace: I know. Did you know that? It's hard. The head coach and the assi is, his son is the assistant, or associative head coach. 
Claire: Oh, I like that.
That's [00:04:00] sweet. I know. 
Grace: I like that too. Okay, Ashley Evans. That was the setter, Ashley 
Claire: Evans. Oh, okay. My 
Grace: biggest note for Indiana was they just made like big albums. Aggressive plays that weren't necessarily, technical, but they swang so hard, they made huge blocks, and they made huge, defensive plays, which like, yeah, that will shut a team down.
Claire: Literally. And If you just have, a competitive spirit, and a, tear heads off mentality, like, that's what happens when you make big plays and you make big moves, good things happen, and energy, and All that competitive spirit will turn into winning. Yeah. Exactly. And I think that's, that's really what they've found out.
I do think they're, I think their setter is a senior, but everyone around her is pretty [00:05:00] young. I know the libero's a freshman. The one right side hitter is a sophomore. So I'm excited to see where Indiana goes, their head coach used to be a coach at Penn State, so he is very, knowledgeable and knows the ins and outs of the Big Tens, so I think they're a really great team.
In the next couple of years, we're going to see them make waves. 
Grace: Yes. Okay, wait a sec Purdue lost to Northwestern and Illinois. Yes. I love that. I know. 
Actually love Purdue, like, I've been watching them for a while, and like, I've always loved the program. I think the coach. is really good.
And I think he builds a good culture. But I also love these upsets. No, literally. 
Claire: Yeah. On the 28th. Illinois beat them 3 1. , that's [00:06:00] legit. And I also saw that Northwestern... Beat beat Indiana 3 2. 
Grace: Yeah, so what's happening? 
Claire: I don't know, it's just so interesting to see, these teams actually compete, because, like, at the end of the day, it's really good volleyball, and, most of these teams are really well matched.
So, it really is anyone's ballgame, and it's so entertaining. It is. 
Grace: And, I don't mean this in, like, a bad way, but, in years past, if someone said, Oh, like, Rutgers Northwestern is on, like, let's watch that. No, literally. Not, I'm not really that interested, but, now it's fun to see, people rise to the occasion, slash, It's also like, yeah, like Rutgers, like in the grand scheme of volleyball across the whole nation, these girls are ballers, you 
Claire: know, like, oh my gosh, yes, 
Grace: there's not like a bad [00:07:00] big 10 team, you know, like, no, exactly.
But like, they're still beats and like, compared to most 
Claire: no one literally, and it just shows like how The game of volleyball is growing because right, just a couple of years ago, you know, going to Rutgers or going to Maryland, they knew that they were going to get, maybe not the toughest game of the season, but now, since so many more girls are playing and there's so many better coaches out there, 
girls are getting better at a younger age. And then there's more girls that are good at the college level. So then, yeah, we can see upsets and we're going to see more competition. And it's not just in the Big Ten this year either. It's in the ACC. It's in the SEC. It's in the Big 12. In the Pac 12.
It's really, really, really cool. 
Grace: Yeah, it is so cool. Which I think that this year's tournament is gonna be one of the 
Claire: best. I [00:08:00] agree. And gonna be so hard, like it's already so hard to pick a top 25, Mm-Hmm. just to, I think it's 64 teams make it to the tournament.
Is, does that sound right? Yep, yep, yep. Picking those 64 teams, that's gonna be so hard, and I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of teams that have had great seasons, like, say a, Indiana, or say a Northwestern who is, gaining traction, and, winning in big moments, like, they might not get an opportunity, and that sucks.
I know! 
Grace: That's, crazy. 
Can we talk about, can we talk about Rutgers, Minnesota? 
Claire: Yes, please. 
Grace: Okay, I watched that game and first of all Ricky Williams, do you know who that is? 
Claire: She's a Rutgers girl. 
Grace: Yep, she's a a middle for Rutgers. Yes, I know exactly who you're talking about.
Yes. She's so fun to watch. Did she pop off? It's [00:09:00] crazy. Yes, she pops off, and she's great at blocking, great at hitting in transition, and their center does a good job giving her the ball. 
Claire: That's awesome. Yeah, because I mean, that's what you have to do. Like, especially in the Big Ten, if you're going to get your middles
involved. 
Grace: Yep. And even if it's not even have to be a 
Claire: kill, no, and they don't even have to like, necessarily touch the ball. Like, if you just like, feed them a few times and then they're working in transition to get approaches, like, the middle's going to have to stay with them. Yes, 100%. Right. Oh, okay. I have her, I have Ricky Williams roster pulled up.
Yeah. She's a red, red shirt sophomore. And her red shirt freshman year she was selected for the U. S. Women's National Team Open Program. That makes sense. That makes sense. [00:10:00] And she's from Houston, Texas and is majoring in journalism. So Oh, 
Grace: dope. I want to be her friend so bad. 
Claire: Me too. Oh my gosh, few people know that she's left handed but plays volleyball right handed.
Wow, that's really cool. Oh my god, we have the same favorite cereal, Honey Bunches of Oats.
She gives me Serena 
Grace: Grey. And the same spirit animal. What's your spirit 
Claire: animal, Claire? Definitely a dolphin.
Smart. Good at swimming. Right, 
Grace: right, right. Never forget. Or is that enough? 
Claire: I, I think both. 
Yeah, oh my gosh, that's so funny. Okay, yes, I, Rikki Williams, I love her, like, at Rutgers, like, get Rutgers to win games. I would love to see her at, like, [00:11:00] a Nebraska though. 
Grace: Yeah, you know who needs her?
Penn State. 
Claire: Oh, you're so right. I think they need her so bad. I do too. Because not that 
Grace: and hey, I'm not throwing shade to Penn State Middles. No, I'm just saying like, she reminds me of Serena Gray. Like, just like her demeanor did so much for Penn State and for Pitt. 
Claire: No, for sure. Yes. And just like that, bounce and that hop and Because, I mean, they're, because Taylor Trammell has that, like, she's dynamic, she, moves really well, she blocks really well, she can blister the ball to the floor, but can also, find a space.
Yeah, yes. I also, I think that Allie Holland, the other one, is very good, she's just different in the sense that, she doesn't hit straight down, she hits more deep, and, places shots in the corners, which also works. But, [00:12:00] if they had Rikki Williams and Taylor Trammell, unstoppable. 
Grace: Exactly. And when I, the reason why I think that, they need someone to, get the team hype.
Like, yeah. Yes. I think that the outsides for Penn State are really good, but they don't 
Claire: get me hype. No, they're not consistent enough.
Grace: I have trust issues. 
Claire: Same. And they don't bring that much energy. Right. Which is fine if other people are bringing it, but nobody is really bringing it. The libero's trying.
She's really trying. I know. And I see it, and I, I want the best for her
Grace: I wonder how the coach is. Like, what's her vibe? 
Claire: I don't know. She seems like calm, cool, and collected. And also, competitive, and she gets hype, she, doesn't [00:13:00] just sit there, she gets up and down, and I always like her outfits.
Grace: Me too, she looks great in her athleisure. 
Claire: Yes, I appreciate, and she's really committed to it, and I appreciate that, because you either have to commit to the athleisure, or, business attire. Right. . Do you think she stirs 
Grace: the plot? 
Claire: Maybe.
I feel like she probably has favorites ? I feel like she probably talks with like Mac and Jess Merzik a lot because they're older and they're more experienced and she probably trusts them just, I mean, inherently because they're older and have been around the game longer. Right. So I could see that happening.
And they also, they just have a large bench. That's a great thing. You know, you have depth if you need it. But I think that also causes a lot [00:14:00] of. Extra drama and conflict. Extra noise. Exactly, just because there's more people, more personalities, and you're gonna get more output.
Yep, 
Grace: and like we've been saying all of these girls playing at this level, Are good. So, 
Claire: like, exactly 
Grace: how it sucks to not play and, you know, definitely I 
Claire: mean, yeah. And I mean, we have personal experience with that. Sometimes, like, it just comes down to a simple stat, or a, like, it, and it, sometimes it's not even about you, you know, it's about, okay, we've, we think that these people play better together, or, we're gonna try this person better.
Yeah, I mean, that's, that's tough. That's a hard one. Or, we want this combination [00:15:00] of. blockers or this combination of people, like that sort of thing. But yeah, just a lot of noise. And I think like you saw it in their scores this weekend, Penn state, they, they beat Michigan three, one, but they shouldn't have lost a set to Michigan because they were ranked 13th in the nation and Michigan had literally only won three games.
Yeah, 
Grace: which that's sad to me. They were like, almost on a rise like they were like, they were always made the tournament, you know, 
Claire: like, yeah, they beat pit one year I remember one of the first years that pit was really highly ranked and was going to go far in the tournament they upset them.
Grace: Like the coaches turn over. 
Claire: Yeah, definitely. And I think, did the The coach who was there for a long time, he retired, right, because of medical issues, I think? 
Grace: Yeah. And his wife was a assistant. 
Claire: [00:16:00] Oh, right, and then the new coach, she coaches at the USA level and I also saw that she played at Illinois.
Oh, cool. Yeah, so that that's nice a woman with Big Ten experience. Yeah, but I'm sure because I think she came in during the summer and that is so hard, 
to only have a few weeks really before you're like, Oh, cool. Knee deep in training. Yeah. Yeah. Just to , get to know people. And then you're playing in the Big Ten every day, and you don't have time to breathe.
Grace: Yeah. And you're , literally meeting these girls for the first 
Claire: time. No, literally, but taking a set off of Penn State, that's a great first step. And then they also, they beat Ohio State 3 1 on Sunday. Oh,
Grace: wow. Yeah, 
Claire: Michigan did. 
Grace: What? Yeah, so. That's like big [00:17:00] for the schools, like Michigan beating Ohio 
Claire: State.
Definitely. Love it. 
Grace: Just had one more thing to say about Rutgers and Minnesota. 
Claire: Yes, please. 
Grace: I, I think that Minnesota, like, could be so good. I know, all of their Every position, they all have such big strengths, but like, something is missing.
And I don't know if that's leadership, or connection, or 
Claire: Coaching. 
Grace: You know how to be a coach. 
Claire: I don't know. There is something off. Yeah, 
Grace: I just noticed, they make so many mindless errors. Mm hmm. Not like it. Yeah, if you don't have a leader or someone positive, that would be really easy to get stuck in a negative mindset with the errors they make.
Right. 
Claire: Yeah, definitely. And it, sometimes it seems like, lack of [00:18:00] effort. it's like, Oh, I'm not there. Might as well not even try, you know, like that Yeah. So I don't know what that attitude is all about that kind of sucks. But yeah, because even so Rutgers beat Minnesota and.
So did Purdue. Purdue beat Minnesota 3 0. Wow. Yeah. Wow. So they're just on a, on a pretty unfortunate streak. 
Grace: Yeah. I watched them play Wisconsin yesterday, Sunday. And like, they lost 3 0, but they did look better playing Wisconsin. Oh, that's good. The way they played against Wisconsin, I'm like, if you played this way against anybody else you're gonna win.
Claire: I agree. Like, they have, they have Taylor Lanfair, Big Ten Player of the Year last year.
They have Kylie Murr, [00:19:00] Big Ten Libero of the Year last year. And Melanie 
Grace: Schaaf. 
Claire: Yes! Melanie Schaafmaster, she's been like a setter for five years now in the Big Ten. Yeah. It's so, it's, it's interesting. I don't know if their personalities clash, if they don't love Keegan Cook, I don't know how he couldn't, cause he looks really cute.
Exactly. But yeah, it's very interesting. But who knows? I mean, there is like, I think we are like halfway through the season. So. I feel like I've been saying this about them, like, the whole season, though, is like, well, maybe they just need to go through some growing pains, like, whatever. But, I don't know, there's still time for them to get it together for the 
Grace: tournament.
Yeah, and I hope they can. 
Claire: Me too. Me too. I hope they make it. [00:20:00] Yeah. Facts. Facts? Like, that could be, that could be scary. Facts. 
Grace: No printer.
Claire: Yes. I love that. I love that saying.
What are their upsets? Let's, we 3 2. Michigan State beat Penn State 3 
Grace: I purposely didn't watch that 
Claire: I turned it on in the fourth set. And was like, okay, great, like, let's go Penn State, like, you lost one, but whatever. And then, they went into a fifth, and I was like, I have to turn this off, because I know that Michigan State is going to, like, push and claw and fight, and like, Penn State's just gonna let them!
And it was really, yeah, it was, it was not fun. To watch as a Penn State volleyball fan but as just [00:21:00] like a volleyball fan in general, it was really cool to see the Michigan State side because their fans were so excited. There was like a video that the NCAA posted of the coach's reaction and it was really beautiful and sweet.
 It is a really big moment for them and I'm happy for them. But I'm also 
Grace: Disappointed in the Nittany Lions. Yeah, I can feel that feeling of like, knowing, like, oh man, like, we're gonna lose, 
Claire: no, I guess, 
Grace: I always struggled as a middle, to like, Change the path of our future in the set, cause I, I'm only in for three rotations and my job is pretty dependent on other people's job and the offense category, like you need a decent pass and then the setter also has to set you, you know, like, 
Claire: so true and a lot of your work goes unnoticed, like if you [00:22:00] make a good block move, but like right they hit in the spot that you don't take or like whatever Yeah, yeah. Yeah, 
Grace: and so I like I don't know I struggle and like obviously you can be positive and bring energy but when you're when you're positioned I always just struggled with that like Right.
I mean you can demand the ball and do an awesome transition whatever and even get a good kill but like It's tricky to, shift 
Claire: the game around, you know? No, exactly. And I think, that's the difference between, like, having a really great team versus, having really great players on your team.
Yes. It's like, if your team can, Overcome adversity or, you know, like, whether it's a tough call or couple mistakes in a row or, you know, or like being down to, oh, like, whatever, if the team can be resilient and pull each other together. I think that is really indicative of [00:23:00] a good team rather than , just a lot of good players on a team and that's probably what Minnesota is struggling to find.
Grace: Yeah, yeah. Don't you feel like Penn State kind of went through that last year? Yes. Definitely, I feel like there was a big disconnect last year, like, they were all very good, but couldn't really, 
Claire: yeah, and they almost found it at the end of the season, in the NCAA tournament, they made a pretty good run, relative to their season.
Yes. And I think, along with Minnesota, Penn State could fall into that category this year again, you know. They have Mac Pedraza and Jess Merzyk and Taylor Trammell you could name a bunch of other people too. And yeah, also teams are really good. 
Grace: Yeah, very good. Yeah. What about from a defensive specialist libero [00:24:00] position?
Did you ever find it easier or harder to get a team 
Claire: rallied? Yeah, I always found it hard to, cater what I'm doing, to everybody else's needs. You know what I mean? Like, because I'm someone who's, really intense and, needs a lot of energy and, like, needs feedback and isn't afraid of a little, you know, bit of intensity.
And I would sometimes forget that, that's not... How my teammates like to be addressed or , they don't love that energy. So I would sometimes run into issues whenever, I would be like, come on, let's go, like, you know, try to rally and then people would be like, we just need to relax and calm, you know, so that was always difficult.
Yeah, but at the end of the day, this is just my opinion it's an intense Environment and like you need to be able to [00:25:00] feel those emotions In order to, get through it, I think, and, be successful in that situation. Because, like, you're never going to be able to control it and, have everything be calm and, you know, that's just never going to happen in a sports environment.
So, don't know, embracing the intensity, I think, helps. Rally a team. I also think, 
Grace: yeah, I also think maybe , and this is going to sound like kind of like not what it should sound like, but I'm just going to go for it. Do it. But like, I, in order to play as a team, I think everyone needs to be in their own bubble in a certain way.
So yes, like Claire, like you like to. Yell and get hype and and like do that and you feel that I Personally like things I like to cheer. I love celebrating, right? I don't like yelling, but I can [00:26:00] also Like separate myself like oh, that's player getting hype Right. I'm protecting my own Celebration, you know, like, no, 
Claire: exactly.
That's her thing. 
Grace: I don't need to like absorb all of her energy if it doesn't serve me, 
Claire: you know, exactly. Yeah. 
Grace: So everyone can find their like and meet their own needs. Then I think that's when you play together 
Claire: And everybody's a different piece in the puzzle.
And you have to find ways to fit together. And 
Grace: Like you and I playing together, like, I never thought Oh, Claire's like, so mean, I hate playing with her. Whereas I have felt that with other people, you know, like, right. It's all about intention. I know you would never like, hurt my, intentionally hurt my feelings or even unintentionally because it's not personal.
Claire: No, exactly. And that's what I think a lot of people don't [00:27:00] understand whenever you're playing, like, in a competitive, like, game is, it's not personal. Like, if I, like, if I would, if we were playing together and I would say, hey, Grace, like, there's a hole in the block. Can you, really try to close a little bit sooner?
That's not like, Grace, you're a terrible blocker, you need, you know, like, it's just saying hey, they're running a quicker offense, and I'm seeing this. Can you do something to, you know, fix it or help me out? 
Grace: Yeah, and then, but I also would feel comfortable being like, yeah, like, I totally agree, like, I'm not getting there.
So maybe you need to sit in the hole until I can 
Claire: figure that out. You know, yeah. Yeah, like, work together with that. 
Grace: And you and I have struggled with past teammates that like, yes, you already know what I'm going to say, but like. Would make the harsh comments, but would never make the positive ones.
Right. Or acknowledge if [00:28:00] you made the correction, which I think that's where you and I are able to get people to buy in to both of our
Claire: Approaches. 
Grace: Yes, exactly. Yeah. 
Claire: Yeah. For sure. And there's a difference between like, accountability and then , just being flat out mean and a bad teammate. You have to, sandwich the, the critique, you know, like, Hey, you're doing a really great job, pressing on the block, but I would just really, I just see a little bit of a hole if you could, you know, like quicken up a little bit.
But other than that, great work. I love your communication right now. Right. Let's get to work. 
Grace: Yeah, or even like phrasing. Yeah, or even being like, hey, like, right side's not really a threat. Like, what if you took a step that way? You know, like, No, literally. Like, that's the way you like, be smart. Like, just saying there's a hole in the block.
Like, that's not really intelligent. And you're not like, making me want to fix 
Claire: it. No, and that's not helpful. I hate whenever people are vague or in a [00:29:00] huddle, they're we just really need to have a better first contact. And it's like, okay,
agreed. Like, we should strive for a great first contact every time. But how do we do that? Like, let's Yeah, you know, like, and what 
Grace: are we doing to not do that? Like, 
Claire: Oh, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Are we not communicating? What are we doing now that's making that happen? Let's be problem solvers.
Let's think through these situations. Let's not just place blame on other people or spew negativity. 
Grace: Yeah. And that also goes to what can you control? Like, okay, if I'm not closing the blog, what can you do to fix it? Like make an awesome play, you know, 
Claire: like, no, literally, like, don't just pout because like, you don't think your teammates are like, doing their best.
Like, everyone's trying, like, and I mean, if they're not, obviously, that's a problem. But yeah, and then you can roast. Right. [00:30:00] But with most people, and I feel like most teams, everyone's trying their best, or at least trying to try their best. Right. Right. So yeah, I love volleyball though.
Grace: Same. 
Claire: Team relationships are just so interesting. It's so funny how like only real like only people that you were on the team with really understand. Right. Everything.
Grace: That's one thing I feel like we miss out on, like college volleyball. Like we don't know 
Claire: know, like I would love. To be a fly on the wall in, like, any NCAA, locker room and, coach's office, like, gym, Yes, yeah.
And, I don't want them to know I'm there. No, no, no. 
Grace: I don't want it for the gossip. And it's not like, ooh, like, who's fighting who? I [00:31:00] just want to know. 
Claire: No, exactly. Like, what's happening. Exactly. And, I want to learn from it. I want to get some, inside scoop. Like, technical stuff, some nice drills that I can do with my girls, yes. But, also, I do want to know, the tea. 
Grace: Did you see, of course, yeah. Right. Did you see John Cook made a statement that after every practice, him and his team, or his coaching staff, debriefed the whole practice? They talk about everything. 
Claire: That's awesome. Yeah. That's awesome. 
Grace: I like how cool would that be?
Claire: Oh, I would love that. I have been finding myself, very intrigued whenever programs like Nebraska, they have vast coaching, like they have so many coaches. Yes. And I'm so curious, how, \ what roles do, does everyone [00:32:00] have? Obviously they're not, like, even role, , roles, like, I would just love to see how, , the tasks are distributed and, , how everyone contributes to the team.
I just find that so interesting. 
Grace: Me too, and I think it would be cool to see how, like, the head coaches, like, manage it all. Like, Exactly. Because that's a job in itself, like managing other people, let alone like coaching a bunch of young women, like, no, 
Claire: literally, that's definitely is the hardest part of probably being head coach 
Grace: after every practice.
Tune in next week when Lexi Rodriguez joins us. 
Claire: I would love that. Maybe I'll DM her this week. 
Grace: Yeah, do it. She seems nice. Oh my gosh, 
Claire: I love her. Yes, oh, do you want to go to the Penn State Nebraska game on Friday?
Yeah, this Friday? 
Grace: Yes. [00:33:00] I think, I think I can, yeah. Okay, what 
Claire: time is it at? It's at 8 30. 
Grace: Oh, perfect. Okay. I have a dinner at 5 30, but I live like 30 minutes from Penn State. Yeah. 
Claire: And I'm sure because so if we have our whip you'll set my final game tomorrow. So if we win tomorrow we play on Saturday and the championship.
So like, I would have to, I'd probably have to leave from practice and then go to Penn State. Watch the game and then go home. Okay. So it couldn't really be like a whole weekend, but Yeah, it could be it would be lit 
Grace: okay, slay. We'll probably need to buy tickets. 
Claire: Yeah, I just got an email like right before we started recording about the tickets are 5, so I'll send you that email. For five dollars? Yes! I know. I think they're trying to, like, really pack it, and it's a whiteout.
Oh. [00:34:00] Yes. Okay, I know, I know, I know. 
Grace: I mean, they wanna get, wanna get pliable. 
Claire: Yes. And maybe roots 
Grace: and maybe canes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, leading roots. Roots and pliable before and canes after. 
Claire: This is my greatest day ever. This is my greatest day ever. And then, and then if I like. If we're playing in the Whippeal Championship the next day, like, I'll be so hype, like, it'll be so fun.
Yes, because 
Grace: you just watch 
Claire: icons. No, literally. Seeing Merit be saved in real life and Lexi Redbeard. Oh my 
Grace: god, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, 
Claire: stop, stop, stop, stop. Oh my god, I'm like, literally 
Grace: giddy. I'm gonna print out. I'm gonna print out that picture of me and John Cook and blow it. 
Claire: Please make a poster, make a poster.
Grace: Yeah, so I can hold it up and they'll put me on TV, are you kidding me? 
Claire: Oh my god, yeah. We need to get cowgirl hats because he's a cowboy. Oh my god. And [00:35:00] then we can, and then we can be, yeah, 
Grace: yeah, why did he do that? Why was it so sexy? I don't 
Claire: know. It was, he lives in Wyoming in the off season. I don't know, like, when he would do that though, because aren't they in season like constantly?
I don't know. So I had to force that. So I'm a little confused. Hey, we're not doctors. No, not, obviously not doctors, but John Cook, like you live your cowboy life. 
Grace: Remember 
Claire: we also saw this, we saw Katherine Plummer in the Penn State Starbucks. Oh my god. That was 
Grace: amazing. I miss Kate Meany. 
Claire: Oh, such a legend, such a legend.
I think we also saw like Morgan Hentz, Jenna Gray. 
Grace: And Jenna Gray. 
Claire: We literally saw the [00:36:00] best three volleyball players like ever. 
Grace: Wait. Wait, hold on. Also, we're gonna see Kelly Hunter in real life. 
Claire: Oh my, and, and, and, and, and, what's her name? 
Grace: Larson, Larson. Nichole Hames. Oh my god. Oh my god. 
Claire: Jordan Larson.
and Nichole 
Grace: Hames.
Okay, 
Claire: I can't breathe. Need to talk 
Grace: to Nicklin Hames. I need to talk to Joy Larsson and Kelly Hunter. 
Claire: Same. We need to find a way. Should I, how do we like, get them to talk to us? I don't know because I'm gonna wanna I'm also gonna wear, wanna wear white for Penn State and I'll probably cheer for Penn State a little bit.
Grace: Well, I'm not sitting with you then, because I want them to talk 
Claire: to me. I also want, yeah, I mean, I, I love Nebraska and I, and I'm going to cheer for Nebraska in the tournament. 
Grace: Yes, yes, yes. No, I wouldn't mind a Penn State victory 
Claire: [00:37:00] either. That would be so fun and upset. Like if they went to five, but also, I don't, I don't want that for my girls.
No. 
Grace: Yeah. Okay. Cool. See you 
Claire: there. See you there. So they play, yeah, so that's on Friday, Penn State, Nebraska. And also on Friday is Washington State, Stanford, which will be really good. Ooh. Because of Washington State's.
Really, I mean, they're in the, I think they're ranked 6th now, but they were, they were in the top 5. But also this weekend, Oregon State beat them 3 2, which is a huge upset. Yeah and then this isn't really a big upset, it's just Oregon was number 9 and Washington was... Washington State was number six, and they, or Oregon beat them 3 
Grace: 1.
Yeah, that was a good game. I watched some of 
Claire: that. Yeah, I think Oregon is really good. I [00:38:00] think that
they Ugh, so athletic, and so smart. And they have really physical, yes, very physical. And they have really great positive energy. Mm-Hmm. . I've noticed that. And I really like their coach. He's cute. And me too. He's like, he's grown on me. He's, yes. And whenever I was watching, I watched the Oregon Stanford game and they played point for point, but the last three or four points, Stanford would just plow through and finish. Yeah, but they interviewed the Oregon coach after the second set. And he was like, yeah, listen, like, I'm just really loving what my team's doing right now.
They're working really hard. The only thing we have to do is finish and I believe in them. And. We're just going to continue working. And I was like, Oh, that is the greatest thing I've ever heard. Yeah. His belief in his athletes, his trust in their training. Oh, it was just really [00:39:00] great.
And they did end up losing, three one, but I mean, Stanford's a powerhouse and no matter what, it's going to be a battle. 
So. On Wednesday,
Purdue's playing Wisconsin, so that'll be good. Yeah, yeah. On Friday. Louisville, Georgia Tech. Nice. That's always a good ACC rivalry. Pitt, Florida State, which Florida State was undefeated for a while, but I just saw that Louisville swept them, so Tennessee's playing Florida.
Also on Friday. Yeah, that'll be good. I've watched a few games. I watched the Tennessee Kentucky game. Tennessee's really good. I'm impressed with them. Yeah. They have that one girl from Ohio State who's really solid. Their setter is I think she's, she's really young, but she's really dynamic.
So that's good. And their coach is really cool. So that's, I like that. Last one on Friday, Maryland versus Michigan state. I think that'll be a really [00:40:00] great battle on Saturday, we've got Illinois, Wisconsin Kansas State versus Kansas, which I will be a really great game because Kansas is ranked in the top 15 and Kansas State swept BYU.
Twice. Yeah, 
Grace: weekend. I watched watch those. It was great. Yeah. 
Claire: No, that is awesome.
Okay, last one on Saturday, Indiana vs.
Ohio State. That'll be a good one. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Sunday, Purdue, Penn State. That'll be good.
 And then we've, we've also got Kentucky, Florida. 
Grace: Okay. That one. Yeah. 
Claire: I didn't realize I saw today. So Alexis Stuckey out whole season, Anna Dixon out whole season. Let me pull up the Instagram post. Cause it was Mary Wise, posted it. And it was like, [00:41:00] you know, So proud of these three, they've really dealt with, 
Grace: a lot this 
Claire: season, like but it was, yeah, okay, Anna Dixon, Alexis Stuckey, and Keira Hudson.
Yes, all three of them, they were so good, too. Oh my god. That sucks so bad. Because I literally called it at the beginning of the season. I was like, Florida's gonna win the national championship. Like, I don't care what anyone else says. Like, I'm calling it now. And like, I thought I was so cool.
Like, I thought I was gonna be so right. 
Grace: Yeah. And 
Claire: then. Yeah, but hey, who knows? We'll see. And there's always next year. 
Grace: They've like, 
Claire: they're out for the whole season. That's actually crazy. No, that sucks. In the picture, like from the post was like of them all playing in the front row together.
They were all three starters, they were doing a triple block in the, in the middle. Like, it was, yeah. Holy, [00:42:00] yeah. Heartbreaking. Okay, and then the last game that I wrote down for the, from the weekend, for ne like, this upcoming weekend. Was Arizona State USC just because I'm super intrigued with Arizona State right now because they swept Stanford.
Okay, wild. And then they moved up six spots in the NCAA poll. So. Oh, 
Grace: my God. Yeah, they're on the rise. We'll see what the sun devils can do. 
Claire: And we're gonna see each other on Friday. This is my favorite thing.
Like you, volleyball. Delicious food, State College, and it's just like, when I think of, the beginning of our friendship, like, I think about State College. So it's so fun. Thanks for listening to the best of five podcast. Like and subscribe to the show wherever you get your [00:43:00] podcasts. Your support means the world. Tune in next week as we continue to shine a light on the best sport in the world. Why is volleyball the best? Because it's the best of five. Thanks and see you next week.