Bobcat Volleyball Concludes Spring Drills with Blue-Gold Scrimmage
4/26/2023 8:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
In front of the largest crowd in Blue-Gold scrimmage history, the Montana State volleyball team wrapped-up its spring season playing four sets on Wednesday night in Shroyer Gym.
In front of the largest crowd in Blue-Gold scrimmage history, the Montana State volleyball team wrapped-up its spring season playing four sets on Wednesday night in Shroyer Gym.
First-year head coach Matt Houk got a glimpse of his team in front of the home crowd. "Bozeman turned out," Houk said. "It was really cool to see the support.
"It was also important for our players," Houk added. "One of the hardest things to do is to practice everyday with no crowd and then to be on the road with nobody watching you, then all of a sudden come and show up with all your friends and family and the town you represent all here. You could see we felt the pressure. I really liked that they had to be in the moment, and feel it, and be uncomfortable. I'm happy that they had to feel what they had to feel."
Houk returns fifteen veterans from last season's squad the went 14-16 overall and 9-7in Big Sky play. Five starters also return to the team that advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Tournament, after stunning host Weber State in the opening round.
MSU Director of Athletics Leon Costello named Houk the 12th head coach in Bobcat history on Jan. 13, and he immediately went to work building a different culture and establishing a new identity in the practice gym.
Following Wednesday night's contest, Houk gathered his team one final time before they regroup in August.
"The biggest thing I wanted them to hear was how proud I was of the work they did this spring," Houk said. "I think what this team has been through in this last calendar year has not been an easy thing. They're young people who are growing up and at a phase in their lives where they're figuring out who they are, and who they want to become, and they've been pushed and pulled in a lot of directions, a lot of which were out of their control.
"When we got here in January, the group bought in right away," he said. "We had 100% buy-in to the message and, again, I don't think that's an easy thing to go through. I believe they gave their best effort everyday that they came into the gym. They made as much change as they could in a really short period of time."
First-year head coach Matt Houk got a glimpse of his team in front of the home crowd. "Bozeman turned out," Houk said. "It was really cool to see the support.
"It was also important for our players," Houk added. "One of the hardest things to do is to practice everyday with no crowd and then to be on the road with nobody watching you, then all of a sudden come and show up with all your friends and family and the town you represent all here. You could see we felt the pressure. I really liked that they had to be in the moment, and feel it, and be uncomfortable. I'm happy that they had to feel what they had to feel."
Houk returns fifteen veterans from last season's squad the went 14-16 overall and 9-7in Big Sky play. Five starters also return to the team that advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Tournament, after stunning host Weber State in the opening round.
MSU Director of Athletics Leon Costello named Houk the 12th head coach in Bobcat history on Jan. 13, and he immediately went to work building a different culture and establishing a new identity in the practice gym.
Following Wednesday night's contest, Houk gathered his team one final time before they regroup in August.
"The biggest thing I wanted them to hear was how proud I was of the work they did this spring," Houk said. "I think what this team has been through in this last calendar year has not been an easy thing. They're young people who are growing up and at a phase in their lives where they're figuring out who they are, and who they want to become, and they've been pushed and pulled in a lot of directions, a lot of which were out of their control.
"When we got here in January, the group bought in right away," he said. "We had 100% buy-in to the message and, again, I don't think that's an easy thing to go through. I believe they gave their best effort everyday that they came into the gym. They made as much change as they could in a really short period of time."
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, January 18
Daniel Jones Weekly Press Conference
Monday, November 15
Bobcat Classic: Arkansas vs. Portland
Saturday, September 04
Bobcat Classic: Arkansas vs. Utah State
Friday, September 03
