(Photo: ASU Athletics)
Madison McDaniel is a 6’0” setter from Arlington, Texas (The Woodlands High School). She was a 2013 and 2014 selection to Lonestarvolleyball.com’s All-Texas 2nd team as well as a member of the 2012 AVCA Phenom List. Her high school team finished with a 45-0 record, becoming Texas’ eighteenth undefeated-state champions since 1967.
Q: When you were in high school, you played at The Woodlands High School in Texas, what was it like to play with so many Division I recruits?
A: I think it really helped me. It’s a lot of players going to big schools, and so it helped me become a better volleyball player, better person, and it was fun playing with and against them. A lot of competition.
Q: What’s the biggest adjustment from setting in high school to setting in college?
A: Oh that’s a good question. The hitters are obviously a lot higher level. It’s fun setting them, but I mean, you really have to focus in, give a lot more direction, take more lead. It’s a little different than club.
Q: Is there any difficulty as far as adjusting to the system, tempo, or anything like that?
A: Yeah. There’s a lot more sets, and there’s always been a lot of sets, but these hitters can actually hit them, and so you have to really work on getting those sets down and stuff.
Q: What are your expectations for yourself, and for the team?
A: I’m really hoping, I want to win Pac-12 with the team. As a player, I just really want to improve myself, and really adapt to the way that they want me to play, rather than my old ways and become a better player.
You can reach Zac Pacleb on Twitter @ZacPacleb or via email at zacpacleb@gmail.com
