Everything could change for the Kansas University volleyball team today for better or for worse.
Junior outside hitter Abbie Jacobson wants the Jayhawks to take a different course in Big 12 Conference play than her previous two seasons.
“This year we’re going to try and take that next step,” Jacobson said. “It’s definitely our goal to surprise some people.”
If the 8-0 Jayhawks pull off an shocker against No. 16 Texas A&M at 7 tonight in College Station, Texas, that would be a start.
KU hasn’t had a winning record in the Big 12 since coach Ray Bechard came to Kansas in 1998, including a 6-14 mark last season.
“I’d say now the overall balance on our team offense is very good and defensively we’re blocking a little bit better than we did last year,” said Bechard, who sports a 45-6 record in non-conference action but a lowly 25-55 mark in Big 12 play.
“Those two things I think point to a little bit different Jayhawk team,” he said. “But that’s something we’ve got to prove in the conference schedule.”
Starting the Big 12 season won’t be easy at A&M’s G. Rollie White Coliseum, which is often filled to its 7,800 capacity.
“The youngsters don’t know what they’re getting into, but the old timers know,” Bechard said of the 8-1 Aggies, 13-0 all-time against the Jayhawks. “We tried to tell them they’ll be doing these funny chants and they’re going to have Collie dogs and guys in funny uniforms. But the real thing they’re going to have is a real talented volleyball team.”
The Aggies finished second in the Big 12 each of the last three years, including a 26-6 campaign in 2001 good enough for a final ranking of No. 11 in the USA Today poll.
“We feel like we’re ready for A&M,” Jacobson said. “They’re a good team, they have a good program and history. But we think the teams we’ve played previously have prepared us.”
Kansas won its ninth tournament title in the Bechard era at the Jayhawk Classic last weekend, beating Southeast Missouri State, Marquette and Purdue. KU has lost just one game this season, a 30-20 defeat at Wichita State.
But that’s nearly the same as last year, when Kansas set a school record with a 10-0 start before the Big 12 season.
“We have to see if the Jayhawks can make that trend somehow change a bit,” Bechard said.
That seems daunting since Kansas has jumped out to perfect beginnings in each of Bechard’s seasons, going 6-0, 5-0, 9-0, 10-0 and now 8-0, but has never finished with more than eight conference wins or an overall record better than three games over .500.
Still, Jacobson said this season was different than the others she’s experienced
And she’s ready to show why.
“We like being the underdogs because we know that we don’t have anyone expecting anything from us,” Jacobson said. “We’re just going to go out there and take care of our side of the net.”
Everything could change for the Kansas University volleyball team today for better or for worse.
Junior outside hitter Abbie Jacobson wants the Jayhawks to take a different course in Big 12 Conference play than her previous two seasons.
“This year we’re going to try and take that next step,” Jacobson said. “It’s definitely our goal to surprise some people.”
If the 8-0 Jayhawks pull off an shocker against No. 16 Texas A&M at 7 tonight in College Station, Texas, that would be a start.
KU hasn’t had a winning record in the Big 12 since coach Ray Bechard came to Kansas in 1998, including a 6-14 mark last season.
“I’d say now the overall balance on our team offense is very good and defensively we’re blocking a little bit better than we did last year,” said Bechard, who sports a 45-6 record in non-conference action but a lowly 25-55 mark in Big 12 play.
“Those two things I think point to a little bit different Jayhawk team,” he said. “But that’s something we’ve got to prove in the conference schedule.”
Starting the Big 12 season won’t be easy at A&M’s G. Rollie White Coliseum, which is often filled to its 7,800 capacity.
“The youngsters don’t know what they’re getting into, but the old timers know,” Bechard said of the 8-1 Aggies, 13-0 all-time against the Jayhawks. “We tried to tell them they’ll be doing these funny chants and they’re going to have Collie dogs and guys in funny uniforms. But the real thing they’re going to have is a real talented volleyball team.”
The Aggies finished second in the Big 12 each of the last three years, including a 26-6 campaign in 2001 good enough for a final ranking of No. 11 in the USA Today poll.
“We feel like we’re ready for A&M,” Jacobson said. “They’re a good team, they have a good program and history. But we think the teams we’ve played previously have prepared us.”
Kansas won its ninth tournament title in the Bechard era at the Jayhawk Classic last weekend, beating Southeast Missouri State, Marquette and Purdue. KU has lost just one game this season, a 30-20 defeat at Wichita State.
But that’s nearly the same as last year, when Kansas set a school record with a 10-0 start before the Big 12 season.
“We have to see if the Jayhawks can make that trend somehow change a bit,” Bechard said.
That seems daunting since Kansas has jumped out to perfect beginnings in each of Bechard’s seasons, going 6-0, 5-0, 9-0, 10-0 and now 8-0, but has never finished with more than eight conference wins or an overall record better than three games over .500.
Still, Jacobson said this season was different than the others she’s experienced
And she’s ready to show why.
“We like being the underdogs because we know that we don’t have anyone expecting anything from us,” Jacobson said. “We’re just going to go out there and take care of our side of the net.”
Everything could change for the Kansas University volleyball team today for better or for worse.
Junior outside hitter Abbie Jacobson wants the Jayhawks to take a different course in Big 12 Conference play than her previous two seasons.
“This year we’re going to try and take that next step,” Jacobson said. “It’s definitely our goal to surprise some people.”
If the 8-0 Jayhawks pull off an shocker against No. 16 Texas A&M at 7 tonight in College Station, Texas, that would be a start.
KU hasn’t had a winning record in the Big 12 since coach Ray Bechard came to Kansas in 1998, including a 6-14 mark last season.
“I’d say now the overall balance on our team offense is very good and defensively we’re blocking a little bit better than we did last year,” said Bechard, who sports a 45-6 record in non-conference action but a lowly 25-55 mark in Big 12 play.
“Those two things I think point to a little bit different Jayhawk team,” he said. “But that’s something we’ve got to prove in the conference schedule.”
Starting the Big 12 season won’t be easy at A&M’s G. Rollie White Coliseum, which is often filled to its 7,800 capacity.
“The youngsters don’t know what they’re getting into, but the old timers know,” Bechard said of the 8-1 Aggies, 13-0 all-time against the Jayhawks. “We tried to tell them they’ll be doing these funny chants and they’re going to have Collie dogs and guys in funny uniforms. But the real thing they’re going to have is a real talented volleyball team.”
The Aggies finished second in the Big 12 each of the last three years, including a 26-6 campaign in 2001 good enough for a final ranking of No. 11 in the USA Today poll.
“We feel like we’re ready for A&M,” Jacobson said. “They’re a good team, they have a good program and history. But we think the teams we’ve played previously have prepared us.”
Kansas won its ninth tournament title in the Bechard era at the Jayhawk Classic last weekend, beating Southeast Missouri State, Marquette and Purdue. KU has lost just one game this season, a 30-20 defeat at Wichita State.
But that’s nearly the same as last year, when Kansas set a school record with a 10-0 start before the Big 12 season.
“We have to see if the Jayhawks can make that trend somehow change a bit,” Bechard said.
That seems daunting since Kansas has jumped out to perfect beginnings in each of Bechard’s seasons, going 6-0, 5-0, 9-0, 10-0 and now 8-0, but has never finished with more than eight conference wins or an overall record better than three games over .500.
Still, Jacobson said this season was different than the others she’s experienced
And she’s ready to show why.
“We like being the underdogs because we know that we don’t have anyone expecting anything from us,” Jacobson said. “We’re just going to go out there and take care of our side of the net.”
Everything could change for the Kansas University volleyball team today for better or for worse.
Junior outside hitter Abbie Jacobson wants the Jayhawks to take a different course in Big 12 Conference play than her previous two seasons.
“This year we’re going to try and take that next step,” Jacobson said. “It’s definitely our goal to surprise some people.”
If the 8-0 Jayhawks pull off an shocker against No. 16 Texas A&M at 7 tonight in College Station, Texas, that would be a start.
KU hasn’t had a winning record in the Big 12 since coach Ray Bechard came to Kansas in 1998, including a 6-14 mark last season.
“I’d say now the overall balance on our team offense is very good and defensively we’re blocking a little bit better than we did last year,” said Bechard, who sports a 45-6 record in non-conference action but a lowly 25-55 mark in Big 12 play.
“Those two things I think point to a little bit different Jayhawk team,” he said. “But that’s something we’ve got to prove in the conference schedule.”
Starting the Big 12 season won’t be easy at A&M’s G. Rollie White Coliseum, which is often filled to its 7,800 capacity.
“The youngsters don’t know what they’re getting into, but the old timers know,” Bechard said of the 8-1 Aggies, 13-0 all-time against the Jayhawks. “We tried to tell them they’ll be doing these funny chants and they’re going to have Collie dogs and guys in funny uniforms. But the real thing they’re going to have is a real talented volleyball team.”
The Aggies finished second in the Big 12 each of the last three years, including a 26-6 campaign in 2001 good enough for a final ranking of No. 11 in the USA Today poll.
“We feel like we’re ready for A&M,” Jacobson said. “They’re a good team, they have a good program and history. But we think the teams we’ve played previously have prepared us.”
Kansas won its ninth tournament title in the Bechard era at the Jayhawk Classic last weekend, beating Southeast Missouri State, Marquette and Purdue. KU has lost just one game this season, a 30-20 defeat at Wichita State.
But that’s nearly the same as last year, when Kansas set a school record with a 10-0 start before the Big 12 season.
“We have to see if the Jayhawks can make that trend somehow change a bit,” Bechard said.
That seems daunting since Kansas has jumped out to perfect beginnings in each of Bechard’s seasons, going 6-0, 5-0, 9-0, 10-0 and now 8-0, but has never finished with more than eight conference wins or an overall record better than three games over .500.
Still, Jacobson said this season was different than the others she’s experienced
And she’s ready to show why.
“We like being the underdogs because we know that we don’t have anyone expecting anything from us,” Jacobson said. “We’re just going to go out there and take care of our side of the net.”