Holland è fiduciosa nel suo gioco e nel successo di Penn State.

Elemento chiave per Penn State negli anni da sophomore e da junior, la centrale Allie Holland avrà un ruolo ancora più importante per i Nittany Lions nella stagione 2023 della Big Ten.

La centrale ventunenne, alta 1,90 m, è una delle sette senior che faranno parte del roster di Penn State nel 2023 e viene da un'ottima campagna 2022, in cui è stata la seconda miglior realizzatrice della squadra con 382 punti (259 kills, 158 blocchi e 59 ace) ed è entrata nella prima squadra All-Big Ten.

• Watch the Big Ten Volleyball matches live on VBTV.

The excellent season gave Holland the confidence she needed to be an even more central piece in the team’s playing system and she has already started to display an improved game, having tallied a career-high ten blocks in a non-conference match against Florida last weekend.

“I feel more confident now,” she reflected. “Last season I was still working through some things and maybe if I made an error, I would feel pretty negative. Now I feel more confident, I know it’s a game of mistakes and I feel more confident just in my own skin, let alone being on the court.”

When things don’t go well, however, the middle blocker has the privilege of being able to connect with one of her idols, former Penn State player and USA national team Olympic champion middle blocker Haleigh Washington, who became a mentor of sorts to her since the two first met, two years ago.

“She’s also a Penn Stater and a fellow middle,” Holland explained. “After they won the gold medal at the Olympics, we were lucky enough to get her and (setter) Micha Hancock back in the gym. We got to meet them, to put the gold medal on, it was pretty unreal. Now, if I have an issue, I’m messaging her. She’s an icon.”

The same confidence she has grown to have in her game, Holland has about her team. Penn State were fifth in the Big Ten last season before falling to conference rivals Wisconsin in the playoffs, but the middle blocker feels like the Nittany Lions are ready to come back stronger in 2023.

Despite the graduation of leading scorer Kashauna Williams, they were able to add two important pieces via transfer in setter Mac Podraza and outside hitter Jess Mruzik.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with my fourth year at Penn State,” Holland commented. “I think we have a great team. We got four freshmen coming in and some transfers who have a lot of experience from other schools.”

La stagione della Penn State è iniziata con le sconfitte contro Florida e Georgia Tech lo scorso fine settimana al Road 2 Tampa Bay Invitational. Nel prossimo fine settimana, i Nittany Lions torneranno a giocare in casa al Penn State Invitational affrontando Western Kentucky, Colgate e James Madison.

La partita contro Western Kentucky, che inizierà venerdì alle 19:00 ora locale (23:00 UTC), sarà trasmessa in diretta streaming su VBTV.

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