When university students hear the words “volleyball rotation,” they most likely visualize the simple six-person shift they practice at La Plata Beach.

But in collegiate volleyball, court rotation is much more complex and, for Terrapin head coach Janice Kruger, a strategic element vital to keeping her team on top year after year.

Even after winning back-to-back ACC championships, Kruger continues to adapt her offensive system to best suit the players at hand. With two solid but short setters and a load of versatile outside hitters in her lineup, Kruger decided to change her traditional 5-1 rotation to a 6-2 system this year. After a 12-0 start, it’s hard to argue her decision.

The veteran Terps support the change, saying it has not been a very tough adjustment.

“Most of us have run the 6-2 at some time, either in club or in high school,” senior blocker Rachel Wagener said. “It’s just like riding a bike.”

In layman’s terms, the 6-2 basically means that there are always three hitters in the front row and two setters in the rotation.

Different from the simple six-person rotation, collegiate players are not confined to the positions in which they start, but rather flow to a spot that maximizes their strengths.

“We went to it because we have two capable setters in Teryn [Papp] and Tedi [Doucet], and with Mary Beth Brown and others, we have the hitter personnel to make it work,” Kruger said.

In the 6-2, three hitters break to the front line at the serve, avoiding having any vertically-challenged players at the net.

Last year, the Terps did not have that problem, as setter Aimee Huddleston (5-foot-10) had a little more height than Papp (5-foot-8) and Doucet (5-foot-9). Huddleston was also a polished senior that Kruger felt could carry the load herself, thus the 5-1 rotation.

“[Aimee] was the kind who always wanted to be hitting,” Kruger said.

Going into the preseason without Huddleston, Kruger met with assistant coaches Sean Liu and Felix Hou and decided to switch to the 6-2.

“We knew we’d be in this situation because of our two setters,” Kruger said. “It’s hard to find two setters like the two I have. They allow our hitters to stay fairly comfortable.”

That comfort has been huge for hitters Brown, Beth Gillming, Jade Brown and Maggie Schmelzle, who have only two years of court experience, combined.

“A lot of people are getting the opportunity to get on the floor,” Kruger said. “They stay happy, and it’s just great experience.”

When the Terps travel to Virginia Tech Friday, the team will likely see a mirror image of themselves from last year. The Hokies (6-5) run an all-too-familiar 5-1.

Contact reporter Jason Fraley at sports@dbk.umd.edu.