Setter Whitney Craigo digs a ball during the Terps’ loss to Minnesota at Xfinity Center on Nov. 19, 2014.
Since returning from an injury that sidelined her for the first half of her freshman campaign in 2013, Whitney Craigo has been a mainstay on the Terrapins volleyball team.
Craigo grew accustomed to being the go-to setter in her first year as the only player in the position on the roster. Then in 2014, Carlotta Oggioni transferred from Oregon State to provide a second option.
Fast forward to this year, and coach Steve Aird has three setters, with freshman Abby Bentz now in the fold. A competition has ensued and after what he saw at the Maryland Invite this past weekend and throughout practice, Aird still sees the setter position as a three-person rotation, but this weekend could create some separation.
“It’s still wide open; all three are doing some great things in practice,” Aird said. “We’ll look at our options, but I think all three will get playing time this weekend.”
The Terps will take on Penn and Howard in Washington on Saturday before hosting Western Carolina and George Mason on Sunday as part of the DC Classic.
While the trio of setters has resulted in a battle for playing time, the three still view themselves as friends.
“Carlotta and I lived together; we were roommates and we built a great relationship on and off the court,” Craigo said. “Abby’s also a great teammate and a person. It’s obviously competitive because there’s three of us, but we just want what’s best for the team.”
Last season, Craigo and Oggioni combined to play in all but three matches. They logged a combined 218 sets, missing just 18 total.
Craigo has the most experience with the Terps, but Oggioni, a native Italian, garnered valuable skills before coming to the United States. Oggioni played for Riso Scotti Club in seria A2 in Italy as an amateur before enrolling at Oregon State. She then had a breakout season in her first year with the Terps, leading the team with 6.09 assists per set including her 51 assists against Liberty, the most for a Terp since 2011.
Bentz, meanwhile, racked up the high school accolades. As the YAIAA 2014 Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year at Susquehannock, Bentz led her team with 350 kills, 255 assists, and 29 service aces.
Since getting to College Park early in the summer, Bentz has focused on getting used to what the Terps outside hitters need from her.
“Every team has a different tempo with setting and where they want the ball, but I’m just trying to connect with our hitters and run the offense in an effective way,” Bentz said.
While Craigo and Oggioni proved themselves last year, Bentz is still in the mix to garner significant playing time.
For Aird, the competition between the three is crucial. He views the setter as one of the most important positions on the court, making sure that all other players are in the correct spot and ready for the serve.
“It’s a really important position,” Aird said. “They’re the quarterback, the point guard, the heart of the team. Their level of play needs to be really high for us to be successful.”
