Modest McLaurin paces Syracuse
When one thinks about the Syracuse women’s volleyball team, the first thing that may come to mind is a devastating block by Sarah Morton or a crushing kill by Kacie MacTavish.
But what may get lost in the shuffle is the Orange’s stellar defensive play, which is where senior defensive specialist Shanetha McLaurin comes in.
McLaurin, standing at only 5-foot-4, is arguably SU’s best defensive player. Because she does not have the offensive firepower of her teammates in the front row, McLaurin’s ability to dig out explosive attacks has been overlooked in her four seasons at SU.
Her lightening speed allows her to be so effective on the floor; McLaurin currently leads the Orange with 348 digs and 3.35 per set.
‘She’s really quick, so a lot of times when you think a ball is down, she’ll just throw her hands under it,’ MacTavish said. ‘Nobody sees it coming. She’s always ready and she can react really fast to balls.’
McLaurin came to SU in 2006 as the most inexperienced of the incoming class. Her resume was limited in relation to her teammates, and she knew that she had to devote herself to getting better if she wanted her game to translate to the Division I level.
She struggled initially in practice, but began to improve as the coaching staff tailored her form toward the collegiate game.
‘Shanetha improved really, really quickly,’ said assistant coach Carol LaMarche. ‘In the first couple weeks of preseason her freshman year she totally changed her technique and was able to pick up on what we were trying to show her. By the first Big East game, she was on the court, starting.’
On a team filled with players who exhibit their passion and excitement visibly on the floor, McLaurin is one of the quieter players. She rarely jumps up and down or dances along with her teammates. MacTavish, her teammate of four season and her roommate, believes that it is all part of McLaurin’s strong-minded approach to the game.
‘I live with Shanetha and she’s really not quiet,’ MacTavish joked. ‘I think she just stays focused when we’re here and does what she has to do.’
It’s a focus that applies to a meticulous approach she has toward practice. Each workout, the defensive specialist attempts to perfect one aspect of her game that she is struggling with. Thus far, her work ethic has paid off.
‘My approach is just to relax and focus,’ McLaurin said. ‘Every practice I go in knowing that I have to work on something, so I am always focusing on something and trying to get better.’
LaMarche believes that McLaurin, once thought of to be undersized and inexperienced, will be very difficult to replace once the season concludes. Though there are skilled defensive specialists on the roster to take the reigns when McLaurin leaves, her instinctual nose for the ball will unquestionably be missed.
‘Shanetha doesn’t tense up, and when you tense up you freeze and you can’t move,’ LaMarche added. ‘She’s just really relaxed and focused on what she has to do and I think that helps her respond quickly to the ball. She’s a natural.’
