NEU » irmingham Jeffers

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When youve been to the final four five straight times and eight of the past nine years, youre not going to garner much sympathy in a sport as deep as volleyball.But falling one win shy of a national championship yet again didnt settle well for Texas coach Jerritt Elliott or his Longhorns, beaten by Stanford 3-1 on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena.It stinks going home with the silver, said Elliott, who has guided Texas to eight final fours in his 16 years. I walk away from this really, really devastated that we didnt win this.When youve been the best, second is tough. Texas (27-5) knows the feeling of being No. 1, having won this thing in 1988 and 2012. But instead of hoisting up the trophy a third time -- something that seemed like a real possibility two nights earlier, when Texas stunned No. 1 Nebraska 3-0 -- the Longhorns were left with talking about coming achingly close again.Junior Ebony Nwanebu and freshman Micaya White buried each other in a long embrace, while the Cardinal celebration erupted around them. Sophomore Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani immediately found Elliott.Yaazie put her arm around me and said, Were going to get you one of these next year, Coach, Elliott said. Were going to make this thing happen.It wont be easy, considering Stanford returns much of its talent. But Nwanebu could pull this team together in the same way that Stanfords Inky Ajanaku did this season.Nwanebu, who finished with 16 kills and hit .289, struggled to get out full sentences in the postmatch news conference.Its weird to think I have one more season, she said. I have one more season to win a championship. I know Caya said in the locker room that all of us need to work our butts off to get to this point next year and have a different outcome. Im going to do everything in my power to do that.Poised and powerful against the Cornhuskers, Texas looked like it might have the kind of hitters who could counter the No. 1 blocking team in the nation. Instead, the Longhorns found themselves scrambling for another plan against the Cardinal trees -- 6-foot-6 Kathryn Plummer, 6-foot-6 Audriana Fitzmorris and 6-foot-8 Merete Lutz.Texas senior Paulina Prieto Cerame, who had 12 kills against Nebraska, managed just two against Stanford, with eight errors. That forced Elliott to shift his lineup, moving Bedart-Ghani to the outside and bringing in freshman Orie Agbaji to play middle.Texas was never able to find the magic that had the Cornhuskers on the defensive almost the entire evening on Thursday.With Paulina struggling, we were against the wall, Elliott said. We made a switch, and it became more difficult, because the young middle who came in wasnt that experienced. It made us a lot more predictable.The fact that Texas likely overachieved in 2016 was little consolation on this night. The Longhorns were the NCAA runner-up a year ago and started the season at No. 2 in the AVCA poll, but they were dealt a blow to their depth in the preseason. Two-time All-American middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu was declared academically ineligible.It took an emotional toll on this team early on.This team had its challenges, Elliott said. Nicole Dalton and Paulina and Chloe [Collins] and our captains were committed to what this program is about, and thats finding a way to make it happen.Nebraska swept Texas to open the season, and Kansas secured the Big 12 title. But the Longhorns gelled in the NCAA tournament, staving off elimination when they trailed throughout the fifth set in the regional semifinals against BYU, only to survive 16-14.The way they grew and developed, I couldnt be more proud of this group and the fight they had, Elliott said. Late in October, I dont think anybody would have picked us to be in the finals.Next year, the story could have a happier ending. Texas brings in the top two recruits in the nation in 6-foot-2 outside hitter Lexi Sun and 6-foot-3 middle blocker Brionne Butler. Ashley Shook should contend for the starting setter spot as a freshman.With White, Nwanebu, Ogbogu, Bedart-Ghani and starting middle blocker Morgan Johnson returning, Texas is a good bet to return to this spot, and it might be prepared to win a pair in the final four in 2017.Were ready to take that next step, Elliott said. I think weve got the pieces to do that. Well see when we have competition and chemistry and how Ill manage that; thats going to be a big part.I have to walk away from what these seniors have meant and reflect on how proud the program is. And I know well get back here, and I know well win one in the next couple of years. Fake Vapormax 3 . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Vapormax 2020 Clearance . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-womens-clearance.html . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Wholesale Vapormax 95 . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Mens Fake Vapormax . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- With no games to play, the UAB football players spend hours sweating on the practice field and in the weight room.Theyre motivated by something else.The Blazers can see the new, all-encompassing football building and covered field begin to take shape, eventually curtailing the time-consuming treks for workouts and across campus to eat. A new stadium in the next few years seems like a distinct possibility, too.A program shut down for lack of financial support in December 2014 is coming back bigger and better, only the wins are coming on the balance sheet instead of the field. Its a remarkable turnaround for a program that just a short time ago might have been gone for good.The football facilities that weve had are beyond antiquated so we really in our view are creating these for the first time, UAB athletic director Mark Ingram said. Weve been operating here with nearly nothing in terms of football facilities and now were going to have this dramatic, impressive training center that weve not had.In football, UAB has long been the poor neighbor to wealthy Southeastern Conference programs Auburn and Alabama -- both athletic 1 percenters -- with their mammoth stadiums and luxurious accommodations. UAB isnt seeking to match Alabamas built-in spa, plush player lounge area or 37,000-square-foot weight room.But the Blazers havent had anything like a level playing field with other Conference USA programs, either. That, at least, is changing.Just as most teams were gearing up for their first games, UAB broke ground on a two-story, 46,000-square-foot two-story facility that will include offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms, weight rooms and a dining area. Its scheduled to open in July 2017, less than two months before the teams first game back.Now, you can taste it, Blazers coach Bill Clark said. Were so close to being just like every other program.In the Birmingham community, UAB proves the saying that you dont know what you have until you lose it.University President Ray Watts announced that the school was shutting down football, rifle and bowling in a cost-cutting move shortly after Clarks initial team became bowl eligible for the first time in a decade.Following a groundswell of support from business leaders, fans and alumni, Watts resurrected all three the following June. The football team will resume play next season against a full FBS and Conference USA schedule.The first game will be Sept. 2 against Alabama A&M, but the initial schedule also includes the kind of lucrative guarantee game with Florida that helpss every lower and mid-level program make ends meet.ddddddddddddUAB raised more than $40 million in a 15-month period after footballs resurrection. Its enough to move out of the cramped, high school-like football building next door to the locker room and team meeting area (where Watts told players of their programs demise). With no covered turf field, the team used to have to travel to other schools to practice in poor weather.By comparison, Ingram said the team had typically received about $2.5 million a year in donations.We were over budget by $1 million a year for at least 10 straight years, he said. Ingram, a former Tennessee player and administrator, has seen the impact of improved football facilities at four previous stops.When you put a great coach and coaching staff together and give them a great sales tool to sell to the recruits, thats how you end up with great players and great teams, he said.An even bigger upgrade could be in the works. The Blazers have played their games at 89-year-old Legion Field.The Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex board of directors has hired a Kansas City firm to explore an estimated $174 million stadium downtown that would seat up to 55,000.UAB, which signed a multi-year deal with Under Armour in September, had already built a new locker room upon Clarks hiring. He said he wouldnt have taken the job otherwise and it was part of his first discussion with school officials.I just immediately said, `I dont believe yall are serious. Dont waste my time. Ive got a good job. Im happy, said Clark, then the head coach at FCS Jacksonville State. And it was like, `No, were 100 percent. The first thing were doing, were building a new locker room. And we did. And that was a game changer for these kids.This whole new building and knocking this one down, thats what we needed.Linebacker Shaq Jones looked into transferring to schools like Western Michigan, Marshall and Western Kentucky after UAB shut down football, but opted to stay close to his child.But the visits drove home how far behind UABs facilities were, including from a recruits point of view.Everything was top level, Jones said. It was amazing. To know that were going to have those things is great for us, because I was drawn to those things and Im pretty sure that were going to have guys that will be drawn to the things well have here.UAB is banking on it.---APs college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '