Last season, Erin Boeve was an honorable mention All-American, first team All-Big 12 selection, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and set the ISU school record for career blocks while at the middle blocker position.

Cyclone fans can expect more of the same from her this year with one major difference: It will be coming from a new place on the court.

Coach Christy Johnson approached Boeve about moving to outside hitter early in the spring season to help address the team’s lack of a veteran player at the position, and the team hasn’t looked back since.

“The idea came from the fact that we graduated our two outsides from last year, so we didn’t really have anyone out there that had much experience,” Johnson said.

Nicole Lorenzen and Katie Jessen started every game for the Cyclones at outside hitter last season, and as the team made a post season run, their experience and solid play kept the younger players on the bench for most of the season.

Johnson felt that with the talent she had returning at middle blocker behind Boeve, the team would benefit more with her out at the antenna. Sophomore Diane Kieger performed well in limited action as a freshman, and junior Jen Malcom should be ready to step in after sitting out last season as a transfer from Syracuse.

The biggest adjustment Boeve – who has never played outside before in her career – will have to make is getting used to playing in the back row, especially when the other team is serving. Normally, she is replaced by the libero, so playing back-row defense is something she hasn’t had to do in college, although she does have some experience in the area.

“I did play all the way around in high school because we were a small school with a small team,” Boeve said. “But the Big 12 is a different story defensively.”

To make sure she is as sharp as possible, Boeve has been getting to practice early to work on her passing. Her teammates make sure she gets as many repetitions as possible during drills. But beyond the physical aspect, Boeve has to get used to a new mindset.

“If the pass isn’t that great, you know the ball is going to come to the outside, so I have to get used to expecting the ball,” Boeve said.

She has to make that adjustment quickly, because there are going to be a lot of balls set her way. Just knowing Boeve is out there is a safety net her setter is going use early and often. Instead of having to wait for a good pass to run a middle attack, a ball can be set to the outside from almost anywhere on the court.

“It is nice having her at outside, so if the pass is off, I can just set it out there and I know she will just kill it,” said sophomore Kaylee Manns.

Although her spot in the rotation might have changed, Boeve’s role in both the offense and defense will stay much the same. With big hitter Jessen gone and fresh faces at three attacking positions, the offense will look to her for its big points.

Having her lined up at outside simplifies the offense, which gives her a chance at a lot of swings. Johnson believes she will be an even bigger part of the offense this year, and the team agrees.

“We were a middle, middle, middle focused team last season,” Manns said. “This year, it gives the team a lot more options to be able to throw it outside.”

Regardless of how she played offensively, Boeve has gotten notice nationally because of her stone-wall blocking, finishing 18th in the country with 1.56 blocks per game last season. Although she won’t get as many opportunities on the outside, the coaches are excited about what she can do against right-side hitters.

“Obviously she is a great blocker, coming from the middle, which is what she did so well in the middle,” Johnson said. “We are trying to ask her to be really aggressive, more so than the average outside, as an outside blocker and just use what she does well.”

With prior success and all of the physical tools to make the transition, there is little reason to doubt Boeve will make a first-rate outside hitter. More importantly, she seems to have the right attitude to make the switch.

“I think staying positive will help because a lot of times I’m very hard on myself, Boeve said. “I just have to remember it’s a new position for me and try to do the best I can.”

Looking for proof that moving Boeve to the outside will help the team?

Last season, all the outsides combined for 123 total blocks; Boeve had 183.

It’s true that the middles have more chances since they block all along the net, but look at the one-on-one numbers – Boeve had 25 solo blocks compared to only 21 for the outsides.

Want to see for yourself?

Head to Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 10, or wait until Nov. 11 when the Cyclones square off against preseason No. 1 Nebraska and its 2006 National Player of the Year Sarah Pavan.

With Boeve sure to be matched up against Pavan on the outside, expect to see a battle high above the net as power offense clashes with precision blocking.

Boeve Blog

Check out Boeve’s blog about the 2007 season on www.cyclones.com. In her latest installment, Boeve talks about the team’s last week of activities, which included a Friday night dinner at athletic director Jaime Pollard’s house.