Readers of ATQ will know that I closely follow Oregon Ducks volleyball. In the few years that I’ve done this here, we have seen a good many dynamic players on the court at Matthew Knight Arena. This year, the volleyball program completely reset, and with such a young team it was going to be necessary for some freshman players to step up.
It’s fair to say that none of the freshman quite stepped up or was as dynamic this season as OH Alanah Clemente. It was therefore no surprise that – even though the Ducks
saw no postseason play this year – she was selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
This came as no surprise. In fact, I had been anticipating that recognition because her impact on the court reminded me of the impact that a recent Oregon Pac-12 FOTY had a few seasons ago – Mimi Colyer. For the past couple of months, Clemente struck me as looking just as good (and maybe better?) than Colyer in Mimi’s freshman year. Was there any validity to that impression?
Mimi Colyer was Freshman of the Year on a team that also saw Brooke Nuneviller, Hannah Pukis, Georgia Murphy, and Gloria Mutiri garner All-Pac-12 honors.
Colyer benefitted from an already established team that finished the season #7 in the nation. She was a freshman star mixed in with some excellent veterans. That is to say, Colyer was all that and more while not having to carry the entire load on the 2022 team.
Oregon was still in the Pac-12 three years ago, of course. They played seven teams during the regular season that would be the the NCAA tournament; three in the non-conference schedule (Rice, Minnesota, Penn State) and four in conference play (Washington, Washington State, Stanford, USC).
It was necessary to play a light non-conference slate this season, and the Ducks played no one that would be in this year’s tournament. Even so, Oregon played more ranked teams in 2025 by playing eight conference foes that landed in this year’s NCAA tournament.
I mention all this because it is the background hue that colors how we look at the numbers Alanah Clemente and Mimi Colyer finish with in their respective FOTY seasons.
Colyer is going to have better overall numbers in part due to playing more games. She was the kills leader in 2022, followed closely by Brooke Nuneviller’s 505 kills. Colyer has more kills, better kills/set numbers, and was the better defender in terms of digs.
Clemente has the edge on kills percentage and blocks/set. She is not going to have better digs numbers simply because this year’s brand new team struggled to learn defense and each other for half the season. What really stands out is the service numbers. Mimi Colyer led the 2022 Ducks in service aces with 40. Alanah Clemente has more aces in fewer games, and isn’t even the team leader in aces! That distinction goes to Valentina Vaulet with 56 SAs.
What has struck me about Clemente’s play – and why my opinion is that she’s the slightly better freshman – has to do with three main factors.
First – her age. Clemente didn’t turn 18 until early November! She’s a youngster in more ways than one that is excelling on the court.
Second – Clemente has great numbers with lesser support, especially in the defense and setter positions. Clemente would easily have better numbers with Georgia Murphy in the back court and Hannah Pukis setting. It has taken all season for this team to become a team. After spring training and some selective additions in the offseason, everyone’s numbers will improve, not just Clemente’s.
But it’s the third factor that is the X-factor that makes me a slight Alanah Clemente lean. She hits the ball fast and hard – damn hard, and from everywhere on the court. Her serves look like kills behind the base line.
I now know why the support personnel have to wipe down volleyballs after Clemente kills. They’re wiping away volleyball tears because the balls have been hit so hard.
The bottom line is that Oregon volleyball fans have enjoyed great play over the years from Mimi Colyer, and I for one am looking forward to how volleyball improves with Alanah Clemente on our side of the net.
