Green Flourishes in New Role

September 10, 2007

WEATHERFORD, Okla. -- Janna Green continues to flourish since a position switch has allowed for her to contribute more to the success of the Southwestern Oklahoma State University volleyball team. The Owasso senior is playing her final season as the team’s defensive specialist after spending two years as an outside hitter.

The move has worked for both Green and SWOSU. Just last week she was one of seven players named to the Texas Women’s University All-Tournament team. She had 20 or more digs in four consecutive matches, including setting a school record 30 in the final match against Dallas Baptist University.

Green was recognized by the Lone Star Conference as one of two players selected as co-Defensive player-of-the-week. She is the first Bulldog player to be awarded by the league office this year.

Green has had 20 or more digs in nine of the team’s 14 matches this year. No other SWOSU player has had more than 17 during that time.

SWOSU is now 6-8 on the year and look to be a sure thing at breezing past last year’s 10-23 mark.

Green, like many of her teammates, had some growing pains in the early days of SWOSU volleyball. A shortage of personnel forced her to play a position (outside hitter) that was not necessarily her strength. She finished both her sophomore and junior years with more errors than kills in the attack role.

Now in 2007, Green is back and starring in the position she was initially recruited for by coach Bo Pagliasotti.

“We always wanted Janna as a back row player from the beginning,” Pagliasotti said. “Because she has such great athletic ability, we could transition her to the outside hitter when we first started. Now that we’ve added players who are natural outsides, Janna is back in a role where she is more comfortable.”

Green is averaging nearly five digs a game and is currently ranked fourth in the 13-team Lone Star Conference in that category.

“She the best defensive player we’ve got,” Pagliasotti said. “No ball is out of reach to her. If it’s playable, she’ll get to it. Our defense is much tougher and opponents are having a difficult time scoring points on us.”

Green and the rest of the Bulldogs begin an important three-game home stretch beginning Wednesday with Oklahoma Panhandle State University and follow it with back-to-back conference match ups against Cameron University and Midwestern State.