Going into the 2012 season, the Illinois volleyball team had one outside hitter that played significant sets the year prior.

This year, however, the Illini won’t be having that problem.

Illinois returns five of its top six leaders in kills, including all four of its top outside hitters. The Illini finished 10th in the conference in kills last season.

“We were really young (last year). But that means we won’t be so young this year,” head coach Kevin Hambly said. “They’re very experienced now, and I think we can take that experience and grow up a little bit and be significantly better in the fall.”

Going into 2012, then-sophomore Liz McMahon was the only outside hitter that played more than 11 sets in 2011. The Illini received production from the outside with redshirt freshmen Jocelynn Birks and Ali Stark. Sophomore Morganne Criswell received significant playing time early in the year while Stark nursed a sprained ankle, but saw a decline in points played as the season went on.

McMahon led all outsides with a .270 hitting percentage and her 400 kills were good for second on the team. Birks led the team in kills, posting 510, which was sixth in the conference.

McMahon was named to the All-Big Ten, while Birks was on the Big Ten All-Freshman team and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten.

“I expect even more from Jocelynn,” Hambly said. “We had a redshirt year with her and saw her play against our team every day, and she was kicking our ass. We expected her to be good.”

While Stark started 28 games and Criswell earned 73 kills last season, Hambly said he wants even more balance from his hitters, as Stark hit just .149 last season while taking the third most swings on the team. Add to the fold two incoming freshman outsides, and the Illini are bound to have a plethora of options to choose from.

In the middle, Illinois lost senior Erin Johnson to graduation, which has opened the door for playing time. Johnson, a four-year starter for the Illini, was third on the team in kills and led the squad in blocks. Middle blocker Anna Dorn, a sophomore who started 27 games for Illinois in 2012, has been out all spring after undergoing a knee procedure in the fall. Without Dorn, Maddie Mayers, a freshman who redshirted in 2012, and Kathryn Polkoff have been seeing the floor in the spring.

“Redshirting, I loved it,” Mayers said. “It was easy to watch the culture of the team, and it was nice to watch Anna and Erin and see the little things.”

Hambly said Mayers has been known for her defense so far this spring, although her offensive game is still developing. Specifically, Mayers is working on her transition game and being able to move quickly from the net on a block to the 10-foot line to prepare for an attack.

With Dorn being sidelined now, Mayers said Dorn has been coaching her more from the sidelines, something that has stimulated her development.

“There’s potential for Maddie to be a breakout defensive player,” Hambly said. “Her offense needs some more time. There’s a pretty steep learning curve for her.”

The middles don’t see nearly as many attacks as outsides, but when called upon, they need to produce. Dorn recorded a .383 hitting percentage last season, the fourth-best mark in the conference. Her recovery plan is to be back for the team’s trip to Europe in early May.

The depth chart looks clogged for the fall, and Hambly is not afraid to try different things offensively. McMahon and Stark have both played at right side, and there is a three-way competition between Mayers, Polkoff and incoming freshman Katie Stadick for the second middle spot.

“We need to figure out who the seven best players are on the court,” Hambly said. “Our gym is going to have a lot of talent this fall.”

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and @steve_bourbon.