With Ricchetti, Kraus back, these teams are all set

The Mid-Suburban League has a storied history of great setters, and this season will be no exception with Ray Kraus and Noah Ricchetti leading the way.

The two seniors - Ricchetti of Barrington and Kraus from Elk Grove - share a lot of similarities.

Both were All-Area choices last season, the two were team leaders as juniors, and they both expect considerable success from their respective teams this year.

In 2014 Kraus quarterbacked his Grenadiers squad to a high level by recording 813 assists, while Ricchetti led the Broncos to a Mid-Suburban League championship with 696 assists.

But the setters' height - they're both 6-foot-4 - helped them excel in other areas as well.

Ricchetti posted 45 kills, 39 blocks, 187 digs and 18 aces, while Kraus had 56 blocks, 190 digs and 28 aces.

"We've always had good setters," said Elk Grove coach Dan Windholz, "but they were always undersized.

"When Ray was a freshman, I told my assistants that my next setter should be tall enough to block from the front row. When I saw Ray at tryouts, I knew that with his height and athleticism, he would be the guy. He would be a hitter on most teams."

Barrington coach Rob Ridenour echoed that sentiment about Ricchetti, adding that there's more to the Broncos star than just length.

"Noah is one of the most committed athletes I've ever seen," Ridenour said. "He is constantly doing the little things that make players great. He watches tons of film and he focuses on nutrition, sleep, anything that will make him improve his performance. Noah is irreplaceable, and he's going to have an amazing senior year."

Ricchetti said that right from the beginning he was drawn to being a setter.

"I like to touch the ball on every single play," he said. "I knew every since my freshman year that this is what I wanted, and I feel that my height makes me an offensive weapon in the front row."

Kraus started out as a hitter. He's actually played all the positions at club except libero, but when he was called on to become the Grenadiers' setter, he stepped right in.

"My coaches felt like I had good hands," Kraus said. "I got used to it and was able to excel (at the setter position), and being tall definitely gives me an advantage in my overall game."

For Ricchetti it's always been volleyball at the forefront, in what he calls a year-round devotion to the sport with his participation in prep competition and club, a schedule that includes lots of travel.

Kraus had a decision to make entering high school. He also was a baseball player, but ultimately he chose volleyball after getting some encouragement from his older brother Aaron, a standout for the Grens.

Now they are both looking forward to the 2015 campaign and understand that not only their volleyball skills but also their leadership qualities will be called upon.

"I know it's time to step up," Kraus said. "There's always been a senior leader on our team, and it's time for me to take the reins."

"I have the experience now," Ricchetti said. "Being a leader is an exciting part of the game for me, and I can't wait to see how we progress this season."

And the final word comes from the coaches.

"We're excited to get this season started," Ridenour said. "With Noah returning and some very talented attackers, our offense is going to be dynamic and balanced."

"We were ecstatic when Ray chose volleyball (over baseball)," Windholz said. "He's played club for three years and has been highly competitive against the state's top players. Becoming our program's all-time leader in assists is well within reach for him."