The 2008 Co-Gulf Coast Atlantic Conference Champions weren’t picked in the top 25 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics preseason polls this season. But for the Wolfpack, it doesn’t matter one bit.
Their sole focus is improving each day during practice. The team has no goals in mind and no expectations this season said, Tommy Harold, head women’s volleyball coach.
“Right now we’re just working on the improvement issue, if we can keep getting better, then the wins and losses will take care of themselves but our expectations are simply focusing on getting better, learning the system,” he said.
“We haven’t set goals for wins and losses.”  With the departure of seniors Keelyn Henderson, Stacey Kersten, Mary Seals, and Sarah Howard, the Wolfpack return a fairly young team this season. There is only one junior and the rest consist of seven freshmen and six sophomores.
While most teams would consider inexperience a possible downfall for the team, Harold believes it isn’t necessarily the biggest concern this season. If they can’t learn the fundamentals of volleyball, this could possibly determine the outcome of the entire season.
“Our biggest challenges would be improving on serving, passing and receiving. I think if we can do that then we will be successful. If we struggle there, we’ll probably struggle a little bit during the season,” he said.
The expected starting lineup this year features a few returning starters. All-GCAC outside hitter, Gina Gill, psychology sophomore, returns on the outside along side middle blocker Lindsey Mullinix, general studies business sophomore.
The other positions aren’t official as of yet; however, Amanda Oldani, marketing sophomore, is expected to replace Henderson as libero, newcomer Samantha Worsham, political science freshman, will fill in the hole Howard left at setter and Rachel Roth, general studies business freshman, playing the other middle blocker.
The right outside hitter, on the other hand, is up for grabs. Three players have engaged in a battle to claim the spot, Ashley England, English sophomore, Kristi Hadley, sociology sophomore and Kailey Tuthill, a general studies business freshman.
Harold thinks the competition in practice for spots on the team is healthy and could provide great depth from the bench.
“We have a pretty good battle with three or four people for two spots,” he said. “That will be great because if one person isn’t on their game completely one night then we have some options to go to the bench.”
Although they are young, Harold is optimistic about his players despite the learning curve.  
“The system we run is different from what our freshmen are used to doing, our sophomores and juniors have been doing what we have asked them to do and running the system for a year. So there’s some different things we have to adjust to,” he said.
“It’s a little different and an adjustment but we found what works best for us.”
Without any seniors and only one junior, the team is expecting one of the younger girls to assume leadership roles on the court since four seniors graduated.
But so far, most of the players are still searching for their role on the team.
Harold thinks a few players will emerge as the season progresses.
“People are still trying to find themselves and that’s where you miss some of the older players who have been around for a while. In practice we are starting to see some roles defined, I don’t know if we are there yet but we are definitely looking at some players to step into those leadership roles and make a difference in that fashion,” he said.
“I expect our setter and libero to be the leaders on the court strictly because of the position they play; however, if it comes from somewhere else, then that works as well.”
The volleyball team is scheduled to open their season Sept. 4 against Union University in Jackson, Miss. The match is slated for 3 p.m. followed by another match at 5 p.m. against Rhodes College.

Craig Malveaux can be reached at [email protected]