With 21 players on the roster, Wolfpack volleyball Head Coach Tommy Harold will be working with the biggest team in his Loyola career.

The team ended last season with 14 players. The increase came as no surprise to Head Coach Tommy Harold.

“We were looking to increase the roster size,” Harold said. “It’s where we wanted to be.”

International business freshman Kara Nishimuta said that this year’s team is larger than what she was used to in high school, but that having a larger team provides a competitive advantage.

“We have a lot more options on the court,” Nishimuta said. “I think it will be a good season.

The team began the first of its 29-day preseason practices on August 15, training three times a day. The first session focuses on serving, passing and defense. The second session focuses on individual position training, and the final session is a full team practice.

According to Harold, working with a larger team has not affected the format of practice.

“It’s more of a logistical thing. The way we’re working is still consistent,” Harold said. “Our practice system and drills are still the same.”

Harold also said that trust plays an important role in the integration of new and returning players.

“We have a strong group of returning players who have a lot of trust in one another, and that trust trickles down to new players,” Harold said.

Accounting sophomore Katie Broadbent, a returning sophomore and accounting major, said she’s excited about the season ahead.

“It’s going really well,” Broadbent said. “We’re running different drills at a faster pace. I think we have a good team this year.”

Aside from concentrating on fundamentals and individual technique, Harold said he tries to capture the randomness of the game during practice, allowing players to quickly react to the unexpected.

“It can’t be too controlled,” Harold said.

The team will play its first game against Southern University of New Orleans on Saturday Aug. 27. The Wolfpack’s first home game will be against Xavier on Sept. 4.

Scott O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]