The volleyball team will conclude its final week of practice as it is now less than a week away from kicking off the 2014 season.
The Wildcats will travel to Waco on Aug. 29 to play in the Hampton Inn Waco North Baylor Invitational where they will open the season playing against Baylor Bears. The team will face several opponents including Southland Conference rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
There is much anticipation and excitement going into the season with new head coach Jason Bibler who is matched with a competitive schedule from start to finish.
“This year, I feel like we’re a lot more confident and excited to start the season,” said Dorothy Swanson, sophomore outside hitter and middle blocker. “Coach has really prepared us well and the scrimmage we played was proof of that. We all played well and showed a lot of improvement from last year. It’s exciting and we can’t wait to get going.”
In preparing the team for more competitive competition, Bibler has encouraged his team to play a more up-tempo style, which was displayed during the team scrimmage on Aug. 23.
“One of the main focus points we’ve had is to speed up the way we play,” Bibler said. “We’re trying to move the ball quicker and we really tried to speed it up at the scrimmage. I had a lot of parents tell me afterwards that they thought the girls were playing fast out there, which is great to hear.”
The team is working to meet their new goals and are doing so successfully.
“We’re definitely stepping it up this year and we’re playing much more aggressive,” said Emily Adkins, sophomore defensive specialist. “Our coach really focuses on the small details which only makes us better.”
The Wildcat’s schedule consists of some of the highest level of competition in collegiate volleyball. The team will face many tough opponents including University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas, Texas Christian University and Texas Tech University.
The Wildcats approach the competition with an eager mindset and determination to prove to the nation the legitimacy of its program.
“Yes our schedule is tough, but we’re not treating those games any different,” Swanson said. “We’ve worked hard in preparation for the season and we’re right there with them.”
