With depth at several positions, the Lady Colonels volleyball team hopes to secure its first Southland Conference Championship this fall. Head volleyball coach Chris Laird said practices have been going well, and the team has been improving in many different areas on the court.
“The preseason is going great, the best thing for us is that we have 12 players that can play this year. I think we are further ahead this year than we were last year,” Laird said.
The past two years has been a time of improvement for the Lady Colonels. In 2005, the team finished the season 1-17, and then improved to 9-22 in 2006.
The greatest asset the team has going into this season is experience at many positions. The squad returns four seniors, one junior and four sophomores, with only one absence, Atina Porter, who graduated in the spring.
Seniors Kindra Halverson, Mallory McInnis, Aaliyah Muhammad and Casey Wirwille return as the most experienced players on the roster. Halverson played in 110 games for the Lady Colonels and had 247 kills with a .215 hitting percentage and 34 aces.
As well as having four returning seniors, the Lady Colonels welcomed back junior Enjoi Ford, and sophomores Amy Whitehead, Chelsea Dockrey, Rachel Spreen and Amy Beshir.
The Lady Colonels will also have five new freshmen in the lineup, including outside hitter Chelsea Adams, a transfer student from Pensacola Junior College. While at PJC, Adams led her team to two conference championships. She also received the 2006 Player of the Year award.
Transfer sophomore Ivanina Ivanova comes to the Lady Colonels from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Ivanova played 32 games for UALR and recorded 18 kills, 19 digs and 15 blocks. Laird said Ivanova is a smart player with great potential.
“Ivanina is adjusting well to the new systems and should be a good player this year,” Laird said.
Chrissy Graff, an incoming freshman, led her high school team to a Division I state runner up finish in 2006. She also received the St. Tammany Parish Player of the Year and the All-Metro Setter of the Year awards.
Another new face on the Lady Colonels squad is freshman Elise King, who led her high school team to the bi-distrcit playoffs. King was named team MVP in her senior year at Edna Karr Secondary School in New Orlans. Besides being an outstanding volleyball player, King was a two-year letterwinner in track and field.
The Lady Colonels also added two new assistant coaches to help in the fall, Amy Morris and Nicole McCoy. Morris played for the University of Tennessee and guided her team to the Final Four Tournament. Later, she coached for the College of the Southwest. McCoy played for the University of Texas at Dallas and later was an assistant coach at Temple College.
The team was picked fifth in the SLC West in the Coaches and Sports Information Director’s Poll. The primary focus of the Lady Colonels this season will be unity and balance.
“Playing as a team is the main focus for this season.” Laid said.
The Lady Colonels begin the season at Auburn University Aug. 24 as they compete in the War Eagle Invitational.
