Union’s volleyball team is entering the 2018 campaign with many question marks in a roster consisting of more than half freshmen, but with no shortage of talent and optimism that this could be its best season in the NCAA.
When you take a look at the Lady Bulldogs’ new roster, it’s impossible not to notice the departure of three key members of last season’s young core. Libero Taylor Chiaro and hitter Katie O’Malley both transferred in addition to setter Bre Carlton, who earned a spot in NCAA Division I at the University of Memphis.
These three losses will each set the Bulldogs back in different ways, but the influx of talent is undeniable at each position.
The loss of Chiaro left a gaping hole in the back of the defense, essentially a “shortstop” role as head coach Darrin McClure put it.
“[Being the libero is] a really hard job,” McClure said. “There’s a lot of responsibility and we’ve found that right now we’re pretty good if we share that responsibility among two or three different players.”
Defensive specialists Audrey Cagle and Lauren Alexander are expected to play a big part in filling Chiaro’s role, and in-between players like Kristen Goggin will also help contain opposing offenses.
O’Malley was another big loss this offseason, and while she did lead the team in kills last season, Union’s future looks bright near the net. In addition to adding three players at 6 feet or higher, redshirt freshman Meghan Delaney has joined the team after missing last year with a back injury.
While the Lady Bulldogs have only played four games this year, Delaney has lit up the stat sheet, leading the team in kills and digs including a 21-kill performance over the weekend (the most by a Bulldog in two years).
As for the setter spot, Union effectively served as the Triple-A affiliate to Memphis’ Major League for Carlton. However, the Lady Bulldogs have thrived using senior Rebecca Sexton and freshman Claressa Kohler in a two-setter look this year. Although it is a small sample size, the two have combined for about half-an-assist more per set than Carlton did last year, and Sexton has doubled her average output from a season ago.
“[Sexton] from last year to this year has grown so much as a player,” Delaney said. “She’s really stepped into a big leadership role.”
Another interesting wrinkle this year is CeCe Blanchard’s transition from being a player to a student assistant. Blanchard wants to be a coach after she finishes her undergraduate degree this semester, and McClure never misses an opportunity to develop young coaches.
“Anyone who does want to [coach], I want them around our team,” McClure said. “I’ve had people pour into me that way and I think that’s why I have a passion for that.”
Blanchard’s charisma and passion for the game made her a fan-favorite in her four years on the team, and that’s part of what makes her a great addition to the coaching staff.
“She sees the best in all of us and she sees the potential of each and every person on the team,” junior hitter Abbie Rahn said. “She wants us to get better. She’s so passionate about volleyball. I’ve never met anyone that loves volleyball more than Cece.”
Multiple players mentioned that the new faces on this team have provided a renewed sense of unity in the locker room.
“[The freshmen] are all very, very, very hard working,” Goggin said. “There’s not one person who just goes through the motions and lets practice slide.”
“This team has really been neat because they’ve reignited a passion in me for the sport,” McClure said. “I’m excited about what we can accomplish… I really think we’re gonna get this thing turned in the right direction.”
