The Lady Bulldogs Volleyball team entered this season with high hopes for their season, but low rankings in the conference.
When preseason rankings rolled out, Union was ranked 10th of 12 teams in the Gulf South Conference.
Junior nursing major and outside hitter, Meghan Delaney, says that starting their season like this made the team want to prove their ranking in no way matched the talent this team possesses.
They did just that this season and are currently ranked fourth in the conference, while earning the program’s first Gulf South Conference tournament berth.
“The day the preseason rankings came out, our coaches printed the Instagram post from the conference and hung it in each of our lockers with the words, ‘They have no idea what’s coming for them’ written on them,” said Delaney.
From that day forward, the coaches established new team values with a focus on making the team feel more like a family. These four core values of “faith, family, grit and gratitude” have defined the season. The team has embraced this with open arms, while also showcasing incredible talent on the court.
Freshman elementary education major and setter, Jordan Vick, said that these core values have been essential to the team’s success this year by changing the mindset of every player on the court.
“Our mentality is different, and we are being really intentional about becoming a family. So we’re growing a lot closer and truly love each other,” said Vick of this mentality shift. “We just all work really, really well together.”
The Lady Bulldogs have played in nine five-set matches this season, winning five of these matches, displaying the grit in their four core values.
Defying the odds is something this team has done often this season. Playing in nine five-set matches and coming out with the win in five of those nine games just shows the grit and determination this team plays with. This team has also fought through 17 sets that have gone beyond the 25-point regulation.
Another highlight of this stellar season was the Lady Bulldogs 3-1 home victory over the conference’s number two seed University of Alabama-Huntsville.
Vick reached 1,000 assists versus Lee University last weekend, an incredible feat for her only being a freshman with postseason play still to come.
Delaney has 491 kills on the season and is averaging 4.09 kills a game.
Just this week four of Union’s players received all-conference honors, including Delaney and Vick, earning 1stand 2nd team honors, respectively. Senior libero, Abbie Rahn, received first team honors, as well as winning Libero of the Year. Freshman middle hitter, Emily Grace Calhoon, also earned second team honors. Coach Darrin McClure received the conference’s Coach of the Year award.
This team has worked hard to prove they belong in the top five teams in the conference and have high expectations as they travel to Pensacola, Florida for the conference tournament at the University of West Florida.
The Lady Bulldogs play Friday, Nov. 22, at 4 p.m. versus the winner of the 11 a.m. match between University of Montevallo and Mississippi College.
To watch the Lady Bulldogs bring the heart and intensity they have all season to the conference tournament, visit www.gscsports.com/tournaments for the live stream and live stats of this weekend’s matches.
Photos courtesy of Union University Athletics and the Gulf South Conference
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