Season Preview 2009

Bren Stevens will begin her seventeenth season as the head coach for the University of Charleston and she couldn't be happier.  "Last season was difficult for me, my staff and the players," stated Stevens. The team faced some adversity due to some serious season-ending injuries that sidelined three prospective starters.  However, there is always light at the end of the tunnel and Coach Stevens thinks the decision to red-shirt two players last season will prove to enhance the team's overall ability and should add greater depth in every single position.

First of all, Coach Stevens returns her entire staff of coaches.  "Coach Kelli Gora is the 'good cop' who spends a vast amount of time bolstering the self-esteem of the entire squad," states Coach Bren.  "Kelli is a true competitor both on and off the court and she loves counseling and supporting our athletes.  I am blessed to have her as a part of my staff." The Lady Eagles also return Coach Amanda Ansell as a part-time assistant coach.  Amanda teaches full-time at Piedmont Elementary in Charleston. "Coach Ansell is an intense coach who brings a plethora of knowledge to the development of the mental aspects of the game of volleyball. As well, I am fortunate to have Michael Sankoff on our staff as a volunteer coach and he brings a sense of stability, spirituality and passion to our program," says Stevens. She further asserts that many years ago she attended a clinic in Madison, Wisconsin and a speaker discussed the importance of surrounding yourself with a loyal staff that compliments your weaknesses.  "I believe that I have put together such a staff," states Stevens.

Setters: The Golden Eagles return Freshman Player of the Year, Katy Williams at the setting position. According to her coach, "Katy is very quick and has the ability to turn a game around very rapidly.  She understands the importance of playing good defense and moving the ball around to as many different hitters as possible." Newly signed freshman setter Kelsey Eby is from Portland, Oregon, and she will bring a strong sense of command and calmness to the floor.  "I am expecting Kelsey to contribute right away to our program and her setting style truly compliments Katie's," states Stevens.

Middle Hitter: The Lady Eagles are fortunate to return Laura Buckalew (Buck) to the position of middle hitter.  Buck was named to the 2008 WVIAC All-tournament team last season.  Along with Buck, Cara Hibbs-Leyva is expected to see some action on the floor this year. Cara is retuning back to the team after undergoing shoulder surgery, but the prognosis looks great for a full recovery. Jasmine Howard also returns to play after a red-shirt year last fall.  Jasmine has superb hops and a very quick arm swing. We expect to see a dramatic increase in our team's hitting power with Jasmine in the middle hitting position. The Lady Eagles signed junior college transfer Emmalee Luther from Florida and she possesses a keen sense of awareness on the court and her leadership abilities should prove to be very beneficial to our team. Coach Bren was also excited to sign freshman middle hitter, Brenna Youlton.  "Brenna is
from Ontario, Canada and she has a very powerful swing and she is extremely focused on the court.  I am looking forward to working with her over the next four years," says Stevens.

Outside Hitters: The team returns and has signed a number of new athletes who will have the opportunity to play in the positions of left-side and right-side hitters. Lora Goss is a sophomore player who saw a great deal of time playing in the right-side hitting position last season.  "I believe Lora was the player on our team who improved the most last year and she will prove to be a strong blocking force. Tanya Ferguson was a starting middle hitter for most of last season, but we trained her to play as a left-side hitter due to the fact that she possesses very solid defensive skills," says Stevens.  Vivien Souders will also return to the Lady Eagles after overcoming a serious stress fracture last season. Vivien improved tremendously during the spring season and her ability to move the ball around the floor should prove to be very beneficial to the Golden Eagles. Brittney Bills is another returner and her greatest strengths lie in her ability to play defense.  Says Stevens, "I believe that Britt is the true definition of a utility player and I expect her to push her teammates on the court for playing time." The Lady Eagles also signed junior college player Chantal (Chay) Hebron from Maryland.  "Chay is very athletic and has a phenomenal jump.  I am looking forward to working with such a gifted athlete. Malleri Hardison is another exceptional athlete and perhaps is the best passer that we have on serve receive," states Stevens. She is from Pittsburg, PA, and along with Lauren Duarte (Murfreesboro, TN) will add tremendous depth to the position of outside hitter in 2009."  Both players had great club seasons last year and their ability to place the ball into the empty zone on their opponent's court should prove to be very helpful. 

Defensive Specialists and Liberos: This year’s squad has a total of six defensive specialists and liberos.  The team returns senior Lindsay Sankoff, a local player from Capital High School.  Lindsay is a solid passer and her best attribute is her leadership ability both on and off the court.  Sara Jones is a returning defensive specialist from Bristol, VA.  "She has an incredible work ethic and Sarah is always excited about learning new skills and techniques," according to Coach Stevens.  Ashlea Wallace is new to the volleyball team this year, but just recently completed her first season as a player on the UC softball team.  She is a local walk-on player from Winfield, WV, and is a “sponge” when it comes to new learning new skills on the court. Holly Sabatka is from Lone Tree, CO, and she is an outside hitter who is now focusing on the defensive side of the game. "I expect Sarah, Holly and Ashlea to make great strides this season as they have time to develop their defensive and serve receive skills," says Stevens.  Kayla Sisson is another walk-on player this season and she is from Clifton Park, NY.  Kayla is excited about having the chance to contribute to the UC volleyball program this upcoming season. Finally, rounding out the list of defensive specialists and liberos is Ashley Douglas.  "Ashley is extremely quick and is a very dynamic libero who reads her opponent’s offensive tactics quite well. Ashley is from Ontario, Canada and we expect her to spend a significant amount of time on the court for our team," says Stevens.