Collegiate Times

As Virginia Tech volleyball prepares to open preseason practice August 9, ideas of unprecedented success are on the players' minds.

The Hokies are coming off of a season where they finished 20-11 overall, including an 11-9 mark in the ACC.

At one point last season, they stood at 16-3 overall, before struggling down the stretch, including a three-game losing streak to end the year.

"We made great strides last year, and moving to this year, I would just like to be in a position to win the ACC coming down the stretch,"  said Chris Riley, the team's head coach.

Those hardships have only motivated the returning veterans in 2009.

"We have been working hard and conditioning all off-season, and putting in extra time in the gym working on our plays," said Erin Leaser, a junior setter.

The Hokies are entering their fourth season under coach Riley, who is steering the program in the right direction already during his brief tenure.

Their 11 ACC wins in 2009 tied for the most in the program's history, along with Riley's second season at Tech in 2007.

The late-season slide included some tough losses that left a sour taste in many of the players' mouths.

"I really want to beat Duke, that has been my biggest opponent," said Felicia Willoughby, a junior.

Senior Jill Gergen, one of the premier leaders on the team, has a very important team in mind she'd like to topple.

"I have a big grudge against North Carolina. We should have beaten them last year at their place. I'd love to beat them down there, but also at our place too," Gergen said.

The Hokies fell in five sets last year on the road against the Tar Heels, who tied for the regular season ACC title last year with a 15-5 conference record.

The Duke Blue Devils were the other team atop the standings at the end of '08.

The nature of volleyball requires a complete team effort on every play, and no one player can stand out at any time to carry the team.

Coach Riley has instilled the concept of "team" deeply in the program's roots, and the players have responded to embrace such ideas.

"Coach tells us to make a sacrifice at the beginning of the season, both as an individual and as a team. Those sacrifices are key in determining how far we go as a group throughout the year."

Making their goals organized and lofty is part of the team's mindset.

"Goal-setting is very important. We have a individual goals every practice that we write on the white board in the locker room", Gergen said. "Before the season and throughout, we keep track of the short-term goals we set and our long-term goals."

What are some of the long-term goals?

"We want to win the ACC and ultimately make the NCAA tournament, and we know we can do both", Willoughby said.

Willoughby is used to outstanding play. In 2007 she set the record for blocks in a season at Tech with 172, which led the ACC and was 11th-best in the country.

"Felicia will be our leader on the floor," coach Riley said.

Willoughby will be one of the premier players on a team that features a good mix of seasoned veterans and talented newcomers.

The Hokies are welcoming four true freshmen to the team this season, and they are Jessica Willmen (McKinney, TX), Liz Trinchere (Salem, VA), Cara Baarendse (Mason, OH), and Morgan O'Neill (San Jose, CA).

"Even though I have not seen the freshmen yet, I know they are outstanding. Morgan was an all-American in high school, and Cara will also be an immediate contributor," Riley said.

The quartet of rookies arrived on campus in time for second session summer classes, and all the girls have been working hard to prepare for life as a Division I athlete.

"They are one of the hardest working groups of girls," Gergen said. "They are working so hard at adjusting to college life and the speed of the game at this level."

The veteran players had nothing but good things to say, continuing the praise for the newcomers from just the short time they have been in Blacksburg.

"(The freshmen) are so talented, and they fit right in with us as a group. We get along very well, which is so important for our success," Leaser said.

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