Collegiate Times

All-ACC performer Cara Baarendse attacks against Florida State.

To say it had been a long time coming would be an understatement.

After 33 years of mediocre volleyball, this year’s Virginia Tech team has reached the program’s first NCAA Tournament, and will face the Delaware Blue Hens in the first round tonight on the campus of Penn State at 5 p.m.

“(Making the NCAA tournament) was our goal that we set for the beginning of the year and we accomplished it,” said Chris Riley, head coach. “I’m really proud of our group.”

Riley has truly turned the program around since his first year as head coach in 2006.

“I’m really happy for our seniors Amy (Wengrenovich) and Felicia (Willoughby),” Riley said. “They’ve been in this program for four years now and have helped it grow into an NCAA Tournament team.”

Wengrenovich and Willoughby were Riley’s first recruits upon arriving at Tech, and both have played key roles in helping the Hokies (19-11, 10-10 ACC) get to where they are today.

Willoughby, who was just named an All-ACC performer for the fourth consecutive year, finished off the regular season ranked third in the conference in hitting percentage (.355) and ninth in blocks (1.03 per set). She attributes her own success to the improvement of the program.

“Our team has improved ever since my freshman year,” she said. “I think we’re playing well together and I think we’re going to need everyone’s contributions to do well in this tournament.”

Cara Baarendse was also named to the All-ACC squad.

She ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.380), and received the honor after being named to the All-ACC freshman team just one year ago.

“I’ve never really pictured myself where I am today,” she said, regarding her All-ACC performance. “It was just a great feeling to hear that.”

The Hokies will need a solid performance, not only from Willoughby and Baarendse, but from the entire team, if they plan to have a shot at reaching the second round.

Delaware (26-5, 13-1 CAA) beat Northeastern 3-2 on Nov. 21 to clinch its third Colonial Athletic Association title in four years.

Delaware has the edge over Tech in tournament experience, and despite being in a smaller conference, is not a team the Hokies can afford to overlook.

“(We’ve been) focusing on limiting errors and remind ourselves that we have to play to the best of our ability to beat Delaware,” Baarendse said. “They’re not going to be any easy team to just roll over.”

Riley noted the Hokies are preparing a little differently for the Blue Hens, with the school’s first NCAA Tournament victory on the line.

“We’re making sure that we’re more disciplined than we have been and just making sure that we play at our energy level,” he said. “Delaware’s been there three years out of four and we haven’t. So, I want to make sure our kids aren’t scared or nervous, because (Delaware) won’t be. We’ve got to try and be ready to answer that challenge.”

Another big challenge for the Hokies is regaining focus after reaching such a huge goal. Rather than be satisfied with their performance to this point, they’ve spent this week concentrating on a new goal — beating Delaware and having the opportunity to play three-time defending champion Penn State.

“The minute we got into the NCAA Tournament, that goal was over. A new one has to be established,” Riley said. “Ours is one round at a time in the NCAA Tournament. We’d love the opportunity to play Penn State.”

The winner of tonight’s game will face the winner of the Niagara/Penn State matchup tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.

A version of this article appeared in the Dec 3 issue of the Collegiate Times.