August 2007
Rebuilt Comets Have Chance To Take
2006 Improvement To Next Level
Sanders Believes Depth, Talent Is There To Fill Holes In Roster
MARCI SANDERS
...UTD Volleyball Coach
“Rebuilding years” have never been much of an obstacle for Coach Marci Sanders, who has just six returning players for the 2007 University of Texas at Dallas volleyball season. Her philosophy about restocking the roster over the past four years has always been, “just take the opportunity to make your team better.”
If UTD’s 2007 volleyball team is actually going to be better than the Comets were in 2006, then the rest of the American Southwest Conference needs to be on alert. UTD, in just its third season of existence last year, finished with a remarkable 24-7 record and advanced all the way to the championship match of the ASC Championship Tournament.
Sanders, who was named the 2006 ASC East Division Coach of the Year, is realistic enough to know that exceeding – or even matching – last year’s accomplishments will not be easy. She first has to find replacements for five key players from last season who are no longer on the squad, and has some key roles to fill.
”But from what I’ve seen so far, I think we look good,” the coach admits with a touch of pre-season caution.
Sanders’ optimism begins with three award-winning players from last year who are back for 2007. Key among them is outside hitter Kyleigh Irish (pictured near right), a sophomore from San Antonio who topped the team with 334 kills and 61 service aces last season. She was named the East Division Newcomer of the Year and was one of just eight players in the entire conference named to the ASC All-Conference team.
Two other sophomores – MB/OH Patricia Allen of San Antonio, and DS Kathryn Adams (pitctured center and right above) – were second-team ASC East selections as freshmen. Allen was second on the team with 296 kills and Adams picked up 356 digs in the backcourt, playing in 104 games.
Junior Krissie Seaman of Mansfield, who was one of the team statistical leaders in 2005, returns for her third year as well, along with sophomore Elaine Brown from Houston, who played in 65 games last season.
The remainder of Sanders’ positive outlook is based on the addition of 10 new players (including seven freshmen and two transfers) to this solid core. “We have definitely added talent and a strong work ethic to this team,” she says. “We’ve brought in players who may be young, but have a lot of experience and intelligence about the game. It’s not going to matter if they’re upperclassmen or freshmen.”
The 15-player roster gives the Comets their deepest squad in program history. “With these numbers, we’re now able to do a lot more in practice, simulate more game-like situations,” the coach explains. “And, we should be able to rotate more players in during the games, keeping everyone fresh. That’s something that may have hurt us by the end of last season.”
A good example of this quality may be the pair of freshmen – Kaley Medsger from League City (pictured below left) and Niki Calverley from nearby Wylie – who are battling to take over the important role of guiding the offense from the setter position. “Both have experience with good programs and know how to run an attack. I think we may be able to do some things offensively we haven’t done in the past,” Sanders says.
Several newcomers will be battling for playing time up front, led by 5-11 Amber Wetz (pictured far right), a three-time all-district player from San Antonio Madison HS. Also in the mix will be 6-0 freshman Jessica Nassau from Orlando, FL; freshman Stephanie Waller from Wylie and 6-0 sophomore squad member Rachel Addison, who returns after missing the 2006 season. Transfers Savannah Powers of Baytown (Galveston Jr. College) and Irene Rump of Tomball (U.S. Air Force Prep) will additionally give the Comets some added maturity and leadership.
Adams is penciled in for the libero position, but may be challenged by a pair of freshmen defensive specialists – Candice Christian of Cedar Park and Kristina Lott from Mesquite.
Sanders admits her team could actually be better this season without topping last year’s win-loss record. If they do, though, it will mean the Comets may be building something much bigger than a team that can compete for the ASC championship.
“We’re playing a tremendously tougher schedule this season, including a number of games in tournaments against regionally and nationally-ranked teams,” she explains. “I think the competition will prepare us better for the post-season. And, if we do upset some of these ranked teams, it would probably give us an opportunity to get some attention on a national scale.
“To do that, though, we’ll have to grow up in a hurry,” Sanders says.
The Comets open the 2007 season at home, hosting the first annual UTD Gilbert Memorial Volleyball Tournament Aug. 31-Sept. 2. UTD meets nationally-ranked Southwestern University in its opener at 2 pm Friday, then defending ASC champion Hardin-Simmons at 7 pm that same night.