Volleyball looks to rebuild program

The Troy volleyball team hopes to improve from its disappointing season last year with the addition of some new key players.

The Trojans started fall practice on Aug. 5, and the season opener is on Aug. 28 at the Chattanooga Classic in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Their first match is against Eastern Kentucky.

Head coach Sonny Kirkpatrick said that the first practice showed a lot of issues with setters’ timing, along with a few other problems, but nothing that could not be fixed with more practice. He said they had a decent first day of practice though.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Kirkpatrick said.

The Trojans looks to come out aggressively this season, with their top two kill producers returning in senior outside hitter Blair Winston and junior outside hitter Symone Shaw.

At the end of the year, the team will compete in the Sun Belt Championships in Statesboro, Georgia, at Georgia Southern.

There are nine new players on the team this year, and seven returning players.

Kirkpatrick also said that 15 of the 16 players were together over the summer, so they have  good chemistry together.

“They got a chance to really know each other,” he said. “They have formed some really good bonds already.”

He said that the first thing that he looks for in the next three weeks before the season starts is quality first touches.

Kirkpatrick also mentioned that a lot of the returning players have been helping out the younger players find their way around campus, and helped them with study hall hours which all student athletes have to complete.

According to Kirkpatrick, they were not asked to do any of those things.

The team’s home opener takes place on Sept. 1, as they take on UAB.