August 09, 2002
Texas A&M volleyball coach Laurie Corbelli welcomed 16 players to the first practice of the preseason Friday at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
"It was a lot of fun to finally see the entire group together in the gym," Corbelli said. "There was a lot of enthusiasm, and they set the tone that they are determined to quickly come together as a team."
The Aggies return 10 letterwinners from last year's team that went 26-6 and ranked 11th in the final poll after advancing to the NCAA region finals for the second time in school history. In addition, Corbelli brings in a touted freshman class that is expected to vie for positions that came open following the loss of five senior starters on last year's heralded team.
"The freshmen are very physical and athletic and the strongest we have had as a group," Corbelli said. "And because there are a lot of positions in which we are not as solid as in recent years, I expect these newcomers to play a very large roles.
"We have emphasized healthy competition because there are so many spots up for grabs," Corbelli said. "We have a lot of talent and ability in every rotation, and the versatility that we have with this group is such a luxury. I anticipate many of the athletes playing a variety of positions and giving us the flexibility to go with different lineups based on our opponents."
Starting middle blocker Melissa Munsch leads the list of returners, along with senior A.D. Achilefu and junior Tara Pulaski who shared starting duties in the middle last season.
"The majority of our experienced returners are middle blockers," Corbelli said. "And their experience and understanding of the system gained by playing in the middle makes them versatile if we need them to play on the outside."
The preseason practice schedule is typically 9 a.m. to noon and 3-6 p.m. with the exception of Sunday when Corbelli will hold a single three-hour practice starting at 2 p.m. Practices are open to the public.
The Aggies open the season against Alcorn State at 3 p.m. on August 30 at the McDonald's/Texas A&M Invitational. A&M also will face Texas-San Antonio on the first day of the tournament and then conclude the event on Sept. 1 against LSU.