August 12, 2004
The Texas A&M volleyball team reports for its first practice of the preseason Friday at 10 a.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Head coach Laurie Corbelli welcomes back three starters and six others from last year's team that advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and ranked No. 16 in the final poll with a 23-10 mark. Corbelli, who enters her 12th season at the helm of the Aggies, also brings in five talented newcomers.
"This is a group of athletes who are talented and committed to strive for a Big 12 championship and go further in the NCAA than any other A&M team," Corbelli said. "They are very clear on the demands to do that, and they are willing to give it their all."
The Aggies, ranked 15th in the nation in the USA Today/CSTV preseason coaches' poll, are led by returning starters Melissa Munsch, Laura Jones and Kendra Felder. Munsch, a senior outside hitter/middle blocker from Columbus, Texas, earned All-America second-team honors last season after hitting .291 and leading the team with 4.65 points per game.
Jones, a junior outside hitter from Arlington, Texas, has led A&M in kills per game the last two years, while Felder, a junior middle blocker from Corpus Christi, Texas, was the team's leading blocker last season with a 1.09 average per game.
Meghan Kainz, a freshman setter from Austin, Texas, headlines the list of newcomers. The high school All-American is expected to push junior Kari Kelley of Houston for the starting setting position, which opened when two-year starter Lexy Beers retired because of a slow healing back injury.
After a team running session at 7 a.m., Corbelli will lead the team through a 2-hour practice starting at 10 a.m. The team returns at 2:30 p.m. for a 3-hour practice.
"This is a very tight group, and I love their attitude," Corbelli said. "They worked very hard during the summer, and they appear to be in great shape. Their hunger has increased over the break, and they are excited and ready to go."
The Aggies kick off the season against Bethune-Cookman on Thursday, Sept. 2 at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Practices are open to the public.