Aug. 8, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M volleyball team will go through its first official practice of the preseason Monday at 10 a.m. at the practice gym at Reed Arena.
Head coach Laurie Corbelli, who enters her 18th season at the helm of the Aggies, returns seven players, including two starting middle blockers. In addition, she welcomes eight newcomers who will be competing with the returners for several key positions, as the Aggies lose six seniors, including four starters, from last year's team that went 20-11 and was ranked No. 21 in the final poll after reaching the NCAA Regional semifinals
"When you lose four starters from the previous year, you know the ingredients of this group are going to be so different," Corbelli said. "It is a lot of fun as a coach to have so many new faces and talents and abilities; to mesh them and work them into a group that can function at a very high level.
"With a solid group of returners along with 7-8 newcomers, I sense that this group is going to have something really special. There has been some great leadership throughout the summer to make sure everyone is ready to go both physically and mentally, so it is just a real exciting time for Aggie volleyball."
Lindsey Miller (Katy, Texas), a member of the 2009 Big 12 All-Freshman Team, and Alisia Kastmo (Tyler, Texas), are the returning middles. Both led the starters in hitting percentage as freshmen last year.
Sophomore Tori Mellinger (Dallas, Texas), who became the team's designated libero in the fourth match of her rookie campaign, also returns. Mellinger, who also will train as an outside hitter, led the Aggies with 3.45 digs per set in Big 12 matches.
Juniors Kelsey Black (Amarillo, Texas) and Chelsea Ringel (Arlington, Texas), both key reserves and occasional starters as outside hitters and back row defensive players over the last two seasons, also return. As two of the most experience players on the team, the two are not only looking to become full-time starters, but they also will be counted on for their overall team leadership.
Stephanie Minnerly (Arlington, Texas), a middle blocker who started the first three matches in 2009 before suffering a season-ending knee injury, also is back and will be a sophomore athletically after receiving a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA.
Sophomore Caitlin Adams (Kansas City, Mo.) also returns and will push to take on a starting role at the middle blocker position.
Returners and newcomers will be competing to help fill the huge void caused by the loss of last year's four senior starters: All-American Sarah Ammerman and Mary Batis, both four-year starting outside hitters, All-American honorable mention right-side hitter Jennifer Banse, as well as three-year starting setter Kristen Schevikhoven. Key reserves Jola Kelner, the back-up setter, and defensive specialist Dylan Faulkner also completed their eligibility.
Lauren Conrad (The Woodlands, Texas) and Kelsey Kinley (College Station, Texas) will help shore up the back-row defense.
Furthermore, Corbelli is hoping late-addition Elise Hendrickson, a 6-2 utility-type player from Long Beach, Calif., will be eligible to compete as a junior after transferring from the University of Arizona.
"One of the most exciting parts will be the competition in the gym," Corbelli said. "It is very well known that there are a lot of openings. I can already sense that a lot of competition will be innate within our practices. There is a lot of talent and a lot of very feisty personalities. Everybody wants to be on that court, so it is going to be a great test over these three weeks to see who is ready and who is going to rise to the top."
Regardless of who is starting, Corbelli expects the team's service reception and passing to be strong despite having to incorporate so many new players.
"What I'm certain of is that our serve receive and passing should be much stronger than what it normally would be when you have so many new faces," she said. "There are lots of really talented defensive players and serve receivers who we are looking for to take our first ball and put it up and make it easier on our young setters."
The Aggies begin the season August 27 at Reed Arena as they host the two-day Texas A&M Invitational. A&M opens against Siena, which has appeared in the NCAA tournament four of the last five years, and Pacific, a member of the strong Big West Conference. The Aggies then conclude the tournament against defending Southeastern Conference champion LSU in a rematch of the 2009 NCAA second-round match which saw the Aggies upset the No. 15-seeded Tigers, 3-2, in Baton Rouge, La., to advance to the Sweet 16.
"We are already counting down for that first competition," Corbelli said. "It is such a memorable time when you train and train and train and prepare, and when competition starts, we are always ready for it. It is an exciting time. In addition to our opener against Siena, we have two other big matches that weekend that are against NCAA tournament or storied programs, so we have our hands full to start with, but it will be a lot of fun."
Tickets can to home matches can be purchased at 12thManFoundation.com or by calling 888-99-AGGIE.
For the complete roster and schedule, go to AggieAthletics.com.