Eagles prepare for a familiar fall season

The masks can come off and game faces are on. 

This season, the Eagles will return to the court in the fall, playing their last game only five months ago. Currently, their schedule consists of 26 matches. 

“Volleyball is always traditionally played in the fall,” Head Volleyball Coach Jennifer Stadler said. “So, it goes back to what you’re comfortable with, what you’ve known since you’ve started playing volleyball. I think that helps get the girls into their groove a little bit earlier.” 

Chadron State volleyball team finished its 2020 season against South Dakota School of Mines, March 26, after the season was moved to the spring due to COVID-19 regulations. They finished with a 4-10 record, 3-9 in the conference, with three games played in Chicoine Center. 

“Overall, as far as improvement from last season, is our serve-receive game, as well as our offense,” Jennifer Stadler said. “I thought we did some really nice things last year defensively, both in the back row and in the front row with blocking. But offensively, we’ve got to get a little bit quicker, a little bit more explosive, and also we have to terminate the ball at a higher level.” 

A few key players have returned for the fall season, ready to improve and take the team farther than it’s been. 

“I just really want to be a team leader this year, and just keep the team encouraged because last year was draining on everyone,” Rylee Greiman, junior of Windsor, Colorado, said. “I just want to do a good job with keeping the team together, staying positive and striving to be better every day.” 

Greiman appeared in all but one set, in the spring. The outside hitter ended the season with 51 kills, 16 assists, 11 blocks and 95 digs. 

“I think there’s always room for improvement,” Greiman said. “We have missed the RMAC tournament by just a few points the last two years I’ve been here, so I’m really hopeful that we’re making that tournament this year.” 

Seeing the court for 10 matches, Amelia Berg, senior of Fort Collins, Colorado, earned 56 kills and 18 blocks as a right-side hitter. 

Setter Kincaid Strain, senior of Elk River, Minnesota, earned 10 kills, 100 assists, and five ace serves in 30 sets. 

Aracely Hernandez, senior of Greeley, Colorado, played in 18 sets, and recorded 22 digs, eight kills and an assist. 

Outside Hitter Lexi Hurtado, junior of Aurora, Colorado, killed 111 attacks, dug 112 times, blocked 16 attacks, and earned 136.5 points for the 2020 season. 

Breshawna Kelly, junior of Casper, Wyoming, played all 14 matches as a setter, only missing two sets in the spring. Kelly earned 285 assists and dug 103 attacks for her first season at CSC. 

Olivia Moten-Schell, sophomore of Billings, Montana, played in 43 sets, only missing two matches, and earned 19 blocks. 

“For a very first initial practice, I was pleasently surprised seeing everybody interacting together,” Stadler said. “The freshman and new transfers as well did a good job of fitting in to the team really well and there’s exciting points of seeing them stand out right away.” 

Stadler recruited seven new players to the team, hailing from Colorado, Kansas, Hawaii and Wyoming, bringing the team to a total of 22 players. 

“We’ll still have to test at certain points before we start playing,” Stadler said. “We’re trying to do the best we can to keep our team safe, our players safe, but also trying to get a bit normal season.”

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) released new COVID-19 guidelines, Aug. 4. Currently, fully vaccinated individuals have the decision whether to wear a mask. 

“I’m really looking forward to having a set schedule and actually knowing when we’re going to be practicing, when our games are, when we’re traveling,” Greiman said. “Obviously, it was hard on all sports teams and everyone not having a set schedule.”

The Eagles will begin their season with two nights of triangular matches, Friday, Sept. 3 and Saturday, Sept. 4 in Pueblo, Colorado. Chadron State will first play University of Mary, Bismark, North Dakota, at 9 a.m., Friday. 

The Eagles last played the Marauders, Sept. 2, 2017, in Seward and triumphed over them, 3-1. 

“I’m just super excited overall to get back on the court,” Greiman said. “With the team, we have a lot of new girls and the culture this year is definitely going to turn around for the best.”