Coming off the best season in Wolfpack volleyball history and most of the team back for another season, Elgin Public-Pope John looks ready to make more history this season.
Coming off a 26-5 season last year, the Wolfpack will open their season with a double triangular Thursday night at the Elgin High School gymnasium.
Coach Tina Thiele-Blecher and assistants Sandi Henn and Emily Borer have a unique challenge in front of them — to guide the team to the next level of play — a berth in the state tournament in November. Can it be done? Yes! Will they? That’s to be determined in the next two months.
“The girls have high expectations for the season,” Thiele-Blecher said last week. “They are a fun, hard-working group that will make good memories this season!”
Six starters return from last season’s team. They are seniors Jenna Parks, Nicole Beckman and Terri Seier, and juniors Liz Selting, Jordan Mescher and Baylee Wemhoff. Parks and Selting are outside hitters, Seier is a middle hitter while Mescher plays libero, Beckman anchors the right side and Wemhoff shares setter responsibilities along with Parks. Others expected to see action on the varsity are hitters Amy Nelson, Paige Meis and Jill Schindler.
“Having the majority of girls back is pretty awesome,” Thiele-Blecher said, “they know what to expect and they are eager to get on the playing floor.”
Selting led the team last season in kills with 284, Parks had 213 and Seier added 155.
Coach Thiele-Blecher said the entire team can attack opponents. “We are much more aggressive than in the past, we are even attacking from back row,” she said, making it more difficult for opponents to play defense against the Wolfpack.
Parks and Wemhoff combined for 555 set assists, feeding one of the best hitting teams in the conference. They will again split setting duties. “Both of them are great hustlers and have soft hands and are ready to use all of our hitters,” the coach said.
On defense, the Wolfpack are hustling so well that few balls ever hit the floor.
Seier was the team leader in blocks with 67. With Seier able to control the middle with her height, opposing teams again will find it hard to attack due to her blocking skills.
Thiele-Blecher expressed one concern about the team as they head into the season. “Coming off a great year the girls will expect this year to be good; it doesn’t work that way we have to continue to work hard and make ourselves better every day,” she said.
St. Mary’s and Stuart should be considered the conference favorites, Thiele-Blecher said. But, don’t be surprised to see the Wolfpack in the mix.
Come support the Wolfpack at the matches, you won’t be disappointed!
Go Wolfpack!!
