Top Reasons to Get Fired Up for the Start of Volleyball Season

After a brilliant season in 2018 which saw South Carolina volleyball finish with 20 wins, a fifth place finish in the SEC, and most importantly returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 16 years, there are numerous reasons why Gamecocks fans should be heading to watch this team in 2019. Now in his second year at South Carolina, head coach Tom Mendoza is excited for the new season ahead and gives his reasons why fans should be as well.  

SO MANY SENIORS 

Mikayla  Shields

The Gamecocks have a lot of last year’s team returning with a number of seniors expecting to start the year off strong like they finished last season. 20 wins was the highest win total since 2008. 

“We have a senior class that’s made such huge contributions to this program, and we are excited to see what kind of year they can put together” Mendoza said.  

“The faces of this program for the last three or four years would be Courtney Koehler, who is going to be a three-year starter, and Mikayla Shields has been a three-time first team All-SEC, one of the best right sides in the country and has for the last three years All-American honorable mentions. I think this could be her year. Mikayla Robinson will be a three-year starter, and Claire Edwards will also be a three-year starter. 

“There are a lot of faces that have been part of this program for the last three or four years and have been playing key roles. They’re a major part of that learning curve from taking a team in the bottom of the SEC to comfortably in the top third. Last year we had a really tough conference schedule, where we played most of the top teams twice in the round and a half format.  

“To finish where we did with that schedule says even more about that group, and with that, hopefully we can build on it.” 
 
THE ATMOSPHERE 

With new facility updates, Mendoza is looking forward to being out in front of the fans during 2019.  

“The best part is the atmosphere,” Mendoza said. “One of the great things about watching a volleyball game is you are up close. They aren’t wearing helmets so you can see how they are reacting to points, and you can see how they are reacting to success and when they make a mistake.

“You’re up close, and it’s athletic. It’s fast. Matches are short and intense. Volleyball is one of the most exciting sports that you can go spend an hour and half watching. So, you put that atmosphere in our facility with our fans and a more consistent band contributing to the excitement, and then you add success on the court on top of that, it’s a pretty fun Friday evening or Sunday afternoon.”

The Carolina Volleyball Center has enjoyed recent improvements such as a new video board to enhance the fan experience. 42 members of the volleyball band will also be at games this year to create the atmosphere which Mendoza loves.   

“Hopefully we can start a streak of putting banners in the rafters every year.”
– Tom  Mendoza 

NEW FACES 

Courtney  Koehler

The Gamecocks will be welcoming six new freshmen to the group who will be hoping to continue the form that the team showed last year. 

“They are pushing the group every single day in practice and getting a little bit more comfortable in catching up to them,” Mendoza said. “I think what is going to make a huge difference is, as the season goes along, our depth is going to be significantly improved, and that is going to be a strength of this team. We have got three or four good players in every position, and as we go through the grind of the season, we should be able to handle that a bit better. 

“Holly Eastridge and Gabby Brown have been doing a really good job on the right side. Kylee Stokes has come in and really pushed that group and is in contention in that middle position. McKenzie Moorman has done a really good job catching up, I think they are all learning the college game right now. Defensively we’ve added Camilla Covas Cordova and Anna Holman. 

“The thing that is most impressive about the freshman is that they don’t seem out of place. The fact that it is week one and their heads aren’t spinning I think is pretty impressive and shows the level of potential that they have.”  

BUSY SCHEDULES AND NCAA REPEAT  

South Carolina is looking to head back to the NCAA tournament after making it last season for the first time in 16 years. The team put on an impressive run at the end of the 2018 season, making it to the second round of the post-season competition. However, with a busy schedule there are plenty of opportunities for fans to make it to games. Coach Mendoza is focusing on the first round of games before conference play.  

“We try to separate our season into thirds, so the non-conference is getting all of our attention right now,” Mendoza said. “It’s a lot of volleyball. We go to Pittsburgh, then to UCF. Then we play at home against Charlotte, and then to Clemson.

“There’s a streak where we play six matches in eight days in three different towns. Right now, all our attention is focused on those four weeks, so we are physically able to handle that workload and the level of volleyball is that high. 

“Once we get through that, then we will focus on SEC, and go from there. Once we get close to the end of conference then we will focus on the post season. 

“If we can again show that South Carolina is a place where you can play at a top level across the country and the SEC, I think that would be huge for our program. We want the top volleyball players in this region to know that South Carolina is a place where they can play at the top level of the NCAA, and they can achieve anything they want to in a South Carolina uniform. That’s big for us and big for our fans.” 

IT’S BANNER TIME 

No doubt about it, reaching the NCAA Tournament last year was a huge boost for the program. The Gamecocks will unveil their 2018 NCAA Tournament banner prior to the home match on September 27.

“We get to put a banner up in the Carolina Volleyball Center for the first time in 16 years, which we are going to unveil for the Georgia game; our first SEC game which will be on the SEC Network,” Mendoza said. “We get to show that banner and hopefully take some more steps to getting more next year. 

“It’s tough having it there and not being able to pull that cord. There’s a lot of work that goes into it. From coaches to a staff, the athletic administration, our athletic trainers and certainly a student-athlete standpoint. When you have a group that is really deserving and gets to see a physical representation of that, as a coach you are really happy for them and happy for the program.

“It’s also been a little too long. Sixteen years is a little too long, and now hopefully we can start a streak of putting banners in the rafters every year. I’m excited for when we get to pull that sheet off and display that banner. I’m excited for when they come back as alums, and they can point and see that and continue to take pride in that.”

The Gamecocks open the 2019 season at the Panther Challenge in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Friday, August 30.