Coming off last year’s 12-17 (7-13) season, the Mississippi State University volleyball team is looking to soar to new heights in 2012. With some new faces in the coaching staff, such as assistant coach Taylor Evans, as well as six freshmen on the team, some might view this year as a rebuilding year for the volleyball program. The team, however, views this as one that will be remembered by Bulldog players and fans.
With three televised games on the schedule this year against new SEC opponents Texas A&M and Missouri, as well as against the familiar foe LSU, the volleyball girls look to show the country what this year’s team has to take them to the NCAA Tournament.
With six freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and just one senior, the team’s youth is apparent. However, senior Chanelle Baker said she has high confidence in these young players.
“These freshmen don’t have that fear that older players may have. No one knows how they play,” Baker said. “They’re unpredictable, and that could play out to be a great advantage for us.”
Baker spoke highly of one freshman in particular to be on the lookout for this upcoming season.
Taylor Scott has been highly regarded by not only the coaching staff, but also the players around her. Her teammates could not help but praise her athletic ability on the volleyball court. Baker went as far as to predict her to be on this year’s All-SEC Freshman team. To have that kind of confidence behind her from others on the team is a large motivational boost for the young Scott.
Head coach Jenny Hazlewood said she is highly impressed by the young star.
“Taylor is 5’9″ with a 30-inch vertical. How’s that not fun to watch?” says coach Hazlewood.
Although it would seem that Scott has a lot of weight on her shoulders for the upcoming season, she said she has put that behind her and is well prepared for the upcoming season.
“I’m excited. I think we’re ready to have a great year,” Scott said. “Being consistent is a big part of our year.”
The home games at Newell-Grissom Building this season will be key for the Dogs. After going 5-8 at home last season, the Bulldog volleyball team needs student involvement to help them out.
Junior captain Paris Perret said if the students can get loud and help get inside the heads of the opposing team, it will be easier for State to get the win.
“Volleyball is just as much a mental sport as it is physical,” Perret said. “We need students to come out and get loud at our games.”
This weekend marks the beginning of the 2012 volleyball season. The team will be inviting UL-Monroe, Jackson State and Kennesaw State to Starkville for this year’s Maroon Classic. Baker said this weekend’s matches are important to set the pace for the rest of the season.
“Our goal this year is to go to the NCAA Tournament, and if we don’t do well this weekend, it could really set us back,” Baker said.
Coach Hazlewood said she is looking forward to this season and is boasting a new style of volleyball for the year.
“We are going to have a strong defense and good ball control, as well as a lot more depth than last year,” Hazlewood said.
Tonight at 7 p.m. the season gets underway against Jackson State. There will be a short game of volleyball in between sets featuring MSU coaches from different sports on each team, as well as one student per team. That student will be selected at the game.
Also, the Bulldogs have two games on Saturday, Aug. 25 against UL-Monroe at 12:30 p.m., as well as their final match of the weekend against Kennesaw State at 7 p.m. All games will be in the Newell-Grissom building. Last year against Southern Illinois University, in the first game of the 2011 Maroon Classic, the fans set the record for most attendance ever recorded in the Newell-Grissom Building, and the team is hoping for another record-breaking attendance tonight.