By Nate Perry, TTU Sports Information
MACOMB, Ill. – A 'fresh start' is a phrase often used to describe the beginning of a new sport season, but for the Tennessee Tech volleyball program, it cannot be overstated. Following a difficult 2017 campaign and a complete coaching overhaul, Tech will officially open its ledger for 2018 this weekend at the Hampton Inn Leatherneck Invitational.
The Golden Eagles held their annual Purple and Gold scrimmages last weekend, which gave the players a taste of the competitive atmosphere, but now, coach Jeannette Waldo's group has its sights set on the real deal.
"We're really excited to play against someone other than ourselves," Waldo said. "The scrimmages gave us a chance to see our 'gamers' get to that next level, but with another opponent on the other side of the net, I'm excited to see what happens."
Lineup fluctuations can be a common occurrence when a new coaching staff comes to town, and while Waldo was non-committal about the specifics, she said many players would get opportunities to prove themselves.
"There will be quite a few younger players on the court this weekend," said Waldo. "We want to see which players rise under pressure and take the moments as they come, and which ones still need to mature in that way."
Tech will play in the first two games of the tournament on Friday, August 24, facing off with Fairleigh Dickinson at 11 a.m. followed by Evansville at 3 p.m. CT.
Fairleigh Dickinson finds itself in a situation similar to that of Tech, having won just five games last year and looking to start a new chapter under head coach Andrea Nolan. Nolan led the program in an interim role in 2017 before taking over duties outright in November.
Hailing from the Northeast Conference, league coaches voted FDU to finish seventh in the eight-team league. That said, the Knights do not have a senior on the roster and return three of their top four point-scorers and primary setter from last season.
"Fairleigh Dickinson seems to be a lot like us in that they didn't have a ton of success last year," Waldo said. "I think it'll be a great first match because both teams have something to prove."
Amassing a 4-14 record in the Missouri Valley Conference last season (10-20 overall), Evansville finished eighth in the league standings and two spots out of conference tournament qualification. They are slated to finish ninth in the preseason poll for 2018, which will be the sixth season for head coach Manolo Concepcion.
From a personnel standpoint, the Purple Aces must replace second-team All-MVC middle blocker Cathy Schreiber, but return a pair of veteran outside hitters in junior Rachel Tam and senior Mildrelis Rodriguez, who paced the club in kills per set with 2.78 and 2.44, respectively.
"Evansville is a team that I have played a fair amount in past seasons so I'm familiar with their style of play," said Waldo, who served as an assistant and associate head coach at fellow MVC member Missouri State. "They usually have some great athletes, so our challenge will be getting the momentum early in the game to force them into mistakes, and then capitalizing on those opportunities."
In its final game of the weekend, Tech will meet up with host Western Illinois on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Steckler is the most prominent player returning for the Leathernecks, who will be operating under new coach Ben Staupe. Steckler achieved All-Summit League honorable mention status as a freshman when she led WIU in hitting percentage (.312), kills (216), and points (291.5), and finished second in service aces with 17. Steckler is also a force on the defensive end, registering 99 blocks in 2017, and totaling twice as many solo blocks (18) as any other player on the squad.
"When going up against Western Illinois, or any host team, the main factor is that this is a home match for them," said Waldo. "We need to make sure we play TTU volleyball to try to steal a win on the road from a team that is very comfortable in their environment."
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