Miranda Shafer and Caitlyn Carlson were outnumbered a year ago, too.
Then, the St. Clair County Community College volleyball players were two of three freshmen on a team full of sophomores. Now, they’re the only two sophomores, surrounded by 13 freshmen.
“Last year, we were taught the roles,” Carlson, a defensive specialist from Armada, said. “But now we need to teach all the new roles for this year.”
It’s not just the players who are getting used to new roles. Coach Ray Cornwell is entering his first year in charge of the program after several years as an assistant.
Despite the new faces, there’s confidence the Skippers can finish the season strong, and perhaps match or surpass the 2015 season, in which they were Michigan Community College Athletic Association Eastern Conference co-champions. The team was one win away from the national tournament, losing in the district final against Muskegon.
So who are those new teammates?
- Mackenzie Bryant (Warren Cousino High School), outside hitter
- Tatiana Williams (Warren Mott), outside hitter
- Brittany Goodwin (Port Huron High), setter/right side hitter
- Jodi Kilpela (Howell), defensive specialist
- Rebecca Haight (Oakland Christian), right side hitter
- Brooke Mahn (St. Clair), middle hitter/outside hitter
- Larissa Crook (Saginaw Swan Valley), setter/defensive specialist
- Erica VanderHaar (Saginaw Nouvel), outside hitter
- Brooke Gazdick (Anchor Bay), outside hitter
- Hannah Conley (Hemlock), middle hitter
- Erica LaBaere (Romeo), middle hitter
- Muranda Dore (Port Huron High), defensive specialist
- Madison Seegraves (Essexville-Garber), outside hitter
All of those new faces, along with Shafer and Carlson, will play their first matches Aug. 27 and 28 at the Battle of the Dells in Wisconsin.
Your first chance to see them on their home court will be Sept. 20, when they play a conference game against Schoolcraft.
Your first chance to see an SC4 team play in the new SC4 Fieldhouse will be on Oct. 4, when the Skippers play Henry Ford.
