Pippa Passes, KY: College volleyball season is right around the corner. The campus is excited to see what Coach Nathan Hall and his 2021 ALC Lady Eagles squad will accomplish this season.
Last year, there was never a dull moment as different news was always stirring up around COVID-19. This year, the wishful thinking from everyone is that the Delta strand may not become too big of a problem. “We were able to play the bulk of our games in 2020”, said Coach Hall. “Hopefully, things will settle down so we are able to play this year as well.”
When they did take the court last year, the club responded by making history. ALC finished as the Mideast DII Regional Runner-up and earned the team’s first-ever at-large berth to the NCCAA DII National Volleyball Tournament. Hall hopes to ride that momentum to achieve even greater things this season. “Our goal is to get back to the national tournament. It would be disappointing if we didn’t get there after we made it last season. However, our returning players had the chance to experience the big event last year, and I believe they are hungry for more this time around.”
That being said, the outlook is definitely bright for the Lady Eagles to have a big year, as some familiar names return, balanced out by a nice crop of new recruits.
Leadership is expected to be placed in the hands of an experienced group of upperclassmen. Fifth-year senior Mckenzie Brewer is the glue that holds the team together, while juniors Jenny Droke, Jasmin Hamilton, Reiley McCoy, Elizabeth McIntosh, and Adrianna Riley, all have multiple years under their belts. In addition, sophomores Brooklyn Cheek, Sierra Dawson, Kristen Issacs, and Caroline Parsons played a big role in their inaugural season.
As far as new faces, the Eagles mentor says he has brought in a solid group who all have the potential to contribute this year. “I believe our new recruits should fit in really well with our returning players,” stated Hall. “This should really add to our depth this year.”
The Eagles are bound to have their work cut out for them, but this group is determined to pick up where they left off at the conclusion of last year. The culture of any club is a big thing for continued success, and Coach Hall knows that achieving goals such as playing in the National Tournament will only strengthen that area.
The first official game is at Southwest VA. Christian College this Wednesday, August 25th at 5:00 p.m. Their first home opener is on September 7th against Crown College at 6:00 p.m.
ALC Varsity Roster
| # | Name | Year |
| 1 | Elizabeth McIntosh | Junior |
| 2 | Caroline Parsons | Sophomore |
| 3 | Jenni Droke | Junior |
| 4 | Adrianna Riley | Junior |
| 5 | Reiley McCoy | Junio |
| 7 | Sierra Dawson | Sophomore |
| 8 | Pauline Tolentino | Sophomore |
| 10 | Jayden Rogers | Freshman |
| 11 | Chloe Lane | Freshman |
| 13 | Lakyn Porter | Freshman |
| 14 | Brooklyn Cheek | Sophomore |
| 15 | Kaylee Yates | Sophomore |
| 17 | Kristin Isaac | Sophomore |
| 18 | Mckenzie Brewer | Senior |
| 22 | Jasmin Hamilton | Senior |
To view the full Varsity schedule click here.
To view the Junior Varsity roster and schedule click here.