- DMACC begins the season ranked 11th in NJCAA Division II poll
- Bears return six sophomores from 2023 squad that qualified for the NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championship
- DMACC will face fourth-ranked Pensacola State College in season opener
The DMACC volleyball team begins the 2024 season with its participation in the Opening Weekend Tournament August 23 and 24 at Rockford, Ill.
The Bears, who are ranked 11th in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Preseason Poll, will face fourth-ranked Pensacola State College (PSC) and St. Clair County Community College (SCCCC) in matches on Aug. 23 and will play Mott Community College (MCC) and Kalamazoo Community College (KCC) on Aug. 24.
"We're very excited," DMACC volleyball coach Danielle Lopez said. "We've got a very young team but the players that are coming in are really strong. We've had some scrimmages this past week and we played very well."
Lopez earned Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Coach of the Year honors after directing DMACC to a 29-12 mark in 2023, including a 10-1 record and a co-championship in league play. The Bears also qualified for the 2023 NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championship for the first time since 2015.
Unfortunately, nine sophomores have graduated from that team, including second-team All-American Emma Flathers, who was also named to the National Championship All-Tournament Team along with Coryl Matheny. Kenya Prescott and Zophi Hendricks, who joined Flathers on the NJCAA Region 11 All-Region First Team, are also gone
"We've picked up some great players," Lopez said of her freshman class. "We have some great freshman from some really big programs."
Top returning sophomores include Abbi Brenizer of Norwalk, Halia Maji of Cedar Falls, Aquarina Thomas of Tucson, Ariz., and Lexie Lane of Renwick. Brenizer is the top returning hitter with 160 kills and a 2.60 hitting percentage a year ago.
Mahi is expected to assume Flathers' setter role and Thomas is being looked at as an outside hitter. Lane has the inside track to starting as a libero/defensive specialist.
"Mahi really developed over the spring and we see her taking that setter leadership role," Lopez said. "Thomas has also developed a lot over the spring as well and we kind of see Lane in that libero role, taking over for Prescott."
Sophomores Maggie Johnston of Boone and Emma Jones of Readlyn are expected to contribute at right side hitter and libero/defensive specialist respectively.
Incoming freshmen include outside hitter Jaelynne Clarke of Alliance, Neb., setter Sydney Anderson of Marshalltown, libero/defensive specialist Lauren Sandvold of Cedar Falls, setter Riley Starkey of Winnebago, Ill., right side hitter Lily Huizenga of Orange City, middle blocker Danica Wrage from Waterloo and middle blocker/right side hitter Emma Liechti of Ankeny.
Lopez said the freshmen will experience a bit of pressure given the Bears' preseason ranking and some of those freshmen having to replace outstanding players from the 2023 team.
"There is some added pressure, but I think they will live up that and will be ready to make their own name as well," Lopez said.
Preseason scrimmages saw the Bears go against Iowa Central Community College (ICCC), an ICCAC co-champion from 2023, and Hawkeye Community College (HCC), another ICCAC team capable of winning the conference title. DMACC faced ICCAC in two sets, losing 27-25 and winning 25-23.
"We were very competitive with (Iowa Central) and had success against the other teams that we faced," Lopez said. "We always pack our schedule with a lot of top 20 teams and there's no difference this year."
Lopez said her team's strengths include its defense and the tempo of its offense. Her only concern is the team's youth and finding its way during the early season.
Following the Opening Weekend Tournament, DMACC will face Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) Aug. 27 at Ottumwa. IHCC is ranked ninth in NJCAA Division I.
The DMACC volleyball team will open the home season Sept. 3 against the William Penn University Junior Varsity.