Bears will face four quality opponents including ninth-ranked Muskegon Community College
- Head coach Danielle Lopez welcomes nine returning sophomores
- The roster includes five incoming freshmen
- Bears looking to improve on last season's 22-15 record
The DMACC volleyball team will open the 2023 season in the Rockford Tournament August 18 and 19 at Rockford, Ill.
The Bears will face Madison Community College (MCC) and Waubonsee Community College (WCC) on Aug. 18 and will play Muskegon Community College (MCC) and Mott Community College (MCC) on Aug. 19. Muskegon Community College is ranked ninth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II preseason poll.
Head coach Danielle Lopez, beginning her fourth season at DMACC, is optimistic about this season's team. The Bears return nine sophomores from last season and welcome five incoming freshman.
"The competitiveness has been very high and we're very excited about the tempo of the offense that we will play this season," Lopez said.
Returning sophomores include libero/defensive specialists Kenya Prescott of Carroll, Jerica Heintz of Polk City and Maddie Dunham of Nevada. Outside hitters returning include Coryl Matheny of Glenwood, Zophi Hendricks of Defiance and Eden Wilson of Conrad and middle blockers returning are Kylie Henry of Urbana and Monica Mirembe of Ankeny. Emma Flathers of Treynor returns at setter.
Wilson led the Bears in kills last season with 416 and Hendricks and Henry contributed 279 and 135 kills respectively. Prescott, playing behind the departed Sara Hansen last season, finished with 106 assists and led the Bears in digs with 758. Dunham topped the Bears in ace serves with 45 and Hendry and Mirembe were the top blockers with 96 and 81 blocks respectively.
Matheny and Wilson are competing at outside hitter along with freshmen Aquarina Thomas of Tucson, Ariz., and Lexie Lane of Renwick. Middle blockers include Mirembe, Henry and freshman Maggie Johnston of Boone. Hendricks is penciled in at right side along with freshmen Abby Brenizer of Norwalk. Flathers has the inside track at setter with freshman Halia Mahi of Cedar Falls also competing for the position.
Defensively, Prescott, Dunham and Heintz are competing for the libero/defensive specialist position.
"I feel very good about the experience we are returning," Lopez said. "Seven of the nine returning sophomores were starters for us last season. The freshmen are adjusting to the tempo and speed that we run our offense in. They are training in blocking and we have seen a lot of promising things and a lot of great potential. I think that they can definitely contribute for us."
Lopez said her team is seeking to improve on last season's 22-15 record. The Bears finished third in Division II of the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) and took seventh-ranked Kirkwood Community College (KCC) to five sets before dropping a two-point decision to the Eagles in the fifth set of the championship match in the NJCAA Region XI-B Tournament.
"I feel good about our offense and our defense and I think our experience with so many sophomores and being so close to nationals last year will help," Lopez said. "Our sophomores are very hungry and know what it's going to take to be on the other side of that."
Injuries, of course, always play a role in a team's success and it's no different with the DMACC volleyball team.
"What's nice is that we feel that all of our freshmen can step in if needed," Lopez said. "Our depth chart is phenomenal and we feel that at any point anyone can take anyone's spot."
Following the Rockford Tournament, the DMACC volleyball team will play Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) Aug. 22 at Ottumwa before opening the home season Aug. 26 against Highland (Kan.) Community College (HCC) and Spoon River College (SRC).