ASHLAND — Unlike last season, Ashland University volleyball began practice on Monday (Aug. 14) with a gym full of athletes who have been to the NCAA playoffs.
“Since we’ve been here,” senior defensive specialist Jacqueline Tanguay said, “we’ve seen what it’s like to not make the conference tournament and what it’s like to make it to the NCAA tournament. We’ve seen both ends, and we now know how to prepare our team to get to the playoffs again.”
The Eagles are coming off a 23-11 season that consisted of an undefeated home record and a nine-match win streak that propelled them into the postseason. Ten of Ashland’s 14 players from the 2016 season are returning in 2017.
This year’s roster is made up of four freshmen, four sophomores, four juniors and two seniors – Tanguay and defensive specialist/libero Melanie Aguayo.
“We have a lot of leaders on the team,” Aguayo said. “It’s not just us seniors. We expect the juniors and sophomores who have been here to give their input so things are really well-rounded.”
Amidst the sophomore class are 2016 All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honorable mention outside hitter Shelby Woycik and a Midwest Region All-Tournament Team honoree in middle blocker Sophi Cudworth.
“We’ve had some great players that have come through the program,” head coach Cass Dixon said, “but their personalities were so different. The players on this team are all similar to one another. They all have the same goals and similar personalities. Now, we have to build upon that on the court.”
To prepare itself for what it hopes to be another playoff run, Ashland will host Division I opponent Kent State in an exhibition match on Saturday (Aug. 19) at 5 p.m. at Kates Gymnasium. A member of the Mid-American Conference, the Flashes finished the 2016 season with a 15-15 record and return two first-team all-conference selections in 2017.
“It’s going to be an opportunity for us to see what kind of drive and fire we have in us to be able to step up and compete with them,” Dixon said.
The regular season begins for AU with a tournament at home on Sept. 1-2. The Eagles play matches at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on each of those dates.
Coverage of Ashland University Eagles athletics is produced in partnership with OhioHealth, the official sports medicine provider for Ashland University.
