2014 William Penn Volleyball Preview
Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXrDStVfd0
2013 record: 15-30 (1-5 MCC, 6th)
Starters returning/lost: 3/3
Letterwinners returning/lost: 8/8
Notable returners:
Kylie Giger Jr. Elkhart, Ind.
(Honorable-mention all-MCC, 328 kills, 185 digs, 105 blocks)
Kristal Campos Sr. Lancaster, Calif.
(Honorable-mention all-MCC, 343 kills, 209 digs)
Danielle Breeher Jr. St. Louis, Mo.
(674 digs, 37 aces)
Shawni Wills So. Oskaloosa, Iowa
(251 kills, 229 digs, 39 blocks)
Notable losses:
Jeanette Cunningham
(Two-time all-MCC)
Alanna Connors
(Four-time letterwinner)
Notable newcomers:
Kayce Skocko Jr. Watsonville, Calif.
Natalie Sieck Fr. Ankeny, Iowa
Though it be small in numbers, a dedicated Statesmen volleyball team will look to right the ship in 2014.
Having spent a full year with Head Coach Jennifer Carlson, William Penn, which was 15-30 last year (1-5 MCC), is ready to put the program back into Midwest Collegiate Conference contention this fall.
Pacing the efforts will be returning honorable-mention all-MCC selections Kylie Giger (Jr., Elkhart, Ind., Exercise Science) and Kristal Campos (Sr., Lancaster, Calif., Sociology). Giger posted 328 kills with a .170 attack percentage (leads all returners), while Campos had 343 winners despite being out of the lineup for a short spell. Giger’s 105 blocks and 43 aces were also good for first in 2013.
Giger is slated to lead the middle hitters, but could also be a force on the outside, while Campos will make noise primarily as an outside attacker.
Shawni Wills (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Biology) may start as an outside hitter, but the left-hander likely will move to a more suitable right-side position. She managed 251 kills in her first collegiate campaign.
At 6-1, Ana Gutch (Sr., Eddyville, Iowa, Secondary Education) provides the tallest returning figure to complement Giger in the middle. She tallied 55 kills and 30 blocks a year ago.
Kayce Skocko (Jr., Watsonville, Calif., Business Management) has also brought her skills aboard to add depth on the outside, while Jasmin Sonnenschein (Fr., Wuppertal, Germany, Communications) will use her height as a major asset in the middle. Erika Getz (Jr., Parsons, Kan., Physical Education) should be mixing it up either in the middle or on the outside, while Natalie Sieck (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa, Sociology) figures to be a huge competitor on the right side. Ashan Barnaba (Fr., Rochester, Minn., Education) should add depth to the right side as well.
Distributing the ball to the Statesmen ball-strikers will be either Leyra Jusino (Jr., Bayamon, P.R., General Biology) or Emily McHugh (Jr., Plainfield, Ill., Pre-Law & Psychology). Both have spent time at the top level, but Jusino is the more experienced of the two, having assisted on 535 points last year.
Danielle Breeher (Jr., St. Louis, Mo., Undecided) will be the frontrunner as the defensive specialist, but Kelsey Guyette (So., Ottumwa, Iowa, Elementary Education) has a year under her belt and will battle for playing time.
Breeher finished with 674 digs and 37 aces as a sophomore.
Carlson hopes newcomer Kailey Scharff (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Exercise Science) can use her volleyball ‘IQ’ to help William Penn to some more wins, while additional depth will be offered up by Desiree Washington (Fr., Moline, Ill., Biology).
Schedule/Conference
The 2014 season will open up on August 23 with WPU traveling to Nebraska to face Presentation (S.D.) and host Peru State in a triangular. Carlson’s group comes home for the first time on September 8 against Simpson, while a total of seven home matches are on the docket. League competition begins on September 24 against Mount Mercy.
Defending champion Grand View will receive its biggest battle from Viterbo, but the likes of Clarke, St. Ambrose, and hopefully William Penn will make for a tight race in the MCC.
