MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Change and growth are the themes for the 2023 rendition of the Millersville women's volleyball team, as just six of last year's 17 rostered players remain. Only four of those six have played more than five sets at the collegiate level, meaning that returning juniors
Emma Ludwig,
Madison Von Neida and
Mya Cascario will be relied on heavily.
Brian Smith enters his 14th season as the team's head coach, and he has great confidence in the leadership abilities of that trio.
"Those three, they're not the vocal rah-rah, you know, hard-charging type. Their leadership style is one that I actually like, it's just do it by example," Smith said. "You can't ask your teammates to work hard if you're not, because then they don't have respect for you."
That culture of leadership and trust is something that Smith emphasizes the importance of.
"I want every player to be comfortable enough to realize they can come over to this building anytime and talk to us about any issues," said Smith.
On the court, Ludwig has been the team's rock. Since arriving as a freshman, she's played in 213 of the team's 215 sets. She's finished top five in assists per set in the PSAC each of the past two seasons with 8.73 and 8.67 in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Von Neida looks to be the team's starting libero, a job that she has earned throughout preseason. She'll look to build on a 2022 season in which she recorded 17 aces and 145 digs over 82 sets. Smith has lauded Von Neida's growth as she's become a vocal leader of the defense.
"Coming into this year, she had to win that role," Smith said. "She had to exhibit some leadership, because defensively, she has some responsibility as the libero too, if we switch defenses in a match to make sure everybody's aware of that you can communicate that. She's done a good job."
So, even with the amount of turnover, Smith likes what he's seen thus far.
"This team is young, hungry, and athletic. They seem to be very coachable. They already seem to have probably the best chemistry that I've seen in just 10 days of being together"
Of the 13 new faces on the team, 12 are freshmen. Nine of those first-year players are hitters, something that a Marauders team that lost four of their top five attackers from last season desperately needed. For freshmen hitters
Madison Williams,
Alex Nava,
Sam White,
Kinsey Reuwer,
Emma Kerwin,
Kalia Espenlaub and
Madison McKenzie, this means opportunity.
Amongst the group, Kerwin has stood out to Coach Smith thus far in preseason. Kerwin stands at 6-1 and lettered thrice while playing for Freedom High School in Virginia. She earned a bevy of honors in high school, including two-time all-state, two-time all-region, and three-time all-district.
"I think
Emma Kerwin should be a force right away and people are going to notice her right away because she's got a big arm," said Smith. "She's a very strong, very dominant type of hitter."
Paige Horst has been that defensively, with strong showings in preseason practices. Smith confirmed this, declaring that, "she's going to get a lot of playing time right out the gates." Horst, a freshman defensive specialist, earned three varsity letters at Elizabethtown High School and was named all-league twice.
Returning Sophomore
Caroline Halsey earned praise for her growth as a middle hitter. She's coming off a season in which she totaled 96 kills and 21 aces in 79 sets. Smith expressed how impressed he's been with her growth.
"Caroline is coming back; she was a starting middle hitter as a freshman. She's consistently getting better- just constantly getting better," Smith said. "She's a very coachable player that was willing to go out and do the little things that we asked her to do as far as changes mechanically or whatever. She's really blossoming as a player, and she's lightning fast."
One of the program's biggest additions has come off the court with the hiring of assistant coach
Matt Hamilton. Hamilton was the head coach of both men's and women's Volleyball at Elizabethtown University from 2019-2022. Over his four seasons, he racked up an impressive record of 69-25 and departed holding the highest winning percentage for a head coach in program history.
Having an assistant with such credentials is new under Smith, as he's never had an assistant with previous collegiate coaching experience. Prior to Hamilton's hiring, the pair spent two years coaching together in club volleyball, so there is a familiarity.
"We already kind of knew each other as far as you know, styles and stuff like that. We align very well, on how we think about offenses and defenses," Smith said. "Because we have a previous relationship, we already know our strengths and weaknesses."
Millersville has had an uncanny relationship with sixth place of late. Each of the past two seasons Millersville has finished sixth in the PSAC East. In the preseason coaches poll, Millersville was picked to finish sixth in the PSAC East last season and this season.
The team's quest to defy that trend begins in the Pucillo Gymnasium at noon on Friday, Sept. 1 against the Wilmington University Wildcats. Millersville hosts four matches on both Friday and Saturday as part of the PSAC East Kickoff Tournament.
Milestones to watch:
