SAN ANTONIO — Continuing to improve and expand the program with each season, St. Mary's head volleyball coach
Jenny Warmack-Chipman is nothing but excited for her fourth season.
Warmack-Chipman has produced two straight Heartland Conference Freshmen of the Year the past two seasons in returning sophomore
Jenna Paul and returning junior
Victorria Martinez, and two of her newest recruits just might measure up.
Tipping the rulers at 6-foot-2 and 6-foot, respectively, decorated freshmen
Megan Isbell and
Lauren Slaughter will add to an already heightened cast.
But Warmack-Chipman's expectations for the season aren't based on measurable alone, as she bids for her third straight winning season.
"We are very talented and we are very deep in all of our positions," Warmack-Chipman said. "We have a lot of returners and a lot of experience. It just makes it that much more exciting and that much more realistic that we can be first, that we can be at the top."
Adding to the Rattlers' depth are transfer libero
Tori Estrada and freshman setter
Rachael Scicchitano, who join a squad that lost just one senior last season.
Posting a 17-12 overall record last year and just missing the Heartland Conference tournament, this season the conference expects a run from the Rattlers as they placed No. 4 in the preseason poll.
Considering the work ethic and competitiveness already seen in the season's early practices and scrimmages expressed by Warmack-Chipman, the Rattlers are aiming higher to be the No. 1 team in the conference.
"It's not going to be easy," she said. "It's going to take a lot of hard work, but the talent is there."
St. Mary's University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men's basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men's golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men's golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary's also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary's student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.rattlerathletics.com.
