ELGIN — For Wolfpack volleyball fans, the 2019 season must have felt like an anomaly.
Coach Tina Thiele-Blecher’s team, long one of the best teams in northeast Nebraska, suffered through a 15-loss season and a quick exit from the postseason. Nine of those losses came against teams who competed in the state tournament at Lincoln in November 2019.
She’s hoping for a quick turn-around this year with 25 girls out for the sport.
“Last year has made them hungry for this year,” she said. “Practices are spirited, lots of fire.”
A senior-laden squad will hope to improve on last year’s 14-15 record.
Seniors on the squad include Ashtyn Meis, Alyssa Burenheide, Kirsten Krebs, Skylar Reestman, Ally Selting, Harlie Bode, Marissa Preister, Theanna Dunn and player/manager Natalie Bauer. Dunn and Bauer are injured and unavailable at the start of the season.
Also injured, but expected to join the team hopefully sometime in September, is Krebs. Krebs is one of seven players back who saw time as starters last season.
“All nine (senior) girls are working hard and helping develop the team,” Thiele-Blecher said. “They’re making the team better, fighting for one of the starting positions …We’re only going to go as far as our senior leadership will take us.”
Players who started all or part of last season include Krebs, Selting and Bode, juniors Kaylee Ramold and Lexi Bode, and sophomores Taylynne Charf and Skyler Meis. Freshman who could work their way into a varsity jersey include Baylee Busteed and Ashlynne Charf.
“We’re fighting for positions, that’s huge,” the coach said. “These girls know volleyball.”
Plenty of experience returns, giving fans reason to believe there will be more wins than losses this season.
Charf is an experienced setter, having started as a freshman. Last year she recorded a team-high 307 set assists.
Junior Lexi Bode will move to middle hitter, Thiele-Blecher said. Last year, Bode had 148 kills at the net.
Harlie Bode is being moved from middle to outside hitter to help improve the Wolfpack’s attack.
She posted 95 kills and 16 solo blocks last season.
Krebs’ senior campaign should be a good one when she returns to the court. Last year she showed a strong presence at the net with 133 kills and 13 solo blocks and a team-high 357 serve receive.
Skyler Meis showed promise as a hitter last season and should only get better. Burenheide provides added height at the net.
“We have to be smarter with our attacks this year,” the coach said.
“We need to be more aggressive at the net.”
Ramold and Selting anchored the back row last year. Selting led the team in digs with 189, Ramold had 15. Selting is also strong in serve receive with 182 last season.
Preister, Reestman, Meis and Bauer will contribute where needed.
Busteed is expected to be the team’s #2 setter.
“Teamwork is not an issue,” she said about the team. “They will work hard, no matter what,” Thiele-Blecher said.
As has been the case in recent years, the Wolfpack start the season against tough competition. They will open the season on the road Thursday night, Aug. 27, at Lutheran High Northeast in Norfolk.
Other top teams on the schedule include Chambers/Wheeler Central and Summerland which is now in Class D-1.
Joining Thiele-Blecher and assistant coach Sandi Henn in coaching the team will be Kim Zwingman, a one-time head coach for the Elgin High Eagles a number of years ago.
