Austin Peay State University women’s volleyball team has a thankful distinction from other Fall sports reporting to campus for preseason activities – the heat will not be an issue.
However, with summer graduation occupying the Dunn Center and a delay on getting the Memorial Health Building ready for use, first-year head coach Haley Janicek has her own set of problems. For the time being, volleyball preseason camp is taking place in the Foy Center, using one of the three courts designated for student activities.
That twisting and turning in the coaching ranks has not affected the program adversely, as the players have grown closer together throughout much of the coaching confusion. Their performance on the court has improved and even after losing OVC Player of the Year Stephanie Champine, the team was picked sixth in the OVC’s preseason poll. Should they finish sixth, it would mean their third OVC tournament appearance in three years.
Highlighting the returning group is senior setter Sarah Alisaleh and senior middle blocker Jessica Mollman, both of whom were named the All-OVC preseason squad. Alisaleh may be the best setter in the league – she was first-team All-OVC last season – after becoming the fourth APSU player to record multiple 1,000-assists campaigns in a career. Mollman, meanwhile, was a second-team All-OVC pick last season with a .312 attack percentage that ranked seventh-best in league play.
The good news for Austin Peay’s volleyball team is when it comes to change, enough is enough. Janicek will continue to use the west-coast system that set gyms afire last season. That’s the kind of heat the Lady Govs can handle.
For an exclusive volleyball preview video, visit LetsGoPeay.com.
