Southeast Missouri State's women's volleyball team is heading into the 2016 season with high expectations and a deep roster.
Coach Julie Yankus has led the Redhawks to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament every year since she took over in 2011, and she expects them to win the conference this season after finishing eighth last season.
"Our goal is to win the OVC," Yankus said. "We want to be fighting for a championship, and in order to do so, we know we have a lot of work to do. We have to be better than the seven teams that were above us last year, so we really focused on doing the extra things that we can do to put us to that next level."
The Redhawks have five new players this season including junior setter Rachel Poole, as well as freshmen outside hitters Mikayla Kulhmann and Alyssa Wolslegel, middle blocker Krista Berns and defensive specialist Emily Boggetto.
Yankus said the depth of this year's squad is some of the best she has seen at Southeast.
She believes hat depth will give them the chance to change things up more often when needed.
"The depth is going to be huge," Yankus said. "I don't expect everyone to have their best day every single game, so having options and ability to change out lineups will really help us and make the difference from last year to this year. When someone is struggling, and that's gonna happen, we have lots of people on the sideline ready to step in and make a difference."
While having depth will be important to the Redhawks during games, it's already making a difference during the team's practices, according to senior libero Jade Mortimer.
"We're in the gym a lot competing and pushing each other, not only on the court, but off of it as well, and only good can come from stuff like that," Mortimer said. "I think there's so much competition within positions that it's going to force people to rise up to the next level."
Junior middle blocker Nzingha Clarke, who was named to the Preseason All-OVC team, said the freshmen have transitioned easily, which along with the added competition has helped with team chemistry.
"Our freshmen have come in and really taken the flow that we've had set on the court," Clarke said. "Everyone is really close, it's really nice."
Mortimer also complimented the team's chemistry, saying it's the team's biggest asset.
"The chemistry on this team is unlike one that I've had in the past three years that I've been here," Mortimer said. "I can honestly say that I feel like everyone is out there playing for each other and not just for personal stats or my own team that I'm on for that day."
Senior setter Katarina Rotta said the newcomers have been able to make an easier transition partly because of the veteran depth on the team.
"Jade and I are going to be big impact players on the court right away, and there's a lot of juniors who have been playing since their freshman year," Rotta said. "We have a lot of older girls in important roles, so I think it allows the freshmen to be more comfortable, because they are seeing the older girls doing what they are expected to do."
The Redhawks, who were picked to finish eighth in the OVC preseason poll, begin their season Friday in the Show Me Center with a doubleheader in the Redhawks Invitational.
Their first game is at noon against New Orleans before playing at 7 p.m. against University of Illinois at Chicago.
