The Rockhurst women's volleyball team opens their 2024 season by hosting the Kansas City Classic this week at Mason-Halpin Field House. The Hawks face Emporia State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Winona State on Friday at 2 p.m., and Sioux Falls (S.D.) on Saturday at 11 a.m.
The Hawks return 11 players from last year's team, led by a pair of graduate students in back-to-back GLVC Libero of the YearMaureen Reilly and right side hitter Tera Reberry, who earned AVCA All-American honors last year along with Reilly. Junior Sarah Pyle (last year's team leader in kills) and sophomore Ali Olson (GLVC Freshman of the Year and the team leader in blocks) also return. Head coach Trent Jones is excited about the depth on this year's team.
"I think what I'm most excited about this season is that our team is deeper and more competitive than ever before," Jones said. "When we practice, it is super-competitive and neither side of the net has a huge advantage. Having options is always a good feeling as a coach."
Along with Pyle on the outside, the Hawks return graduate student Kenzie Hines and junior Lexi Theis along with incoming freshmen Chloe Tyrrell and Victoria Gray. Hines led the team in kills in 2022 and missed last season with an injury.
Graduate student Sarah Montague and sophomore Molly Trachta will handle most of the setter duties. Junior Sydney Raszler and freshman Delaney Hope join Olson in the middle. Senior Hannah Graves and junior Alyssa McDonald add depth on the right side.
The Hawks' depth will be tested quickly. They play against five preseason-ranked opponents within their first 12 matches, including four in a five-match stretch. Three of the opponents are part of a homestand from Sept. 17-27 against 15th-ranked Central Missouri, ninth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney and sixth-ranked Missouri-St. Louis.
Jones believes the strong strength of schedule will help the Hawks' hopes of returning to the NCAA Tournament.
"We have a veteran team and return a lot of starters from last season," Jones said. "Strength of schedule is always a good thing when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, and making the NCAA Tournament is one of our yearly goals."
The Hawks have played in the past nine NCAA Tournaments dating back to 2014. Last year, Rockhurst earned a trip to the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals for the first time since 2019 when they punched its ticket to the Final Four. Jones knows he has a focused team that wants to build off last year's run.
"We have been fortunate in my four years as the head coach to win a lot of games and consistently make the NCAA Tournament," Jones said. "However, we want to win championships and advance to the Elite Eight. This group knows what it takes and is prepared to work as hard as neededto carry out those goals."
