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Kirkwood Volleyball Enters Season Ranked 8th in the Nation

By August 22, 2013November 20th, 2018No Comments
Volleyball Team August 2013

L to R – Front row: Jasmine Jackson, Amber Timmins, Becca Bell, Alicen Wintermote, Megan Paustian, Payton Hilton Back row: Abbey Roete, Taylor Rathbone, Chelsea Gryp, Bre Boote, Heather Poula, Audrey Richards, Erin Walker, Cali Beyer

The Eagles hope to build off last year’s national tournament run

The Kirkwood volleyball team starts their 2013 campaign with a top 10 ranking and a goal of surpassing their impressive ninth place finish at the national tournament.

The Eagles return six sophomores from last year’s regional championship team. The team’s returning outside hitters are Chelsea Gryp (Victor, Iowa), Taylor Rathbone (Readlyn, Iowa), and Erin Walker (Silvis, Ill.). Also returning are middle blocker Alicen Wintermote (Jewell, Iowa), setter Amber Timmins (LeMars, Iowa), and libero/defensive specialist Cali Beyer (Tripoli, Iowa). All of the sophomores will provide valuable veteran leadership for the incoming freshmen according to Kirkwood Head Volleyball Coach Jill Williams.

“Having six veterans returning will be huge for us this season,” said Williams. “We had two All-Americans on the squad last year that graduated. Our sophomores will need to step into that leadership role and fill the void. Last season’s national tournament run provided invaluable experience for our returning players which will help them bring the freshmen up to speed.”

The incoming freshman class has a local flair to it. Three players who competed against each other in high school are now Kirkwood teammates. Setter Bre Boote (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), outside hitter Audrey Richards (Cedar Rapids Xavier) and middle blocker Becca Bell (Cedar Rapids Prairie) are all suiting up for the Eagles. They are joined by fellow freshmen Abbey Roete (Oelwein, Iowa), Payton Hilton (LaPorte City, Iowa), Megan Paustian (Bettendorf, Iowa), Jasmine Jackson (Des Moines, Iowa) and Heather Poula (West Branch, Iowa).

“We want to build off of what we accomplished last year,” said Williams. “It’s imperative we get off to a good start. If we come out strong, we can set the tone for the whole season, which will go a long way towards our ultimate goal of winning a championship.”

The Eagles begin the season on the road this Friday at 1 p.m. in Burlington at the Southeastern Volleyball Jamboree. They then return to Johnson Hall for their home opener Wednesday, August 28, for a conference showdown with Ellsworth Community College starting at 6:30 p.m.