A year ago, Seneca volleyball finished with a 23-win season and was the first team to win a district title in program history.
After graduating five integral seniors, the Indians will be looking to duplicate last year’s success in 2023 with several new faces while being anchored by a pair of returning seniors.
“I am very excited for the season,” Seneca coach Rachel Ayo said. “Last year was so surreal, and the success of last year has really pushed the girls and opened their eyes to what our program is capable of. Yes, we lost a lot of talent with the graduating class last year, but I have a solid group of seniors to help lead this season and a young and talented group of sophomores.”
Seneca will be led by seniors Jera Jameson (OH/DS), who led the team last year in hitting and kill percentage (47 percent), and Ella Graham (LIB) as the lone returning starters.
“Jera will definitely be one of our go-to kids on the floor,” Ayo said of her returners. “Her swing is very hard for defenders to pick up and she does a remarkable job reading the floor and swinging around the block. She will be one of our primary offensive weapons…. Her volleyball IQ is high, she adjusts extremely well as a hitter, and her multiple years of varsity experience will be huge in her having a successful senior season.
“Ella is a great leader on the court and will outhustle anyone. She is a very versatile player and can play anywhere, even front row. She is a great defensive player, and was third on the team last year in digs with 333. I am expecting her to easily surpass that number this year as a 6-rotation player. Her leadership will be key this year.”
Also returning this season with varsity experience is sophomore S/OH Anna Adkins.
“She can play anywhere you ask her to, but Anna will be changing roles this year and will be a setter on the varsity court,” Ayo said. “Her athleticism and volleyball IQ are going to be huge contributors to our team.”
New faces to the varsity squad this year includes senior DS/RS Danessa Macy and senior DS/RS Valencia Araujo as well as sophomores Emma Darnell, Jaime Eitemiller, Olivia Haase, Maddy Hembree, Harley Lankford, Olivia Leonard and Bella Middick.
“Team chemistry is always a large piece of the puzzle to being successful,” Ayo said when asked what the keys to success for this season are. “We will have to play superb defense and outhustle the other team. In the meantime, finding athletes that are able to step up offensively will be huge in our success this year.”
While there are plenty of new faces at the varsity level for Seneca this season, that doesn’t mean the Indians don’t expect to compete set in and set out. There will be an adjustment period, but the talent level has Coach Ayo excited for the prospects of the upcoming season.
“This season is going to be a big rebuilding year for our program,” Ayo said “A lot of adjustments will be made with new faces in the varsity lineup and roles slightly shifting for our players. I am expecting us to not only compete with our competitors but to end the year with a winning record.
“We did graduate key roles, but I am returning one of the best hitters in our conference and district. We also are very strong defensively and I am returning two of my three best serve-receive passers. I am a strong believer in the phrase that serve-receive wins games, and hopefully this will help us outshine our components.”
Seneca opens the season at home against Neosho on Aug. 29.
