SEASIDE, Calif. — Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball is coming of an historic 2017 season in which it reach the postseason for the first time since joining the NCAA ranks in 2004. But if reaching the postseason for the first time at the NCAA level has ratcheted up expectations for the 2018 campaign, they are expectations the Otters embrace as they prepare to kickoff their season Friday in Idaho.
While the Otters said goodbye to first team All–CCAA leftside hitter
Maddy Underwood and lethal rightside hitter
Amber Tygart, Head Coach
Moe Melhart enters her fifth season with a nice blend of returners and newcomers who should give Otter fans plenty to be excited about. Outside hitter
Anela Visesio (Seaside HS), setter
Erica Chapa (San Benito HS/Gavilan College), middle blocker
Chandler McKean (Visalia/Redwood HS) and libero
Ashlynne Armstrong (Norco HS) will continue their individual climbs up the CSUMB career leaderboards while they help the Otters climb towards a postseason bid once again.
With all of that in mind, OtterAthletics.com sat down with Coach Melhart to get her take on Otter Volleyball prospects in 2018
OtterAthletics.com: Some might say that coming off the first postseason appearance in CSUMB's NCAA volleyball era has raised the bar for your program. Are you feeling any extra pressure to meet or exceed last year's accomplishments?
Coach Melhart: I don't believe there is a pressure, but the expectation is there and it has raised the level of commitment and work on and off the court, which has been the goal all along. We have high expectations, but we know the work to achieve those expectations is where the focus needs to be.
Four years in, and with a team that is entirely (all but one) your recruits, how has the program come along relative to your expectations?
I am thankful for the foundation that was here before I arrived and for Dane Holmgren to have been with me from the start. I wouldn't be able to do this without him. The athletes we have in our program are here because we look for athletes that understand what it means to be all in, are tough and believe in the process. To have 17 of them is a pretty remarkable thing.
There are several key returners, but you'll be relying on a few newcomers to contribute immediately. How has that blending process gone so far?
The blending process has been easy because of our program's commitment to their summer training with our strength coach, Jessica Benedetti. The team spent most of the summer here in Monterey training with Jess and it shows. They are in the best shape I've seen them in over my four years and the relationships they have built over the summer have made the "getting to know you phase" much easier this preseason.
You lost an All–CCAA performer and a team leader on and off the court in Maddy Underwood. Has anybody stepped up to fill her leadership role?
Maddy Underwood is a tremendous player and an even better leader. From the beginning, I challenged Maddy to spread her leadership so when she left there were people ready for that role. It has been amazing to watch new leaders emerge over the course of the past nine months. Our six seniors—Erica Chapa, Chandler McKean, Alá Olson, Anela Visesio, Ashlynne Armstrong and Whitney Hirst—have really come together as a dynamic leadership group. To have senior leaders in every position that know the expectation and refuse to settle has made us better.
You've got a tough tournament in front with three strong opponents waiting for the Otters in Idaho. How have preparations gone to jump right into the fire opening weekend?
This will be an tough tournament. All three of our opponents have storied programs with winning traditions and I have a lot of respect for them and what they do. On our quest to be our best, we need to play the best and that's why we are making the journey north. We have had the most competitive preseaon training in my time here and I am excited to watch it continue to come together.
CSUMB volleyball kicks off its 2018 season Friday at the Fairfield Inn Invitational in Nampa, Id. The Otters will open with host and No. 19 ranked Northwest Nazarene University at 1 p.m. noon (Pacific time). They'll face a Biola University team receiving votes in the preseason Top 25 poll at 4 p.m. before closing play against Dixie State Saturday at 11 a.m.
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