SAN MARCOS, Calif.— Many coaches might look at a roster with zero seniors and 12 new faces and promptly chalk up the season as a rebuilding year. But certainly not CSUSM head volleyball coach Andrea Leonard— and why should she?
Just two years ago, Leonard and the Cougars opened up the very first season of volleyball at Cal State San Marcos with a young roster that had never played together, and similarly had no seniors. Amazingly, only two weeks into the season, the upstart Cougars jumped up from obscurity into the top-25 of the NAIA National Coaches Poll, where they remained for most of the season en route to a 29-8 record, an A.I.I. Conference Championship, and a trip to the NAIA National Tournament.
Now the Cougars – who occasionally train at the beach in the offseason— are riding a wave of success into the 2013 season, having won back-to-back A.I.I. titles and coming within a one-set tiebreaker of landing a spot among the final 12 teams in last year's NAIA tournament play. The Cougars kept themselves ranked in the top-25 all season long, reaching as high as No. 9 in the nation.
Much of the team's past and projected success stems from the core of freshman who arrived on campus in 2011 and have grown together as a tight-knit group. Sami Castillo, Taylor DeGraaf, Alyssa Foster, Kara Barkdoll, Erin Talafus, and Kelli McLin are all expected to play significant roles both on the court and in a leadership position based on their experience and familiarity with the program culture they have helped create. Foster and DeGraaf, the reigning A.I.I. Setter of the Year and A.I.I. Player of the Year, are potential NAIA All-American candidates after each receiving Honorable Mention recognition last year by finishing among the national leaders in assists and kills, respectively.
The 12 incoming players Coach Leonard has added to the mix are expected to fit right into the foundation of the team based on their hard work, energy, and positive attitudes. Team chemistry and identity is important to the Cougars, who spent the majority of their first practice in a conference room going over playbooks and team goals rather than the court or the weight room. Make no mistake though, says Leonard, "The Cougars will be sore by the weekend."
The newcomers to Cal State San Marcos bring in a variety of skills, but one new dimension the 2013 Cougars will be particularly stronger in this year is at the net. CSUSM now boasts eight players standing six feet or taller, giving the team multiple talented options up front for both attacking and blocking.
The added height up front will also help ease the task of the new Cougar libero, who will take over for the departed senior Nichole May, a former all-conference selection and team captain. The starting position is currently up for grabs over the next few weeks at practice until the Cougars first match Tuesday, August 20 against San Diego Christian.
Over the course of their schedule, the Cougars will face eight teams that finished ranked in last year's NAIA Coaches' Poll, including home matchups against local rivals Vanguard and Westmont. CSUSM will host seven home games in total, with the home opener being Monday, September 9 against Hope International.
Beyond having a good time in the stands with the Cougar crazies, fans can expect a fast offense and a fun, athletic team on the court with a "never say die" attitude." With its experienced returning core, festive team atmosphere, and the influx of new talent, the Cougars might not ever have to.
