By: Austin Siegel
This season was always going to be about writing a new chapter for K-State Volleyball.
Everything else that happened in 2020 just made it official.
For the first time in program history, the Wildcats will count on a dozen freshmen and sophomores in back-to-back seasons, anchored by the nation's No. 23 ranked recruiting class.
K-State will also have a new schedule format and a (sort of) new home court at Bramlage Coliseum this season, where the Wildcats kick things off against Iowa State on Friday night.
All of this comes after a six-week preseason due to an adjusted schedule.
"To me, it's been wonderful. It's given us more time to prepare and given us more time for the team to come together," head coach Suzie Fritz said. "The chemistry is pretty solid. We've got enough experience back, I think, to kind of hold it together. And enough energy and new blood that's shaking things up to make it interesting right now."
Recruiting rankings are a nice indicator that K-State is heading in the right direction, but the Wildcats bring back a trio of juniors that should help maintain the culture of the program.
The return of Brynn Carlson and Megan Vernon means that the Wildcats will welcome back their leader in kills (Carlson) and blocks (Vernon) from a season ago. Jacque Smith will head up a group of liberos and defensive specialists where three different classes should contribute.
The balancing act this season will be between the expectations of a program with a proud NCAA Tournament tradition and one of the youngest squads Fritz has coached at K-State.
For the only senior on K-State's roster, that role of "newcomer" and "veteran" is one in the same.
Shelby Martin will join the team from East Carolina, where the 2017 AAC Freshman of the Year racked up the fourth-most assists in ECU history and valuable experience.
"I was looking to really have a better environment my senior year and K-State is just such a family atmosphere and that's really what drew me in to the coaches and to the team," Martin said. "I already fit in so well with them and they're such a great community to be around."
That veteran core at outside hitter, middle blocker, libero and setter should provide the Wildcats with a strong foundation in 2020 – more important than ever in a season like this one.
K-State will face each team in the Big 12 in a two-game weekend series, with the first of eight matches in Manhattan getting underway on Friday night against the Cyclones.
"So, it's not just the COVID availability issue, it also becomes about now we play back-to-back," Fritz said. "Fatigue is really going to start to play a factor for night two because you've got to turn it around pretty quick. So just being able to use our depth and use our roster, and I think for the most part in most positions, we are in a position to do that."
Squad depth will be essential and the Wildcats need their six sophomores on the roster – part of another top 25-recruiting class – to build on a season of Big 12 experience.
Holly Bonde is a name to know from that group, as the opposite/outside hitter is second among the returning Wildcats in kills from a season ago. Tēana Adams-Kaonohi gives the Wildcats another talented setter, after appearing in 15 conference matches during her freshman season.
"I'm really impressed with the freshmen. They've been coming out here, competing like crazy, showing that they're here to play and showing no weaknesses, going all out," Adams-Kaonohi said. "We're playing hard, we're playing aggressive and competitive, and we're ready to play next week."
Libero and defensive specialist are where the freshmen and sophomores on the Wildcats should really have an opportunity to shine in 2020.
Smith is joined by sophomores Loren Hinkle and Dru Kuck, who both wasted no time making an impact in 2019 with a pair of Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Kuck led the Wildcats in digs last season, while Hinkle did the same in aces.
Freshman Mackenzie Morris has impressed throughout the preseason as a defensive specialist and libero, leading the Wildcats in digs during the team's Purple & White scrimmage on Friday.
"What they're doing defensively and their ability to stabilize us a little bit with our ball control has been really ahead of schedule, for me," Fritz said. "Just the collective overall comradery and chemistry is good, and the collective effort overall has been pretty consistent."
For a K-State team with only four upperclassmen, returning their leader in kills (Carlson), blocks (Vernon), digs (Kuck) and aces (Hinkle) should bring some stability to a youthful group.
It also underscores how important it will be for Adams-Kaonohi and Martin to step up at setter, where the Wildcats don't return a regular starter from 2019.
After the extended preseason and with the team's Big 12 opener just three days away, Martin is feeling confident.
"I think that we really used the six weeks that we had to our benefit," Martin said. "We really built ourselves as a team more and focused more on what we needed to strengthen going into conference… This team is just made of great people and great players all the way around."
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September 22, 2020 at 06:05PM
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