The perennial powerhouse of the Roanoke College Volleyball team has had five 20-win seasons in the past 10 years. In 2011, the team had an unusually down year, going 7-23 in their campaign. However, 2012 is a new season and Head Coach Blair Trail enters her 14^th year at the helm looking to get the Maroons back on top of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC).

“I look for us to be a much stronger team defensively this year,” Trail started, “Our ball control will be stronger, which in return will allow us to run a faster more accurate offense.”

There is a core group of key returners coming back to the court for the Maroons in 2012. Shannon Stone will be one of two seniors on the team this year. She led the Maroons in offense last year and will play a crucial role in how successful the Maroon offense is this year. Junior Samantha Klosterman, according to Trail, will play a leadership position this year.

“Samantha is able to step into any position and provide consistent play. She is extremely aggressive and a great team leader."

Also returning to the squad are sophomores Mackenzie Allen and Sarah Long, who were both starting freshman last year. Look to see Sarah both in the middle hitter and outside hitter positions, while Mackenzie will again see most of her time playing at opposite.

Coach Trail is also looking at eight players to join the team in 2012 (five freshmen, two transfers, and a sophomore), and is excited about what they will bring to the team.

“All eight players are extremely talented with a great deal of club volleyball experience. I expect for all of them to be impact players this coming season.”

Rachel Kilinski, Allison White, Samantha Toy, Brittany Peterson and Alexandra Martin will be the five freshmen joining the team. White and Kilinski will see playing time at middle hitter and outside hitter positions. According to Trail, “both girls have good court awareness and strong arm swings.” Toy and Martin will both see time at the setter's position. Martin will also find playing time at libero. Lastly, Peterson and sophomore Chala Giron will both be defensive specialists.

The two players transferring to play for the Maroons are Mackenzie and Mary Tyree. Mackenzie played her first year at Carson Newman (Division II) while Macey played club volleyball at Virginia Tech. Mackenzie will lead the defense as one of the team's main liberos. “She has the ability to read the other team's offense and where she should go on defense,” Trail said. Macey will be playing outside hitter and opposite. “She is extremely athletic and plays with great intensity,” noted Trail.

“We have a competitive schedule that I feel will challenge these girls both mentally and physically”
The Maroons will open the season with a two-day tournament at Averett University where they will play Greensboro, Peace, Methodist, and host school Averett. Roanoke defeated Peace in this tournament in 2011. The Maroons' ODAC opener (which will also serve as the team's home opener) will take place on September 5^th at the Bast Center as they take on Lynchburg College at 6:30 PM. They will go on to play in the Greensboro Invitational on September 8-9 and face off against Agness Scott, Peace, Greensboro and ODAC opponent Guilford.

Roanoke will have 13 home matches, including four during the Roanoke College Maroon Classic on October 5-6 at the Bast Center. The Maroons will cap off the regular season in Danville, KY for the Centre College Invitational, where they will face off against two top Heartland Conference schools, Bluffton and Mount St. Joseph. That tournament will serve as a competitive lead-in to the ODAC Tournament.

Trail believes that with the strong schedule, returning players and incoming talent, the Maroons can attain a spot that has been so familiar to the team in previous years.

“We can look to a have successful season if we are prepared mentally for each match and the girls work together to attain our main goal, which is to win the ODAC title.”

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