Bobcats gunning for more than just 'four-for-four' in 2021

It’s a little tough to remember now, but Texas State Volleyball used to be the underdogs.

After winning the Sun Belt tournament in 2013, the Bobcats were swept by Troy in the conference final in 2014 and bounced in the second round in each of the next three seasons. Coastal Carolina took the crown back-to-back in 2016-17. Fifth-year senior defensive specialist Brooke Johnson and middle blocker Tyeranee Scott are the only players left in the program who experienced it firsthand. Every other letterman has only known championships. 

There are still doubters — enough to leave a bit of a chip on the team’s shoulder. The Chanticleers had already claimed the first set of last year’s Sun Belt title match and trailed just 20-16 when outside hitter Annett Nemeth, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, suffered a leg injury and did not return. Coastal pushed Texas State to a fifth set anyway.

But the maroon and gold still won their third consecutive crown and received an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. They went on to reach the Round of 32 for the second time in program history. And with last season’s entire roster returning, other than defensive specialist Michelle Foster, the Bobcats are expected to finish in a similar place this fall. They were picked to win the West Division in the 2021 Sun Belt Coaches Poll with 69 points and 11 first-place votes and also landed three selections on the preseason all-conference team.

Head coach Sean Huiet doesn’t have the benefit of telling his players that they’re underdogs. They wouldn’t believe him if he did. So he’s taking a different approach. While going four-for-four in the league tournament is still important, he wants his team to aim even higher.

“We know the Sun Belt's really good. We know winning four in a row is really hard. And so we wanted to challenge them,” Huiet said. “This group, they want to do something that's never been done. With that, we put that schedule in front of them so then when we get to the NCAA tournament, we're prepared for that.”

After winning the 2020 Sun Belt tournament on Nov. 22, Huiet loaded up the spring schedule with schools above Texas State’s weight class. Eight of the 12 matches the Bobcats played in were against Big 12 opponents. The team went 6-6 during the stretch, leading to a comfortable 3-1 win over Utah Valley in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Huiet went in the same direction with this season’s non-conference slate. Texas State is set to face five teams that reached the Big Dance, including both of the teams that played for the national championship, in addition to four other Power 5 schools. Just four of the 13 matches will be against Group of 5 opponents that didn’t reach a Regional.

“I definitely think that preseason is a really good time just to learn a lot about each other, especially with the new pieces we have,” said senior Emily DeWalt, the Sun Belt Preseason Setter of the Year. “And so I think having a competitive preseason really helps us prepare for some of the tougher games that we have after our conference schedule.”

The Bobcats didn’t make many additions in the offseason, with most of their team returning. But the few newcomers joining them could make an immediate impact. 

One name Huiet mentioned was freshman defensive specialist Jacqueline Lee, who should slide into Foster’s former role backing up Johnson and senior libero Kayla Granado, along with redshirt sophomore Kayla Tello.

Another was 6-foot-1 Maryland transfer Jada Gardner. Huiet coached Gardner when she was in high school playing for Alamo Volleyball Club. The Cibolo native went on to play for the Terrapins from 2017-20 where she averaged 1.47 kills per set on a .193 hitting percentage.

Huiet and Gardner stayed in touch after she left for college. Her mother has helped the head coach take care of his son, Declan, on occasion. When Gardner graduated from Maryland last year, she still had two seasons left to play due to the COVID-19 eligibility freeze and was looking to try something different. Her connection with Huiet made Texas State an easy fit.

“I was really excited when she reached out, she's a high-level athlete,” Huiet said. “She's still learning the system and getting comfortable. She played middle and right side (at Maryland), she's gonna play more outside for us. And so, she's just getting used to all that but we're really excited to have her.”

The chemistry and depth of Texas State will be its main strengths. DeWalt noted Gardner’s presence has pushed the maroon and gold’s other outside hitters to raise their play up a notch, knowing they’ll have to compete for playing time. Huiet said juniors Caitlan Buettner and Courtney Heiser both had good training camps. Senior Kenedi Rutherford and redshirt junior Lauren Teske return as well after each averaged more than 2.0 kills per set last season.

Scott and senior right side hitter Janell Fitzgerald will still be DeWalt’s top two options to pass to, as both joined the setter on the preseason All-Sun Belt Team. Senior middle blocker Jillian Slaughter provides energy filling in for Scott and junior Tessa Marshall has shown flashes in limited opportunities.

Huiet also has a handful of sophomores that barely saw the court in 2020.

“That part, I think, is almost my favorite part. You know, every year, you add a few more pieces but you lose a ton most of the time. And so this year, not losing anybody was really good,” DeWalt said. “And I think that having that team chemistry is going to help us be successful really early on through the preseason and then into conference play.”

The Bobcats begin the 2021 season with a doubleheader on Friday, taking on Kentucky at 10:30 a.m. and Cincinnati at 7 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio. Huiet said his team has a few nagging injuries heading into opening day. But he’s anxious to see far the players can go.

“I think our expectations are high, but it's kind of something we've been thriving off of,” DeWalt said. “Being on top's kind of nice too, you know?”