Except for two players, the 2012 Rainy River Community College women’s volleyball team won’t resemble last year’s squad.
The 2011 team that went 18-13 overall and advanced to the Region 13B tournament is only returning a setter — Nakita Estling of Warroad, who was twice named the Minnesota College Athletic Conference Northern Division’s “Setter of the Week” last season — and an outside hitter, Kristen Cruickshank of Regina, Saskatchewan.
Mel Millerbernd enters her 24th year as RRCC’s head volleyball coach with her list of key losses from last year including Libero Kelly Sorenson and middle hitter Haylee Gates, who were both named to the All-Division first team, All-State second team and Region 13B team, along with middle hitter Katrina Wreggitt.
With eight new players part of the 10-person roster, Millerbernd said the strengths of this year’s team include the players being “very coachable” and “good servers.”
However, she said “we lack height and experience” with the tallest player on the team being 5 feet, 10 inches tall.
Millerbernd said the team goals this season are to improve with every match and advance to the Region 13B tourney.
While she is concerned the most about injuries this season, Millerbernd said she is looking forward to “watching a great group of young ladies improve each match and having a wonderful college volleyball experience.”
She said the teams to look out for this season include Central Lakes, Itasca and Northland.
The Voyageurs open their season today at the Fergus Falls Tournament and host their first home match Sept. 5 against Mesabi Range.
