The Columbus Wildcats are looking to make some big strides on the volleyball court this season. Only four seniors graduated from last year’s team that won six matches. Head coach Lori Beenen tells KCII Sports she believes there is more winning to come.

“I told the group [that they] are young, but you’re very dynamic,” Beenen says. “They have a great chemistry together, and we are actually able to deeper learn the game. We’re finally at a point where this group has the skills and can play. So I told them, ‘We take it one game at a time, and you go in there and play to that top ability every time, and I think that things are going to happen.'”

Columbus will look to sophomore outside hitter Jessica Del Rio for offense after she posted 53 kills in 70 sets played last year. Aracely Garza returns after 69 kills, 21 serving aces and 68 digs last season, while fellow junior hitter Lily Coil is back from injury. Sophomores Kennedy Woepking and Jocelyn Hernandez will also play big roles for the Wildcats, and Beenen says that’s already showing up in more than just their play.

“I think, between Lily and Aracely, they’ve become our leaders on our court,” she says. “We were very young last year with playing several freshmen due to injuries and some sophomores, so this year we’re basically sophomores and juniors. Between Aracely and Lily, they’re going to bear the brunt of things, but Kennedy Woepking has [also] come up tremendously this summer and during our team camp at Pella. We’ve moved her from the middle to the outside, and she seems to be doing pretty well out there. She reads the court really well from out there.”

Columbus will begin the new volleyball season by playing a trio of matches tonight. The Wildcats will take on Sigourney, Louisa-Muscatine and Burlington Notre Dame in pool play at the WACO Tournament.