By: Noah Allison

For the first time in four years, U of L athletics returns to the conference it competed in the year before. The spectrum of success and struggle was covered by U of L’s varying sports programs last year in the ACC.

Of those programs, few are hungrier to take a second crack at the conference then Anne Kordes’ volleyball team. The Cardinals, 15-15 overall, 7-11 in ACC play last year, return almost all the starters from the year before and have added depth and talent via recruiting and transfers.

“We lost a lot of matches, more than we normally do, but we didn’t lose a lot by a lot of points. We were right in the mix, so its easy for us to see where we have to improve to win those few points back and be at the top of the ACC,” Kordes said.

The large roster of 16 athletes is led by true senior Katie George. As team captain and the starting setter, the offense is run through her ability to set up her teammates for success. Something she has successfully done at a high rate through her first three years in the program. As a junior George led Louisville in assists with 1,124. The second highest total on the team was 101 by junior libero Roxanne McVey.

“This is my last shot, my last hoorah, and now as a senior and as a leader and the setter of this team all I can do is leave it all out there and do the best that I can,” George said. “This year with our non-conference schedule and being in the ACC we have the chance to do some really great things. I want to win the ACC championship because I think it’s absolutely possible. We were middle of the pack, we’re middle of the pack now but I think we are going to shock some people which is always the best feeling coming in as the underdog. I’m very excited; I think this is going to be one of our most successful seasons yet.”

For the first time since her freshmen year in the Big East, George and the Cards have the schedule, experience and talent to make a splash in post-season play.

U of L faces off against seven top 25 ranked teams in the NCAA rankings, including an early season matchup with current fifth-ranked Wisconsin.

“What’s exciting about our preparation right now is we have a huge carrot being dangled out in front of us. We have the option to figure out where we are nationally in the first few weeks of the season. The option to make major strides nationally is right there in front of our face and we look really good right now,” Kordes said.

Offensively, George will be distributing to five dynamic scorers, outside hitters Maya McClendon, Janelle Jenkins and transfer Erin Fairs as well as the young dynamic duo of sophomore middle-blockers Maggie DeJong and Tess Clark.

Last year, McClendon and Jenkins combined for 678 kills and 137 blocks while the freshmen tandem combined for 406 kills and 197 blocks. But the four are set over the top by the addition of senior transfer Erin Fairs.

“Fairs has made a huge impact in our program, she’s an actual true L1 hitter that can terminate over the double block. And the attention that takes off Maya McClendon has been huge. Maya, when not a lot of people are paying attention to her, is lethal. But when everyone is trying to stack up against her she is a smaller player, so her confidence level is through the roof right now.”

“It’s really fun. On top of that Janelle Jenkins is over on the right side with not a lot of attention on her. So because of Erin, taking the brunt of everything and putting us all on her back right now, it allows for everyone else to have less attention on them and be very successful. So she has been huge for our program,” Kordes said.

The combination of the three upperclassmen outside hitters and the addition of seniority, depth and talent may be what separates this Louisville squad from past line-ups.

“I think its amazing because all three of us are so close outside the court that we have this chemistry and there is a comfort between all three of us. Playing with each other is amazing because we all have our different strengths. Janelle’s athleticism is out of this roof and Erin is so strong and I have to play differently because I’m not that tall or big so I have to play smart and play with some heart,” McClendon said.

“But I think it’s going to be unreal with how many different options we have. Especially with the new people that haven’t gotten there chance yet. There are so many amazing athletes and it’s going to be wonderful to see everyone flourish and work together.”

As of preseason, it seems that the serious approach of the upperclassmen is reverberating through the large roster.

“This is the biggest team we’ve ever had, 16 people is a lot and having the depth is unreal. We came in with a mindset, a different mindset then I think we’ve ever had, it’s really like life or death,” McClendon said.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had this deep of a roster with so many versatile hitters and players,” George adds. “Its an exciting and motivating feeling all at the same time because we are more than capable of doing well in the ACC and advancing far in the NCAA Tournament, we just have to put the pieces together.”

Louisville opens the season on Aug. 28 against Big Ten powerhouse Illinois in Champaign, Illinois.