By Chris Parker, junior

Last year was one of the most successful seasons the Friends University volleyball program has seen in awhile. The Falcons finished 22-9 overall and 15-3 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference to end the season in a tie for second.

The Falcons ended last season with a first-round loss in the KCAC tournament at home.

Preparation for this season started with early morning practices last spring.

“The girls really put themselves into spring training,” Head Volleyball Coach Martin Ayin said.

The Falcons practiced for 11 weeks straight in the early morning, and Ayin said they felt they were ready to play when spring training was over.

The Falcon returners to the lineup this season are first team all-KCAC performer Chandra Slates and a pair of standout sophomores, Courtney McCune and Erin Cooper. Both McCune and Cooper were second-team all-KCAC performers last season as freshmen. Cooper was the KCAC freshman of the year, and McCune was the runner-up for that award.

Two transfers, Rexanne Schilowsky and Crystal Foss, will also be heavily leaned on this season. Schilowsky, a transfer from Colby Community College, will try to fill the shoes of Rachel Strickland. Strickland was a three-time all-KCAC selection at Friends and graduated last year. Foss will be a libero for the Falcons. She transferred from Hutchinson Community College.

Strickland will be tough to replace because she brought a presence to the court that is difficult to match, Ayin said. Slates and Schilowsky will do their best to develop the same kind of presence in the middle for Friends.

Hustle and consistency are the keys for this year’s team, Ayin said.

“One thing I tell my kids is win or lose, you can’t be outhustled,” Ayin said.

The Falcons will have to use their hustle to win games because they lack the size of most other teams they will play. Ayin estimated their average height is only 5-foot-10 this season. The lack of height will not faze the Falcons.

”We think that’s an advantage for us,” Ayin said.

Ayin sees it as an advantage because of the speed and quickness of his players as opposed to other teams that are slower.

This season Ayin has brought 11 freshmen into the program. Among them is Lorielle Slates, who is the younger sister Chandra Slates.

Lorielle Slates was a standout three-sport star for Campus High School last year, and Ayin thinks she will be a factor early in her college career.

“We expect her to contribute fairly regularly,” Ayin said.

Freshman Melissa Anderson from Derby should contribute some her freshman season.

This year’s team will open on the road just the way that Ayin likes his teams to.

“My philosophy is seasons are made on the road,” Ayin said.

The volleyball team’s home opener is against the University of St. Mary on Sept. 5.

The Falcons will try to start fast like last year and follow through with the program’s first conference championship since 1989. A regular season conference championship would give the Falcons the right to play the conference tournament at home.

While Ayin believes seasons are made on the road, he has a different philosophy for championships.

“Championships are won at home,” Ayin said.