Volleyball looks to build on last season's success

FULTON, Miss. – In its inaugural season, the ICC volleyball team earned a trip to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Gulf District Tournament. This season the Indians are looking to make another trip to Florida for postseason play.

The Indians are returning seven players with five of those in the starting rotation last season. Libero Londyn Bakeris (Olive Branch), middle blocker and right side hitter Zakhia Taylor (Olive Branch), defensive specialist and libero Angie Gonzalez (Walls), middle blocker LaMaya Newsome (Southaven) and outside hitter Mary Leslie Cranford (Covington, Tenn.) are the returning starters. Middle blocker and right side hitter Morgan Ray (Clinton) and outside hitter Hannah McNeese (Aberdeen) will be called on to provide valuable minutes and experience as sophomores.

"Londyn and Angie will continue to solidify our defensive efforts and give us in-system options," said second-year head coach Priscilla Morgan. "Cranford and Taylor were our top two kill producers from last season, and I expect them to continue to lead us in offense. Newsome will again be contributing in the middle for blocking and be a presence in the offense."

ICC will have eight new faces on the roster. Sarah Allyn Thornell (Atoka, Tenn.) and Lydia Hitchcock (Boaz, Ala.) will take on the role as setters for the offense. Kate Nakagawa (Corinth) and Kathryn Cooke (Aberdeen) will be outside hitters and defensive specialists. Additional outside hitters will be Kailynn Johnson (Olive Branch) and Brooklyn Ward (Columbus) while Vakeria Jett (New Albany) and Jakailyn Brown (Columbus) will be middle blockers.

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"I'm excited to see what this year's team can do," Morgan said. "We have a lot of experience returning in key spots and a lot of great athletes that are hungry to help the team build off the success from last season."

The Indians open the season with eight-straight road matches before hosting Bevill State (Ala.) on Aug. 31 for the first of five home dates. ICC will also host Coastal Alabama-South and Northwest Mississippi on Sept. 10, St. Louis (Mo.) and Andrew College (Ga.) on Sept. 17, Gadsden State (Ala.) and Southern Union State (Ala.) on Sept. 18, Snead State (Ala.) on Sept. 29, Lawson State (Ala.) on Oct. 8, MUW JV on Oct. 19 and will wrap up the season against Pearl River on Oct. 22.

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