Volleyball Program Debuts Sept. 30
Members of the first Virginia Peninsula Community College volleyball team, standing from left: Attiyah Lay, Jordan Lengager, Hannah Sweazey, Mary Nicosia, Lillian Sypher, Jayla Riddick, Christabelle Elliott and Carlee Watson.
In front: Mattie McLaughlin.
Five months after Virginia Peninsula Community College announced it was adding women's club volleyball, the team will make its debut.
The first game in program history will be Sept. 30 at Mid-Atlantic Christian University. The following day, the Gators have their first home match - against University of Virginia Lynchburg at 2 p.m. at Coastal Hampton Roads Sportsplex in Newport News.
"We're super-excited about the season," said athletics director Chris Moore. "The support we have gotten from the volleyball community has been great."
Jasmine Sanders, who works in human resources, was named the interim coach. The College will name a permanent coach before the program joins the New South Athletic Conference and transitions to the National Junior College Athletic Association next fall.
The team's first practice was Sept. 7, and about nine players have been working out three times a week since.
"That's a great number to start with, but we would always like more," Sanders said, who is dedicating this season to laying the foundation for a successful program.
"Because this is our inaugural year, I don't really have a set number of games that I would like to win," Sanders said. "But I do want the girls to go out and try their very best and for us to improve."
While the team has been together less than a month, Sanders said she can tell when her players are giving their best and when they aren't.
"I do measure success by how much effort they give every game," she said. "I will measure by effort. As long as they go out playing their best game, that's all I'm looking for."
Sanders, who is from Alabama, played volleyball in high school and still plays it recreationally. She took the position because she wants to make an impact on the players, some of whom played in high school, while others did not.
"For the ones that didn't, it was a little bit of a learning curve, teaching them the basics and the foundation," she said. "It blew my mind how much they've grown and how much they've wanted to learn. It has motivated me to go further and help more."
She's interested in having the "interim" label removed for next year, but "I'll just see how that goes."
She admits since it's a club team, the stakes aren't as high. However, that's not changing her approach.
"Trying to build a solid foundation for the girls to start with is very important," she said.
The College April 25 announced plans to expand its sports programs. In addition to women's volleyball this academic year, softball will be added in the spring. Moore also said the College might form a beach volleyball team in the spring, too.
Two more teams are slated to join for the 2023-24 year, and two more for 2024-25. Possibilities for those are soccer, track and field, and cross country. The College also sponsors men's and women's basketball, and baseball.
More information about athletics at the College is available at vpcc.edu.
Women's volleyball schedule:
Sept 30: at Mid-Atlantic Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Oct 1: vs. Virginia University of Lynchburg, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 8: at Virginia University of Lynchburg, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25: vs. Regent University, 6 p.m.*
Oct. 29: New South Athletic Conference tournament, at Christendom
Nov. 12: Duke Dawg Classic Club Invitational, at James Madison University
Nov. 19: Old Dominion University Club Invitational, at ODU
* Home matches played at Coastal Hampton Roads Sportsplex, 12650 Patrick Henry Dr., Newport News.