University of Arkansas-Fort Smith volleyball coach Jane Sargent isn’t one short on confidence, so she didn’t have any doubts that her Lady Lions would be successful in their transition from NJCAA to NCAA Division II last season.
Just how successful? Well, even Sargent, who is the Lady Lions’ only head coach in the 13-year history of the program, wasn’t quite sure.
With the entire starting lineup returning from a NJCAA national runner-up finish the previous year, the Lady Lions went 32-4 during their inaugural Division II season, which included an impressive 17-match winning streak.
It was the Lady Lions’ ninth 30-plus win season and their 12th consecutive winning season in the history of the program. UA Fort Smith’s 32 wins were the eighth-most wins ever but occurred during a 36-match season – the fewest matches the Lady Lions had played since their inaugural 1998 season when they played only 34 matches.
“After returning all of our starters and the majority of our team, we did have high expectations for the 2009 season. That being said, we really didn’t know what to expect from our opponents the first year of NCAA D-II volleyball, and it was a lot harder than we thought it would be,” said Sargent, who boasts a 432-89 career collegiate record.
“There were no easy wins. We learned a lot early. I give a lot of credit to our kids because they fought hard and had a successful year.”
However, Sargent and the Lady Lions were still wondering “what if” at the end of season – the ninth 30-plus win season and the 12th consecutive winning season in the history of the program.
UA Fort Smith was a provisional Division II member last season and was ineligible to compete for regular-season championships or qualify for postseason play. On top of that, the Lady Lions only played a limited eight-match Heartland Conference schedule.
Still, the Lady Lions finished 7-1 against league opponents with their only loss coming against Incarnate Word. UA Fort Smith only lost six sets during those eight league matches and swept five of the eight conference foes.
The Lady Lions beat regular-season conference champion St. Edward’s University 3-1 and beat conference tournament champion Dallas Baptist 3-2.
“That was definitely the hardest thing, knowing we were not going to be playing for a championship,” Sargent said. “I know we talked about it with the players, and they felt like it was hard to stay motivated when they knew we were not eligible for postseason play.”
UA Fort Smith will still be a provisional member of Division II this season but will play a full 14-match league schedule as part of a demanding 32-match schedule that includes three prestigious tournaments.
The Lady Lions will open regular-season play on Friday against the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Emporia State University at 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, on the first day of the two-day University of Nebraska-Omaha Showcase.
It will be the first of two consecutive weekend tournaments for the Lady Lions, who will make their home debut at 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 against East Central University.
Considering UA Fort Smith will again be a provisional member, Sargent decided late in the offseason to redshirt four players – senior setter Lucia Najselova of Nitra, Slovakia; senior outside hitter Morgan Banner of Southlake, Texas; senior defensive specialist Jane Price of Fort Smith; and senior right-side hitter Fabiane Nass of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Also, junior middle hitter Heidi Luks of Tallinn, Estonia, while redshirt for medical reasons.
“The decision for me as a coach to redshirt four seniors was a pretty simple one. The number one reason is I get to spend another year with four amazing young ladies in practice, on the road, in offseason and in life. They are four of the most wonderful individuals I have ever coached, and they bring me joy every day with their strength, integrity and commitment to our team and this university,” Sargent said.
“The second reason was this group of seniors all stayed with us after our last year as a junior college team, and they all took a scholarship cut with the intention of trying to win a national championship. They felt like they had unfinished business after coming in second two years ago.”
Senior setter Lucia Najselova of Nitra, Slovakia, and junior middle hitter Heidi Luks of Tallinn, Estonia, each earned Second Team NCAA Division II All-Independents Collegiate Athletic Association honors a year ago.
Najselova led the team with 1,192 assists and 66 aces. She also had 214 digs. Luks led the team with 342 kills and 141 blocks. She was second on the team with 345 digs.
Nass was second on the team with 310 kills and 102 blocks and third on the team with 303 digs and 29 aces. Banner was fifth on the team with 225 kills and sixth on the team with 114 digs. She had 17 blocks and served 11 aces. Price was fourth on the team with 261 digs and collected 10 kills and 24 aces.
“I want to see just how good this team can be when rankings, conference play, conference championships and possibly a trip to the national tournament are all on the line,” said Sargent of her decision to redshirt players. “This is the most competitive and successful group of players to have ever put on the UA Fort Smith uniform, and I want them to go out as they came in – champions.”
Still, the Lady Lions will return three starters and a part-time starter from a year ago.
Junior libero Keely Rivera of Baytown, Texas, will be a three-year starter and led the team with 477 digs. She was fifth on the team with 25 aces and had 28 assists.
Junior middle hitter Jettie Stec of Fort Smith will be a three-year starter. She was third on the team with 235 kills and 81 blocks. Senior outside hitter Brittany Hunt of San Antonio, Texas, was a starter a year ago. She collected 164 kills, 69 digs and 16 blocks. Sophomore outside hitter KatyBeth Carlson of Greenwood, Ark., was a part-time starter a year ago and collected 121 kills, four aces, 37 digs and 25 blocks. Junior middle hitter Chantlee Nash of Fayetteville, Ark., had 29 kills, five digs and 16 blocks.
Sophomore libero Meredith Carlson of Greenwood, Ark., and sophomore setter Whitney Hale of Fort Smith made the most of their playing time while serving as backups to veteran starters. Carlson had seven assists, two aces, 13 digs and two blocks, while Hale had two kills, three assists and 14 digs.
Senior middle hitter Megan Doherty of McHenry, Ill., redshirted last season after playing her junior season at Tusculum University. It is the second time for Doherty to don the Lady Lions uniform. She played at UA Fort Smith as a sophomore.
During the offseason, Sargent signed incoming freshmen libero Taylor Jordan and setter Sydney Potts, both of Ozark, Mo.
“Our two new players will give us added depth in the setting and the defensive side of our game,” Sargent said. “They were outstanding players at their high school, and we look for them to play a vital role in the success of our team.”
Sargent also added freshman walk-on Savanna Colbert, a middle hitter from Mansfield, Ark., at the start of the preseason.
