(Walnut, CA) The Mt. SAC Women's Volleyball begins the 2021 season with a completely new squad.

The Mounties welcome an all-freshman team, with half of them returning freshmen that were given their season back and the other half true freshmen.

"Because of the canceled season, everyone (players and coaches included) stepped into the gym on day one of summer training with a different perspective on the sport," Mt. SAC coach Samantha Neely said, who is in her third year in the program. "We are hungrier than ever and more grateful than ever to just be able to play and be involved in the sport we all love. I'm excited to see how we compete and what this team can accomplish this season."

The season gets underway for the squad of 19 players at home on Friday, August 27, with a non-conference match against Citrus. "We are beyond excited to host a match on our home court for the first time since November of 2019," Neely added.

"The team overall is competitive, hard-working, and constantly striving to be their best every day. There is a lot of depth at each position, so we foresee a lot of players in contention for playing time."

After the opener, the Mounties then travel north to Bakersfield to compete in the Bakersfield Quad, with matches against Santa Barbara City College and host Bakersfield.

Before conference action, Mt. SAC will play Moorpark, Fullerton, Riverside City College and the College of the Desert for more non-conference action.

"These are all teams that will bring high-level competition," Neely said. "It will be a good test for us as we prepare to play in the South Coast Conference."

The Mounties open the nine-team SCC action at home (Friday, Sept. 10) against El Camino College, which always puts up a tough fight. "We look forward to bringing our best volleyball to the court against every conference opponent, as we pursue an SCC conference title," Neely added.

As for the makeup of the team, one-half of the team (Covid freshmen) stayed the course and kept training when possible to be ready for the upcoming season.

"They are a resilient group that stayed dedicated to our training throughout the entirety of the pandemic," said Neely, of the season that wasn't. "I have an immense respect for the perseverance that these women displayed in the face of adversity, and I know that the strength they developed over this last year will show on the court this season.

"The other half of our team is a talented group of true freshmen that have brought a high level of skill and experience to the gym."

As for the lost 2020 season, Neely reflected and said, "….When the 2020 indoor season was canceled, it was extremely disappointing. Despite the disappointment, we kept our heads up and eyes focused on our goals as a team. We've used the canceled season as an opportunity to reset and redefine the team culture within our program."

Neely, who is also an assistant for the Beach Volleyball team and was an indoor player herself at Westmont College, can see the competitiveness in the gym after the long layoff.

"When you walk in the gym now, you get the sense that every player wants to win and wants to see their teammates succeed," she said. "They hold each other to a high standard, push each other to be better, and have a lot of fun in the process. It's like one big family.

"This is a skilled group of volleyball student-athletes that are hard-working, passionate, and competitive in nature. And on top of that, they are a team full of high character individuals, which we place a high value on. The chemistry within this group is special."

Neely knows of the teams' eagerness to get out on the hardwood, saying, "…..We are hungrier than ever. We are more grateful than ever to just be able to play and be involved in the sport we all love. I'm excited to see how we compete and what this team can accomplish this season."

Follow Mt. SAC Women's Volleyball on Twitter @MtSAC_WVB or Instagram @mtsacvolleyball

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.