When Troy Campbell was coaching volleyball at Marquette Catholic, he turned the Blazers program that was already a solid Class A power to one of Indiana’s top volleyball programs in all classes.
Now he is looking to do the same at New Prairie.
Coming off a 27-7 season a year ago, Campbell begins his second season as Cougar skipper with extremely high hopes.
“I had three months to work with the kids last year,” Campbell said. “And I can’t teach them the attitude in which we have to play. Now, we are ready to go. The attitude is going to be right. We are not going to freak out in situations that require us to focus. And the kids know the system.”
So far, New Prairie has gotten off to a great start. After opening the season with a win at Michigan City, the Cougars recently won the LaPorte Invitational and defeated the host Slicers to take home the title.
“Everyone knows what their responsibilities are,” Campbell said. “We had a great offseason lifting weights and increased everybody’s vertical (leap) four to five inches. The quickness, the athleticism and everything have been increased over this last year. But more importantly is the attitude. And I really think they believe they can win. Last year, I don’t think we had that. In a pressure situation, I think it was that we were supposed to lose. Now, I think it is we are going to win. So I think the attitude change was really good for us.”
Eleven returning varsity players come back for Campbell including senior libero Catherine Ament, who will play volleyball next season at Valparaiso University.
“She is going to be huge for us,” Campbell said. “She is going to be a captain.”
Campbell said senior setter Ali Ritchie along with senior outside hitter Janelle Rehlander will also be counted on.
“Ali Ritchie is going to be running the show and Janelle Rehlander our No. 1 outside hitter is the one that we go to under pressure,” he said.
“(Rehlander)is a captain and she does it all for us. Serving, defense, passing.”
Senior Beth Johnson, junior Allison Voegler and sophomore Ashlynn Smith are a dynamic group of middle hitters.
“(They) are going to be extremely important,” Campbell said. “That is what is going to separate this team from teams that I have had in the past. They are good. They can block, attack, are athletic, physical and super strong.”
Other seniors expected to contribute are defensive specialists Allysa Hay, Breanna Wisser and outside hitter Cassidy Sensow. Junior setter MacKinnon Tracy along with sophomores outside hitter Jaden Vervynckt, sophomore right setter Jessica Ferrell and defensive specialist Alayna Holifield along with freshmen outside hitter Morgan Powell and freshmen defensive specialists Jen Ritchie round out the squad.
New Prairie has been moved out of its previous sectional in Plymouth and is now in the Class 3A Knox sectional minus Northern Indiana powers South Bend St. Joseph’s and Mishawaka Marian.
“The new sectional is an easier sectional, I feel,” Campbell said. “But the girls know that we still have to show up and play and all of that good stuff. But it is a lot easier without Marian or St. Joe. The semistate is going to be packed. I expect us to be at the semistate Nov. 2.”
Campbell said that there is a good chance Marian or St. Joe will be in the semistate. But he is confident that a state title is possible for the Cougars.
“ It is not difficult when you can tell them that something is going to happen and then show them that it can be done,” he said. “And I am talking about every day in practice. They try something new and then they realize ‘Oh. We can do that.’ And you beat that into them over the last year. And now there is a level of confidence and there is hopefully a level of trust in me as a coach and I think they are sick of being overlooked. And they want to go out on their own terms with no regrets and that means having a belief in that they can do whatever we set forward to do.”
Photo credit: Lacy Chenault on Flickr.