August 26, 2008
2008 Volleyball Preview
Team returns with renewed vision for the season

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Last season the Methodist volleyball team finished with a 16-16 record, but head coach Eddie Matthews has a bright outlook on the upcoming season. The Monarchs will look to take lessons learned from the past and build on their future success.

There are seven returners on the team who came back to campus with a renewed vision for the program. Last year's captain and leading hitter, Sara Yeatman returns for her senior season with high expectations after earning Second Team All-Conference honors in 2007. Junior Jordan Grady will take her place as the libero while Matthews ultimately has confidence in all of his upperclassmen. "I can tell the team's mentality is better; it shows in how they approach practice," Matthews said.

Joining the returners is a talented class of newcomers looking to make their mark on Methodist volleyball. Freshman Jalesty Washington (Dunn, N.C./Triton) has a really strong work ethic and her athleticism has been obvious already during preseason. Another phenomenal player, Kelsey Yates (Chapel Hill, N.C./Cresset), will make contributions from the beginning as a defensive specialist. There are a host of new additions to the roster giving Matthews more depth as he looks ahead to the season.

Matthews has challenged the team to get better every practice. "I've always believed in that philosophy, but I just started voicing it, 'Are you better than when you walked in here?'" Matthews commented.

The Monarchs are anxious to get started and see how they stack up in the league. The preseason poll is typically a reflection of the previous season's standings, but Matthews hopes it will motivate the team to improve their position. "The conference tournament championship is our ticket to the NCAA tournament," he said. "They understand it's the next step, and we're challenging them to look outside the box."

Jon Garner and Megan Friend will help Matthews as assistant coaches again this season. Friend's time is limited also serving as a Methodist Admissions Counselor. Garner has become an integral part of the team allowing Matthews more time to focus on the team.

Methodist opens the 2008 season with the Monarch Invitational. They will host Columbia College, a NAIA school, and Messiah College. Both schools are traditionally strong programs and well-coached. "I like to open up at home in order to give us a good push for the season and let the home fans see the team before we hit the road," Matthews said.

The Monarchs will start with Columbia on Friday at 7 pm at the March F. Riddle Center.