By Trevor Wenners
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Since the day that she first arrived at LaGrange College back in 2017, indoor volleyball head coach Madison Machurek has been focused on building a sustainable culture.
This vision revolves around accountability and developing winning habits every day in the gym. During her first three seasons at the helm of the program, Machurek has laid the foundation and instilled her philosophy into the team. LaGrange qualified for the USA South tournament in 2017, 2018 and 2019, recording a 22-18 mark in the conference during that period.
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The seeds have been planted for a vibrant future. Machurek is focused on creating a top-notch program in the USA South and making noise in the conference tournament and beyond.
In the 2021 USA South West Division Coaches' Preseason poll, LC was picked to finish fourth out of nine with 40 points. The top-four teams from the West Division will qualify for the playoffs and compete in a two-round tournament to determine the divisional champion. There is no NCAA Division III tournament this semester for indoor volleyball.
The Panthers will compete in eight reguar-season USA South matches. The season begins Sunday with a noon showdown against Berea in Mariotti Gym. The Mountaineers were picked to finish fifth in the West Division Preseason poll with 37 points. LC defeated Berea twice in the 2019 regular season, but the Mountaineers outlasted the Panthers in the first round of the USA South tournament.
Machurek, who has a great track record of recruiting elite student-athletes on the court and in the classroom, added nine newcomers to the program for this season. These hardworking Panthers will add depth and versatility, while complementing the unit's 14 returning players from the 2019 team.
"The newcomers have brought such a fun and exciting light to the team," said sophomore Bailey Moss. "Right off the bat, we all clicked and have begun creating bonds that I know will last for a very long time."
The 11 newcomers, which include eight freshmen and one sophomore, come from Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The sophomore is Bre Dufault, while the freshmen feature Tara Bass, Kinleigh Collins, Amelia Haddad, Carmen Hamilton, Anna Johnston, Journey Oden, Heidi Shrontz and Maggie Vo.
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"I am very excited to have the newcomers on the team and see what everyone can bring to the table," said sophomore Jharia Harris. "We have some really strong up-and-coming players and they are going to help our team."
The Panthers brought back talent. Below you can see what the returners accomplished during the 2019 season.
Strictly factoring in conference matches, Kirsten Boyd was second in total assists (500) and assists per set (9.43) in the USA South rankings. Ariel Modeste ranked third on the team in kills (134) and total blocks (48). The Minneola, Florida, native recorded double-digit kills in four matches, including a career-high 16 against Piedmont on Sept. 28.
Moss was outstanding, finishing with the third-most digs (256) and service aces (16) on the squad. The Jupiter, Florida, native brought her game to another level during the second half of the season, recording double-digit digs in 14 of the final 16 matches.
"The returning players have improved tremendously," said Harris. "We have been working diligently and getting stronger and faster. Most of us played beach volleyball last spring and it has made us 10 times better."
Yasmin Roper recorded single-season personal records in blocks (53) and kills (121), ranking second and fourth, respectively, on the team in those categories. Against Piedmont on Sept. 28, she tallied a career-best 15 kills and tied a personal record with six total blocks.
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McKenzie Richards (85 kills, 18 total blocks) and Kaela Busby (82 kills) were strong hitters. Shannon Williams compiled some standout moments in the back row, finishing with 90 digs.
Karson Troth played a pivotal role, appearing in 43 sets and 21 matches. The Marshall, Missouri, native finished second on the team in total assists (124) and assists per set (2.88), to go along with 44 digs, 18 kills and 16 total blocks.
Harris (81 digs) compiled double-digit totals in digs five times, including in three consecutive matches to begin her career. Kylie Neal took advantage of her time on the court and was always ready when her number was called. She finished with three digs, two service aces and one kill in a 3-1 triumph over Piedmont on Oct. 26.
Crystin McGraw tied a career-high with four kills and set a personal record with four total blocks against Piedmont on Sept. 28.
Hailey Owen posted 80 digs and averaged 1.63 digs per set. She recorded personal-bests with 11 digs against Centre on Sept. 14 and Maryville on Oct. 12. Yana Fenderson competed in seven matches and eight sets. She was a strong presence at the net from and offensive and defensive perspective.
Anaja Jones-Mangum took the court in 18 matches and 38 sets, finishing with 49 digs. She tallied a career-high 11 digs against Rhodes on Aug. 30.
Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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