Written by: Daniel Talbert
The LaGrange College volleyball team looks to begin the new season with a win at Fort Valley State University on Friday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. Schulte has over 40 years of coaching experience with a variety of teams, including University of Rhode Island, Syracuse University and Oakland University. He most recently coached at Louisburg College, acquiring a 10-win improvement in his first year. He told me recently that his goals this year are not just to win more matches but to bring the joy and love of the game back to the Panther program.
This year's Panther squad is made up of a mix of returners, transfers and newcomers. One key returner is sophomore defensive specialist Meredith Orton. In the 2022 season, Orton appeared in 25 matches and 82 sets during her freshman campaign. She had 81 kills on the season with a season-high seven kills in a match against Coastal Georgia. Another sophomore who is coming back to make an impact on this year's team is setter Alexis Childers. During her freshman season, she appeared in 26 matches and 81 sets. Childers accounted for 55 kills and 126 digs for the season. Another key returner is sophomore middle blocker Zentrina Choice. During 2022, she appeared in 26 matches and 86 sets on the season. She totaled 148 kills with a season-best 13 kills in a match against Belhaven. She was also a part of the 2022 CCS Volleyball Sportsmanship Team.
The season begins on Friday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. at Fort Valley State University. The Panthers have a quick turnaround playing at Oglethorpe University on Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. The first chance Panther fans will get to see them play at home is on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. The full schedule can be found on the LaGrange College athletics website.
