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Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball Preview: Season Overview
8/24/2015 9:46:00 AM | Volleyball
LAFAYETTE – Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot has led the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team on a steady climb upward since she arrived in 2008, with last season's 20-win campaign being the latest benchmark.
Louisiana's 20-13 finish in 2014 marked the program's first 20-win season since 1990. It was also the third straight season increasing the wins total, having gone from 14 in 2011 to 16 in 2012, then 19 in 2013 and the aforementioned 20.
Dating back to 2010, the Ragin' Cajuns have posted 86 victories which is the best five-year run in the past 20 years.
When the 2015 season gets underway Friday, Aug. 28 in Lubbock, Texas, against Houston at the Texas Tech Invitational, Mazeitis-Fontenot believes the program's foundation is stronger and she's striving for the next step forward.
"Everything we are doing is in an attempt to build the program and sustain it," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "The next big step for us would be to win a championship."
The current Ragin' Cajuns roster has just four upperclassmen, out of 18 players total, and features eight newcomers. Mazeitis-Fontenot doesn't see the youthfulness of the squad being a deterrent to the upward climb.
"My expectations haven't changed from last year to this year, they're the same," Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. "It's a totally different makeup of the team, but our recruiting is better so we can sustain our level of play.
"What we saw last year should be the level," Mazeitis-Fontenot added. "That's where UL volleyball is. Now we look to move a step farther and I think we have the freshman class to do it."
A senior-laden team led the Cajuns to a 10-0 start in 2014, but a 10-13 finish, which included a first-round exit in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, kept that team from reaching its goals. Mazeitis-Fontenot feels that can serve as motivation this season.
"Although last season was great, I felt disappointed in the end because I wanted more," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "We have enough players that were on our squad last year that felt the pain of not finishing."
Senior Sara Mossakowksi leads the outside hitters, junior Chanelle Gardner headlines the middle blockers, redshirt sophomore Jessica Bartczyszyn takes over at setter and a new libero debuts in 2015.
Fans will notice several players from the state of Louisiana including Lafayette natives Nia Antoine (Acadiana HS), Danni Duck (Ascension Episcopal) and McKenzie John (Lafayette HS). Of the 18 individuals on the 2015 roster, nine hail from Louisiana.
"That's been my mission all along," Mazeitis-Fontenot noted. "Compete with kids that are from here so that we can build a strong following. That plan is beginning to come together."
Mazeitis-Fontenot is nine wins shy of reaching second place on the program's victories list. Her 103 wins have her trailing Sherry LeBas (111) for second, then Wilo Colon (136) for the lead.
The 2015 campaign marks the eighth season for Mazeitis-Fontenot at Louisiana and she welcomes a new coaching staff. Jenny Andrew, who spent the past three seasons at Houston, is serving as associate head coach. Trey Cruz, who spent the previous seven seasons at LSU in the role of manager for five seasons and video coordinator the final two seasons, is serving as an assistant coach.
Louisiana opens the 2015 season Aug. 28-29 in Lubbock, Texas, participating in the Texas Tech Invitational. The home portion of the schedule opens Sept. 4-5 with Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic.
2015 Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball Preview Schedule
August 20 - Setters
August 21 - Libero/Defense
August 22 - Outside Hitters
August 23 - Middle Blockers
Louisiana's 20-13 finish in 2014 marked the program's first 20-win season since 1990. It was also the third straight season increasing the wins total, having gone from 14 in 2011 to 16 in 2012, then 19 in 2013 and the aforementioned 20.
Dating back to 2010, the Ragin' Cajuns have posted 86 victories which is the best five-year run in the past 20 years.
When the 2015 season gets underway Friday, Aug. 28 in Lubbock, Texas, against Houston at the Texas Tech Invitational, Mazeitis-Fontenot believes the program's foundation is stronger and she's striving for the next step forward.
"Everything we are doing is in an attempt to build the program and sustain it," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "The next big step for us would be to win a championship."
The current Ragin' Cajuns roster has just four upperclassmen, out of 18 players total, and features eight newcomers. Mazeitis-Fontenot doesn't see the youthfulness of the squad being a deterrent to the upward climb.
"My expectations haven't changed from last year to this year, they're the same," Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. "It's a totally different makeup of the team, but our recruiting is better so we can sustain our level of play.
"What we saw last year should be the level," Mazeitis-Fontenot added. "That's where UL volleyball is. Now we look to move a step farther and I think we have the freshman class to do it."
A senior-laden team led the Cajuns to a 10-0 start in 2014, but a 10-13 finish, which included a first-round exit in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, kept that team from reaching its goals. Mazeitis-Fontenot feels that can serve as motivation this season.
"Although last season was great, I felt disappointed in the end because I wanted more," Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "We have enough players that were on our squad last year that felt the pain of not finishing."
Senior Sara Mossakowksi leads the outside hitters, junior Chanelle Gardner headlines the middle blockers, redshirt sophomore Jessica Bartczyszyn takes over at setter and a new libero debuts in 2015.
Fans will notice several players from the state of Louisiana including Lafayette natives Nia Antoine (Acadiana HS), Danni Duck (Ascension Episcopal) and McKenzie John (Lafayette HS). Of the 18 individuals on the 2015 roster, nine hail from Louisiana.
"That's been my mission all along," Mazeitis-Fontenot noted. "Compete with kids that are from here so that we can build a strong following. That plan is beginning to come together."
Mazeitis-Fontenot is nine wins shy of reaching second place on the program's victories list. Her 103 wins have her trailing Sherry LeBas (111) for second, then Wilo Colon (136) for the lead.
The 2015 campaign marks the eighth season for Mazeitis-Fontenot at Louisiana and she welcomes a new coaching staff. Jenny Andrew, who spent the past three seasons at Houston, is serving as associate head coach. Trey Cruz, who spent the previous seven seasons at LSU in the role of manager for five seasons and video coordinator the final two seasons, is serving as an assistant coach.
Louisiana opens the 2015 season Aug. 28-29 in Lubbock, Texas, participating in the Texas Tech Invitational. The home portion of the schedule opens Sept. 4-5 with Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic.
2015 Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball Preview Schedule
August 20 - Setters
August 21 - Libero/Defense
August 22 - Outside Hitters
August 23 - Middle Blockers
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