Bruins Volleyball 2022 Season Preview
As Coach Tom VanWienen begins his 6th season at the helm of the Bruins volleyball program, he says the team is excited and ready for the season. There are several strong returners that fans will recognize, and to pair with them, VanWienen has brought in a strong freshman class.
Leading the group of returners is sophomore outside hitter, Abby Herman (Coldwater/Coldwater HS). Last year, Herman played several roles for the team and earned Honorable Mention All-Western Conference. This fall, VanWienen is relying on Herman to help fill the shoes of Grace Hall (2nd Team All-Western Conference player) and bring consistency to the offense.
Another returner that VanWienen is excited about is sophomore libero, Audrey Schultz (Lansing/Catholic Central HS). Last year, Schultz stepped up and took on a new role as the libero, and it is a role she will keep this year. VanWienen expects Schultz will be a leader on and off the court for the Bruins this fall.
Rounding out key returners for the Bruins is sophomore middle blocker, Maddie Edwards (Climax/Climax-Scotts HS). VanWienen said they will be moving Edwards around this year to keep the team as competitive as possible. He stated, "Maddie is a spark plug for our team, and keeps her teammates going."
Also returning for the Bruins are sophomore setter, Jenna Connors (Charlotte/Charlotte HS) and sophomore middle blocker Jaelyn Hampton (Napoleon/Napoleon HS). Coach said, "Though technically not a newcomer, Jaelyn was hurt most of last season, so she really did not get to play." He is happy to report a fully healthy Hampton and is looking forward to taking advantage of her play on the court.
Joining the team and adding value right away will be freshman outside hitter, Jordyn Arnold (Mattawan/Mattawan HS). Arnold is a smart and consistent player and comes from a solid high school program. "She will step in and help us right away," said VanWienen.
Freshman outside hitter, Jillian Clary (Tecumseh/Tecumseh HS) can play multiple positions and will give the team options in the front row. VanWienen knows she will continue to develop her game and is excited to see Clary's growth this season. She also brings more height to the offense.
The last key newcomer is freshman middle blocker, Madison Burke (Homer/Homer HS). Burke is coming to KCC ready to get on the court. VanWienen said, "Maddie has a great reach up front and is a good offensive minded player. We will look for her to get her feet under her and play right away."
Other newcomers to the team include defensive specialists Brianna Butler (Scotts/Climax-Scotts HS) and Morgan Keson (Bellevue/Bellevue HS), as well as, setter Kiana Auton (Lawton/Lawton HS).
Overall, Coach VanWienen spoke highly about this group and passionately about season. He said, "I am excited for this season as we have some solid players coming back and some new youth. I believe we are back on track after the 2020 season, in which we didn't play, and playing a modified season last year (2021). This group is eager to work hard and chase down wins in some of those losses that we had within our reach but couldn't pull off."
Click HERE to view the 2022 Schedule.
Click HERE to view the 2022 Roster.
Click HERE to view the 2022 Coaches.