Wright State Women’s Volleyball Team | Photo by Diana Jaber | The Wright State Guardian
After a record-breaking previous season for Wright State University (WSU) Volleyball, the team looks better than ever coming into the 2021 Fall Season.
Their last exhibition match against Miami at home ended up being a 3-0 sweep and brought in quite the crowd.
Fans have been allowed back into C. J. McLin gymnasium so far this season, giving parents and supporters alike a chance to see the action in person once again.
Last year’s and this year’s best
After winning the Horizon League Tournament last season and sweeping Samford in the first round of the NCAA tournament, there were no doubts that it was a historic season for the program.
Their 17-2 record was a dominant run all the way through, only losing in out-of-league play to the Dayton Flyers and to Texas in the NCAA tournament.
The team was honored for their accomplishments before the exhibition against Miami, with the Athletics Department unveiling two banners celebrating the team’s successes.
While the team was incredibly successful in the past, they are likely to be just as successful in the future.
The HL preseason poll has the Raiders ranked at the top once again, followed by the UIC flames.
The team earned nine first-place votes from teams across the League, with UIC and Northern Kentucky taking one apiece.
Fifth-year raiders
With the NCAA’s one-year extension rule for athletes affected by the coronavirus pandemic, three Raiders are back for their fifth season.
Nyssa Baker, Celia Powers and Teddie Sauer all were big parts of the team’s success in the spring and will look to repeat their success this season. All three hitters totaled over 120 kills each for WSU, with Powers leading the team at 172.
WSU also has a large group of seniors back in action as well, with Jenna Story, Lainey Stephenson, Elle Ruskaup and Grace Hauck all performing well against the Redhawks.
Fans in the stands
McLin gym was full of energy as fans were allowed to come and support the game in person.
“I was surprised at how many people showed up.” Bob Grant, Athletics Director at WSU, said. “I guess a lot of people missed Wright State Sports.”
It was easy to see that the players enjoyed it too, as they swept the Redhawks in a close set one 28-26, then dominated the next two 25-16 and 25-16.
“There was a big smile on my face,” Grant said. “We still have to wear masks inside and be sure we’re keeping our players safe, but just having parents and fans back brings so much energy in the room.”
