While the weather hasn’t made up its mind here in January, the North Central College men’s volleyball team is about to start its second season in program history with clear goals in mind.
The inaugural season proved to have its challenges, as the Cardinals finished with an 8-16 record. They’re entering this season with different expectations in mind.
“Our guys came back after preseason strong and ready to compete,” said head coach Kyle Exline. “We are expecting a fast start to the season and want to take that momentum into conference play. Our guys are eager to get into the MCVL (Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League) Conference tournament and go deep into the playoffs.”
One thing the team is looking to keep constant from last season is a routine schedule. “Our guys like routine and we noticed that in their warm ups,” said Exline. “Our pre-practice warm up is the same warm up that they would do for a match. The only difference is that we condense it due to our time constraints.”
The Cardinals remain to be a very young team with only freshman and sophomores on the roster. However, positive signs were shown by the team’s newcomers. “We are very excited to see what our newcomers can do out on the court,” said Exline. “They’ve all had a great preseason and we are expecting some of them to get some time this season.”
The Cardinals men’s volleyball season starts on Friday, Jan. 20, when they will travel to Cambridge, Mass. to take on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
