The Otterbein volleyball team aims for their third consecutive OAC tournament championship this season. Following two successful years in which the Cardinals made it to the NCAA Tournament, the volleyball team looks to make a deep run once again this fall.
Monica Wright is in her 18th season as head coach of the team. She has won five OAC Tournament crowns in her time at Otterbein.
The OAC is set to have formidable opposition for Otterbein this season. In an OAC volleyball pre-season poll that was released late last month, Otterbein clocked in 75 points, tying for first place with Marietta.
“It’s a hard spot to be in but a great spot to be in because you know everyone is going to show out for you every single time you play them. You know every team wants to beat you, so you have to show up every day. There’s no freebies in the OAC,” said junior setter Olivia Vitaz.
Vitaz is looking forward to the matchup against Marietta, which received one more first place vote in the preseason poll over Otterbein.
“They just have a lot of weapons, so it’ll be a good matchup but I’m excited,” Vitaz said.
The team is a young one, with just four seniors listed on the initial roster and seven first-years joining the ranks.
“The freshmen have gelled really well. They’ve really come in and embraced our system and how we do things. It’s been really easy to get them accustomed to how we do things,” said senior defensive specialist Amanda Troyer.
Troyer is coming off an impressive 2023 season in which she was named OAC Libero of the Year.
“I feel like last year was definitely a big year for me--my first year starting libero. The previous year before I ended as the starting libero, and I feel like that gave me confidence going into the next year. I think I just get a lot of my confidence from my teammates,” Troyer said.
The team will look to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament, having fallen in the first round the previous two seasons.
The volleyball team opens up OAC play on Sept. 24 against Baldwin Wallace.
