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PITTSBURG —
St. Mary’s Colgan head volleyball coach Cathy Oplotnik notices an immediate difference between 2011 and 2012 for the Panthers — seniors.
“I feel like we’ve improved quite a bit,” Oplotnik said. “Last year, we didn’t have any seniors.”
Colgan features seniors Mariah Klenke, Abbie O’Brien, Katherine Smith and Katelyn Flood, juniors Sydney Beck and Kelly Smith, and sophomores Katie Kolarik, Alex Minton, Aliee Story and Cori Koehn. Oplotnik said all 10 players have the potential to start and have lots of playing time from last year.
Klenke and O’Brien lead the way in playing experience. Kolarik and Koehn picked up varsity experience as freshmen and Minton and Story both are expected to move on up to varsity from JV.
“Mariah and Abbie have played varsity for three now four years,” Oplotnik said. “Katie was a starter for us and Cori stepped in last year when we had somebody out to injury.”
Looking over the landscape of the Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League, Oplotnik said that Southeast and Frontenac are solid teams, that Girard is always tough and that Erie might surprise some people just as it did last year at substate. Columbus joins the CNC League this season.
“I think it will be exciting,” Oplotnik said. “They’ll be a nice addition and it will be nice to have them in the season-ending triangular with Southeast.”
Columbus steps in for Notre Dame de Sion and Oplotnik said the Panthers have played Columbus before in the SMC Classic.
Colgan opens its season Aug. 28 in a triangular with SEK League schools Chanute and Fort Scott. Chanute qualified for the Class 4A state tournament last year and Fort Scott has long been a solid volleyball program.
St. Mary’s Colgan head volleyball coach Cathy Oplotnik notices an immediate difference between 2011 and 2012 for the Panthers — seniors.
“I feel like we’ve improved quite a bit,” Oplotnik said. “Last year, we didn’t have any seniors.”
Colgan features seniors Mariah Klenke, Abbie O’Brien, Katherine Smith and Katelyn Flood, juniors Sydney Beck and Kelly Smith, and sophomores Katie Kolarik, Alex Minton, Aliee Story and Cori Koehn. Oplotnik said all 10 players have the potential to start and have lots of playing time from last year.
Klenke and O’Brien lead the way in playing experience. Kolarik and Koehn picked up varsity experience as freshmen and Minton and Story both are expected to move on up to varsity from JV.
“Mariah and Abbie have played varsity for three now four years,” Oplotnik said. “Katie was a starter for us and Cori stepped in last year when we had somebody out to injury.”
Looking over the landscape of the Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League, Oplotnik said that Southeast and Frontenac are solid teams, that Girard is always tough and that Erie might surprise some people just as it did last year at substate. Columbus joins the CNC League this season.
“I think it will be exciting,” Oplotnik said. “They’ll be a nice addition and it will be nice to have them in the season-ending triangular with Southeast.”
Columbus steps in for Notre Dame de Sion and Oplotnik said the Panthers have played Columbus before in the SMC Classic.
Colgan opens its season Aug. 28 in a triangular with SEK League schools Chanute and Fort Scott. Chanute qualified for the Class 4A state tournament last year and Fort Scott has long been a solid volleyball program.
