WCU Volleyball Holds First Official Practice For 2023 Season

By: Greg Hartlage

Director of Media Relations

Coming off the program's first postseason appearance a year ago, Western Carolina volleyball began the 2023 preseason with its opening practice as the Catamounts assembled for the first time on the court Tuesday afternoon in the Ramsey Center. After holding preseason photo day on Monday, the 17 players that make up the 2023 squad opened practice on Tuesday afternoon. The team spent the early parts of the day working in individual groups before coming together for the first full team practice later in the afternoon. The primary focus during Tuesday's practice included positional group work and team competition throughout the session. "It's great to be back in the gym and interacting with the players as they were here some on their own with our strength and conditioning coach in July and it's nice to see where we stand after one practice," commented head coach Karen Glover. " WCU continues its preparation for its lone exhibition match of the 2023 campaign as the Catamounts welcome USC Upstate to Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. "I am excited for what we are returning but we do have some holes to fill from our seniors that graduated. We've got some great players in the gym and potential coming up," added Glover. "We will spend much of the time this week getting everyone on the same page and making sure we are going all out and see how we can put things together before that exhibition."

The Catamounts return four key pieces from the 2022 squad as all four saw action in 30+ matches last season in Bailey Hartsough, Sarah Janourova, Livi Weidmann and Eden Punch each return from a team a season ago that tallied a trip to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) a season ago. WCU advanced to the third round of the Championship earning victories over Liberty and Toledo in the NIVC. Following its exhibition on Aug. 19, Western Carolina begins its 2023 regular season on Aug. 25 against Florida State as part of the Classic City Clash, hosted by the University of Georgia in Athens.