Vikings Volleyball: Hard work expected to pay off

After an arduous offseason and its first training camp last weekend, the Portland State women’s volleyball team is full of confidence about its workouts and the schedule the team faces in the upcoming season. 

Head coach Michael Seemann said he is excited to see how the returning players fare, and that they have some promising new prospects as well. Last season, the Vikings won the Big Sky regular season title with a 21-8 record—the program’s fifth consecutive 20-win season.

Nine players return from last year’s championship squad, and Seemann said they have all worked very hard during the offseason to sharpen their game. 

“This summer has been really good,” he said. “You can tell everyone has put a lot of work in.” 

Among the matches he is looking forward to is a meeting with Pac-10 member University of Washington, which will be a rare match for the Vikings as a Big Sky team. That game will be part of the Northwest Challenge, hosted in Washington state during early September. 

Returning star, and senior outside hitter, Whitney Phillips said she is looking forward to the NW Challenge and the season overall after putting in a lot of training during the offseason. 

“We’ve all worked very hard and it shows, and I’m excited about [the upcoming season],” Phillips said. The match against Washington is one she looks forward to in particular.

“It’ll be a good test of our skill,” she said. 

Fellow returning player and senior outside hitter Christie Hamilton said the offseason has been one of due diligence and that the 2010 campaign will reflect that. 

“Personally, for me, I think this is the most work I’ve ever done during an offseason,” Hamilton said. “We are in great shape, and I know I’m excited for the challenges.” 

The Vikings will host Eastern Washington on Oct. 9, a match that Hamilton, Phillips and Seemann are all looking forward to.

“They’ll be tough, but I know we’ll be in great shape for it,” Seemann said. 

The Portland State volleyball coaching staff has a new addition in Laura Collins, an assistant coach that Seemann said specializes in setters and offense. Collins previously played for Seemann at Oregon State, and he said her addition is going to be very beneficial for the squad. 

“We’ll see how it goes, and I feel good about the experience we have on the team,” Seemann said. “We have players that are really physical, young, experienced… It’s a good mix.”   

The Vikings’ volleyball season begins Aug. 27 when PSU meets Seattle University as part of The Invitational at Seattle. Portland State’s first home match is set for Aug. 31, when the Viks host Oregon State at the Stott Center. The full schedule can be viewed at www.GoViks.com.