2013 Chicago State Volleyball Season Preview

Chicago State volleyball head coach Toby Rens is all about the buy in.

When Rens talks about the "buy in" he is referring to his squad's belief in the process of improving each day and the long-term goals for the program.
 
"I love the work ethic of my team right now," Rens said. "They've bought in to an approach of getting better every single day and we're seeing it come through in the repetitions. This is going to be a team that changes what people think about Chicago State volleyball. Their pride and passion for the game will help them accomplish their goals."
 
Rens, who's guided turnarounds at Pittsburgh, Long Island and Maryland Eastern Shore, knows about the challenges during the first year on the job. But he also knows about the opportunities.
 
"This year is a changing of the guard with returners working with newcomers and I can see their pride in what we're doing," Rens said. "Technically we've placed a lot of emphasis on first contact skills including serving and passing. But we're also emphasizing their mental approach to the game. The focus can't be on the entire season it needs to be on what is in front of them on any given day."
 
Positionaly, senior Paula Sioto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo), who was a setter for parts of last season, has moved to opposite hitter full time. Junior Valeria Desiderio (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) and senior Rachel Levitt (Willow Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) will start at the two outside hitter positions. Senior Madeleine Radtke (Stevensville, Mich./Lakeshore) and freshman Chinwendu Ngwadom (Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons) will hold down the two middle hitter spots. Senior Mysta Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas), junior Mia Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) and junior Julia Menhart (Augsburg, Germany/FOS Friedberg) will battle for time at the libero and defensive specialist. Freshmen Ralitsa Hadzhistoyanova (Razlog, Bulgaria/Kanazirevi) and Mackenzie Lotter (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) will both see time at the setter position.
 
Rens' group opens the season with tournaments at DePaul, UIC and Syracuse. Chicago State's home opener against Indiana State will be held Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. It gets serious when the Cougars open Western Athletic Conference play on Sept. 28 against Grand Canyon at the Jacoby Dickens Center. It will be Chicago State's first contest in any sport in WAC play. The Cougars close the season with 16 conference contests over the season's final 17 matches. Rens says the advantages of CSU returning to a league with an automatic bid extend beyond just the NCAA carrot at the end of the season.
 
"I love the idea of competing outside of region per say," Rens said. "You learn more about the game, different coaching styles, different training methods and different styles of play. Playing in a conference like the WAC will make us better every time we step out on the court."
 
The schedule, which includes matches in 10 different states, begins with McNeese State on Friday (Aug. 30).
 
"Cougar volleyball...catch it if you can."  added Rens.